Cell-based therapy may be used to treat obesity and diabetes

Wang CH et al. CRISPR-engineered human brown-like adipocytes prevent diet-induced obesity and ameliorate metabolic syndrome in mice. Science Translational Medicine, August 2020.

Obesity is the main cause of type 2 diabetes and related chronic diseases that will be the cause of death for more people across the globe this year than Covid-19. Scientists recently have developed a proof of concept for a novel cell-based therapy against obesity. The potential therapy for obesity would transplant HUMBLE (human brown-like) fat cells, or human white fat cells that have been genetically modified to become similar to heat-generating brown fat cells.

Brown fat cells burn energy, instead of storing energy, as white fat cells do. In this process, brown fat can lower excessive levels of glucose and lipids in the blood that are linked to metabolic diseases such as diabetes. However, people who are overweight or obese tend to have less of this beneficial brown fat. The transformed HUMBLE cells are expected to overcome this problem.

The research team first generated HUMBLE cells from white preadipocytes and then used a variant of the CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing system to stimulate the expression of a gene called UCP1, which can transform white preadipocytes into fat brown cells. When these HUMBLE cells were transplanted into mice, they then remarkably functioned as the mice’s own brown fat cells. On a high-fat diet, the mice that received HUMBLE cells showed a much higher sensitivity to insulin and the ability to eliminate glucose from the blood than the mice in the control group. They also gained less weight. These results from animal studies are very encouraging for researchers. The hope is to generate HUMBLE brown cells for individual patients soon. Such a procedure would involve taking a small number of white preadipocytes from a patient, isolating the precursor cells, modifying these cells to stimulate UCP1 expression, and then re-transplanting the resulting HUMBLE cells to the patient. However, one foreseeable challenge is that this individualized approach can be very complicated and costly. An alternative solution could be to use unadapted cells, which would then be encapsulated with biomaterials that protect the cells from being rejected by the patient’s immune system.

The other option would be to apply gene therapy approaches that directly express the UCP1 gene in white fat progenitor cells in the body so that those cells acquire HUMBLE-like properties. Employing cell-based, or gene, therapies to treat obesity or diabetes used to be science fiction. Now scientific advances, such as CRISPR gene-editing technologies, will help us to improve the metabolism, body weight, quality of life and overall health of people with obesity and diabetes.

Even fake smiling can trick the brain to be positive

Ramos FM et al. Your Face and Moves Seem Happier When I Smile. Experimental Psychology, May 2020

Can a smile truly make everything better? Is there a scientific backing to this claim? A new study shows that even if you do not feel like smiling, faking one can have positive impacts. These findings could not be more timely with the world in crisis amid the Covid-19 pandemic, which is causing disturbing spikes in anxiety and depression cases globally. The study examined participants that held a pen between their teeth, forcing their faces to use the same muscles as a smile. The results showed that facial muscular activity not only alters the recognition of facial expressions but also bodily expressions, with both generating more positive emotions. Forcefully practicing smiling stimulates the amygdala, the emotional center of the brain, which releases neurotransmitters to encourage an emotionally positive state. For mental health, this study has interesting implications. If we can trick our brains into perceiving stimuli as “happy,” then we can potentially use this mechanism to help boost our mental health. These findings suggest that there is a strong link between action and perception. Perceptual and motor systems work together when we emotionally process stimuli. A “fake it ’til you make it” approach could be more realistic than people think.

FOMO impacts people of all ages

Barry CT et al. Fear of missing out (FoMO): A generational phenomenon or an individual difference? Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, August 2020.

In the last few years, the phenomenon of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), has afflicted many of us at one point or another. In the age of social media, we may find ourselves making comparisons to our friends, family, or even celebrities. What others have, or what they are doing that we are not, may make us feel negatively about ourselves. This can lead to anxiety, sadness, jealousy, or anger. A new study showed that FOMO, once thought to be a teenager or young adult problem, can actually have an impact on anyone irrespective of their age.

Scientists conducted a survey of more than 400 people across the United States from ages 14 to 47 and asked a range of questions related to self-perception, life satisfaction, and social media use. Experts were expecting FOMO to be higher among younger groups since teens experience so much social development in such a short space of time, but the results showed a more uniform distribution across all ages. Moreover, they suspected social media to play a large factor in FOMO but quickly found that it was not a good predictor of the condition. For instance, two people with the same social media engagement may be affected quite differently: one might feel bad seeing their friend’s activities while the other might find it upsetting. Instead, social media was found to amplify those anxieties in people that already felt as though they were missing out. Finally, it was neither their age nor social media usage but rather self-perception that shaped to what degree FOMO affected the participants Researchers say that loneliness, low self-esteem, and low self-compassion may substantially contribute to feelings of anxiety. The study concludes that one major solution to FOMO-driven anxiety would be limiting your social media usage or even cutting it off for a time. Additionally, reaching out to professionals to get support to address negative self-perceptions, perhaps by contextualizing “faults” or “flaws” as challenges to overcome.

Question: While sayings of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, counsel against condemning believers to shame, despising them, and disclosing their faults, they also enjoin not remaining silent and unresponsive before oppression and evil. How is a believer supposed to achieve this balance?

Answer: In such a saying mentioned in the work of Tirmidhi, the Messenger of God states, “Whoever shames his brother for a sin will not die until he commits it also” (Tirmidhi, Sifatu’l Qiyamah, 53). Thus, he forbade shaming others and rebuking them and he pointed out what kind of a consequence awaits those who commit such a sin.

Not shaming anyone

It is stated that a person who shames a fellow believer for an offense he did or did not commit will not die without committing it. Sometimes, this might yield a consequence as—God forbid—a problem related to the person’s spouse, daughter, son, or another next of kin. Namely, God Almighty may sometimes let that person receive the punishment of that wrong in person or sometimes by means of a family member. While people can mostly find a way out of the problems they are personally faced with, the problems their nearest relatives are faced with can overcome them.

Perhaps such recoil can serve as a blessing in disguise for that believer as hardship sometimes does. For example, it could bring about atonement for the person’s sin. Such distress and disgrace the person experienced in this world can serve as a means of deliverance from their relevant punishment in the next world. Namely, by forbearing a lighter form of punishment, the person can be saved from the heavier one. And sometimes, the sin committed in this world is so grave that worldly afflictions do not suffice for cleansing it. For example, considering a man who violated the rights of so many people, who threatened the safety of their lives and properties, who treated their decency like a plaything, and who is involved in the evils of unbelief, associating partners with God, and hypocrisy, the due punishment for all of these heavy wrongs he committed will only be given on the Day of Judgment.

We cannot surely know the Divine wisdom underlying behind what happens; God makes some suffer in this world and some in the next. If we do not wish to suffer such a disgrace neither in this world nor the next, believers being the first, we need to keep our tongue under control about others, and even revise our thoughts about them.

Here is evidence from the Prophet’s tradition: “Whoever can guarantee about what is between their two jaw-bones and what is between their two legs (i.e. if they protect the decency of their tongue and private parts), I guarantee Paradise for them” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Riqaq, 23). The tongue is very significant in this respect. It is easy to restrain it from the beginning. However, it becomes difficult to repair the destruction that it can cause when not controlled properly. To give a basic example, when a person shames another person on account of a wrong or sin, he needs to go and ask forgiveness from that person for having violated his rights.   

We should be very careful even while giving an account of a situation.  While opening a matter to discussion, we should speak so cautiously that nobody should be harmed or hurt by our words. Otherwise, if we start talking with remarks like “such-and-such person did so, that’s why such things happened to us…” and continue our discussion always with accusations and negative assumptions, we hurt many people, violate their rights unknowingly, and pass to the next world with a very heavy burden of sins.

Remember that the noble Prophet stated that a person who puts a fellow believer to shame on account of a sin he committed will be doomed to commit the same sin. Can you imagine the situation of those who revile others for misdeeds and sins they did not commit? Undoubtedly, defaming innocent people with lies and libel, and making them appear guilty by means of conspiracies and set-ups, are far graver sins in the sight of God. And if the people concerned are a wide group of people, rather than a single person, if the mud and marring target to besmirch an extensive movement and to make them lose esteem, then it is not so easy for those who commit these sins to be saved. Unless each member of the group concerned forgives the violation of their rights and gives the person their blessing about it, it is not possible for those who make these remarks to be cleansed of their sins. Therefore, it is unthinkable for real believers to engage in these plots that are typical of unbelief and hypocrisy.

As a believer shows serious concern about protecting their own esteem and honor, they have to show the same seriousness while others are concerned. They should not harm anybody, either via their hands or tongues. By purifying their minds from polluted thoughts, they should make having positive assumptions and views about people a part of their character. Technically, the Arabic word for a believer “mu’min” refers to a trustworthy person who does not harm anybody. A believer in the real sense of the word inspires such trust to those around them that nobody feels worried about being harmed by that person. Other people neither feel any relevant panic that stems from a real or apprehended reason, nor do they fear any betrayal when they turn their back against that person. They even know that even if they do some evil that the believer will not respond to them with the same evil because believers have certain limitations they will never transgress and essential principles that they will never violate.

