The Story of Creation (10) – Atmosphere filtering, Ozone layer, Polar Aurora, Protection from Asteroids in the Holy Quran.

Index:

1.    Blindness of Night (Rays Filtering)

2.    Loss of Oxygen in High Altitudes

3.    Ozone Layer

4.    Breathe of Dawn

5.    Atmosphere Reflection

6.    Sky with no holes

7.    Aurora (Polar Lights)

8.    Earth Protection from Asteroids

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Before talking about our subject, I was reading the following verse from Quran:

ان في خلق السماوات والارض واختلاف الليل والنهار والفلك التي تجري في البحر بما ينفع الناس وما انزل الله من السماء من ماء فاحيا به الارض بعد موتها وبث فيها من كل دابة وتصريف الرياح والسحاب المسخر بين السماء والارض لايات لقوم يعقلون

Verily! In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, and the ships which sail through the sea with that which is of use to mankind, and the water (rain) which Allâh sends down from the sky and makes the earth alive therewith after its death, and the moving (living) creatures of all kinds that He has scattered therein, and in the veering of winds and clouds which are held between the sky and the earth, are indeed Ayât (proofs, evidences, signs, etc.) for people of understanding. [2:164]

I noticed that this verse summarized the creation sequence as explained in part (3) in one verse only as following:

• Creation of Universe (the Heavens and Earth).
• Alternation of Day and Night, i.e. Earth formation, being sphere and starting its rotation.
• Ships over the Seas, i.e. the water existed and appeared from Earth into Oceans.
• Rain, i.e. water starts evaporating, raining, rivers formation.
• Dispersing of Creatures (Daabah), starting from bacteria, and it’s evolution to other types of animals.
• Winds and Clouds, means oxygen generation and rising of atmosphere thickness.

In the following sections, we will compare some of ALLAH signs in Quran and compare them with science findings.

1.    Blindness of Night (Rays Filtering):

In the following verse, ALLAH describes what he has made the night:

واغطش ليلها واخرج ضحاها

And He made dark (Aghtash) the night thereof, and He brought forth the morn thereof. [79:29]

The Arabic word that is translated to make it dark is “Aghtash” that has meaning related to half blindness or color blindness, as following:

والغَطَشُ الضعف في البصر كما يَنْظُر ببعض بصره.

This means that night was made to be half blind, means can see some colors (rays) and some can’t, and this what is clearly explained in the following chart, where it shows that Earth night passes some rays from Sun and prevent others to protect the life on Earth from these rays, such as Extreme UV that can burn every living creature on Earth, and because of that Earth Night (dark part of Atmosphere) prevent them from reaching, and this by ALLAH wisdom and mercy for his creation.

 

2.    Loss of Oxygen in High Altitudes:

[Science]

Quoted from Wikipedia – High altitude Pulmonary Edema

High altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) is a life-threatening form of non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema (fluid accumulation in the lungs) that occurs in otherwise healthy mountaineers at altitudes typically above 2,500 meters (8,200 ft)….

Symptoms: at least two of:

• Difficulty in breathing (dyspnea) at rest
• Cough
• Weakness or decreased exercise performance
• Chest tightness or congestion.

1- Intermediate Altitudes (1500-2500 m or 4900-8200 feet)

Clinical symptoms are unlikely. Blood oxygen levels remain >90%.

2- High Altitude (2500-3500 m or 8200-11500 feet)

Clinical symptoms are common and may develop after 2-3 days. Blood oxygen levels may drop below 90% or lower during exercise. Prior acclimatisation will decrease the severity of the symptoms.

3- Extreme Altitude (>5800 m or 19000 feet)

Blood oxygen levels are <90%, even at rest. Progressive deterioration may occur despite acclimatization. [1]

[Quran]

The following verse describes how an infidel feels if he dislikes Islam and being not able to hear about Islam::

فمن يرد الله ان يهديه يشرح صدره للاسلام ومن يرد ان يضله يجعل صدره ضيقا حرجا كانما يصعد في السماء كذلك يجعل الله الرجس على الذين لا يؤمنون

And whomsoever Allâh wills to guide, He opens his breast to Islâm, and whomsoever He wills to send astray, He makes his breast closed and constricted, as if he is climbing up to the sky. Thus Allâh puts the wrath on those who believe not. [6:125]

ALLAH describes that infidel’s breast being closed and not being able to breathe as someone is climbing up in the Sky, which is the exactly symptom of High altitude Pulmonary Edema described above which is due to loss of Oxygen on high altitudes.

3.    Ozone Layer:

[Science]

Quoted from Wikipedia – Ozone layer

The ozone layer is a layer in Earth's atmosphere which contains relatively high concentrations of ozone (O3). This layer absorbs 97–99% of the Sun's high frequency ultraviolet light, which is damaging to life on Earth. [2]

[Quran]

We all know about Ozone layer and how it protects Earth from harmful rays, and not to forget that meaning of Sky in Quran could means anything inside Sky.

The following verse explains how ALLAH created (in) Sky a protected roof for us, which could be explained technically to be the Ozone layer:

وجعلنا السماء سقفا محفوظا وهم عن اياتها معرضون

And We have made the heaven a roof, safe and well guarded. Yet they turn away from its signs. (21:32)

4.    Breathe of Dawn

[Science]

Definition of Breathe from freedictionary.com gives the following:

Breathe:

1. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Physiology) to take in oxygen from (the surrounding medium, esp. air) and give out carbon dioxide; respire. [3]

And when looking to Atmosphere levels of Oxygen per day, what do we see? 

