The Earth’s Atmosphere

“By the sky which returns.” (Quran 86:11)

“[He] who made for you the earth a bed [spread out] and the sky a ceiling…” (Quran 2:22)

In the first verse God swears by the sky[1] and its function of ‘returning’ without specifying what it ‘returns.’ In Islamic doctrine, a divine oath signifies the magnitude of importance of a special relation to the Creator, and manifests His majesty and the supreme Truth in a special way.

The second verse describes the Divine Act that made the sky a ‘ceiling’ for the dwellers of earth.

Let us see what modern atmospheric science has to say about the role and function of the sky.

The atmosphere is a word which denotes all the air surrounding the earth, from the ground all the way up to the edge from which space starts. The atmosphere is composed of several layers, each defined because of the various phenomena which occur within the layer.
Rain, for one, is ‘returned’ to Earth by the clouds in the atmosphere. Explaining the hydrologic cycle, Encyclopedia Britannica writes:

“Water evaporates from both the aquatic and terrestrial environments as it is heated by the Sun’s energy. The rates of evaporation and precipitation depend on solar energy, as do the patterns of circulation of moisture in the air and currents in the ocean. Evaporation exceeds precipitation over the oceans, and this water vapor is transported by the wind over land, where it returns to the land through precipitation.”[2]

Not only does the atmosphere return what was on the surface back to the surface, but it reflects back into space that which might damage the flora and fauna the earth sustains, such as excessive radiant heat. In the 1990’s, collaborations between NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) of Japan resulted in the International Solar-Terrestrial Physics (ISTP) Science Initiative. Polar, Wind and Geotail are a part of this initiative, combining resources and scientific communities to obtain coordinated, simultaneous investigations of the Sun-Earth space environment over an extended period of time. They have an excellent explanation of how the atmosphere returns solar heat to space.[3]

Besides ‘returning’ rain, heat and radio waves, the atmosphere protects us like a ceiling above our heads by filtering out deadly cosmic rays, powerful ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the Sun, and even meteorites on collision course with Earth.[4]

Pennsylvania State Public Broadcasting tells us:

“The sunlight that we can see represents one group of wavelengths, visible light. Other wavelengths emitted by the sun include x-rays and ultraviolet radiation. X-rays and some ultraviolet light waves are absorbed high in Earth’s atmosphere. They heat the thin layer of gas there to very high temperatures. Ultraviolet light waves are the rays that can cause sunburn. Most ultraviolet light waves are absorbed by a thicker layer of gas closer to Earth called the ozone layer. By soaking up the deadly ultraviolet and x-rays, the atmosphere acts as a protective shield around the planet. Like a giant thermal blanket, the atmosphere also keeps temperatures from getting too hot or too cold. In addition, the atmosphere also protects us from constant bombardment by meteoroids, bits of rock and dust that travel at high speeds throughout the solar system. The falling stars we see at night are not stars at all; they are actually meteoroids burning up in our atmosphere due to the extreme heating they undergo.”[5]
Encyclopedia Britannica, describing the role of Stratosphere, tells us about its protective role in absorbing dangerous ultraviolet radiation:

“In the upper stratospheric regions, absorption of ultraviolet light from the Sun breaks down oxygen molecules; recombination of oxygen atoms with O2 molecules into ozone (O3) creates the ozone layer, which shields the lower ecosphere from harmful short-wavelength radiation…More disturbing, however, is the discovery of a growing depletion of ozone over temperate latitudes, where a large percentage of the world’s population resides, since the ozone layer serves as a shield against ultraviolet radiation, which has been found to cause skin cancer.”[6]

The mesosphere is the layer in which many meteors burn up while entering the Earth’s atmosphere. Imagine a baseball zipping along at 30,000 miles per hour. That’s how big and fast many meteors are. When they plow through the atmosphere, meteors are heated to more than 3000 degrees Fahrenheit, and they glow. A meteor compresses air in front of it. The air heats up, in turn heating the meteor.[7]

Earth is surrounded by a magnetic force field - a bubble in space called “the magnetosphere” tens of thousands of miles wide. The magnetosphere acts as a shield that protects us from solar storms. However, according to new observations from NASA’s IMAGE spacecraft and the joint NASA/European Space Agency Cluster satellites, immense cracks sometimes develop in Earth’s magnetosphere and remain open for hours. This allows the solar wind to gush through and power stormy space weather. Fortunately, these cracks do not expose Earth’s surface to the solar wind. Our atmosphere protects us, even when our magnetic field does not.[8]

How would it be possible for a fourteenth century desert dweller to describe the sky in a manner so precise that only recent scientific discoveries have confirmed it? The only way is if he received revelation from the Creator of the sky.