Avoidance from spying

In the sayings we stated above, the Messenger of God banned shaming believers because of certain misdeeds and sins that they had committed. We must also point out that believers have no such responsibility in Islam to go out of their way in order to learn about the vices of others. On the contrary, the Qur’an definitely forbids this with the verse, “Do not spy on (one another)…” (Hujurat 49:12).

People who continually busy themselves with the faults and flaws of others will suffer a “pollution” of their character and a “deformation” of their nature after some time. Once their nature has gone corrupt, they will not be obsessed only with sinful people, but they will also begin to defame innocent people too. On the other hand, if a person adopts as a character trait the virtue of not denigrating even people corrupted with sins they will constantly keep glowing and will brighten up their surroundings even in situations while some mar the reputations of others.

Imam Hadimi makes the following remark in his work “Bariqa”: “Even if you see a believer in a very sinful condition, do not rush to make a judgment about him. Wipe your eyes and ask yourself whether you see correctly. … If you concluded that what you saw was real, then say, ‘O God! Save him from this ugly condition and save me from committing such a sin!’ and go away.”

Although Imam Hadimi wishes to remind us of an important truth with these words, in my opinion the best attitude for a person who comes across such a sin is to say, “Maybe I saw mistakenly,” turn away instantly, move away from there, and not mention what he saw to anyone. God did not assign us as prosecutors for spying into other’s sins.

It should not be forgotten that one of the Divine names is Sattar, which means “One who covers faults and sins.” It thus befalls a believer to adopt this virtue. The Messenger of God, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), taught us that if a person covers the faults of a believer, God covers the faults of that person in this world and the next (see Sahih Muslim, Dhikr 38). Many things that will put us to shame might come up on the Day of Judgment. If we do not adopt this Divine conduct in this world, we might be put to shame in the next one. Namely, the shame with which we troubled others will come home to roost and trouble us in the next world. We should give up seeking, and exposing, the shameful sides of people. And when we do learn about them, let us not reveal them to others.

Not scorning and not hurting anyone else

In another saying, the Messenger of God taught us that, “It is enough of an evil (to bring perdition) for a person to hold his believing brother in contempt (and making their honor and esteem into a plaything). Namely, such an evil will make the person a loser in the next world” (Sahih Muslim, Birr 32). With the approach of Hazrati Ali, nobody should be scorned even if they subscribe to a different faith, belief system, or way of life. Some people may have certain negative attributes that we do not approve of such as unbelief, hypocrisy, and misguidance. In such a case, it is not becoming for a believer to target those people and attack them. On the contrary, what we need to do is endeavor to save those people from these evil attributes that we do not like because the Pride of Humanity (Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)) did not insult anybody throughout his life and did not hold anybody in contempt.

In the same way, a believer cannot revile somebody that has fallen or stumbled in a callous fashion. They cannot put the person in question to shame by speaking about their wrongdoings to others. Particularly, revealing their mistakes and sins over time in an exaggerated fashion is definitely not the attitude of a believer. What falls to a believer is respecting and protecting the reputation and honor of all other people as if they were their own. Additionally, the duty that falls to believers in the face of the misdeeds and sins of others includes trying to learn a lesson from their situation, helping them if they are able to, and imploring to God so that He does not let themselves fall into the same situation.

It does not befall a believer to shame or hurt a person even if they do it to them. This is not an excuse for us to act immorally. Even if they scorn us, we cannot scorn them back. Even if they shame us, we cannot shame them in return. And even if they hurt us, we cannot hurt them, for in our understanding hurting people is a stumble. Others’ hurting you is a stumble on their part. If you respond in the same way, you will have committed a stumble on your part. If you think that cursing, hurting, and rude attitude and behaviors are shameful, you should not repeat the same shameful behavior. In addition, you should not forget that showing patience in the face of other’s unjust blows, their laying shame on you, and besmirching you will act as atonement for your sins.

Ibrahim Hakki puts it nicely:

Do not hold anyone in contempt
Do not hurt anyone, don’t break a heart
Don’t side with your carnal side
Let us see what God will let come out
Whatever He lets come out is good

Also, M. Lutfi Effendi says:

Pearls of wisdom offers the poet:
“Do not be hurt,
should someone hurt you.
For, lesser in perfection
is the one who is hurt
than the one who hurts.”

The Papaya is an exotic and delicious fruit that has recently been making its way into some doctor prescriptions due to its abundance of nutrients and medicinal components. It is a sweet and musk-scented fruit with a shape that resembles a large pear. When ripened, it has a soft texture and a yellowish-orange color. The fleshy part of a Papaya is consumed by peeling off the outer skin and slicing it to pieces, similar to that of a mango. It is more delicious if it is cooled a little after this cutting process. It may taste a little different at first since it is not as sweet as some other fruits are, but one can often get used to its unique taste in time.

Considering the total amount of tropical fruit production in the world, papaya comes in third with 15.4%, ranking after mango with 52.9%, and pineapple with 26.6%. Interestingly enough, Christopher Columbus called papaya the “Fruit of the Angels” when he first tasted it. The Papaya plant begins to bear fruit within three years after being planted, and today can be grown in almost all seasons of the year with its peak season extending from early summer to fall. Papayas are not resistant to the cold and only naturally grow in tropical climates, however it is possible to grow them in non-tropical regions as well by using green houses.

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of scientific studies done on tropical fruits and vegetables in general. The particular reason for this interest is the very fact that tropical fruits are endowed with very special substances that strengthen the immune system. While warm weather and abundant precipitation in tropical climates can provide a suitable environment for the reproduction of germs, and thus epidemics, fruits that boost the immune system are welcome as a very important means to cure and stave off these diseases. Evidently, Earth is fashioned like a special pharmacy for us that is full of remedies of all kinds of different shapes and sizes.

As one of these potential cures that is continuing to receive growing scientific interest, the papaya has already been used for a long time in traditional medicine against asthma, skin and stomach ulcers, intestinal parasitic-worm diseases, eczema, diabetes, and various fever conditions. In addition, research in recent years indicated that this fruit played a positive role at healing of wounds, treating cardiovascular diseases, cancer, fungal diseases, malaria, and Dengue fever—a viral epidemic peculiar to hot climates that is transmitted through mosquitoes and characterized by severe joint and muscle aches. It was also found that the papaya is beneficial against high levels of lipids in blood and sudden decreases in blood sugar.

 Papaya fruits contain substances with medical benefits such as antioxidants, beta-carotene, vitamins A, B, and C, potassium, magnesium, pantothenic acid, folic acid, and fibers, which are very significant for the normal functioning of the body and are blessed with curative properties. All of these vitamins and minerals are effective in strengthening one’s metabolism. Papayas can help reduce the risk of colon cancer thanks to its contents of folic acid, vitamin C, beta-carotene and vitamin E. 

If taken regularly, it speeds up the metabolism and allows the burning of fats for energy production. The burning of fats has many key benefits for a person, especially in relation to their cardiovascular health. Additionally, the fact that they are rich in vitamin A helps to prevent lung problems. People prone to lung cancer can consider adding this fruit to their daily diet.

The papaya is a long sustaining food since it is one of the few fruits with a very high fiber content, thus making it the perfect fruit for those who wish to lose weight. Papayas help the human body to fight against diseases thanks to its vitamin content, which is also important for maintaining skin health.

A digestive enzyme called “papain” has been discovered in papayas. Papain turned out to be effective in treating wounds and allergies, especially digestive system problems. One study indicated that, thanks to their anti-inflammatory and immune-modulator properties, papayas can be useful against many chronic diseases such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Strengthening the immune system is beneficial in order to help prevent infections such as the flu, a very timely concern considering much of the world is still grappling with the Covid-19 pandemic. The enzyme “chymopapain,” although found in lesser amounts, also has similar effects.

Another study indicated that these enzymes, which also help with protein digestion, are beneficial against corneal deformations in the eye and with the treatment of insect stings. Research has shown that adding papaya to our diet is a great idea for reducing the risk of macular (yellow spot) degeneration, which occurs in the eyes as we age and can cause as much damage as eventual vision loss.

Inside the papaya are numerous black seeds that resemble black pepper seeds. These seeds are very useful for inducing detoxification of the body. It is known that these seeds are beneficial against certain kidney diseases along with infections of E. coli, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus. Additionally, the juice extracted from its seeds is effective for clearing the liver and getting rid of intestinal parasites. The seeds can be stored via drying and then consumed by crushing them into powder. This can be added to salads or consumed as a side dish.

