It was a long, cool February night here in the bustling streets of Manila.

Once again, I looked up at the star-filled sky above me. I noticed something that looked like a big spoon but was larger and more distinct in size and brightness despite the presence of thousands; no, millions of stars above me.

The Big Dipper stared at me like a big ladle, ready to take me along on a journey towards destinations unknown.

For reasons that I cannot comprehend up to this very day, I cannot help but smile at the beauty of the constellation at night.

Most probably, it is because I had beautiful memories in life under the light of these stars.

The year is 2006.

I was lanky and tall for my age.

In addition, I was extremely curious about the world around me.

It is the final year of primary schooling at a public elementary school in Zamboanga City, a lively commercial center with an estimated population of more than a million people, give or take, at the western tip of Southern Philippines.

At the time, I never knew what a telescope looked like or what astronomy was all about. After all, our economic status did not provide us the means to buy astronomical equipment or to even buy materials for a full-fledged experiment.

Luckily, my science teachers held a camp in September of that year and they brought their precious telescopes with them.

Under a clear, picturesque sky and with a smooth, light breeze coming in from the sea, we peered upon the telescopes and identified different constellations as our teachers relayed their positions to us.

It was a wonderful experience. I learned a lot about astronomy within that night alone, probably more than what I would have learned inside the classroom or by reading these constellations in books.

However, as with many things in this ephemeral world, life has its own way of stomping through the past and erasing it into oblivion.

As such, I forgot all of them as the years passed by, except for one.

It was the Big Dipper.

Looking at the Big Dipper gives me hope that I could chase my dreams and reach them no matter the odds that I face currently.

Yes, I do face many challenges of varying complexity and novelty, stretching my faculties to its full extent.

Sometimes, the going gets tough.

There are indeed times when I thought of lifting the white towel in order to just get away from all of it.

But as with many of the best things in life, hope is the torch that keeps me moving forward.

As far as this age is concerned, we are living in a state of a partial darkness where wars, dictatorships, deaths, and calamities have become commonplace to the point that they are turned from newsworthy phenomena into an integral part of life.

They have seeped into people’s psyches to the point that hopelessness about the prospect of having a constructive, productive, and inclusive future has become the norm instead of it being the exception.

In this age, hope is a highly-esteemed currency that is held preciously by people who know the value of it.

After all, wasn’t Hope the last thing to stay inside Pandora’s box after sickness, death, turmoil, famine and all the other evil qualities went out of it?

This shows that as long as hope is alive inside a person’s heart, the keys towards a brighter future are always open for exploration and completion.

As I look back towards the ground, I realize something.

At the end of the day, the Big Dipper reminds me about a truth regarding life.

No matter how harsh and cold the night may seem to be, sunlight always follows in its path, rising to the top and eradicating the darkness and fear that is present inside our hearts, minds, and lives.

Most importantly, even though the evenings may be dark, the stars are always there, piercing the veil of darkness and serving as a beacon of hope.

A hope which states that the best things in life always come in the best way possible, regardless of how bad it was in the past.

After having that long gaze, I continue my way home with a smile.

Because I know once again that the night is always the beginning to a brighter morning and that the stars are there to remind me of that fact.

With newly found strength, I trace my steps back home and get ready to face another day in the roads of this journey that is called “life.”

“It’s my fault, all my fault; I should’ve tried harder,” he said. A quintessential characteristic of his – always pinning the blame on no one other than himself.

They were closing us down; there was no more hope.

He had returned hopeful after the bidding: his paperwork had been in order, and he’d been at it for weeks, day and night. In fact, he hadn’t slept much since the great wave had hit them on the 16th of July. I recall seeing his worried sleepless face on the morning of the 17^th; he hadn’t slept a wink. He’d been up all night making “namaz” (prayers) for his country. He’d been confused by the events. The slowly emerging, dizzying “facts” confounded him.

The wave had been the talk of the staffroom in the days to follow. Some said that their country had just been making good progress and now everything, who knows maybe 10 or 15 years of building, had been lost, all in a single night. Teachers, first by the hundreds and then by the thousands, had been sacked, and their licenses revoked. I was shown a picture of a teacher with an angelic appearance who had been put to death because he had allegedly been involved in terrorism. The morale dropped with each passing day and the friendly smiles and warm greetings turned into frowns and drooping shoulders. I woke up each morning with a sense of angst and prayed for peace, justice, and truth to prevail in my colleagues’ country. The realization started setting in that they wouldn’t be able to return home that year. Their children would not be able to see their grandparents the next holiday. And with the school being shut down, they had no idea where to go. They told me that it’s become too dangerous to contact their families; people are being detained by the thousands. Some told me that their parents believed the news and not their own accounts of what had happened; a certain blindness had descended upon their countryfolk.

My colleagues are deeply patriotic. There were Turkish flags and laminated Turkish words labeling things and framed pictures of the Hagia Sophia and Istanbul on the walls of the school.

Talk about the failed coup eventually ceased in the staffroom and my colleagues refused to be dispirited further by it. Weeks went by and everyone kicked into survival mode. CV’s were being updated, job applications were being sent out in a frenzy, reference letters were being written, and my friends had nowhere to go. They were stranded or worse, they’d become alleged “terrorists.” My friends: terrorists? Ludicrous!

