Last Updated: May 2024
This chapter will explain with the help of science how communication between Allah and mankind takes place. To keep mankind connected with Him, Allah has devised a perfect system of communication.
Allah has created humans with the best design. They are fully equipped with all the requirements to receive, process, and understand the Message.
We created man in the best design (95: 4)
In Chapter Two we have learned that humanity has received instructions from Allah through His messengers. These messengers were humans like every other human. However, they were the chosen ones because they were more obedient and pious than the rest of humanity.
And We made from among them leaders guiding by Our command when they were patient and [when] they were certain of Our signs. (32: 24)
Allah used to send His Message to these messengers through inspiration. Inspiration or insight is not an out-of-this-world phenomenon that is beyond explanation. It works on a logical system, but to understand it, we need to understand a little bit of science. The communication system designed by Allah is so perfect that a revelation to a single person can reach billions of people in different periods of time, and it can remain preserved for thousands of years. In this chapter, we will see how Allah created the most wonderful way of communication through human beings.
Have the people been amazed that We revealed [revelation] to a man from among them……. (10: 2)
We never sent any messenger before you [O Muhammad], but they ate food and walked in the marketplaces …………….. (25: 20)
We sent messengers before you [O Muhammad], and We assigned for them wives and offspring….………. (13: 38)
And We did not make them mere bodies that ate no food, nor were they immortal (21: 8)
…………And it was not for any messenger to bring a sign [or verse] except by permission of Allah…………… (40: 78)
It is not for any human that Allah should speak to him, except by inspiration, or from behind a veil, or by sending a(n angel) messenger to reveal by His permission whatever He wills. He is All-High, All-Wise (42: 51)
3.1 SCIENCE BEHIND INSPIRATIONS
The study of physics explains the presence of radio waves [a kind of electromagnetic energy] in the entire universe. They have frequencies between 30 hertz (HZ) to 300 gigahertz (GHZ) [gigahertz is a unit of frequency equal to one billion hertz], and they can travel at the speed of light and have the capability of carrying information across space from a sender to a receiver. Radio waves are widely used in modern technology for cell phones, radio communication, television broadcasting, radar, navigation systems, communication satellites, wireless computer networks, and many other appliances. It is because of these radio waves that ground stations can communicate with satellites and space stations across thousands of miles from the Earth.
Interestingly, radio waves can excite brain cells as well. If these radio waves carry a compatible message to the brain, the brain can act as a receiver and processor of this message. As radio waves have billions of frequencies, it is not yet clear [to scientists] which of them is compatible with the human brain. However, the use of EEG [Electroencephalography] and fMRI [Functional magnetic resonance imaging] confirms that something different occurs in a brain about 300 milliseconds before an individual indicates an insight or an idea. This means something excites brain cells before the appearance of an idea in one’s mind.
More interestingly, a brain can transform these radio signals into language. Language is the most amazing tool that not only gives meaning to our experiences but also helps us express these experiences in words. It is only through language that a person can understand and express what he feels in his body or comes in his/her mind.
3.2 THE ROLE OF A LANGUAGE IN UNDERSTANDING AND SPREADING A MESSAGE
Allah has adorned humans with a powerful tool of language, which not only helps them understand His message, but also helps them manage their lives.
Allah has perfectly designed humans to receive and interpret His message. He conveys His message to His chosen people [messengers] through inspirations ,who further convey it to other people, and they carry it on to others. This is how the Message reaches billions of people. Though it seems like a simple process, it involves a very complex mechanism. Allah sends His message/ instructions/ commands/ guidance [through inspirations] which the human brain can decode into understandable language. Allah has biologically adorned humans to create, communicate, and understand language. The perfect anatomy of speech organs [the voice box, throat, tongue, mouth, nose, lips, and lungs] enables them to articulate different sounds. These sounds stimulate the perfect hearing system in the ear [of a hearer]. The ear sends these sound signals to the brain [areas] where they are processed and decoded into meanings.
Language is thus, an amazing tool that not only builds connections between the Creator and mankind, but also helps people to express themselves and understand each other. Moreover, it helps people to manage their lives and create connections among mind, body, and society.
