Boreal
Getting to Know Allah
Signs, Signs, Everywhere Signs
Sign,
sign, everywhere a sign. Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign? If God
was here, He'd tell you to your face, man, you're some kinda sinner.
Five Man Electrical Band
10:101 Say: “Behold what is in the heavens and the earth.” But neither the signs nor the warnings will avail a people who do not believe.
Allah’s Signs are, for the most part, everyday occurrences, naturally-occurring phenomena, circadian rhythms that He professes to manipulate and calamities for which He claims authorship.
2:164 In the creation of the heavens and the earth; in the alternation of night and day; in the ships which sail in the sea with what profits mankind; in the water which Allah sends down from the sky in order to bring the earth back to life after its death and disperses over it every type of beast; in the continuous changing of winds; and in clouds which are driven between heaven and earth – surely in these are signs for people who understand.
One sign is that you you are able to find your way, day or night.
6:96 [He is] the Cleaver of the dawn; and He made the night a time of rest, and the sun and the moon a means of reckoning. Such is the ordering of Allah, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.
6:97 And it is He Who created the stars for you so as to be guided by them in the dark depths of the land and sea. We have made plain the signs for a people who know.
The night again as a time to rest and “the day to see” as a sign.
10:67 It is He Who created the night for you to rest therein and the day to see. Surely, in this are signs for a people who listen.
Where a revelation is intermingled with other claims, as in the following, that could have been included in Gardener and Rainmaker; for example, a decision is made as to which chapter would be more appropriate to showcase the revealed truth.
13:4 And in the earth are plots adjoining each other and gardens of vines, tillage and palm trees, from one or different roots, which are irrigated by the same water; yet, We prefer some of them over the others in produce (we make some more tasteful than others, Moududi). Surely in that are signs for a people who understand.
Wine may have been outlawed (see Chapter “You Are What You Eat”) but it is still a sign from Allah.
16:67 And from the fruits of palms and vines, you get wine and fair provision. Surely, there is in that a sign to a people who understand.
Honey from fruit-eating bees as a sign.
16:68 And your Lord revealed to the bees: “Build homes in the mountains, the trees and in what men construct for you.
16:69 “Then eat from all the fruits and follow your Lord’s smoothed paths.” From their bellies comes out a syrup of different hues, wherein is healing for mankind. Surely, in that there is a sign for a people who reflect.
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Honey is not 'bee poop', as could be misunderstood from Allah’s short-on-specifics revelation about where honey comes from.
Bees collect a sugary juice called nectar from the blossom by sucking it out with their tongues. They store it in what's called their honey stomach, which is different from their food stomach. When they have a full load, they fly back to the hive. There, they pass it on through their mouths to other worker bees who chew it for about half an hour. It's passed from bee to bee, until it gradually turns into honey. Then the bees store it in honeycomb cells, which are like tiny jars made of wax.
The Guardian, Ask a grown-up: how do bees make honey?
Honey is one of three treatments Muhammad recommended for whatever ailed you.
Narrated Ibn Abbas:
(The Prophet said), "Healing is in three things: A gulp of honey, cupping, and branding with fire (cauterizing). But I forbid my followers to use (cauterization) branding with fire."
Bukhari 71.584
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Have you considered who keeps birds aloft?
16:79 Do they not see the birds subservient in the vault of the sky, nothing holding them aloft but Allah? Surely, there is in that signs for a people who believe.
Five signs in a row:
30:21 And of His Signs is that He created for you, from yourselves, spouses to settle down with and He established friendship and mercy between you. There are in all that signs for a people who reflect.
30:22 And of His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the diversity of your tongues and colours. Indeed, there are in that signs for those who know.
30:23 And of His Signs is your sleeping by night and day and your seeking some of His Bounty. There are in that signs for people who hear.
30:24 And of His Signs is showing you the lightning, to fear and to hope; and He brings down from the sky water with which He revives the earth after it was dead. There are in that signs for a people who understand.
30:25 And of His Signs is that the heavens and the earth shall arise at His Command. Then, if He summons you once, behold, you shall be brought out of the earth.
30:26 And to Him belongs whoever is in the heavens or on earth. They are all submitting to Him.
30:27 It is He Who originates the creation, then brings it back again; and that is easier for Him. He is the loftiest exemplar in the heavens and on earth, and He is the All-Mighty, the Wise.
Another sign is that “Allah expands and restricts the provision for whomever he wishes.”
30:36 If We let people taste a certain mercy, they rejoice at it; but if misfortune befalls them, on account of what their hands have perpetrated, behold, they are in despair.
30:37 Have they not seen that Allah expands and restricts the provision for whomever he wishes?[13] Surely, there are in that signs for a people who believe.