I’ve known them for over five years and the only allegation I could make against them is that they work too hard! Most work seven days a week. Our staffroom was open 24 hours and I’d often see them working in there as late as 11 at night. They had once compelled me to redo a video promo I’d made about the school just to insert a clip of the Prime Minister at the time, Erdoğan, and his wife who had attended a Turkish Olympiad (Türkçe Olimpiyatları) where Ghanaians had performed a traditional Turkish dance. Both Erdoğan and his wife were deeply touched. I’m not sure if I had gotten my facts straight… so he, Erdoğan, was blaming my colleagues of plotting against him? The reasoning behind this had confounded myself and my colleagues alike.

They’ve travelled land and sea to make other nations pro-Turkish and pro-Turkey. Never had I picked up on an ounce of resentment against Turkey from my devoted colleagues.

And when my colleague had exerted his final efforts and realized that the fight to keep the school open had been lost, he sighed and said: “It’s my fault, all my fault; I should’ve tried harder.” My heart broke upon hearing these words uttered by a man who teaches his students on weekends and until eleven o’clock at night to help prepare them for their exam the next day. My heart was shattered when I heard those words from the man who had learned to push on with his teaching responsibilities despite an onslaught of dengue fever, his shirt completely soaked and his eyes deeply sunken.  “You should rest Abi,” I said to him. “I will rest in the hereafter,” he stoically replied.

My heart was crushed when he still blamed himself when powers beyond his control had worked against him, the man who had once removed the tie from his neck and wrapped it up neatly and made it a gift to me following my comment about its beauty. How can my heart go on if the man – who took me to his unfurnished house, save for a mattress on the floor, to give me his own mattress when mine was infested with bed bugs – is labelled a “terrorist”? Tell me, how should I respond? What should I do to convince people that none of this is his fault, that he’s a man of peace, a teacher by trade and nothing more, that he’s nothing less than a saint? Tell me, what should I do?

Divine manifestation (tajalli) is the attainment of inner light as a result of special Divine gifts. This is experienced by travelers on the way of Truth who are committed to prayer. Tajalli is not only the manifestation of Divine mysteries under the lights of Divine knowledge (marifa), but also that they are known in one’s conscience and are visible by the heart, where Divine names and attributes reveal themselves. Every traveler can attain these mysteries in proportion to their inclinations and current spiritual level.

Hunting is for things that are not in one’s possession. Those who have awakened to Divine truths or are on that path, are on constant watch for manifestations, mysteries, grace, blessings, knowledge, love, and spiritual delight from God. Others who have been defeated by heedlessness and live a life uninformed of truths, however, neither feel the ever-blowing winds of manifestation nor do they feel the thrill of filling their heart with a Divine benefit or radiance.

We can use “hunting” for attaining other qualities and virtues, too, like good character, mindfulness of the true spirit of faith, observance of the rights of God and His servants, to practice what one knows in theory, and to attain true sincerity and excellence. These are virtues the value of which we cannot truly appreciate. Hunting these virtues is impossible if a heart has fallen prey to fatal viruses like ostentation, pretentiousness, and fake behavior, and thus has lost its balance. Those who are in search of these virtues first have to save themselves from falling prey to evil and the carnal soul by constantly keeping their hearts pure and clean.

Secluded spots

Hunting is practiced in secluded, deserted places. It is important to find a place of seclusion where Divine manifestations are abundant, and where one can explore the horizons of the life of heart and spirit.

This does not mean it is not possible when there are others around. We can even say there are many blessings and gifts that are earned by worship conducted together with others, gifts that cannot be gained by individual worship. There are times when the enthusiasm of one individual can have an effect on the whole congregation. The sincere appeals of a prayer leader or the heartfelt tears of a person may contribute to heavenly atmosphere for the whole community. Many have lived such experiences during their visit to the Holy Ka‘ba in Mecca or the tomb of the Prophet in Medina. In such places, hearts soften and resonate with profound feelings, and eyes shed tears. When one happens to be in such a moment and hearts are open to manifestations, he or she has to make the best of themselves, in hopes of benefitting from this shower of blessings. Nevertheless, it is always a possibility that one may fall to pretentiousness when among others, which may fail you in your “hunt.” At times, even one’s overflowing feelings, amplifying voice, and even sometimes tears, are not immune from such viruses.

A soul devoted to hunting illuminations and manifestations from the Truth does his or her best to seek lonely corners or travel to serene places of solitude for moments of one-on-one togetherness with their Lord. With all awareness of being servants before God, they stand for prayer in places where no one but He sees and hears. As they stand, bow, and prostrate for a long time and removed from the world, they sometimes forget if it is their first or second prostration. At that moment of most nearness to the Divine, they glorify Him from all shortcomings. “Do not let our hearts swerve…” (Qur’an 3:18) they pray, maybe a hundred times, in the words of their Lord about matters they feel concerned. “My Lord, I have been unfair to myself by not living up to my best. I have done unfitting things. I ask Your forgiveness!” They voice their inner self. Our Lord shows favor upon such an inclination of His servants and their prayers are never left unanswered. Thus, we could perhaps say such a move by a servant is a hunt for manifestations, while moments of prostration are the most convenient times for such a hunt.