The most important cause of strokes is cholesterol oxidation. Cholesterol begins to accumulate in the walls of blood vessels when it gets oxidized, and this accumulation can lead to paralysis due to plaques that form and hinder blood flow to the brain. Since papayas are rich in antioxidants they help to prevent cardiovascular diseases caused by atherosclerosis and diabetes by preventing the oxidation of cholesterol and lowering its level in blood stream,

Some studies suggest that papayas increase the risk of miscarriage in pregnant women when eaten excessively. The details of what causes this condition are still under research. Apart from this specific risk, there seems to be no known drawback for consuming papayas. However, it is common wisdom that one should enact balance and moderation, even when consuming beneficial things. It is also helpful to search for cures from multiple sources instead of relying upon just one. Perhaps serious and extensive studies in the future will unearth further interesting facts about other blessed fruits that are endowed with different curative properties.

I had graduated from medical school, passed the specialization exam in medicine, and had been placed in the medical internship I long dreamed of. I was on cloud nine and was dizzy with joy, but it didn’t take long for my feet to touch the ground. I soon started to complain about the spells of long surgeries and 12 shifts once a month that sometimes lasted up to 32 hours a “day.” It was not rare when we could not leave for dinner due to consecutive shifts.

I had an extraordinary experience during my watch one night. Along the corridor to the cafeteria was the Pediatric Nephrology Clinic. I saw a tearful mother sitting on a bench in front of the clinic. She was with a child who was about four or five years old and who was weeping and sobbing loudly at her lap. I approached them and asked what the child wanted, thinking he wanted an expensive toy or a bar of chocolate. I was staggered by the woman’s reply:

“Milk… he wants a glass of milk,” she said. When I replied, “Easy-peasy! Let’s get it right now,” she told the painful truth bluntly, “It’s forbidden for him because he’s a dialysis patient. e’s His kidneys are not working.”

I didn’t know what to say. I swallowed hard. My own ungratefulness, and the test that little child went through, crossed my mind. His large eyes, completely filled with tears, were fixed on me as if saying, “For God’s sake, help me!” I moved on in despair, wishing him best of health.

That was an awakening incident that reminded me of my own kidneys which started working when I was a 12-14-week-old fetus in my mother’s womb. Since then, they have been engaged on a quiet and devoted duty, active day and night without a single moment of rest. Yet, they would not cross my mind not even once a year day, let alone a day.

Our kidneys start to work while we are still in our mother’s womb and produce the urine that most of us despise. We may not be aware of how big of a share they have in every breath we take. Indeed, babies who cannot produce urine cannot breathe due to a lack of lung development and die soon after they are born. Urine, which makes up almost all of the liquid surrounding the baby in the mother’s womb, is indispensable for the healthy development of the lungs and for attaining the level of flexibility and maturity that the lungs require.

The kidneys are responsible for completing a number of miraculous tasks. They are instrumental in maintaining the body’s water and mineral balance, and their cells work like the world’s most diligent and meticulous chemists. These cells, which constitute the nephron, carefully analyze the bloodstream and measure the levels of elements such as sodium, potassium, hydrogen, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium in the bloodstream. They then dispatch the excretion of excess materials via urine and absorb the missing substances into the bloodstream. They are also deployed to preserve the very delicate balance that exists in the composition of our blood, working in the excretion of metabolic products such as urea, uric acid, and creatinine, all of which are formed as a consequence of digestion.

However, this is not all that the kidneys do. They also regulate our blood pressure thanks to their special capabilities. Each kidney is also an endocrine (hormone secreting) organ that secretes a hormone called erythropoietin which helps with the production of red blood cells in bone marrow. Kidneys also play a vital role in activating vitamin D to have it perform its due functions in our bones.

After working their effects, drugs are disintegrated and excreted from our bodies through kidneys. This is why the dosage of some drugs should be delicately adjusted while keeping kidney patients in mind. Insulin, glucagon, and growth hormones are also broken down in the kidneys after they perform their duties.

Our kidneys turn into sugar factories for the persistence of the functions of vital organs in very challenging conditions, such as liver insufficiency, and produce glucose to prevent low blood sugar levels.

Dialysis machine

Developed to imitate the kidney’s mechanisms, a dialysis machine is much bigger than a kidney. Patients with kidney failure need dialysis to have their blood purified, and this involves “linking” a large-diameter blood vessel to the device. The patient then undergoes an operation for fashioning the vessel connection. Blood enters the machine from one end of the vein, is purified there, and is fed back into the body from the other end. Depending on the severity of the disease, a person may need a dialysis process three or four times a week. As much a great invention is this machine, it is not as perfect as the original organ we have in our body, and as a result there are unfortunate latent complications. The procedure is unnerving, and sometimes painful. No doubt the machine cannot fully accomplish the feat of the kidneys and at times fails to dispel all of the excess materials. Dialysis patients should also tolerate a regimented diet resolutely. The constant treatment takes a toll on the immune system, and frequent infections tire the body as well.

If only we could recognize the worth of these exquisitely magnificent gifts in our bodies? Would it not be so amazing if we could preserve these priceless treasures that have been bestowed onto us?

Every time our heart beats, a system far more exquisite and useful than dialysis works in our bodies. It is pain-free and silent. This is just one of the countless wonders in our bodies and the universe.

“Two things fill the mind with ever new and increasing admiration and awe, the more often and steadily we reflect upon them: the starry heavens above me and the moral law within me.”
Immanuel Kant

Since the very beginning, humankind has been probing the universe and standing in awe as we learned more and more about it, thus increasing our curiosity even more. Each discovery has revealed how little we collectively knew and has helped to showcase the marvelous creation of the universe.

In December 2019, the Daniel K. Inouye Telescope (DKIST), the world’s largest solar telescope, started capturing the highest-resolution images of the Sun that were ever taken. The motion on the surface of the Sun was observed in detail, and the magnificent image of millions of solar flares, each much larger and more effective than any volcanic eruption on Earth, enthralled scientists.

With its myriad of features such as its location, size, energy, and structure, the Sun is an indispensable resource for Earth. This source of heat and light was most likely created approximately 4.6 billion years ago to set the Earth ready for all the living things that were going to come much later.

It is a known fact that the Sun has a major role among all causes on which all life on Earth is dependent on. In fact, this is exactly what makes the Sun unique, or else it is just one of the billions of stars in the Milky Way. For instance, there would be no plants since photosynthesis is triggered by energy from the Sun. Processes that are crucial to the maintenance of the environment, such as water circulation, i.e. evaporation of water from the seas and oceans and its downpour elsewhere would not be possible. Winds would also not occur as they are caused by differing temperatures in the atmosphere. Without the Sun as the apparent cause of many vital processes, seasons would not emerge in the world, nor would the formation of vitamin D in our bodies would be possible. Of course, all of these phenomena are within the frame of the laws of creation, and our Lord can also create without cause or reason.

Location and size

While the Sun is 26 thousand light years far from the center of the Milky Way, its distance from the planet Earth is about 150 million km, which equals 8 minutes and 31 seconds at the speed of light. In other words, we are unable to watch the Sun live but can witness how it looked 8 minutes ago.

The Sun, normally a white, medium-sized star, appears yellow due to the Earth’s atmosphere. It is comprised of 91% hydrogen, 8.9% helium, 0.1% carbon, and other elements such as nitrogen. It is one of the stars we otherwise see during a clear night sky.

While the Sun is enormous in comparison to the size of Earth, it is a relatively small celestial object when compared to the size of the Universe. Our solar system consists of eight planets, several moons, numerous asteroids, and the Sun. The Sun, the heaviest and largest celestial body in the system, is 600 times larger than the total volume of all of the system’s planets. Equaling 99.8% of the total weight of its system, the Sun definitely generates a huge gravitational force which causes the other celestial objects to orbit itself. There is a perfect balance between the gravitational force of the Sun and the centrifugal force of the planets. If the rotational speeds of the planets were slower, they would quickly be pulled towards the Sun and consumed.

The Sun is a huge ball of flame with the temperatures of 5-6 thousand degrees Celsius on its outermost shell and 15-16 million degrees Celsius at its core. Its surface is in perpetual motion due to the convective movements triggered by the heat from its core [1]. Due to consecutive explosions and stirs that result in a kind of “plasma soup,” there is no fixed temperature on the Sun. The concentration of the surface magnetic field in certain regions prevents a purely homogeneous heat distribution. This is how the “sunspots” – dark-colored areas on the Sun’s surface – are formed.

Movements of the Sun

“And the sun runs the course appointed for it for a term.” (The Qur’an, 36:38)

As stated in the Holy Qur’an, the Sun moves on an orbit. While the Sun rotates around itself, it also travels towards Vega, a star 25 light-years from the Earth, at a speed of 220 km per second. The Sun completes a tour of the galaxy in about 230 million years.

The Sun rotates around itself at an average of 70 thousand km. Since it is in plasma form, the Sun moves at different speeds in different regions. The equator region completes one cycle in 25 days, while one cycle of the pole regions takes 35 days. The interior of the Sun is extremely volatile: A French research group led by Prof. Laurent Gizon examined the seismic sound waves in the Sun and discovered that the core of the Sun rotates 3-4 times faster than its other regions [2].

