Surah al-Fajr, ALLAH IS EVER WATCHFUL(ayat 14)

THE LOST NATURE

       part-5

      QURAN AND NATURE

  Quran is an eltimate green-guide.There are about 700 verses in quran that exhort believers to reflect on nature.Since Allah is the creator of everythimg.So, quran doesn't just link belief in one Allah it is also about to being niece to plants and animals and take care of earth.The quran glorifies nature and wildlife as an earthly heaven a mirror to th elush forest of paradise.

       In Arabic the word of earthling is Khalifa is use.This is magnificent word with multiple meanings like deputy, guardian, friend of earth and viceroy, although it all boils down to stewardship.Human being are the most intelligent being on the earth so it makes sense that we have responsibility to care for our planet.

And it is He who has made you successors upon the earth and has raised some of you above others in degrees [of rank] that He may try you through what He has given you. Indeed, your Lord is swift in penalty; but indeed, He is Forgiving and Merciful.(surah Al-Anam 6;165)

     Muslim are supposed to hold this responsibility deeply.We are not the masters but we have been given a short-term trust.Anyone who creates corruption and pollution abuses their powers and has violated this trust.Such a person fails as a Human and needs to earn the title back.Islam contains an eloborate hierarchy and high ranking of knowledge, integrated by the principle of divine unity(tawhid).These echelons includes juridical and metaphysical ones,all of which derive their principles from the quran.So , overall either its zoology, botony, histology, embrology, history, physics or environment there is nothing in the world which is not explain by quran by Allah because Allah is the creator of all the universe.Human life is so interrelated with natural phenomena that those who can discern them can draw absolutely correct conclusion about the world future.In other words, the law of history can be deduced from the law of nature, for example;the following verses clearly discuss natural phenomena that every living  thing have to come to end.

Indeed, your Lord is Allah , who created the heavens and earth in six days and then established Himself above the Throne. He covers the night with the day, [another night] chasing it rapidly; and [He created] the sun, the moon, and the stars, subjected by His command. Unquestionably, His is the creation and the command; blessed is Allah , Lord of the worlds.

Call upon your Lord in humility and privately; indeed, He does not like transgressors.

And cause not corruption upon the earth after its reformation. And invoke Him in fear and aspiration. Indeed, the mercy of Allah is near to the doers of good.

And it is He who sends the winds as good tidings before His mercy until, when they have carried heavy rainclouds, We drive them to a dead land and We send down rain therein and bring forth thereby [some] of all the fruits. Thus will We bring forth the dead; perhaps you may be reminded.

And the good land - its vegetation emerges by permission of its Lord; but that which is bad - nothing emerges except sparsely, with difficulty. Thus do We diversify the signs for a people who are grateful.(surah Al-Araf 7:54-58)

         Water play a biggest role in nature.Noone can survive without water either its human being, animal, bird or insect or plant all need water for surviving.Allah has talks about how he creates life through water then sustains it by streams, the rains, rivers and oceans.

And Allah has sent down rain from the sky and given life thereby to the earth after its lifelessness. Indeed in that is a sign for a people who listen.(surah An-Nahl 16:65)

     Prophet Muhammad(S.A.W) peace be upon fim, said that one day people will wage over rivers of gold.He was talking about water.So, we should realize the importance of water before its too late.Before wasting water think of thousands of people in the same world who die due to thirst.

And We have sent down blessed rain from the sky and made grow thereby gardens and grain from the harvest.(surah Qaf 50:9)

Above verses of quran explain that how blessfull is rain for all creation.The plants are also depent on water.

And it is He who sends down rain from the sky, and We produce thereby the growth of all things. We produce from it greenery from which We produce grains arranged in layers. And from the palm trees - of its emerging fruit are clusters hanging low. And [We produce] gardens of grapevines and olives and pomegranates, similar yet varied. Look at [each of] its fruit when it yields and [at] its ripening. Indeed in that are signs for a people who believe.(surah Al-Anam 6:99)

In above verse A llah speaks about his creative design and the nutrition available ffrom natural way as an encouragement to eat healthy.Among the plants mention in quran there are garlic, dates, ginger, olives, lentils, onion, cucumber, figs, mustard, a variety of trees including the cedar and the acacia flower.

        What we learn from this? Plants are part of our life our diet so we should care them, grow them even a small pot of plant will encourage pollination and eco-system and it is all we do for our heath benefit.So, if you love yourself and want  to stay healthy then love the things which give you benefits unlimited.