The bright darkness of the night

Nights provide some of the most convenient periods for manifestation hunting. Our biological heart, soul, and the spiritual heart (al-latifa al-Rabbaniyya) all enter a state of metaphysical resonance beyond expectations when involved with deep contemplation during the night. Reunion with God happens, if at all, at night. The brightest of all work is done in the heart of darkness. Distances are covered at night. Ascension to the heavens is possible at night. There was perhaps no single night which the Messenger of God, Prophet Muhammad, did not celebrate in prayer and contemplation, peace be upon him. At times, he would recite the verses towards the end of the Chapter “the Family of Imran,” which urge us to contemplate on the universe and creation; he would do maybe one recitation after another, turn his eyes to the heavens, and cry in witness of the Divine glory. He spent long hours at night standing, bowing, and in prostration.

O my eye, what is sleep; come, wake up at night
Watch the stars, see their travels at night

Look and observe all this wisdom in the universe
Find its Artist and be impressed with Him at night

During the day, you become heedless
Occupied with many things other than Him

Be ashamed of the Beloved, the Master of your heart,
free yourself from heedlessness

Sleeping unmindfully does not befit a lowly servant
Speak to the All-Merciful in compassion at night

If you love the Self-Sustaining One, do not sleep all night
So you may, my soul, live with the Ever-Living One at night

Lovers are awake at night; you too do not sleep
So the Beloved appears at the sight of your heart at night

The heart is the home of the Lord, purify it
So He may descend upon His throne at night

Eat less, sleep less, reach amazement, and free yourself
Then find a life of eternity and be His guest at night

Come near to people for God, day and night
O Hakki, burn in the fire of love at night

Ibrahim Hakki

Place, time, and the person’s state of being

For travelers on the path on the way to Truth, it is important to make the best of times when our hearts are softened, and our eyes and souls are filled with glory. Just as being at places like Ka‘ba, Arafat, Muzdalifa, and at the tomb of the Prophet and celebrating times of abundance like the Night of Power (laylat al-Qadr) or the special moment on Friday, are important for Muslims, it is equally important to benefit from moments when one is in spiritual states like compassion, immersion, passion, and stupor with Divine presence. These are the best of times to offer invocations.

Sleep is a period of renewal that prepares us for the new day and enables our brain and body to perform duties that they cannot while awake.

Growing numbers of businesses are including good sleep in their wellness programs for their employees. Many of them now have sleep pods in their offices to improve productivity. In addition to diet, weight, exercise and smoking cessation, sleep wellness is now becoming part of our tools to prevent health problems; and this is a good thing.

Sleep is a period of renewal that prepares us for the new day and enables our brain and body to perform duties that they cannot while awake. Having a sufficient amount of high-quality sleep is vital for us to be healthier and to feel better during the day. Yet the number of people experiencing sleeping problems is on the rise.

The duration of healthy sleep varies from person to person. If the night’s sleep lacks quality –say, for instance because of frequent interruptions for the need to go to toilet – the total duration spend in bed extends. The craving or need for more sleep as a result becomes a sleep problem.

Sleep deprivation prevents certain brain functions that are enabled only during sleep. Sleep is necessary for learning and memory. Moreover, healthy sleep is crucial for appetite regulation, so insufficient sleep may result in weight gain.

In the general sense, sufficient and quality sleep is also essential for overcoming diseases and disorders. Therefore, many patients in the intensive care unit, especially those suffering from cerebral bleeding, edemas, or a heart attack, are put to sleep with drugs. Studies have shown that sleep is crucial for fast recovery of post-operational scars. It is essential that long hospital visits should be avoided so that the patient can have the much needed sleep.

Because metabolism slows down during sleep, all the bodily energy is redirected towards curing the brain and the body. Sleep is the time for repairing any part damaged during the day. Sufferers of sleep problems run a higher risk of developing illnesses such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. The number of neurons is important for memory as well. Their number decreases with age, weakening our memory. Age-related memory impairment stems from a breakdown of the brain’s communication network and can be prevented by healthy sleep. In addition, sleeplessness correlates with depression and cancer, too. The immune system also deteriorates in people experiencing sleep deprivation because it cannot be renewed and strengthened during sleep.

Coffee, tea, energy drinks, and other substances containing caffeine can prevent sleep for as long as six hours. That is, black coffee or strong tea you have in the afternoon may make it difficult for you to fall asleep at night. Similarly, if you have food that is high in fat and protein at a late dinner, you may experience problems drifting into sleep.

Working hours

Some people have to work at night so they can sleep during the daytime. People doing night shifts, for example doctors, nurses and police officers, frequently develop serious heart and brain problems. Our brains are created so as to stay asleep at night and awake during the day, so people who go to bed late at night experience more health problems. Sleeping during the day after a sleepless night leads to sleeplessness the following night. However, a nap (siesta) in the afternoon is extremely useful in that it virtually enables renewed morning freshness thanks to re-regulation of hormones.

Our body clocks are influenced by sunrise and sunset. Modern people are exposed to less sunlight during day and more artificial light at night, which has an impact on the time we fall asleep. Increased exposure to the morning sun and decreased exposure to artificial light (especially from phones and computers) can help our body clock readjust to a normal sleep schedule and hence help us sleep earlier.