Similar to that of the Earth, the Sun has magnetic north and south poles that are in perpetual motion. These poles shift places every 11 years.

Reactions in the Sun

It is estimated that the hydrogen fuel of the Sun, which is counted among the middle-aged stars, will end after 6.5 billion years and thus send it to an utter collapse within itself which will result in it becoming a small star called a “white dwarf.”

The central region of the Sun undergoes intense pressures due to gravitational force. These pressures cause nuclear fusions and the energy produced through radioactive reactions in the Sun reaches to the Earth as light and heat. Every second, 564 million tons of hydrogen turns into helium, while approximately 4.5 million tons of material turn into energy and radiates into space.

Simply put, there are 400 billion 1-megaton strong nuclear explosions happening at any moment in the Sun. Moreover, the energy the Sun produces in one second is 6.1 million times more than that of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. Only one in 2.2 billion of the energy the Sun emits in space reaches the Earth and ends up catering to the needs of living beings.

Mercy rather than disaster

Particles that escape from the corona layer of the Sun, which perpetually moves with nuclear explosions with a temperature of about 1 million degrees Celsius, are dispersed into space. This wind of charged particles is emitted from the Sun in every direction at a blazing speed of 400 meters per second. This magnetic breeze called “Solar Wind” impacts the magnetic field of the Earth and causes storms in the magnetosphere layer of the atmosphere.

Fortunately, our planet Earth is protected by a magnetic shield, which deflects these harmful rays from the Sun to the polar regions.

The magnificent view of the polar lights of blue, red and green colors called “aura” in both poles is caused by the collision of the magnetic field waves from the Sun with the Earth’s atmosphere. This wonderful natural light show mostly takes place at the poles because the north and the south poles are the zero points of the Earth’s magnetic attraction where charged particles intensely enter the atmosphere.

Unexplained force

Large enough to house 1 million and 300 thousand Earths in itself, the Sun works like a giant nuclear reactor in which radioactive events take place with such subtle calculations that scientists cannot yet fully explain. This is a miraculous phenomenon, for normally, it is not possible for four positively-charged hydrogen atoms – which normally move around randomly – to come together and form helium.

Fusion radioactive chain reactions in the Sun continue as follows:

a) ¹H + ¹H → ²H + β⁺ + V_e

b) ²H + ¹H → ³He + ϒ

c) ³He + ³He → ⁴He + ¹H + ¹H

First, while two hydrogen (¹H) particles join, “deuterium” (²H) – which has a proton and a neutron – as well as positron and energy are created. Thanks to another hydrogen reacting with deuterium, a helium isotope with a neutron and gamma rays are formed. The reaction of this helium with similar helium particles results in the formation of two-neutron helium and two hydrogen atoms.

The force that fuses the two separate atomic nuclei that hold deuterium together is called “strong nuclear force.” The nature of this force cannot be fully explained. Theoretically, it is said to be generated through the back-and-forth movement or effect of a particle called “pion” between the protons. This force is the greatest physical force in the universe and is 10³⁶ times stronger than the force of gravity. Thanks to its power, this force is capable of fusing two hydrogen nuclei that normally repel each other with great force.

If this force was weaker than its current level, it would not be able to hold two hydrogen nuclei together. Any two adjacent protons would repel each other immediately, and the nuclear reaction in the Sun would end before it started. That is, the Sun would never exist.

What if the strong nuclear force was a little bit stronger?

George Greenstein explains that if this great force was a bit stronger, then the Sun would change completely, for the first stage of the reaction in the Sun would then be the production of di-protons, not deuteron. The weak nuclear force would be reduced to null and only the strong nuclear force would remain in the loop. In that case, the Sun’s fuel would immediately become so disproportionately effective and massive that the Sun and all similar stars would be blown to smithereens in a matter of seconds [3].

Yet, this is not so. The Sun has been set into motion as the main source of life on Earth, located millions of kilometers away.

“The Sun and the Moon are by an exact calculation (of the All-Merciful).” (The Qur’an, 55:5)

Notes

1. Movement caused by the temperature difference in fluids.
2. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2017/esa-nasa-s-soho-reveals-rapidly-rotating-solar-core
3. Greenstein, George. 1988. The Symbiotic Universe. William Morrow.

I packed up the car with as many of our belongings as possible, mostly blankets and clothes. I grabbed my Bible and flashlight and quickly put them into the glove box of my rundown car. I told my six children to get in the car and turned for one last look at the place we called home. I believe that people take a home, a place to belong to, for granted. After all, everyone has a house to live in unless you have been evicted and made homeless overnight. I got in the car and must have sat there for an hour before I started the car and drove off. The problem was that I had no place to go. If you want to know fear that cripples you quickly and without mercy then try being homeless, and you will realize that you belong nowhere. 

It began to get dark and I hunted for a place out of sight where I could park the car and we could sleep for the night. The family shelters that exist nowadays were unfortunately not around in 1983. We ended up under a bridge in downtown Portland, Oregon. My hands were shaking badly, and my heart was beating wildly as the night grew pitch black. I felt so alone. I locked the car doors and, after my children fell asleep, prayed to God to keep us safe while we slept. I cried myself to sleep that night. A soft knock on the car window woke me up and I was startled to see two men looking at me. I yelled “what do you want,” without rolling down the window, and one of the men replied that they had food for us. They pointed in a direction and said food is being delivered with the truck over there to this bridge regularly to feed the homeless. I was so frightened of these two men; all they wanted was to help me and my children.

We must have parked there at night for about a week and a half until the police told everyone they could not park there anymore, and I never went back. I learned a lot from the homeless who had been fighting the battle against poverty for some time. Jack taught me about the garbage dump run early in the morning. It’s simple, you drive to grocery stores and jump into dumpsters and dig for food that the stores threw out. In other words, you fight the flies for dinner. I found moldy bread and cheese and expired food that had been tossed. Once in a while, and on a good day, we would walk away with doughnuts and pastries that my children and I really enjoyed.

Poverty is hard work and is absolutely not for the faint of heart. Every morning, you have to make your dumpster run in order to eat. You quickly move onto the gas stations in town while making sure that you never use the same one more than a couple of times.  Most people enjoy a hot bath or shower in the morning, however the homeless hope that the gas station has hot water or else it means washing up in cold water. You clean up and use the bathroom while hoping to go unnoticed by the attendants.  The children have been cooped up in the car for far too long now, so you head for a park and let them play for an hour of two.  After that, you grab garbage bags and walk all over for hours while hunting for cans and bottles to return for deposit. Yes, you used to get money for bottles and cans. I would often head to a payphone, a relic of the past, and call friends for help while crying my eyes out as I listened to excuse after excuse about why they could not help me. I called up the churches and explained that we were living in a car, and one time a pastor put us up in a motel for one night. Can you even imagine the sheer joy and excitement of a bed to sleep in, and to once again soak in a hot tub? That one night filled me with hope once again. We remembered what it was like to be normal. The homeless must hunt daily for a place to sleep at night whether it be under a bridge, a parking lot, a rest area, the list goes on and on. Poverty is a full-time job.

The rejection I experienced being homeless was overwhelming in that I was judged to be of no value or worth simply because I was poor.  I watched as people turned away from me and pretended that they did not see me. Most people crossed to the other side of the road in order to not get close to me if I held a sign out. Perhaps they assumed poverty was contagious. I clearly remember wondering on one cold night as I stood outside in a rest area while looking up at the stars, if I was even a human being any longer. The rejection I received from people, other human beings, forced me to wonder if I was somebody at all.  If it were not for an elderly woman who pulled into the rest area one day and saw us sleeping in the car then I might have never believed in myself ever again. She brought us food and even gave us a little money to help us out. However, the real gift she gave to me was when she dared to put her arms around me and give me a hug. “You are loved,” she said, as tears ran down my face.

After months of homelessness and struggles I received some help to escape poverty. How can I explain to someone who had not suffered poverty what joy fills your whole being when you realize hope is not dead? When out of the blue someone shows up to help and your whole life turns around for the better. I left behind the hunger and sense of lacking, as well as the pain you suffer when you’re poor. I ran from the battle, beaten down and injured badly from the war and questioned if my wounds from poverty would ever heal completely. Could I ever forgive the people who turned their backs and walked away from my family and I because we did not matter? Would any of us ever forget all the misery that is suffered as a result of being poor?  I decided to focus only on all of the people who cared enough to lift me up when I could no longer walk, to remember the love my family and I received while homeless, and the pain that I had experienced seemed to slowly fade away and be replaced with love.