Footnotes:

[1] Al-Samaa’, the Arabic word translated here as ‘sky’ includes earth’s atmosphere as indicated by the verse 2:164.

[2] ”Biosphere.” Encyclopedia Britannica from Encyclopedia Britannica Premium Service.
(http://www.britannica.com/eb/article?tocId=70872)

[3] (http://www-spof.gsfc.nasa.gov/stargaze/Sweather1.htm)

[4] Atmospheric, Climate & Environment Information Programme of the Manchester Metropolitan University at (http://www.ace.mmu.ac.uk/eae/Atmosphere/atmosphere.html)

[5] (http://www.witn.psu.edu/articles/article.phtml?article_id=255&show_id=44)

[6] “Earth.” Encyclopedia Britannica from Encyclopedia Britannica Premium Service.
(http://www.britannica.com/eb/article?tocId=54196)

[7] (http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/meteors-ez.html)

(http://www.islamreligion.com/articles/1/)

[8] (http://www.firstscience.com/SITE/ARTICLES/magnetosphere.asp)

Where the place or the planet, when Muhammad mi’raj ?

Mi’raj event, starting from the evening until just before Fajr. Means from 19:00 until 4:00 or 9 hour drive.
If half the journey 4.5 hours, then the distance traveled by the vehicle Buraq record exists at the same speed of light or 300,000 km / sec, ie:
S = vt
= 300 000. 4.5
= 300 000. 3600. 4.5
= 4,860,000,000 kilo meters
While the distance of Neptune from the sun is 4,500,000,000 kms or no affinity. What is the planet Neptune is a place visited during mi’raj ?

THE CREATION OF THE UNIVERSE

There are theories which deal with the process of the creation of the universe. And in this letter I would like to write it according to what is said about it in the Koran. In this holy book, astronomy field dominates the discussion about physics. I found out that it is randomly discussed (there is no definite order of one discussion to next ones). That is why I have to pick some words or paragraphs and put them in certain order according to common sense and some physics laws.

One word in one paragraph or section may have many different meanings. And the key word in my discussion here is the word heaven (as sama). The phases of the creation of the universe are related to that word. And in it’s context, it’s interpreted and connected with astronomy. Misinterpretation may occur and it is merely caused by my own mistake of my insufficient capabilities in translations. For that reason, I welcome any constructive and I do hope that my explanation be useful for all of us.

Sincerely yours,

Muchsin Faisal Effendie

THE MEANING OF HEAVEN (AS SAMA)

The word heaven (as sama) has both micro and macro sense. In term of micro sense, heaven means the smallest unit. While in broad sense, heaven is formed by it’s units. In other words, there are some levels of heaven in the universe. It can be clarified we follow: atmosphere, heavenly bodies and the galaxies.

Heaven which means atmosphere, in a narrow sense heaven means sky or layer which surround the earth. This meaning is found in the following:

“And We bring you rain down from heaven” (31:10)

There is still other paragraph which means a like. What is meant by the word heaven in the quotations above is cloud. This meaning is classified in another paragraph:

“And we come down from the cloud, the water which is pouring” (46:24)

According to geography what we know about atmosphere, cloud is exist in the troposphere layer. It is about 12 kilo meters high, while the cloud is usually about 2 kilo meters above the sea level.

To make sure that heaven means atmosphere, look at this quotation:

“Birds fly in heaven” (16:79)

“Good trees, the roots are strong, and the branch reaches the heaven” (14:24)

It is quite clear that heaven means atmosphere, because birds fly in the sky or atmosphere.

Heaven means heavenly bodies is higher than the first meaning above. Heavenly bodies may include stars, planets, comets or meteors. Heaven meaning heavenly bodies can be found in there paragraphs:

“Decorating the sky which is closes the decoration, the stars and the planets” (37:6)

I think what is by sky here is the sky which can be seen by naked eye, without using a telescope., because it is in the sky we can see the stars, planets or meteors. So, the right interpretation of the word heaven here is constellation of the stars. Where the star is the system with planets, meteors, comets, satellites and other heavenly bodies in it. We can call this a zodiac.

Heavenly means galaxy; galaxy is cluster of stars which can be billons. We, who live in this solar system is part of our galaxy – The Milky Way. Heaven which means galaxy is found in the following:

“And actually We have create clusters of stars (buruuj) in the heaven” (15:16)

“For heaven’s shake with it’s stars” (85:1)

In astronomy, the word buruuj means cluster or groups of star. So, group of star is nothing but galaxy.