Fixed waking hour

One of the most critical conditions for healthy sleep is to have a fixed waking hour. You should wake up at the same time no matter what time you went to bed the previous night. In fact, as a rule of thumb, you should get up from your bed at the same time in the morning whether it is weekend or weekday, work day or holiday, so that you can have a good sleep the following night.

The more tired you are when you go to bed, the harder it gets to drift into sleep. You should therefore avoid vigorous physical activity within a few hours before bedtime.

Contrary to widespread belief, reading books in bed, watching TV, or spending time on the mobile phone or computer makes it harder to fall asleep. Such activities should be done out of bed in another room, if possible, and the bed should be used for sleeping. In fact, sleeping somewhere other than your bed may also harm your healthy sleeping cycle.

Residents in big cities generally wake up very early to arrive at work or school on time and get back home quite late due to traffic. Sleeping late during the weekdays and waking up too early lead to an accumulation of sleeplessness, which needs to be made up for. Some research studies also have shown that late risers run higher health risks than early risers.

Certain regulations can be put into effect to help reduce sleep problems. For one thing, flexible working hours would enable more employees to start work later but more refreshed. Moreover, some businesses can arrange work schedules of their employees according to their body clocks. As a result, the performance and efficacy of the employees could be improved. Buildings can be made to let in more sunlight and thus dependence on blue light can be reduced.

Our need for sleep, daily and weekly, is more or less stable. This need is also related to your age. Sleep duration increases with your age: it peaks in your twenties and then your body clock tends to move back as you get on in years. As you get older, you need less sleep.

Sleep for physical formatting

Sleep used to be considered to be a time of rest until recently. Today, however, sleep is accepted as a time for restructuring and physical formatting. Snoring, sleep apnea, and frequent visits to the toilet prevent high quality sleep.

Growth hormones are produced the most during deep sleep. We should therefore be particularly careful about ensuring that children get enough and healthy (deep) sleep schedules.

Position

Sleep position is important, especially for the elderly. A position should be chosen that is least painful. For instance, the heart is believed to be more at ease when one sleeps on the right side. In this position, breathing takes place more through the left nostril rather than the right, enabling the sympathetic system to rest and the parasympathetic system to take over. When the parasympathetic system starts to work, drifting into sleep becomes easier and the duration as well as the quality of sleep increase. Sleeping on the right has been reported to be the tradition of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.

When you lie in bed, gaps remain between the bed and our neck, waist and knees. These gaps may need to be filled particularly for the elderly and those who suffer from pain in one’s back or neck. Herniated discs have become more common in employees doing desk jobs. A pillow can be folded slightly to support the neck, or special pillows that take the shape of the head and neck can be used. It may not always be necessary to fill in the gaps but if you have backache or hernia it might be necessary to support the waist. The support of a small pillow can be helpful in some cases of knee problems. In other cases, a soft pillow placed between the knees can be helpful.

Numerous studies in recent years have reported that cupping (hijama) and foot reflexology therapy can increase sleep quality. These two methods reportedly help discharge excessive static electricity and psychological stress that have accumulated in the body and thus make it easier to drift into sleep.

Oversleeping is as dangerous as sleep deprivation. It has been found that people who sleep more than eight hours a day have a higher risk of heart failure. A Norwegian study has shown that sleep that is more than eight hours or less than four hours increases the risk of heart failure. Conducted at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, the study included 50,000 subjects aged 20-89 whose sleep patterns were monitored for 11 years. According to the results, people who slept more than eight hours or less than four hours had a 35 percent greater risk of dying from heart failure than people who sleep between six and eight hours. People who slept less than four hours were reported to have a 34 percent higher propensity for dying from heart failure.

It is important to make sure we have enough amount of sleep for both our physical and spiritual health; not more, not less. Having a siesta for 1-1.5 hours during the day can also prove useful. Oversleeping numbs the human mind, may bring gloom to the heart, and may cause us to lose our ability to make good judgments. Going to bed immediately after eating and drinking may also be a cause for various illnesses, including obesity.

References

1. Munshi, Neil. “Sleeping on the job can improve your work.” Financial Times, September 13, 2017.
2. Laugsand LE, Strand LB, Platou C, Vatten LJ, Janszky I, “Insomnia and the risk of incident heart failure: a population study”, Eur Heart J. 2014 Jun 1;35(21):1382-93. Epub 2013 Mar 5.

How can animals in the wild hunt during the night as if it were day? A remarkable biological feature acts as a pair of “natural” night vision goggles.

Animals can move and even hunt in the pitch-dark of the night. How do these animals see comfortably in the dark? How are their eyes different from ours?

Anatomically, the eye consists of three layers called the Tunica fibrosa (outer layer), the Tunica vasculosa (mid layer), and the Tunica nervosa (retina). The outer layer of the eye is composed of the sclera and cornea; the middle section of choroidea, corpus ciliare, and the iris; and the inner section of the retina.

Light rays reflected off objects first pass through the eye’s translucent layer (the cornea), then into the black round part located in the front of the eye (pupillae, or pupil), and later go through the lenses. The colored section around the pupil, covered by smooth muscles, is in charge of regulating the amount of light entering the eye. The real and inverted image of an object is projected on the retina by the refraction of light through the lens; the image is transmitted to the optical center of the brain as a result of nerve cell stimulation via the optical nerves. Sight happens as a result of these causal chains.