We are sometimes asked if we should be grateful for the difficulty and hardship that we experience in life. I have given that question a lot of thought, and my heart screams loudly “yes, yes, yes.” This obviously sounds like an ironic response, however homelessness taught me that all human beings matter and that nothing in the whole world is as important as you and I are.  I am so grateful for learning this valuable life lesson, because I shall never question my worth again. I am somebody. In the pit of Hell where the homeless dwell strangers would reach out to lend a hand to someone in need. I learned about true love and kindness. If you are willing to help others and expect nothing in return, then you are a kind person with a heart full of love.  I came to fully understand the word compassion from all the caring human beings who reached out to me and my family. They helped me to reach out to others with the same compassion that was given to me. I am so grateful for that lesson because it has made me a better person.  I should mention being grateful for the opportunity to have these very special human beings who came into my life when darkness surrounded us, and their love brought in the light. I never knew such people existed. We should all be grateful that in our world we have people who run to those who need help. A mother, father, brother, sister, or even a stranger who will show up when you’re hurting and feeling lost. They are like a light from Heaven, someone that appears with their arms outstretched towards you saying, “I am here for you.” Why in the world would we not be grateful, for love is all around us?

(Continuing from the previous issue)

The All-Holy Unity (Wahidiya) has an inward and outer aspect. We can call the former the All-Holy Divinity (Uluhiya), and the latter the All-Holy Lordship (Rububiya). Although these two aspects are two faces or aspects of a single truth, there is a slight difference between them which initiates can discern, according to their personal experiences during the journey. For this reason, initiates of varying states, perceptions, and pleasures can experience and interpret certain truths differently. For example, some initiates tend to do away with their carnal souls and egotism, freeing themselves from the considerations of their relative, self-existence, which they regard as an obstacle to feeling the All-Holy Existence with all their hearts. They are rooted in annihilation in God and absorbed in subsistence by God, sipping peace and contentment from the pure water of His company. Others have melted away in the face of the rays that come from the All-Holy Existence to the extent that they are unaware of their own relative existence and their surroundings. More than this, wholly absorbed in the Absolute Existence each according to his or her capacity, they regard experiencing the Absolute Existence and the relative one differently and discriminating one from the other as a dream and the attribution of existence to others than Him as covert polytheism.

It is natural that those who have different perceptions and feelings should voice these and interpret the issue of existence differently. Some may suggest pantheism in their styles, some monism, some may assert the Unity of Being, while still some others clearly adopt the Unity of the Witnessed.

Now let us see how the theologians and the scholars of Sufism themselves view the matter:

Sa‘du’d-Din at-Taftazani [1] deals with the Sufis in two categories from the viewpoint of their perceptions of existence. According to him, some Sufis are quite sensible in their view of the Unity of Being. Although they accept the multiplicity of other things in existence other than the absolutely Existent One, when they reach the final point in their journey and see themselves totally immersed in the infinite ocean of Divine Oneness with their being absorbed in the Divine Being and their attributes in the Divine Ones, all else save Him disappears from their sight; the result of this is that they can only see the All-Holy Existence. This state is regarded as and called the annihilation in (Divine) Unity, which the one who is the most advanced in belief in Divine Oneness, upon him be peace and blessings, indicated in his report from God, Who said: “My servant gets nearer and nearer to Me until I love him by fulfilling the supererogatory acts of worship. When I love him, I become his ears with which he hears, his eyes with which he sees, his hands with which he grasps, and his feet on which he walks. (His hearing, seeing, grasping, and walking take place in accordance with My will and commandments.)” Those who have almost completed their journey in this rank cannot find words to express the scenes they wit- ness nor the feelings that arise in their consciousness, and therefore they may utter words whose meanings are beyond their purpose and which sometimes suggest union and incarnation.

According to Taftazani, there is another group of Sufis. They claim the Unity of Being and project it as a philosophy or theory. They regard whatever there is in the name of existence as comprising the Divine Being only. According to them, there is no other kind of existence save the Existence of the All-Originating One in the universe. All other things or beings that seem to exist are no more than a mirage or an illusion.

As Mustafa Sabri Efendi [2] also pointed out, the first group are called Sufis, while the second group are known as pretenders of Sufism. The expressions of the first group that suggest Unity of Being arise from a spiritual, ecstatic state and an inability to find the words to express it. The consideration of the others is a distinct philosophy or theory.

Jalalu’d-Din ad-Dawwani [3] tries to base the considerations of Unity of Being on a theoretical foundation. He explains: Since it is inconceivable that all other beings save Him can come into existence by themselves, every contingent being (i.e. whose existence is not necessary or absolute) must depend on an absolute, necessary existence. In addition, as any contingent, created being cannot have come into existence or subsist by itself, it cannot oppose the point on which it is dependent in coming into existence and subsistence. So, all things and/or beings and causes or means of their coming into existence can continue to exist by the point (the First Cause or Creator of causes) on which they are dependent. This leads to the conclusion that the existence of every other being save Him is relative, even nominal. Although such beings have relative existence that is dependent on the Absolute Existence, we cannot regard them as having an independent self-existence.

According to this approach, although there are numerous, relatively existent beings in the universe, there is only One with a true, independent, self-existence. All the things we observe are the works of that All-Originating One’s Acts.

Muhyi’d-Din ibnu’l-‘Arabi goes a step further and observes: Nothing has anything worth mentioning in terms of existence other than that it is something originated, or manifested, or reflected. These manifestations or reflections occur (like the frames on a film) so quickly, and follow one another so fast, that we wrongly perceive this occurrence as being uninterrupted. After all, all that (other than the Absolutely Existent One) we regard as existence consists of this seemingly-uninterrupted manifestation. Jami‘ shares this consideration, saying: “Whatever there is in the universe is either an illusion or imagination or shadow-like reflections in mirrors.” Badru’d-Din al-Simawi [4] refers or reduces everything to matter and cannot be considered to be among even those who have a theoretical view of the Unity of Being worth studying.

The considerations of some concerning the doctrine of Unity of Being are based on a state of pleasure, while some fix their eyes on the True Being exclusively, and others have only a theoretical or philosophical approach to the matter, having provoked different thoughts, comments, and expressions. Despite all of these, those who share this view at all times and places are agreed that there is no existent being that exists and subsists by itself save God. For this reason, attributing existence to others than God is done because their existence or subsistence depends upon God, not because they exist or subsist by themselves. There is a single true existence, with all things and events being manifestations of it. From another perspective, if existence is an ocean, objects and events are the waves. However, each wave has a unique characteristic, distinguishing it from the others, while it is seen to be lost in the ocean by those who are immersed in a state of spiritual pleasure.

If the Unity of Being is approached from a merely philosophical perspective without considering that it is a view based on a state of spiritual experience and which sees the creation as a mere shadow of the True Existence, it will inevitably be reduced to the denial of the Divine Attributes and Names and cause many negative ideas to arise concerning religion, morality, knowledge, and wisdom. It can even cause one to fall into a hidden association of partners with God in the name of Divine Unity.

With its essential principles, such as Say, “There is no deity save God,” and attain salvation, [5] and Say, He is God, the One and Unique (112:1), and Your Deity is the Deity Who is only One (2:163), the religion of Islam has continuously insisted on the absolute Oneness of God, never mentioning ideas or concepts such as the Unity of Being or the Unity of the Witnessed as doctrines it has sanctioned. For this reason, such concepts have been regarded as arising from spiritual states and experiences and have not been considered as objective or binding teachings.

Actually, the concepts of the Unity of Being and the Unity of the Witnessed arise from certain feelings and perceptions that people who are of a particular temperament and way of journeying, and who have reached a particular rank of knowledge of God, develop in the state in which they have been favored during their spiritual journey. When they get out of, or are awakened from, that state of pleasure or intoxication, which has caused them to voice these concepts, review their feelings and perceptions in the light of the essential doctrines which the Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, brought and preached. Nevertheless, it is also a fact that some sayings uttered by those favored with true knowledge of God in moments of intoxication and immersion, and some others which, even though they have been uttered in wakefulness, have caused confusion due to the choice of words, have led those with ill opinions of these people to make philosophical speculations about the Absolute Self- Existence and the existence of contingent beings. A mind devoted and obedient to the Shari‘a understands from the dictum There is no existent being save He that there is no true self-existent and self-subsistent being except Him, while those who deal with the matter purely from a philosophically speculative approach understand that whatever exists is God. According to the former group, only God has a substantial existence, with every other being than Him having only a relative existence or as a shadow. As for the others, all existence, visible or invisible, is He. It is clear that such a view or consideration entails poly­theism and has nothing to do with the doctrine of the Unity of Being, which the Muslim Sufis perceive and express in a spiritu­al state and pleasure. It has almost the same meaning as panthe­ism and/or monism, which is related to union and incarnation. Such deviancy has been continually responsible for the most abominable forms of the association of partners with God, such as Ezra is God, the Messiah is God, ‘Ali is God, Baha’ullah is God, the Pharaoh is God, and Nimrod is God.