30:38 So, give the kinsman his due, as well as the destitute and the wayfarer. That is better for those who desire the Face of Allah. Those are the prosperous.
The winds that make your ship’s sails billow are a sign from Allah.
30:46 And of His Signs is sending forth the wind bearing good news and to let you taste part of His Mercy, and that the ships may sail at His Command, and that you might seek part of His Bounty; that perchance you may give thanks.
Sailing ships are one of Allah’s favourite signs of His Munificence.
31:31 Have you not seen that ships cruise upon the sea by Allah’s Grace, to show you some of His Signs. There are in that signs for every steadfast, thankful one.
Only ungrateful traitors repudiate Allah Signs.
31:32 And if waves cover them like a canopy, they call upon Allah, professing religion sincerely to Him; but when He delivers them to the dry land, some of them are lukewarm. Yet none repudiate Our Signs except every ungrateful traitor.
Genocides as a sign!
32:23 We have, indeed, given Moses the Book; so do not be in doubt concerning his encounter, and We made it a guidance to the Children of Israel.
32:24 And We appointed some of them as leaders guiding by Our Command, when they stood fast and believed firmly in Our Signs.
32:25 It is your Lord Who will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection, regarding that whereof they used to differ.
32:26 Was it not shown to them how many generations We have destroyed before them, while they were strolling in their dwellings? Surely, there are signs in that; do they not hear?
Don’t go around refuting Allah’s Signs.
34:4 Those who have believed and did the righteous deeds those shall receive forgiveness and a generous provision.
34:5 But those who go around striving to rebut Our Signs those shall have the punishment of a very painful scourge.
34:6 And those who were given the knowledge (Jews and Christians) which was sent down from your Lord, will see that it is the Truth and it guides unto the Path of the All-Mighty, the All-Praiseworthy.
A sign from Allah can also be a lack of something; for instance, not dropping a piece of heaven (Revelation 34:9) on the unsuspecting to prove the existence of Paradise.
34:7 The unbelievers say: “Shall we show you a man who will tell you that, once you have been torn to pieces, you shall become again a new creation?
34:8 “Does he impute falsehood to Allah or is he possessed?” No, those who do not believe in the Hereafter will undergo the punishment and are in grave error.
34:9 Have they not looked at what is in front of them and behind them of the heavens and the earth? Had We wished, we would have caused the earth to cave in under them, or dropped fragments from heaven upon them. Surely, in that is a sign to every repenting servant.
I can’t say it often enough: don’t go around challenging Allah’s Signs.
34:38 But those who go around challenging Our Signs those will be summoned to the punishment.
You are not asleep; you are dead: “there are in that signs for a people who reflect.”
39:42 Allah carries off the souls of men upon their death and the souls of those who are not dead in their sleep. He then holds back those whose death He has decreed and releases the others till an appointed term. Surely, there are in that signs for a people who reflect.
***
6:60 And it is He Who makes you die at night and knows what you do by day. He raises you up in it, until a fixed term is fulfilled; then onto him is your ultimate return. He will declare to you what you used to do.
***
Again with well-fed and starving people beings signs from Allah.
39:52 Did they not know that Allah expands the provision to whomever He wishes and constricts it? Surely, there are in that signs to a people who believe.
On Judgement Day, it will be too late to acknowledge Allah’s Signs. The Compassionate is not into giving second chances.
39:56 “Lest any soul should say: ‘Woe betide me for what I have neglected of my duty to Allah and for having been one of the scoffers.’
39:57 “Or it should say: ‘Had Allah guided me, I would have been one of the God-fearing.’
39:58 “Or it should say, when it sees the punishment: ‘If only I had a second chance, then I would be one of the beneficent’.”
39:59 Yes indeed! My signs came to you, but you denounced them as lies and waxed proud and were one of the unbelievers.
In addition to His signs, Allah sends down provisions, which should be an even greater incentive to call on Him even if it displeases the less credulous.
40:13 It is He who shows you His Signs and sends down from heaven provision for you; but only he who repents will remember.
40:14 So, call on Allah professing religion sincerely unto Him, even if the unbelievers should resent it.
Those who associate or worship other gods apart from Allah, as well as those who repudiate His signs, are all perverts.
40:61 It is Allah Who made the night for you, to rest in it, and the day to see your way. Allah is truly Bountiful to mankind, but most people do not give thanks.
40:62 That for you is Allah your Lord, Creator of everything. There is no god but He. How then are you perverted?
40:63 Thus as those who used to repudiate Allah’s Signs were perverted too.
40:69 Have you not observed those who dispute regarding Allah’s Signs, how they are perverted?