Now, there is a twist to all this: the optical center in the brain accepts spots that do not emit light as black. For humans, this means a loss of sight. Black objects are not visible because they absorb and keep all the light reaching them.

How could these animals, without night vision goggles, see in pitch blackness despite having the same optical mechanisms as humans?

The answer to this question was hidden in an anatomic structure (tapetum lucidum) located in the eyes of some vertebrates. This special structure, lacking in humans, monkeys, squirrels, birds, red kangaroos, and some other mammals, is found in equines, ruminants, and many carnivores. This structure is located in the cytoplasm of the choroidea layers in between the innermost light sensitive ocular layer and sclera, and it acts like a biological reflector. With its crystalline composition of varying colors from golden yellow to white, tapetum lucidum is a wonder of creation. The eyes of these animals shine when a light source is projected due to the aforementioned structure.

The primary task of this formation is to reflect the light which is projected to the rear section of the eye again without absorbing it. This happens due to the crystalline makeup. Thus, lower light levels are enhanced by the repeated reflection in the eye, and sight is enabled for animals. The second job of Tapetum lucidum is to elevate the sensitivity of the retina to light in order to transmit signals with no stimulation strength to the optical center.

This reminds us of night vision goggles. Night vision cameras are electro-optical devices that strengthen the light that is present. Light enters this device through the lens and hits the charged cathode, which has a lot of high energy. The energy load hits the phosphorous screen where the image is focused after passing through the vacuum inside the charger. The image is an enhanced picture on the phosphorous screen and it is not visible directly through the object. Tapetum lucidum however, is such an artistic work that it cannot even be compared with the night vision systems of technology. While the lifespan of a night vision system is only 2,500–4,000 hours (104–167 days), animals with Tapetum lucidum can benefit from this for a lifetime. The newest night vision systems, with a maximum optic range of 30-120 meters, cannot provide sight under light conditions one fourth of the moon’s illumination strength, whereas animals with Tapetum lucidum can see objects hundreds of meters away in much dimmer light.

This isn’t the only example of how masterfully and diverse eyes can be. Damseflies have over 30,000 simple eyes, called ommatids; eagles can see their prey from thousands of feet above them.

By the principle that “certain things are appreciated best in their absence,” if we imagine a dark night in which we are unable to see anything and cannot even step a foot safely, we can perhaps understand that Tapetum lucidum is a great blessing for these animals.

Reference

Veterinary Ophthalmology (2004) 7, 1,11–22. Comparative morphology of the tapetum lucidum (among selected species), F. J. Ollivier,* D. A. Samuelson, D. E. Brooks, P. A.Lewis, M. E. Kallberg and A. M. Komáromy.

In order to find answers to these questions, let’s consider ourselves sitting at home after a long, tiring day. Are we aware that we are moving very fast even at a moment when we seem to be resting? When we travel by bus, we are motionless from the standpoint of a sitting passenger, yet have a velocity compared to an outsider standing on the sidewalk. The trees lining the road seem to be going backwards, but they are fixed to the ground with no speed. Therefore, velocity is relative and we in fact move at different speeds while sitting at home depending on the objects of reference. We have a zero velocity relative to our guests sitting with us on the couch, but have various speeds compared to the center of Earth, the moon, the sun and the center of the Milky Way galaxy. Not only us, but all existence in the universe has a movement, or oscillation. This movement is usually in the form of a revolution for objects of important mass and as a vibration for particles with smaller masses.

The shining celestial bodies of the cosmos rotate around themselves like whirling dervishes. They revolve around other heavenly bodies or around their common center of gravities, such as pilgrims revolving around Ka’ba in Mecca. The gravitational force set in the universe pulls all objects towards each other. This gravitational force indeed pulls all masses together; however, it is counterbalanced by the motion of revolution given to grand heavenly bodies. As a matter of fact, everything is moving: a solar system with its planets, moons, and comets; the Milky Way galaxy, along with billions of stars, nebulas, galaxies, interstellar dust, gas clouds, and other celestial objects… all are moving in a giant rotating motion like a carousel. In this article, you are going to find some of the scientific findings of our revolving planet, the sun, and the universe, and how some verses in the Qur’an sound miraculously relevant to them.

The Earth’s motion

First of all, we have a velocity stemming from the Earth’s rotation. People living on the equator travel approximately a thousand miles per hour in reference to the center of the globe due to this rotation. While people on the poles never gain any distance over 24 hours, people on the equator travel nearly 23,800 miles! Inside a plane, because we move at the same rate as the plane, we cannot feel its speed. In a similar way, since we move at the same rate as Earth, we cannot feel the globe’s movement.

There are many benefits associated with the Earth’s rotation. The delineation of day and night, atmospheric jet streams, oceanic currents, and similar events rise from the rotation of Earth around its axis. For instance, it causes the warm water currents of the Gulf Stream to reach England, generating a warm and rainy climate.

