THE SUPERMAN OF ISLAM (IMAM JAFFAR AL-SADIQ (a.s.) - PART ONE

The book “Superman of Islam” published by the Research Centre at Strasburg, Germany. This was the result of research work performed by twenty-five scholars from Europe, United States of America except 2 Muslim scholars from the Middle East It has fifty-five chapters covering various scientific, astronomical, religious, and social aspects. The book is written with a pure scientific background regardless of any religious affiliations. Topics of general interest are as follows:

Eating & Diseases: To   protect life, avoid excesses in eating and drinking. Excess in eating may cause premature death. Imam Ali (a.s.) said,” Do not make your stomachs the graveyard of animals.” Imam Ali (a.s.) advised people not to eat excessive meat as this may lead to premature death. A person looks healthy, but he is sick inside and he may become unconscious and die. People who eat meat and other heavy foods in excess, may still feel hungry and without feeling pain may develop sleeplessness. Accidental death is of three types: Diseases of brain, heart, and blood. In the end, accidental diseases are caused by sickness of blood which attacks heart and brain. The sickness of the blood is caused by eating too much meat or other saturated fat foods. Modern science also confirms death by heart disease, stroke affecting brain and blood cancer. People who eat food in moderation may live longer. A man who leads normal life avoiding excesses eating and drinking dies of natural death. On the other hand, a man by his own folly resorts to excesses in life brings his own premature death. Death is the stoppage of heart and breathing. Death is the transformation from one condition to other. Nothing remains in one condition.

Human Body: All materials found in the soil are also found in the human body in varied quantities. There are four items found in large quantity and then there are eight items that are comparatively in lesser quantity and lastly there are eight items found in very small quantity. Modern Biology states that there are four elements found in large quantities which are Carbon, Oxygen, Hydrogen and Nitrogen. Elements found in comparatively smaller quantities are Magnesian, Sodium, Potassium, Calcium, Phosphorus, Chlorine, Sulphur, and Iron. The trace elements are Molybdenum, Selenium, Fluorine, Cobalt, Manganese, Iodine, Zinc and Aluminum. One day, a man named Abu Shakir asked the Imam (a.s.) about the existence of Allah. He said that he did not believe in anything not comprehended by the five senses. The Imam asked him if could see inside his body to which he replied in negative. The Imam said that there was blood circulating in the body which completes one circle in a few minutes. If the circulation stops, death will occur. The Imam told him that there were creatures in the body in millions which you cannot comprehend by five senses, but Allah had created them for human safety. Imam Ali (a.s.) had said,” Whoever knows himself, shall know his Creator.” Imam Jaffar Sadiq (a.s.) that there was movement in the stones which was beyond five senses comprehension. U.S. magazine “The Knowledge” in its issue of June 1973 stated the same thing as mentioned by the Imam (a.s.). In response to Abu Shakir’s assertion that everything in the world was created automatically, The Imam told him grass did not grow by itself. Grass grows by the seeds fallen in the soil, rainwater soaks it, the solar energy and air was essential for its growth. The air was necessary for human and plant life but not comprehended by five senses.

The Imam said that a Creator is essential for everything for everything whether humans, plants, animals, or rocks. Even atheists believe that there must be some Super which initiated the creation of this universe. Even an intelligent person ponders about his own body and its disciplined systems will realize about the Creator of his body and the world. The Imam further said that everything in this world is moving. There is movement inside our bodies and the earth is also moving. The Imam said that the stones were in a liquid form but slowly heat was lost it became solid. Replying to a question about Allah’s existence everywhere, the Imam said that air was everywhere, but we cannot see it. Not only human beings pray to Allah, but the animals and birds also pray but we do not understand their language.

   

THE SUPERMAN OF ISLAM (IMAM JAFFAR AL-SADIQ a.s. -PART TWO

 

In Springtime, the birds migrate at the same time every year and make their nests at the same place year after year. This discipline shows their faith in the Creator. Plants also have faith and pray in their own way. The Imam said there were 150 types of plants which have further subbranches. Incidentally, modern Botany also divides plants into 150 types. Plants follow the Creator’s rules and regulation faithfully and punctually. Even the stones pray in their way and if it did not, it will explode. The sun’s light is also worshipping Allah. As it strictly follows the Divine commandments and hence the two opposite components which do not produce light by themselves are able to produce light when they meet Allah’s directions.

Theory of Rotation around the sun: Imam Jaffar al-Sadiq was eleven years old and was a student in his father’s school in Masjid Nabavi in Medina when he challenged the then prevalent theory of Ptolemy about the heavenly bodies that sun and the stars were revolving around the earth. Copernicus, a Polish scientist (1473-1543) said the same thing which the Imam said about 1,000 years earlier.,

System of Medicine of Imam Jaffar al-Saidq: His research and theories had great impact on the science of medicine. During the 2^nd and 3^rd centuries of Hijra, most of the physicians in the East followed the methods of diagnosis and treatment prescribed by him. In cases where the condition of the patient was such that a physians could not know whether he was dead or alive, Imam Jaffar al-Sadiq had suggested that a small incision should be made in his body, especially between his two fingers. If blood came out, it was a sign that he was alive. His theory was practically demonstrated during the 2^nd Hijra when the cousin of Abbasi caliph, Haroon Rashid was very sick when the royal physician told the caliph that his cousin would die before dawn. Another physician, Ibne Behla assured the caliph of his sound health. Next morning, the cousin died, and his body was washed and shrouded. The caliph summoned Ibne Behla. Ibne Behla requested that his body be placed in normal clothing because when he was revived, he may die after seeing himself in traditional shroud. Ibne Behla then made an incision between his left two fingers. Blood started to flow; the patient opened his eyes.

The Theory of Four Elements: At the age of twelve, the Imam rejected Aristotle’s theory of four elements; earth, water, fire, and air. He said that earth was not an element but there were many elements in it. When the Imam grew up, they could see years before the European scientist discovered that air was not an element. The Imam said that air was a mixture of elements. Now we know that there is Oxygen and Ozone in the air which helps in breathing. He said that Oxygen is strong and active and if separated in pure form it would burn iron. His father, Imam Baqir said that by using scientific methods, we can produce fire from water! In the 18th century this was proved by burning Hydrogen with Oxygen, a flame of fire in the range of 667 degrees was produced. He said oxygen was behavior. After about 1,000 years, Lavoisier proved that in 9 kg of water, the on ire are 8kg of Oxygen.

The Theory of Earth’s Rotation on its Axis: The Imam had suggested that earth was revolving on its axis. When astronauts landed on moon and turned their telescopes to the earth, they could see that earth was moving slowly. There are no stars in the galaxy which does not rotate on its axis. Imam Jaffar al-Sadiq must  which have known the Laws of Mechanics which postulates that when two forces work on an object in such a one force pushes it away from the center and the other force pulls it towards the center, then it starts to spin. This is called Centripetal Force and Centrifugal Force.