[Allah] created man, and taught him clear expression (55: 3-4)
Language is essential to understand the meaning of a message. Allah, therefore, sends His commands in human language to make them understandable to humans.
And We did not send any messenger except [speaking] in the language of his people to state clearly for them………………… (14: 4)
3.3 ROLE OF INSPIRATIONS IN DAILY LIFE
Radio waves, carrying the message, can excite brain cells. The brain processes this message and gives words to this experience. In day-to-day life, everyone is aware of the ‘all of a sudden idea’ that carries the solution to a problem. It jumps into a person’s mind without any effort on his/her part. The history of inventions is full of such ‘all of a sudden’ ideas or eureka moments. However, it is a common observation that not every apple hits the ground with an invitation to a discovery-bound idea, and the ‘eureka moment’ does not come in everybody’s life – specific ideas come to specific individuals at a specific time. Though an idea comes to just one person, it can reach millions of people through words. Thus, the history of inventions shows how an idea excites a single person, but benefits a group of billions.
Here it is important to note that inspirations are different from ordinary thoughts; they are always guiding or providing solutions to a problem. Thoughts, however, can either be useless or deviating [from the right course] [Details in next chapters]. Inspirations or intuitions, on the other hand, provide information full of facts. Such information increases knowledge and increases connections [with other facts], which develop creativity. Such information cannot emerge in one’s mind on its own. Logic admits that such information, which guides humanity at every step, can only come from an All-Knowing Source.
Allah guides humanity through inspiration in a number of ways. For example:
In making or designing something.
.. We inspired him [Nuh]: “Build the Ark under Our observation and by Our inspiration……. (23: 27)
In giving hope and strength to a person.
We inspired the mother of Moses: “Nurse him; then, when you fear for him, cast him into the river and do not fear, nor grieve; We will return him to you, and make him one of the messengers.” (28: 7)
So when they [the brothers of Joseph] took him [Joseph] [out] and agreed to put him into the bottom of the well. But We inspired to him, “You will surely inform them [someday] about this affair of theirs while they do not perceive [your identity]” (12: 15)
It is He who sent down tranquility into the hearts of the believers, to add faith to their faith …….. (48: 4)
He gives courage through inspirations.
And We inspired Moses: “Travel by night with My servants, and strike for them a dry path across the sea, not fear being overtaken, nor worrying.” (20: 77)
It is not only humans who receive guidance through inspirations, but other creatures also receive guidance through the same procedure.
And your Rubb inspired the bee: “Set up hives in the mountains, and in the trees, and in what they construct. Then eat of all the fruits and go along the pathways of your Rubb with precision.” ……………… (16: 68-69)
3.4 SPECIAL INSPIRATIONS
As far as the guidance for the whole life is concerned, Allah chooses His special people [for this special purpose] who deliver His Message to many other people.
…every person among them desires that he would be given scriptures spread out (74: 52)
…………….. Allah knows best where to place His message……. (3: 124)
The knower of the invisible; He does not disclose His *invisible to anyone. Except to a Messenger of His choosing…………. (72: 26-27) * Most of the realities are invisible to humans [details in next chapters]
Nothing prevented the people from believing, when guidance has come to them, except that they said, “Did Allah send a human messenger?” (17: 94)
As humans can understand only humans, Allah assigned human messengers for humans.
Say, “If there were angels on earth, walking around in peace, We would have sent down to them from heaven an angel messenger.” (17: 95)
We did not send before you [O Muhammad] except men, whom We inspired. Ask the people of knowledge, if you do not know (21: 7)
All messengers from different eras received the commands of Allah through the same procedure [i.e., inspiration], and all of them delivered the same message [of peace]. If these messages had not been from the same Source, all the messengers would have delivered diverse messages.