Another revelation about Allah making things grow as a sign:
41:39 And of His Signs is that you see the earth desolate but when We send down water upon it, it quivers and swells. Indeed, He who revived it shall revive the dead. Truly He has power over everything.
Allah could stop the wind from blowing and/or drowning a ship’s passengers, i.e. “destroy them” (Revelation 42:34)—in that, too, is a sign.
42:32 And of His Signs are ships sailing in the sea like high mountains.
42:33 If he wishes, He will calm the wind, and then they will remain motionless upon its surface. In that are signs to every steadfast and thankful person;
42:34 Or destroy them for what they (the passengers) have earned, while pardoning many;
42:35 That those who dispute concerning Our Signs might know that they have no escape.
Signs upon signs:
THE KNEELING ONE
45 Al-Jâthiyah
In the Name of Allah,
the Compassionate, the Merciful
45:1 Ha - Mim.
45:2 This is the revelation of the Book from Allah, the All-Mighty, All-Wise.
45:3 Surely, in the heavens and the earth there are signs for the believers.
45:4 And in your creation and the beasts scattered abroad, there are signs for people who are of certain faith.
45:5 And in the alternation of the night and the day and in what Allah has sent down from heaven as provision, reviving thereby the earth after it was dead and in the disposition of the wind – there are signs for people who understand.
45:6 Those are the Signs of Allah which We recite to you in truth. In what discourse other than Allah’s and His Signs, then, will they believe?
Someone who believes in Allah’s Signs is not arrogant.
45:7 Woe unto every sinful liar;
45:8 He hears Allah’s Signs recited to him, then perseveres in his arrogance as though he did not hear them. Announce to him, then, the good news of a painful punishment.
Again, don’t make fun of Allah’s Signs.
45:9 And if he learns about any of Our Signs, he takes them in jest. Such people shall have a demeaning punishment.
45:10 Behind them is Hell and what they earned will not profit them a whit, nor what they have taken, apart from Allah, as protectors; and they will have a terrible punishment.
45:11 This is true guidance, and those who have disbelieved in the Signs of their Lord will have the punishment of a painful scourge.
That Allah subjected what is the heavens and on Earth to mankind as more signs.
45:12 It is Allah who subjected the sea to you, so that ships might sail in it at His Command, and that you might seek some of His Bounty, and that perchance you might give thanks.
45:13 And He subjected to you what is in the heavens and the earth all together[ as a grace] from Him. There are in that signs for a people who reflect.
On Judgement Day, those who took Allah’s Signs in jest, which will all be recorded in a book, will be in for a very hard time. Then again, you already knew that!
45:25 And when Our Signs are clearly recited to them, their only argument is to say: “Bring our fathers back, if you are truthful.”
45:26 Say: “Allah gives you life, then causes you to die, then musters you unto the Day of Resurrection, which is undoubted. Yet most people do not know.”
45:27 To Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and when the Hour shall come, on that Day the negators (sic) shall lose.
45:28 And you will see every nation kneeling; each nation being called unto its Book: “Today, you shall be rewarded for what you used to do.
45:29 “This is Our Book which speaks against you truly. In fact, We used to record what you were doing.”
45:30 As to those who believed and did the righteous deeds, their Lord will admit them into His Mercy. That is the manifest triumph.
45:31 But as for those who disbelieved [they will be asked]: “Were not My Signs recited to you, but you waxed proud and were a criminal people?”
45:32 And when it was said: “Allah’s Promise is true and the Hour is undoubted”, you said: “We do not know what the Hour is. We only conjecture and are by no means certain.”
45:33 Then the evil of their deeds shall appear to them and they will be smitten by that which they used to mock.
45:34 And it will be said: “Today We forget you, as you forgot the Encounter of this your day, and your abode is the Fire and you will have no supporters.
45:35 “That is because you took Allah’s Signs in jest and the earthly life lured you.” So today they will not be brought out of it and they will not be allowed to repent.
45:36 Praise, then, be to Allah, the Lord of the heavens and the Lord of the earth, the Lord of the Worlds.
45:37 Unto Him is the grandeur in the heavens and on the earth, and He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.
Do you now understand?
57:17 Know that Allah revives the earth after it is dead. We have expounded the Signs clearly for you, that perchance you might understand.
Should you need a reminder as to who keeps birds airborne.
67:19 Have they not considered the birds above them spreading their wings and folding them? They are only held up by the Compassionate. He is the Perceiver of everything.
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[13] 34:39 Say: “It is my Lord Who expands the provision to whomever of His servants He wishes and restricts it. Anything you spend, He will replace it. He is the Best of Providers.”