There are verses in the Qur’an that point to the globular shape of the Earth and its rotation around its axis and revolution around the sun:

“He has created the heavens and the Earth with truth. He wraps the night around the day, and He wraps the day around the night. And He has made the sun and the moon subservient (to His command), each running its course for a term appointed (by Him). Be aware! He is the All-Glorious with irresistible might, the All-Forgiving.” (Az-Zumar 5)

Yet another verse furthers this point:

“It is He Who has created the night and the day and the sun and the moon. Every one (of such celestial bodies) floats in its orbit.” (Al-Anbiya 33)

The verb “wrap” is usually used for round objects, and the perpetual arrival of day and night are only possible with a circular planet. The Earth’s rotation leads to different days, on the micro level, and different seasons, on the macro level. The Qur’an concisely summarizes all these physical events with the simple phrase, “wrap the night around the day.”

The Earth’s primary motion is around the sun. We are roughly 93 million miles away from the sun and we make this orbit, which is nearly 584 million miles, every 365 days. According to the center of the sun, our average velocity on this orbit is approximately 66 thousand miles per hour.
In addition, other planets travel around the sun via different orbits and speeds, each moving on a separate plane. For a moment, it is significant to visualize the sun, which is more than a million times larger than Earth, with its planets and other viscera revolving around it via no visible bond between them.

The movement of the sun

As stated earlier, when we travel on a bus, we observe the trees and buildings near the road going backwards even though we are the ones moving. In a similar way, we see the sun as revolving around us, though in fact the Earth is the one moving. In the Qur’an, the chapter of Al-Anbiya, the verse reading, “each running its course,” is about the creation of the sun and moon, clearly pointing to their movements. Unfortunately, the verse that reads, “A(nother) clear sign for them; And the sun runs the course appointed for it for a term to its resting-place, for the stability of it(s system)…” (Ya Sin 38) was misunderstood as the sun revolving around the Earth. However, we know today that our sun is one of a couple hundred billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy. As such, it both rotates around itself and revolves around the center of the Milky Way galaxy, and confirms the miraculous declaration of the truth in the verse.

In addition, the sun also has a secondary movement inside the local star cluster towards a certain direction. We can explain this with an example: the atmosphere is in motion along with the Earth. Each particle and particle set that makes up the atmosphere not only moves right and left, but also has a total revolution around the Earth. The sun behaves in a similar way within the star cluster and around the center of the Milky Way.

How are we going to define the velocity of the sun? We can determine the sun’s speed by referencing a constant point depending on the average velocity of stars in the section of the galaxy that we inhabit. The sun, according to a local constant point, travels towards the shiny Vega star in the Lyra constellation with an average speed of 43 thousand miles per hour.

Apart from their individual movements, the stars in our galaxy also revolve around the galactic center. The velocity of this movement depends on the star’s mass and its distance to the galaxy’s center. The sun completes one loop inside the Milky Way galaxy every 225 million years. It has completed a total of 20 tours around the galaxy’s center since the Earth’s creation. Our Earth, which moves along with the Sun, travels around the galaxy’s center at nearly 492 thousand miles per hour.

The motion of the Milky Way galaxy

Our galaxy is one of the billions of galaxies in known space. Galaxies are the biggest known structures. The universe expands and galaxies move away from each other, conforming to the meaning of the verse, “And the heaven, We have constructed it mightily; and it is surely We Who have vast power, and keep expanding it” (Adh-Dhariyat 47). Our galaxy, along with nearby galaxies, is pulled towards the Leo and Virgo constellations. The cause of this attraction is not understood yet.

Since all galaxies are moving, how can we determine the velocity of the Milky Way galaxy? As is known, the entire universe is filled with cosmic radiation as a remnant of the Big Bang. When this radiation is taken as a reference, the Milky Way travels at around 1.3 million miles per hour.

At the moment, when we think we are sitting in place, we are actually moving around the center of the Earth, sun, our local star cluster, the center of the Milky Way galaxy, and also moving away from other galaxies. We have velocity in relation to all of these movements. The revolution of the universe is also a fact verified by the Divine word: “I swear by the heaven ever-revolving” (At-Tariq 11).

To find a way out

Toward that which it seeks and longs for

Travels with the hope of recovering what is lost

Travels from the reason to the heart

To bereft of power

To distinguish the hopeful

from among the hopeless causes

There’s a cold war between realities and imaginings

Dawn comes in dreams

When everything turns pale in the dead hours of the night

Dawn comes in dreams

Dreams are always vivid

Full of color

There when a man looks deep

Into unfathomed oceans

Beholds the past

The far future and what is near to come

What is old about to be replaced or renewed?

Dawn comes in dreams

When realities are too dark to endure

Dawn comes in dreams

In darkness a man suffers

The extreme of loneliness

When mouths are tight-lipped

As if zip-fastened

He wishes to sprout wings and fly

To the realms beyond and fly

Dawn comes in dreams

When events begin to drive me to give up hope

Dawn comes in dreams

Rise up, because my heart is lamenting…

During the days having passed without you,

I went back over the yesterdays,

Grieving all the while, and saddened

Since you had deserted your country.

O my valiant one, appear now!

Appear, for we are depressed.

Our hearts come into our mouths;

Our last words are on our lips…

The people need your smile,

And we’re thirsty for your zeal.