At dawn, it will be the lowest level of Oxygen then it starts to increase with sun light.

[Quran]

Miraculously, Quran describes dawn with the verb “Breathes” as in the following verse, as if saying that Earth was holding its breath and at dawn it starts breathing with the increase level of Oxygen:

والصبح اذا تنفس     

And the Dawn as it breathes [81:18]

5.    Atmosphere Reflection

Among the essential functions that Earth Atmosphere do is the reflection of all the following:

• Sun rays, especially the harmful Ultraviolet rays.
• Part of the Sun reflected light on Earth surface to keep its warmness.
• The Radio waves which is very helpful for communications technology.
• The reflection of water vapor which allows having rain, and not being evaporated and escaped all from Earth.
• Reflect the Solar and space winds that can cause a severe damage for life on Earth.

All these are shown in the below image:

[Quran]

The following verse explains this function as an attribute of the “Sky, heaven”, which in this case means the Atmosphere of Earth.

والسماء ذات الرجع

By the heaven which returns, (86:11)

Early Muslim scholars explained this verse, that Sky returns water (by rain) only, but now it’s clearly means much more including all what is explained in the above list.

6.    Sky with no holes

It was shown before that Atmosphere has an ozone layer (roof) that protects the Earth surface, but it has been affected by man-made gases, mainly the Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and Carbon mono oxide (CO) gazes.

The following image [4] shows the Ozone hole over the Antarctic:

[Quran]

The following verse explains that Sky (Atmosphere) was created perfectly and without holes, but unfortunately because of our misuse we caused one: the Ozone-hole.

افلم ينظروا الى السماء فوقهم كيف بنيناها وزيناها وما لها من فروج

Have they not looked at the heaven above them, how We have made it and adorned it, and there are no rifts in it? (50: 6)

7.    Aurora (Polar Lights)

[Science]

Quoted from Wikipedia – Aurora (astronomy):

An aurora (plural: auroras or aurorae) is a natural light display in the sky, particularly in the polar regions, caused by the collision of charged particles directed by the Earth's magnetic field. An aurora is usually observed at night and typically occurs in the ionosphere. It is also referred to as a polar aurora or, collectively, as polar lights. These phenomena are commonly visible between 60 and 72 degrees north and south latitudes, which place them in a ring just within the Arctic and Antarctic polar circles. [5]

Some Videos about Northern Polar Lights:

Aurora Borealis Northern Polar Lights in Canada

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1-rGK7YqrI

NASA | The Mystery of the Aurora

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaSFAbATPvk&feature=related

[Quran]

The following verses talk about the “Shafaq” or what is meant as afterglow:

فَلا أُقْسِمُ بِالشَّفَقِ (16) وَاللَّيْلِ وَمَا وَسَقَ (17)

So I swear by the afterglow (16) And by the night and whatever it gathers in (Carry on, Wasak) its darkness [84:17]

Muslim Scholars thought it meant the red glow after sunset, because they never saw a real Aurora as it only appears in Polar circles, which are very far in North or South.

But, what does prove that the afterglow mentioned in this verse means the Aurora?

The Answer is in the second verse, which says: (and the night and whatever it “wasak”).

And the verb “Wasak” means “carried on its back” and it’s used when loading a camel or animal with stuff over its back:

والأَصل في الوَسْق الحَمْل؛ وكل شيء وسَقَتْه، فقد حملته

And this is shown clearly in the next image, where it shows the Aurora is carried over the night which can be only shown from outer space:

8.    Earth Protection from Asteroids

[Science]

Scientists are worried that maybe one day an Asteroid hits the Earth and causes a huge damage to exiting life, the following image [6] shows a huge collision of an asteroid, which is done by an artist (of course, NOT real):

[Quran]

The following verse has a comforting message to all humans, that ALLAH, our beloved God, is protecting us from having anything from Sky (i.e. Asteroid) to fall on Earth, and he is full of kindness and most merciful to all mankind.

الم تر ان الله سخر لكم ما في الارض والفلك تجري في البحر بامره ويمسك السماء ان تقع على الارض الا باذنه ان الله بالناس لرؤوف رحيم

See you not that Allâh has subjected to you (mankind) all that is on the earth, and the ships that sail through the sea by His Command? He withholds the heaven from falling on the earth except by His Leave. Verily, Allâh is, for mankind, full of Kindness, Most Merciful. (22:65)

Note, as explained many times before, heaven (or Sky) means anything in Sky, and in this verse it refers to Asteroid as it’s the only thing that can FALL on Earth.

Thanks to ALLAH, Lord of the Worlds

References:

[1] Wikipedia, High Altiude pulmonary edema, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_altitude_pulmonary_edema

[2] Wikipedia, Ozone Layer, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ozone_layer

[3] The Free Dictionary.com, http://www.thefreedictionary.com/breathes

[4] Environmental problems and sustainability, Ozone Layer, http://www.oocities.org/it/allfonsit/ozlain.html

[5] Wikipedia, Aurora Astronomy, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurora_%28astronomy%29

[6] Protecting Earth from Asteroids, http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Bright-Green/2010/0125/Protecting-Earth-from-asteroids