The issues concerning God, the universe and humankind are obvious when looked at from a viewpoint of Qur’anic disciplines. However, a number of ignorant persons and a number of ones who are ill-intended have adopted deviant approaches, have tried to give substantial existence to the universe and to substitute it for God. They have distorted the truth of Divinity or denied Him any attributes or regarded Him as a spirit that per­vades existence. They have also offered views that God takes on bodily forms (incarnation) or that there is a created being that is united with God and becomes God (union). They have distorted the Divine truth in the ugliest way possible by claiming that the statement that “There is no deity but God” is the same as “There is no existent being save Him,” meaning that God is identical with the visible universe.

In my view, in this respect we should adopt an approach such that we regard the concept of the Unity of Being, which negates the existence of beings other than God, as being based on a state of spiritual pleasure and as arising from being over­powered by absorption and being lost in God’s Existence along with an inability to find the words to express this state. We cannot accept the philosophically speculative theory that exis­tence comprises God and that His Existence consists of the existence of all beings. We must protect Muslim minds from such theories. We should also bear in mind that if the doctrine of the Unity of Being is not outlined by and kept within the essential principles of Islamic belief, it may lead to an incorrect conception of God, His Existence and His relation with the created. It is only with a correct conception of Divine Unity that people can be favored with a special knowledge that stems from Him and in which they perceive the true character or reality of things and events. Then they turn away from these events to the Eternal Witness, and in indifference to His signs and the signposts that show the way to Him, become immersed in the lights of His absolute Existence and melt away with respect to their carnal soul and ego. But to adopt speculative theories or views that ascribe divinity to things and events means the association of partners with God and this implies going beyond one’s limits of perception and knowledge. Such views or theories can even amount to the denial of God, the Ultimate Truth, He Who is known by His Names and qualified with His eternal Attributes, and Who infinitely surrounds all things with His majestic Attributes such as Knowledge, Power and Will.

The two views or approaches mentioned here are worlds apart from each other. One is based on seeing everything, not excluding the human ego itself, as being, with respect to its existence and subsistence, absolutely dependent on the Divine Existence and Self-Subsistence. Those who adopt such an approach are annihilated in the Almighty and subsist by Him, believing that everything comes from Him. The other is the view of the self-conceited ones who are unaware of what a spiritual state is or what spiritual pleasures are. They speculate that all things, including themselves, are united with Divinity or with a part of it. While the former regard themselves in the face of the Divine Existence as a drop in the ocean or a particle in the sun, the latter consider that the ocean is the drop itself or the sun is the particle itself. They maintain that the universe is an appearance of Him. The former are self-possessed, always feeling in awe of Him and pursuing Him as the final goal. The latter are, on the other hand, loose, inattentive and lack any goal. The author of Mizanu’l-‘Irfan describes the former as follows:

Those who have reached the final point in their journey,
are all self-possessed and people of perfection.
Their state is described as “finding,”
and they have no interest in whether they exist or not.
The voice cannot express their state,
only those who share their state can understand them.
For they have reached annihilation in the Divine Being,
having been freed from their corporeal existence.
Having been annihilated in the Existence of the Ultimate Truth,
absorbed in states of exhilaration and ecstasy,
they cannot see another existence save that of the Divine Being.
His love invades through their hearts,
yet they are aware that still they are His servants.
The states of others do not resemble theirs.
These are the ones, O brother, who maintain their relation with God as His servants.
The one who writes about them no longer has any say.

According to these people, all things exist because the Necessarily Existent One exists. The relation of the Divine Being with things and events is that He brings them into existence and maintains and cares for them. But it is not possible for us to know the character of this relation with all its aspects, or how this relation takes place and is maintained. What we know is that it is He Who originates all things and maintains them. Nothing can “be” without Him; nothing can come into existence or maintain its existence without Him. For this reason, everything is from Him and it is He with all His Attributes of Perfection and Grace Who is the Originator of all things. In this approach, there is no room left for the duality of cause and source.

The prince of lovers (Jalalu’d-Din Rumi) says:

Certainly, there is no duality concerning the Almighty,
I, We, You have nothing to do with that Holy Being.
Incarnation and Union are inconceivable for Him.
Thinking of duality for the Unique One is obviously an error.

There is a point to be mentioned here. The doctrine of the Unity of Being maintained by some Muslim Sufis as being based on a spiritual state of pleasures and absorption is not contrary to the Islamic belief of Divine Unity. However, we should admit that there are many utterances which have been made due to intoxication and immersion which are apparently incompatible with the principles of belief. What follows is one such utterance by an intoxicated one that suggests monism:

The Almighty has declared:

“I am nearer to you than your jugular vein.” [6]
That is, the ocean and a drop it contains are the same.
O human being, you have fallen away from your own self.
If you but know, all are the same—
the one who witnesses and the one witnessed,
and the place where witnessing takes place;
and also the same are the owner and protector
and the one owned and protected.
Though the universe is the result of the manifestation of
God’s All-Beautiful Names,
There is only one Greatest Name among those Names.
O Lord! You are the One Who absolutely exists.
As for other existing beings,
they are no more than images or illusions.
For this reason, whatever You create is one and the same.
Though the beauty of all beautiful things is
because of Your all-enchanting Beauty,
still there is only one uniquely Beautiful Being.
Every sedition and seduction in the world is because of His love.
It should be known that
the chief cause of this sedition and dissension
is the one and the same.

It is true that the style of these words is also seditious and seductive. Some have tried to comment on such words so as to make them compatible with the spirit of religion, while others have wandered in the pits of monism when interpreting them.

Like natural sciences, such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, and medicine, and the religious sciences, such as jurisprudence, Qur’anic interpretation, and Hadith, Islamic Sufism has some concepts peculiar to itself. Those who do not know the true meaning and contents of these concepts will never be saved from errors. It is not possible to know and understand Islamic Sufism correctly without knowing these concepts.

To sum up: the concept of the Unity of Being comes from a spiritual state marked by personal spiritual experiences and the pleasures and ecstasy that arise from an initiate’s knowledge of God and His Oneness. An initiate who has this degree of attainment feels inwardly that the truly existent one is the only Ultimate Truth, and regards all other beings as a shadow or as having an imaginary existence. The Muslim Sufis who possess this concept have experienced such a degree of knowledge of God in their hearts and have made it a dimension of their conscious nature, trying to express it in proportion to their power of expression. Their expressions concerning unity in multiplicity and multiplicity with respect to unity are the utterances of these inward feelings and experiences, based on the consideration that unity is the foundation and source of everything, while multiplicity is illusory. In fact, it is not possible for a hero of state and pleasure who witnesses the manifestations of His Names and Attributes in every thing and event to think or act otherwise. They feel the omnipresence of that All-Sublime Being far beyond the horizons that are within the reach of human reason and imagination. They feel that they are always in His company and they turn to that Being Who eternally exists and who cannot be known with respect to His Divine Essence. What follows is an excerpt from how they put their experiences into words:

The All-Beautiful One Who wills to see His Beauty
through innumerable faces,
should be in innumerable parts,
like mirrors broken.

As for another view of the Divine Being in His relation to the universe, which is known as the Unity of the Witnessed and which has become a separate school led by Imam Rabbani Ahmad Faruq al-Sarhandi [7], although it is nearer to the thought of the Prophet’s Companions than the Unity of Being, it cannot be considered as being fully compatible with the consideration that is a way of perfect self-possession and complete wakeful- ness, because it also originates in a state of intoxication and absence and is combined with ecstasy and absorption. By contrast, those following the way of the Companions present to their audience their experiences, which even when experienced in a state of intoxication and absorption, with extraordinary self-pos- session, never falling into confusion.

The Unity of Existence, which is known in the West as pantheism and, with its variations, monism, is a philosophical school. This approach, based on seeing the universe as God Himself or His appearance, cannot be reconciled with Islamic Sufism. Furthermore, it is impossible to reconcile it with any Islamic philosophical movement. As mentioned before, while those who share this approach have strayed from the right path by admitting a pervading divinity and sharing it among all things, the Muslim Sufis following the Prophetic way have always believed that everything is from Him, not that everything is He.

O God! Show us the truth as being true and enable us to follow it, and show us falsehood as being false and enable us to refrain from it. And bestow blessings and peace on our master Muhammad, the guide to the truth, and on his Family and Companions, the noble, honorable and godly ones.

References

1. Sa‘du’d-Din at-Taftazani (d. 1390) was a famous scholar of logic, rhetoric, grammar, theology and jurisprudence of Samarqand during the rule of Timur. His Sharhu ‘Aqaidi’n-Nasafiyya is among the basic works of the Muslim theology. (Tr.)
2. Mustafa Sabri Efendi (1869–1954) was a Turkish scholar and shaykhu’l- Islam. He lived in Turkey and Egypt. Mawqifu’l-‘Aql wa’l-‘Ilm is among his

most well-known works. (Tr.)