No more strength is left to us:

We, a multitude of orphans,

Are pushed to and fro,

And detained along the way…

Wasting time in distractions,

We cannot bear anything extra…

You appear in dreams every night,

You are in words and in hearts…

This is so the whole life long:

Come to make your influence felt,

Have some pity upon us, please:

We go down on our bended knees…

We have not sent you but as a mercy to all people. (21:107)

The verse tells that it is God’s mercy that caused Muhammad to be a universal messenger, that Prophet Muhammad is the messenger of mercy, and that his message, namely the Qur’an, is the message of mercy.

Inspired by the Qur’an, Muslim philosophers have thought that mercy is the primary reason of the existence of Islam, just as love and generosity are the main reasons of the existence of the universe. To put it clearly, it can be said that God so loved His own beautiful names that He generously created the world for the manifestation of those names, and He had Mercy so much upon humanity that He sent Islam as a pure way of life.

Meaning “submission to God,” Islam teaches the rules of goodness, originating from the eternal wisdom of the Maker of the universe. Given this generic definition, Islam does not mean only the religion instructed in the Qur’an, but the only religion instructed by God through all divine revelations and all prophets. In other words, submission to God refers to the essence of the heavenly prescribed religion. Some scholars even comment that Islam means the religion of all creation in the sense that all creatures in the universe, as Qur’an says, necessarily obey God. Only humans are exempt from necessity; they choose to obey or disobey.

As a result, Prophet Muhammad is not the only prophet of Islam in generic sense, but only the last prophet of the religion. He is also the last messenger of mercy, following and witnessing to all messengers before him. In fact, the Qur’an describes the previous revelations as manifestations of divine mercy. To mention some:

[Noah:] God has granted me mercy from Himself. (11:28, 63)

Before this was the Book of Moses as a guide and a mercy. (11:17, 46:12)

[For Mary’s miraculous conception:] So that We may make him (Jesus) a sign to men and a mercy from Us. (19:21)

Following the previous revelations, Qur’an, the last scripture of Islam in generic sense, is a Book of mercy above all. At the first glance, we see that each chapter opens with a certain word: “In the name of God, the most merciful, the most compassionate.” Then the Qur’an describes itself as “mercy” again and again. To mention a few:

We have revealed the Book to you explaining clearly everything, and a guidance and a mercy and good news for those who submit. (16:89)

These are verses of the Book of Wisdom, a guidance and a mercy for the doers of goodness. (31:2-3)

These verses along with others should explain why the night of the first revelation of the Qur’an is called in the Book as the “night of destiny.” The particular chapter concerning that special event informs us that “the night of destiny is better than a thousand months” (97:3). That is, a tiny slice of time bearing the divine message of mercy is better than an age deprived it. The verse should imply that the revelation of the Qur’an is as much significant for humankind as mercy is.

If the Qur’an is the message of mercy, and Prophet Muhammad the messenger of mercy, it is because God is the God of mercy. The very first sentence of the Qur’an movingly puts it: “Praise be to God, the Lord of all creation, the most merciful, the most compassionate, the master of the day of judgment.” Such beginning indicates that the Qur’an’s most fundamental teaching, the unity of God, is profoundly related to the mercy of God, as Qur’an reads elsewhere: “Your God is One God. There is no god but He, the most merciful, the most compassionate” (2:163).

In the Qur’an, mercy is so essential to the divine personality that the attribute Rahman, meaning “the most merciful,” is many times used as a proper name replacing the name “God,” Allah in Arabic. Here are a couple of examples:

Say, Call upon God or call upon the most merciful. Whichever you call upon, to Him belong the most beautiful names. (17:110)

The servants of the most merciful are they who walk on the earth in humbleness, and when the ignorant address them, they say, Peace. (25:63).

Pondering on the correspondence between the names “God” and Rahman, scholars comment that the so-called “greatest name of God” is the name Rahman, the most merciful. Ibn Arabi, the well-known Sufi philosopher, thinks that Rahman is the “mother” of all divine names. That means Rahman comprises or involves the meaning of all other divine names, such as the Forgiver, Provider, Lover, Creator, and Reviver. Therefore, in Sufi philosophy, creation is mainly for the purpose and by the manifestation of God’s mercy. Just two samples from amongst many verses in accord with this mystical insight:

And out of His mercy He has made for you the night and the day, that you may rest therein, and that you may seek of His grace, and that you may give thanks. (28:73)

Look then at the signs of God’s mercy: How He gives life to the earth after its death. Surely He will raise the dead to life; and He has power over all things. (30:50)

Everywhere in the Qur’an, God speaks as the God of Mercy. That is not only for introducing the merciful personality of the Creator, but also for prescribing mercy to the servants, who have been created for the purpose of living in conformity to the divine goodness. A few out of hundreds:

Say, To whom belongs what is in the heavens and the earth? Say, To God. He has prescribed mercy for Himself. (6:12)

Say, In the bounty of God and in His mercy: therein let them rejoice. It is better than what they hoard. (10:58)

[Prophet Shuayb:] And ask forgiveness of your Lord, then turn to Him. For my Lord is Merciful, Loving. (11:90)

O My servants, who have transgressed against their own souls! Do not despair of the mercy of God. Surely God forgives the faults altogether. He is Forgiving, Compassionate. (39:53)

Nonetheless, God is not only the God of mercy or the God of love, but also the God of wisdom and the God of justice. As theologians have perfectly articulated, His absolute mercy does not cause Him to behave unwisely or unjustly. Having conscience, humans are responsible and accountable for their actions. We are here for this reason, as reiterated in the Qur’an. Although all our mistakes and faults are subject to forgiveness as long as we seek, some grave crimes might be unforgivable if insisted. Mercy upon the victim does not excuse the lack of punishment, which would also leave the judgment meaningless.