………………. If it [the Quran] had been from [any] other than Allah, they would have found within it much contradiction (4: 82)
We have inspired you (Muhammad), as We had inspired Noah and the prophets after him. And We inspired Abraham, and Ishmael, and Isaac, and Jacob, and the Patriarchs, and Jesus, and Job, and Jonah, and Aaron, and Solomon. And We gave David the Psalms. Some messengers We have already told you about, while some messengers We have not told you about. And Allah spoke to Moses directly. Messengers delivering good news and bringing warnings; so that people may have no excuse before Allah after the coming of the messengers [that guidance has not reached them]. Allah is Powerful and Wise. But Allah bears witness to what He revealed to you (Muhammad). He revealed it with His knowledge ……………. (4: 163-166).
We thus inspired you [O Muhammad] spiritually, by Our command. You did not know what the Scripture is, nor what faith is, but We made it a light, with which We guide whomever We will of Our servants. You surely guide to a straight path. (42: 52)
You [O Muhammad] did not read any scripture before this, nor did you write it down with your right hand; otherwise the falsifiers would have doubted [that you might have made it up yourself] (29: 48)
So, if you are in doubt about that which We have revealed to you, then ask those who have been reading the Scripture before you. The truth has certainly come to you from your Rubb, so never be among the doubters (10: 94)
And indeed, [the Quran] is the revelation of the Rubb of the worlds. The trustworthy Spirit has brought it down. Upon your heart, [O Muhammad] – that you may be of the warners – in clear Arabic language. And indeed, it is [mentioned] in the scriptures of former people. And has it not been a sign to them that it is recognized by the scholars of the Children of Israel? (26: 192-197)
With the truth We sent it down, and with the truth it descended…………… (17: 105)
Those who received knowledge know that what is revealed to you from your Rubb is the truth; and it guides to the path of the Majestic, the Praiseworthy (34: 6)
3.5 WHAT ARE ANGELS?
Developments in the respective fields of physics, chemistry, biology, cosmology, and the earth sciences reveal that energy is always needed to make any system work. This system can be microscopic [consisting of molecules and particles] or cosmologic [consisting of huge stars and planets]. In simple words, to carry out an activity, either within a particle or in the universe, energy is required. There are different types [forms] of energy, for example, radiant energy, heat energy, light energy, air energy, sound energy, magnetic energy, etc. All the systems or activities of the universe are being carried out by one or another kind of energy. It is just the difference of name – science calls them energies, while Allah calls them angels – otherwise, they are the same invisible forces that carry out different activities in the universe.
……………To Allah belong the troops [forces] of the heavens and the earth. Allah is Knowing and Wise (48: 4)
……………. (angels) never disobey Allah in anything He commands them, and they carry out whatever they are commanded (66: 6)
In the radio communication system, information is carried by the carrier waves which carry the information through the vacuum and the air to the receiver. Without these carrier waves communication is impossible. Similarly, inspirations/Intuitions follow the same procedure; they are carried by the special carrier/s.
Allah chooses messengers from among the angels, and from among the people…… (22: 75)
He sends down the angels, with the inspiration of His command, upon whom He wills of His servants [messengers] ……………………….. (16: 2)
[Angels say], “We do not descend except by the command of your Rubb………..” (19: 64) [To learn more about angels, see Chapter Six]
3.6 WONDERS OF A WRITTEN LANGUAGE
Writing is a wonder that makes it possible to transfer sound signals and mental images onto pages as visual images. Inscription is thus an even more powerful tool that can preserve large amounts of information or knowledge [which is more than human capacity] outside the human body [brain]. This knowledge can benefit humanity even after thousands of years of its inscription. Written material remains safe, even if the person who inscribes it is dead. Written language can, therefore, preserve knowledge [in the form of books] for the generations to come. Moreover, it helps to produce several copies of the original message.
Recite, and your Rubb is the Most Generous – Who taught by the pen – Taught man (kind) that which he knew not (96: 3-5)
It is He who has sent among the unlettered a Messenger from themselves reciting to them His verses and purifying them and teaching them the Book and wisdom – although they were before in clear error. And [to] others of them who have not yet joined them. And He is Exalted in Might, the Wise. (62: 2-3)
Allah has created all the sources that not only convey His message but also preserve His message for generations who have not been born yet. With such a perfect mechanism, a single person [messenger]gets inspiration from Allah, and billions of people from different time periods get the benefit of that guiding inspiration.