       Take time out to appreciate the beauty of meadows and foliage around you.These moments of reflection count as worship, these are moments of connection to the creator. Other than caring about plants.Islam also encourage to love with animals.

And there is no creature on [or within] the earth or bird that flies with its wings except [that they are] communities like you. We have not neglected in the Register a thing. Then unto their Lord they will be gathered.(surah Al-Anam 6:38)

      Allah has used the word 'community'(ummah) to describe the sim ilarity between people and animal.We have our own social groups and animals have their own.There is a beauty and majesty in the innate construct of swimming shoal of fish or flocks of birds dancing  in the sky.But it is so sad that people are grossly violated with animals throughout the world.They hunt animals for skin or tusks which mean several animal species are extinct.On  the other hand many people are keeping pet in cages.Remember no matter how beautiful is sail and all luxirous are there but a jail will be always a jail.

       The ozone hole over the Antartica is a phenomenon whereby the stratosphere is thinned out.It's caused by refrigator, CFC's halons and freons.These have been banned since 1970s but still we are using more and more each year which mean each year we are losing the protective layer of earth.In fourteen hundred year old quran mentions the atmosphere in embracing language;

And We made the sky a protected ceiling, but they, from its signs, are turning away.(surah Al-Anbya21:32)

It is Allah who made for you the earth a place of settlement and the sky a ceiling and formed you and perfected your forms and provided you with good things. That is Allah , your Lord; then blessed is Allah , Lord of the worlds.(surah Ghafir40:64)

      Allah has wrapped the earth with atmosphere and people have burned it away.Restoring it requires global diligence and commitment to neutralising toxic gases and radiation.

  The various verses about nature are given below;

The Art in Design;

Do you not see that Allah sends down rain from the sky and makes it flow as springs [and rivers] in the earth; then He produces thereby crops of varying colors; then they dry and you see them turned yellow; then He makes them [scattered] debris. Indeed in that is a reminder for those of understanding.(surah Az-Zumar 39:21)

Tectonic plates and mountain pegs:

And He has cast into the earth firmly set mountains, lest it shift with you, and [made] rivers and roads, that you may be guided,(surah An-Nahl16:15)

Sea:

He released the two seas, meeting [side by side];

Between them is a barrier [so] neither of them transgresses.(surah Ar-Rehman55;19-20)

Weather pattern:

And it is He who sends the winds as good tidings before His mercy until, when they have carried heavy rainclouds, We drive them to a dead land and We send down rain therein and bring forth thereby [some] of all the fruits. Thus will We bring forth the dead; perhaps you may be reminded.(surah Ar-Raf7:57)

It is Allah who sends the winds, and they stir the clouds and spread them in the sky however He wills, and He makes them fragments so you see the rain emerge from within them. And when He causes it to fall upon whom He wills of His servants, immediately they rejoice.(surah Ar-Rum30:48)

It is He who shows you lightening, [causing] fear and aspiration, and generates the heavy clouds.(surah Ar-Rad13:12)

All the above verses are amazing starting point for activism.Environmrntal walfare is described as something sacrilegious, beneficial for us.

Do they not see the birds above them with wings outspread and [sometimes] folded in? None holds them [aloft] except the Most Merciful. Indeed He is, of all things, Seeing.

(surah Al-Mulk 67:19)

Do you not see that Allah drives clouds? Then He brings them together, then He makes them into a mass, and you see the rain emerge from within it. And He sends down from the sky, mountains [of clouds] within which is hail, and He strikes with it whom He wills and averts it from whom He wills. The flash of its lightening almost takes away the eyesight.(surah An-Nur 24:45)

       Over and over Allah tell us that the alternation of night and day are signs of his power.And the weather and climate are his creation and under his control.

It is Allah who erected the heavens without pillars that you [can] see; then He established Himself above the Throne and made subject the sun and the moon, each running [its course] for a specified term. He arranges [each] matter; He details the signs that you may, of the meeting with your Lord, be certain.

And it is He who spread the earth and placed therein firmly set mountains and rivers; and from all of the fruits He made therein two mates; He causes the night to cover the day. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.

And within the land are neighboring plots and gardens of grapevines and crops and palm trees, [growing] several from a root or otherwise, watered with one water; but We make some of them exceed others in [quality of] fruit. Indeed in that are signs for a people who reason.

(surah Ar-Rad 13:2-3-4)