Tell My servants that I am Forgiving, Merciful, and that My punishment is the painful punishment. (15:49)

God had mercy so much upon humanity that He sent Islam as a pure way of life, we said earlier. Then mercy should be essential to all aspects of the religion. An analysis on Islamic morality and law would reveal that all prescribed rules ultimately function for the establishment of mercy in human life in parallel to the merciful establishment of nature by God. Perhaps the most apparent rule of mercy in Islamic life, as instructed by the Prophet, is what is called basmala, namely saying “In the name of God, the most merciful, the most compassionate,” in the beginning of any action-eating, dressing, reading, writing, having a seat, starting the car, getting on the bus, sleeping, waking up, etc. Doing so, one is constantly trained in that mercy and compassion is the basis of everyday life.

As well recorded, the Prophet’s everyday life was full of words of mercy and acts of compassion. A study on his elaborate biography would ensure that he always aimed at requirements of a soft heart. I would like to give a single example, which would illuminate all examples. Prophet Muhammad has had billions of lovers, and had many enemies as well. Abdullah bin Ubayy, the chief adversary of Islam in Medina, was one of the latter and so harsh. He was the person behind many betrayals and plots including adultery slander to the wife of the Prophet. One day Abdullah passed away with his all mischief. The Prophet was saddened at such an end. He participated in his funeral, condoled with the family, performed the funeral prayer asking God forgiveness for the dead, even gave his garment to be put on the body as a cause for divine mercy, and left the funeral in sadness.

One of the sad things about his legacy is that his biography has been generally narrated with emphasis on the struggles and battles that he was forced to get into by the hostile opponents. This has been a focus-shift from the elegant face of the rose to its protective thorns. The fact is, Prophet Muhammad cultivated a community in peace and justice, and nurtured them with sympathy and mercy. As they grew, so did the enemies. The early Muslims in Mecca were threatened, oppressed, persecuted, murdered, and forced to migrate by the pagans of the city. Responding in silence, they migrated to Medina. Then military assaults on the early Muslims were carried out by the same pagans. The revelation allowed the Muslim community to defend their faith and existence in justice. After several years of struggle, the Prophet initiated a long-term peace agreement at a time when his community got stronger than the opposite. As the Prophet had expected, peace caused thousands to embrace Islam. When the pagans eventually broke the agreement with a final attack, the Prophet marched on Mecca and occupied the city without any drop of blood. He announced freedom to all, saying: “No reproach this day shall be on you. May God forgive you. He is the most compassionate.” This was the only way in which he struggled.

Meaning “struggle in the way of God” and referring to any kind of endeavor for goodness, jihad naturally includes protective actions and, in case of offense, fighting in justice and mercy. Textual and historical analyses show that all verses in the Qur’an concerning fighting are in this category, the category that might be called the rightful pacifism. Qur’an teaches that disbelief itself is not a reason of fight at all. However, in today’s world, due to ignorance or misconception, as well as living under oppression, those verses are often taken arbitrarily out of their textual and historical contexts, and used for various purposes. Indeed, for those who sincerely and seriously appeal to the Qur’an and the Prophet, neither hatred nor antagonism can be the stable rule of the relationship with the other. What is the rule then? The messenger of mercy reminds: “Have mercy upon those on earth, so that He Who in the Heaven has mercy upon you” (Tirmidh, Birr, 16). Peace, God’s mercy and blessings be upon him and his fellow messengers.

Erkan M. Kurt, PhD, is a researcher at the Institute of Interfaith Dialog, Houston, Texas.

they set out for eternity

And wherever the journey led, they carried their gift of radiance.

Gleams of Beauty unfading so entranced their souls,

they heard at night in their dreams angels

singing of bliss and the music of other worlds.

More enchanted, more earnestly they searched in every place, and

yearned for their homeland

the dream of a beloved of matchless excellence, hero or saint or both.

Without pause, they strove on in high, passionate hope;

some mysteries of life they unraveled

as they journeyed apace, and at last obtained the promised happiness.

Lovers of the Light are pledged to a long journey, its end Unseen:

the very roads are proud upon which they journey:

the rhythm of their surging on is Certainty,

and their rank as slaves of the King.

Whoever disdains that rank, disdains his own good fortune,

Exchanging hope for a regret everlasting:

he shall not attain, not ever,

the further horizon of all that is.

Only passionate lovers of the Ideal,

may behold that far horizon,

eternity itself impressed upon their faces,

their names rehearsed in hymns of praise.

They desire life reborn only to be martyred again,

hearts forever surrendered to the Light,

forever remembered in our hearts.

They raise now light-filled eyes,

in their hands translucent beakers held aloft, at ease,

filled to their brim from rivers of Paradise.