3. Jalalu’d-Din Muhammad ibn As‘ad ad-Dawwani (1426–1502) was a prominent philosopher and theologian from Shiraz. He combined elements of illuminationist and Peripatetic philosophy and possibly also interests in Ibnu’l- ‘Arabi. His Lawami‘u’l-Ishraq fi Makarimi’l-Akhlaq (“Lustres of Illumination

on the Noble Virtues”) is famous. (Tr.)

4. Badru’d-Din al-Simawi was born in Simavna town in today’s Greece. He is generally known for his materialistic views of existence. He was sentenced to death because of his participation in revolts against the Ottoman government in the Period of Interregnum (1402-1413). His Waridat is famous. (Tr.)
5. at-Tabarani, al-Mu’jamu’l-Kabir, 20:343; al-Haytami, Majma’uz-Zawa’id, 6:21.
6. The Qur’an, 50:16.
7. Imam Rabbani, Ahmad Faruq al-Sarhandi (d. 1624): Accepted by many as “reviver of the second millennium.” Born in Sarhand (India) and well-versed in Islamic sciences, he removed many corrupt elements from Sufism. He taught Shah Alamgir or Awrangzeb (d. 1707), who had a committee of scholars prepare the most comprehensive compendium of the Hanafi Law. (Tr.)

Depression can have a profound impact on a person’s psyche as their mind slowly cascades down a slippery slope towards irrationality. It can cause them to lose all sense of hope, enjoyment, and excitement in life. Activities that usually bring joy and vitality begin to feel unappealing and pointless. Family members and loved ones that normally bring happiness may instead be seen as a burden due to the corrupt lens that they are being viewed from. Life, as it is known, changes dramatically.

If a person uses some of the following sentences, then they may possibly be experiencing a state of depression: “I wouldn’t get out of bed if it weren’t for my cats.” “I go to bed, but I don’t really sleep.” “What I eat has no taste.” “I am useless. What good can I do anyway.” “I have no use for my children.” “I don’t remember how long I haven’t communicated with my wife.” “Nobody calls me, and I don’t want to talk to anyone anyway.” “I could not be a good person so far. I don’t think I’ll be of any use in the future, either.” “Everything around me seems to be bleak and dark.” “Everything I used to like, that I thought made me happy, is meaningless now.” “My feelings seem to be taken away.” “I want to move, but I feel like I don’t have the energy.” “I’m distracted, it’s like a battlefield in my head.” “Sometimes I ask myself why I live.”

What is depression?

Depression is a common psychiatric disorder that is often characterized by a sense of incapacity that affects not only the individual but their whole family and even has effects on their broader societies. Throughout daily life, we often hear the phrase “I am depressed.” However, depression is not an illness that can be “entered” and “exited” so easily; it is a disorder that needs to be diagnosed by experts. It is normal for us to undergo mood swings throughout our days, and these differing experiences of sadness, sorrow, or lack of excitement do not necessarily qualify as depression. It is important for us to do our best to understand ourselves and our emotions, specifically what causes us to feel unwell and to learn from these mood swings.

Nowadays, there is a perception as if life should always be experienced in joy and that emotions such as sadness and sorrow are completely pointless and should be avoided at all costs. However, people mature when they face difficulties and can learn to confront their problems, instead of running away from them, as they endure hardship. In fact, most of the time, we discover different aspects and abilities about ourselves during such periods.

Am I depressed?

It is most important to first and foremost state that any person seeking to learn if they do or do not have depression should consult a physician for a professional diagnosis. In order to be diagnosed with depression, a depressive mood and the inability to enjoy life must have been present for more than 15 days. Furthermore, at least four of the below symptoms should coexist:

• feeling of worthlessness and guilt
• lack of energy, tiredness
• sleep disturbance (decrease or increase)
• appetite disturbance (decrease or increase)
• concentration disorder
• loss of interest
• recurrent thoughts of death

Just as depression worsens the course of chronic diseases, chronic diseases also make it difficult to treat depression. It should be investigated whether an organic disease accompanies the symptoms at the diagnosis stage. For this purpose, thyroid function tests should be performed and anemia, vitamin B12 and D levels should be checked. Any diseases or problems related to the body should be treated simultaneously.

Causes of depression

Modern science has not yet been able to fully explain the mechanism by which depression occurs. The general view is that it is related to the molecules that are involved with communication between cells in the brain. Biologically, differences in the levels of molecules such as serotonin and noradrenaline change our perceptions. In addition, the finding that depression in first-degree relatives triples the risk of disease suggests that depression may have a genetic basis. Not being able to think properly, and exposure to intense stress, can also lead to depression.

Risk groups

Factors that facilitate the development of depression vary. It has been found that twice as many women compared to men are afflicted. Among risk groups are being in the middle age group; not being married (depression rates are higher among widows, the divorced, and singles); having a low income; alcohol or substance addiction; and chronic illness.

Treatment

Medication and psychotherapy options are available as the current treatment options for depression. For an effective recovery, both approaches should be used together. Depression is a disease and medication must be used in its treatment; therefore, the initial depression diagnosis means that the decision has already been made to start taking medication. Liver and kidney function tests should be done before a patient begins using medication.

Patients should be advised that drug treatment will take a long time and it may take up to six weeks before the actual effect is noticed. This time is necessary for the adaptation of our brain cells. As the drug starts to produce visible benefit, the person may opt to stop taking the drug thinking that they are out of depression and that the drug is no longer needed. Discontinuing drug treatment leads to the continuation of the disease and therefore causes further despair.

Since depression does not start in only a few days, treatment should not take place in a short time either. Depression is shaped in relation to the perceptions, interpretations, and relationships of the person’s environment, and its treatment is a comprehensive process. Since the decision to start treatment is made by the doctor and the patient together, the decision to discontinue the drug should be taken together as well. Psychotherapy is an important stage that contributes to the healing process. In addition to this therapy, the patient is taught the methods of how to cope with the illness to prevent recurrence of it.

It is necessary to think of stress as a microbe entering our body. Even though we try not to get sick, our immune systems and bodies are renewed and become more resistant to different seasonal diseases two or three times a year. We do not say we should not get sick, as we consider disease conditions such as a sore throat, ear infection, and flu to be normal. However, we generally do not want to be exposed to stress and we do not tolerate the changes that stress will make in our body and the effects that it will have on our outlook on life.

Things to keep in mind

• Depression should be diagnosed by a doctor.
• You should be prepared for a long treatment process.
• Serious life decisions should be postponed until after treatment ends (such as undergoing a divorce, job change, moving).
• Comparing your quality of life to the life of others should be avoided.
• Physical exercise, like walking, is necessary, a balanced diet should be kept, attention should be paid to maintain adequate and quality sleep, and a regulated lifestyle should be adopted.
• Listening to soothing music and reading books 15-20 minutes before bedtime can be helpful.
• As we go to bed, statements of determination, like “I will take this small step tomorrow” should be repeated. Such conditioning can help strengthen our willpower and win the war against depression.

Depression should not be feared. Every small step taken in the treatment process will positively grow gradually. Not rushing through treatment is very important, as the process is more of a marathon than it is a sprint.

As with any illness, it is important to follow the advice of a specialist. These doctors will give their patients legitimate advice that help to turn the patient away from exaggeration and understatements and more towards balance, appreciation, and gratitude. Evaluating a problem as a means of test from God and knowing that the world is not a place of taste and remuneration, will change our view towards life. This perspective will also make a difference in our reactions towards all of our problems.

Spirituality has the potential to aid people in their fight against depression and grappling with life can bring great psychological duress upon a person. Human beings are able to “read” and understand, to a degree, our changing universe and the events that come into existence. Contemplating and striving to understand the comprehensive rules that exist in the universe can allow us to develop an appreciation for existence through a believer’s lens. This appreciation can lead us to a greater sense of harmony and purpose in life, and the simple fact of having a solid foundation that we feel comfortable with can bring great tranquility to people whose minds are more concerned with the questions regarding life, creation, and the universe. We may instead feel lost, purposeless, demotivated, and more concerned with trivial worldly matters without this knowledge.

The last six months of my melancholy life were spent operating a machine. I was responsible for making sure the reactors were working smoothly, so most of my time at work was spent slowly noticing the horrid conditions of the room that escaped my immediate glances. Thick, black smoke covered its pipes and reactors while a pungent scent of sweat and gasoline permeated the dark facility. I could sometimes not tell the difference between a wall and the standing silhouette of a worker on break.

Making my descent down my apartment complex’s ancient creaky stairs, I noticed a door open and then a girl emerge. Her appearance was a novelty to say the least due to her long, green hair that curled to her sides and a fair complexion that contrasted the color of her hair. I would have considered her more strange than beautiful if it weren’t for the soft green in her rounded eyes.

I introduced myself with a “Good morning, ma’am.”

She threw me a grave stare.

“I’m sorry for interrupting you, but I just moved here,” I nervously uttered.

“This place is mine” was all she croaked as she abruptly retreated back into her apartment and slammed the door.