THE CREATION OF THE UNIVERSE

Many things which happen in these worlds are merely repetition of what have taken place in the past. We often notice and feel the cycle of world’s phenomenon. And so is the history of the universe.

“Like what We have done when we start the first creation, We will repeat that again (nu’iiduhu)” (21:104)

Nu’iiduhu is derived from the ‘aada, which means ‘aada : raja’a : again or repeated. It is just like when someone goes, and then come back again. If we draw a line from the time he went and the time he came back. It will form a closed curve. The sentence which contains that word is ‘iidu sanawiyyu tadzaariyyu which means birthday. If we consider the first birthday as the beginning which is followed by the second one plus the happenings which occur between them, and if we draw a line, it is very hard to imagine this life as straight line. Because the beginning finally meets with the end. This life is best illustrated as a circle.

When we look at a circle, we can not decide which is the beginning and which is the end. In relation with the word nu’iiduhu, it is interpreted as the repetition of the end into the beginning.

Circle is the closest in meaning with the word nu’iiduhu, a part of the nature phenomenon like water cycle, carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle. That water undergoes a cycle is obvious. Water in may different places will vaporize; continuous evaporation especially during dry season will form clouds. Cloud will form rain, and water will come down to the earth again.

That’s why I put the end of the world (the judgment day) and the beginning of the world with the hell with it’s fire between them as the first phase. As I have said before that last is the first.

PHASES OF THE CREATION OF THE UNIVERSE

PHASE I: The end of the world (the doomsday) is marked by the destruction of the universe; it is this phase which brings the universe into beginning when it was born for the first time. Then what will happen if the stars shattered, smashed (totally destructed) or if they ran out of fuel.

So you must wait until the heaven brings the real could (bidukhaanin mubin)” (44:10)

Dukhaanin comes from the word dakhina, for example: dakhkhan: smoking. With the meaning in the translation above we can in for that as smoke, not cloud. Since smoke comes from vaporation. Smoke indicates that there is heat. The word in the sentence dakhanal ghubaru: satha’a: flying all around. Smoke is closer in meaning with dukhaanin, compare with could or fog which is relatively static, and it moves only in certain directions.

If we combine the word mubiin with dukhaanin, we can interpret them as energy. Energy is related to motion and heat. That’s why energy is the closest meaning of the word.

In Einstein’s Theory Relativity we can see that energy can be changed into mass. In an endoderm reaction, energy is required to form material.

PHASE 2: energy formed a giant proton ball. Like I have stated before that energy can be changed into mass in a reaction. At last, according to the astronomies, this proton ball exploded. The explosion was known as the big bang. There are many paragraphs which explain about this giant proton ball, such as:

“Into a very hot water (hamaimii)” (40:72)

“Burning in the hell (sa’iiran)” (25:11)

“For them, above are layers of fire (zhulalun) and so are below (zhulalun)” (39:16)

“For them clothes (tsiyaabun) from the hell fire” (22:19)

Hamiimi comes from the word hamma which may mean hammal maa: sakhina: lava. We can image that if a ball like hot lava rolls, everything on its way will be burnt too. If only a part of such things is lava, we possibly can find it on the earth. But if all of it is hot lava, we can only find it on the sun or stars.

Sa’iiran comes from the word sa’ara, in sentence tasa’ara wasta’arannaar means burning (giving out flames). From both of that word, we can imagine how hell looks like; lava like place which can destroy everything in it with its bright light.

Zhulalun comes from the word zhalla, for zhallala wa azhalla: alqaa alaikii zhillahu: to cover (something from heat, sun etc). For example, if someone uses an umbrella, he will be protected against sunlight. If something is covered by hot lava, all around it that thing will became hot lava too. And azh zhalahu means water under the tree which is protected against sunshine. We can imagine how big the tree is, how thick the leaves are so that sunlight can’t reach it, only reaches the tree.

We can also imagine how big the burning lava is so that whatever is put inside it can’t be seen. Everything that whatever into it no matter how big it is will dissolve and what we can see is just the burning lava. We will see what that burning lava really is from the word tsiyaabun from the word tsaaba, for tsaabannas: ijtama’u : gather. If we combine it with the previous word, we can interpret that it is the origin or union. What is meant by union here is the union of the galaxies. Even if we put all the galaxies in it. All we can see is just it. It here is the giant proton ball in which is like the sun or star and which can cover all the galaxies. As stated in the sentence matsaabal bir meaning a wall surrounding a well. So that we can understand that above all the proton ball is a giant ball from which galaxies are born. But why should proton is first? Not there particles or other elements with more atoms mass. If elements which have more atoms mass existed first, then fist of all protons, electron and neutron have to be there first to compose that element. So, it’s understandable that proton (which is composed by quarks) was formed fist.