In that split second, I saw that her floor was covered with live grass while vines and tree branches protruded their way out of the deep fissures of her walls. I was already very perplexed by this woman’s odd complexion, and her unique room only added to my confusion.

The day’s results from processing Earth’s resources were extremely beneficial. But I could not end the sudden anxiousness that churned in the pit of my stomach. I felt the presence of something dreadful. I assumed it was the hours spent in labor while inhaling massive amounts of smoke, but the pay was far too great to quit.

Upon my return home, the feeling grew stronger. The loud thumping of my heart roared with each step I took through my apartment. One step … thump … two steps … thump … three steps … and it ceased. I found myself standing in front of my closed, oak bedroom door. I concentrated. Had I locked the door? Had I closed all the windows? I stood there. Part of me tried to rationalize my lack of action with not wanting to face whatever thing my mind was trying to conjure.

As if I were a juvenile, I tried to summon enough courage to open the door and face “it.” Since my feet remained stationary, I tried to summon annoyance, then anger. I finally forced my hand onto the glossy, dark doorknob and braced myself. The thumping returned and was more rapid than it was previously. Before I convinced myself to remain still for longer, I quickly turned and pushed the door open.

I looked up and scouted out my empty room. What was odd was my six-foot mirror and my reflection staring back at me. For a moment, I almost laughed at myself while trying to rationalize how I had somehow moved the mirror in my fatigued state this morning. However, my slightly whimsical mood changed immediately once I saw the pile of dirt that the mirror stood upon.

Logic couldn’t explain what I saw, but neither could my fear. Had someone put the mirror here, and if so, why? What was it supposed to mean? I simply cleaned the dark brown pile of dirt from the floor and put the mirror back next to my bed.

The next day was even more odd. In the pit of my stomach, I felt like there was something absolutely wrong. Despite the praise I received from both my bosses and my coworkers, I felt like I was committing homicide. And the harder I worked, the more it made itself present. My thoughts still periodically pondered upon the events of the night before. Logic proved to me the undeniable truth that I was being targeted. The scariest part was trying to figure out who was after me, and I was further mystified by the fact that I had only arrived in this town months ago. I also could not comprehend why dirt was being used too. I then thought about the girl with the green hair and her earthy apartment.

I had to gain some confirmation somehow, and direct confrontation was the only way I saw fit. I sternly knocked on what I expected to be a rigid wooden door, but instead my hand crashed through its oily oak. I recoiled at the sight of the hole I had created until I noticed the inside of the apartment. The walls were caked with brown mud while deep red veins protruded the walls. I couldn’t tell if my mind deceived me, but I could have sworn that the walls throbbed in a rhythmic fashion. Suddenly a lady, I’m not even sure if its characteristics could grant it that title, appeared at the end of the hallway. Its oily, green hair sat tangled on its shoulders, and its red eyes glowed with a certain vengeance that I couldn’t describe. Its mouth was forever shut by the vines that stitched her lips together. The red of its body was entangled in branches and twigs, while its fingers twisted in opposing directions. Its lips forced the vines apart and its gaping mouth widened into a sickening smile. And inside the abyss, I saw the reflection of myself with a sinister grin.

My legs carried me to the only place where I felt secure. I locked my bedroom door, and I stared at its old oak while anxiously anticipating that Thing’s forced entry. Sometimes, my gaze shifted towards the mirror and my peripheral vision captured a glimpse of what I thought was the Thing, until I saw my slicked black hair. I’ve sat here for six hours I can’t seem to remember if my walls were yellow or gray. I inhale, and in comes the smell of rotten grass. I exhale, and out comes black smoke. I cry, and out comes a thick black drop. I scream, and out comes the mocking roar of machinery. But as I look into the sky and see it turn black, I realize that it is too late.

An exceptional oddity occurs in Africa, Australia, and South America during dry seasons: an oval-shaped, cocoon-like structure that is found under the ground which when gently broken open produces a long and curled live fish like something out of a sci-fi movie! One can continue to dig the surrounding area and find hundreds more of these fish peacefully resting under the ground.

This fish, bestowed with life in a cocoon of mud it fashions under the ground, is called the “lungfish.” It has been discovered that lungfish can survive thanks to their wonderful features for several years in cocoon-like pits under extremely severe and arid conditions. The secrets to this amazing phenomenon lie in the fish’s exclusive respiratory system.

While lungs are the respiratory organs for vertebrates that live on land, the respiratory organs known as gills have been granted to most aquatic animals. Lungfish actually breathe through both gills and lungs. This is why they are also known as dipnoid, a special type of “double breathing” species which have one or two lungs next to their gills. These are not actually lungs but are instead air sacs surrounded by capillaries. They function as lungs when the fish need to utilize them. In particular, these sacs are activated when the water in the fish’s environment dries up. Lungfish are able to overcome drought periods that may last many years by remaining buried in mud and breathing through these God-gifted air sacs.

There are six lungfish species known to be living in Africa, South America, and Australia. The fish resembles the eel due to their prominently long and cylindrical body structure. Studies have shown that the African species tend to be the largest and can reach up to two meters in length, while its Australian and South American counterparts can grow up to 1.25 meters. Fossil prints indicate that African lungfish emerged roughly 400 million years ago and are thus often called “living fossils.”

Just as everything is created and equipped in accordance with their exact needs, so is the lungfish. Lungfish do not have dorsal fins. Their chest and abdominal fins have features that make it easier for the fish to crawl on the ground. The fins are long, adhesive, and highly mobile, and their tips have a very delicate sense of touch. Moreover, the fish’s olfactory and taste receptor cells, and its lateral lines that detect pressure and turbulence, have been created to be extremely sensitive. These structures function as senses that support the fish’s weak sense of vision. Additionally, there are electro-receptors on the fish’s nose that help it to easily perceive their surroundings and aid with their survival.

As the water recedes during the dry season, each lungfish first digs a tunnel for itself in the slime and settles in it. At the top of the tunnel is a porous cover that allows air to smoothly enter and exit. It is within this tunnel that the fish fashions a cocoon for itself made out of a mucous it spews which is designed to keep moisture and allows air in. After these meticulous preparations, the fish goes into a summer sleep that is similar to hibernation. Its physiology also changes during this period as its metabolic speed is lowered to 1/60 of the normal circumstances and its body functions are brought almost entirely to a halt. The fish spends this whole period in this way until the next rainy season arrives.

The lungfish, no doubt, also need to maintain their energy during this deep sleep. They can generate energy by dissolving a portion of their own muscle tissues as a sort of “fat reserve.” Consumption of muscle tissue as food leads them to lose about 3 centimeters in size during one season, and they also lose almost half of their weight during extensive droughts.

An incredible respiratory mechanism

Animals of the underwater world use their gills for breathing. The multi-functional gills are delicately structured to allow the dissolved oxygen in the water to be released into the bloodstream and have the carbon dioxide removed. The gills are also instrumental in several processes including gas exchange, osmoregulation, acid-base adjustment, and nitrogenous waste disposal. A fish normally only has oxygenated blood in its gills. In the fish classified as dipnoid, the extremely thin membrane covering the inner surface of the air sac connected to the circulation system is conducive for gas exchange, thus it helps respiration by acting like a lung.

Different from other species, the lungfish are equipped with a highly developed exclusive respiratory mechanism that enables them to live both in water and on land. While some fish species that can breathe air do so by using basic gas sacs, the system in lungfish is far more complex.

There is a main canal in their breathing organs that serve as a type of de facto lungs, and this canal is surrounded with numerous chambers that increase when expanded but decrease in size. Most chambers have a central space linked with a ventilation duct. The inner surfaces of these structures are lined with numerous honeycomb-like air sacs fed by fine capillaries. A gas exchange occurs in these small vesicles, thus maximizing the surface area on which this gas exchange takes place. Additionally, these fish also have a circulation dedicated to the air sac which functions as a separate lung that is the same as in land vertebrates.

Lungfish go up the surface to breathe and position their heads in a way so that the tip of their nose touches the water’s surface. Meanwhile, they open their mouths and draw air from just above the water. During this process, they usually make a characteristic sound that varies slightly across species. The lungfish in Australia are a little different from the others; they breathe air through their nasal openings while their mouths are closed. In addition, the lungfish in Australia breathe air in shorter periods and they use their lungs only in high activation periods in their natural environment. This is why their gills are very strong since they have only one lung. Due to intense use under severe climatic conditions, the African and South American lungfish have two lungs instead of one and their gills are much smaller than that of other lungfish.

With unique features bestowed to their respiratory system, lung and gill structures so they can survive under extreme conditions, lungfish are a treasure for us to think and marvel on the mysteries found in nature.

References

• Olga Carvalho, Carlos Gonçalves. “Comparative Physiology of the Respiratory System in the Animal Kingdom.” The Open Biology Journal, 2011, 4, 35–46.
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lungfish
• www.britannica.com/animal/lungfish
• www.nationalgeographic.org/media/west-african-lungfish