PHASE 3: in this phase, proto galaxies are born as the result of the big bang. A giant proton ball with billions of galaxies in it was formed, in the phase before. We can’t image how big it is, there is nothing which can be compared in size with it, not even the sun. If a star explodes, it would form a supernova. But if this a giant proton ball exploded, it would form an ultra nova. In astronomy, the explosion is known as the big bang. Signs of the centre of this explosion or the centre of the universe have been stated in the following quotations:

“A shelter which has three branches (syu’abin) which does not cover and does not reject the hell fire. Actually hell gives out (tarmi), a spark as big and tall as a palace. As if it were cattle of yellow (shufrun jamal)” (77:30-32)

Tarmi comes from the word rama, for ramasy syaa:thatrahahu: throw. While ramassahma ‘anil gausi (alaihi): let out, shoot off (like a narrow from a bow). What is let out in explosion is a giant spark. How it looks like is described as a parade of yellow camels.

Shurun is derived from shafara, for shafar: shauwata binnafhi min syafataihi: whistle and shafarattu’ban: fahha: means hiss, sizzle. The whistling or hissing sound of the spark shows that the proto galaxy exploded and formed proto stars.

The nature of galaxies which is symbolized by spark is explained by syu’abin, which comes from the word sya’aba, for sya’abal qaum means parting, scattered. Sya’sbabashaahiba: baa’adahu: stay away. From the different forms of the word syu’aba, it can be explained that all galaxies moved away from each other. The galaxies are divided into three group’s ellipse galaxies, spiral galaxies and irregular forms. It is in according with the explanation “a shelter which has three branches’ above. The orbit of the galaxies can be explained from:

“And the root (assaqfi) which is heightened” (52:5)

“And the galaxies (as sama), how it is heightened (rufiat)” (88:18)

Assaqfi is derived from the word saqafa, for saqifa: high curved. After the explosion, the galaxies orbits are not straight lines but curved. I think it is because of the galaxies rotation and because of gravity of the centre of the universe which makes their rotation curved or not straight.

Rufiat is derived from rafa’a, for rafa’a: lift. Rafa’alama: raise (a flag). Rafa’al haditsa: salsalah ila qaailahul awwali: connect something with it’s source.

If we change the flag with the galaxies and the source with the centre of the universe. It is clear that galaxies moves away from it’s centre (expanded).

How the centre of the universe looks like, is derived in paragraph:

“Actually zaqqum tree is tree (syajaratun) which comes out from the bottom (ashli) the hell”

Ashli comes from the word ashala, for ashiyyu which means the beginning, at first, something which happened before, rasakha ashalat: have roots, ashlu: man syau: origin.

Interpretation of that paragraph is about something which exist, before the universe exists and as the source of the universe. Why the centre of the universe is described as has roots? Roots here mean something which ties something, together as the galaxies are tied together. Then the word syajararsy syais: rabathahu: tie, syajrau: ajmatu: forest, gather. So, it can be understood, that after the big bang, proto galaxies which is next to the centre of the universe are tied and are effected by strong gravity so, they are like a whirl in the centre of the universe.

PHASE 4: If a proto galaxy exploded, it will form proto stars. And if stars (which may have mass billions of that of the sun) explode, it will from hyper nova. That’s what happen when a proto galaxy which consists of billions of star explode. The process of the formation of galaxies from proto galaxy is described in the following paragraph:

“And We arrange (banainaaha) the heaven (galaxies) with Our power” (51:47)

“And above you, We built (syidaadaan) seven strong buildings” (78:12)

Banainaaha comes from the word bana, for the sentence abna fulaanan: build a house. Bunayyaatuth thariqi: junction from a big into many small ones. Banaatul ardli: auhaarush shaghiira: brook. Ibnuth tahud: ash shada: echo.

To form or make a galaxy, a very powerful proto galaxy explosion is needed. This explosion occurs because the proto galaxy, which mass billions of the mass of the sun become unstably, and form a curved line 9orbit), it moves unsteadily. It can be seen clearly in a galaxy high has a spiral form. The “small roads” in the quotation above means collection of billions of stars.

Syidaadaan comes from the word syadda, for syaddasy syaia: rabatahu: to tie, al masyduud: something which is pulled, tied tightly. Asyadda: balagha asyudda: become mature 9in age and mentally)

If a man is mature, he is stabile both physically and mentally; he doesn’t get taller. If a galaxy is “mature” it means that the stars in it don’t do expansion because all stars are influenced by gravity from the centre of the galaxy and the gravity between stars also become so stabile. So that the stars can maintain the shape of the galaxy.