COSMOS, FINE TUNING AND DIVINE ACTION

Prof. Abdul Majid*

Cosmology is derived from two Greek words kosmos means order and harmony and logos means word, discourse. Cosmology is thus the science of the world inasmuch as this reflects its unique cause, Being.¹

Norris S. Hetherington defines cosmology as “the science, theory or study of the universe as an orderly system and of the laws that govern it.”   He further adds “in particular the branch of  astronomy that deals with the structure and evolution of the universe.”²    

According to the ‘Encyclopedia of Philosophy” two main sub-groups of uses may be distinguished: those belonging to Philosophy and those to science. In it first use it is taken as a branch of metaphysics and in its second use, the term cosmology designates a science in which the joint efforts of the observational astronomer and the theoretical physicist are devoted to giving an account of the large scale universe as a whole.³

Can God be experienced in the Cosmos ?

The Holy Quran describes the vast universe, the heavens, the earth, the moon, the stars and the natural phenomena as signs of God. In the very first verse ( ayat )  of the Quran the word Aalamin is from  alam (cosmos), derived from the same root as alama (mark), alam(sign post ,banner) and ilm (knowledge ) , pointing  that the cosmos is both a source of knowledge and a mark or sign of something other than itself.⁴

The Holy Quran uses the word signs (aayat) not only for its own verses (aayat) but for all heavenly bodies, their orderly movements, harmony and order in  creation , constellations in the sky, the succession of day and night and diversity in creation and color, etc;

As the Quran is God’s book displaying His Signs, similarly the whole cosmos is His book containing innumerable aayat (signs, proofs,and portents) for those who reflect(Al-Quran 13:3), who understand(6:98), who have intelligence(13:4), who listen(10:67), for the knowers (30:22), for the faithful(15:77), for the possessor of understanding(20:128), for possessor of true knowledge (3:190).⁵

There are about 1000 verses in the Holy Quran describing the wonders of creation in the cosmos (aafaq) and in the self (anfus) . the famous commentator of the Quran  Allama Tantavi enumerated in his Tafseer ( Jawahir fil Quran)750 verses of the Quran which are clearly describing the phenomena of Nature and the wonders of creation.⁶

Reference of few of those verses is given below:

And among His signs are the creation of the heavens and the earth and the living creatures that He has scattered through them (42:29).

And of His signs are the creation of heavens and the earth and the diversity of your tongues and colors. Surely there are signs in this for the learned (30:22)

About the vast expanse of the universe and the the number of the heavens and earth, the Quran describes:

Allah is He who created seven firmaments and of the earth a similar number. Through the midst of the them descends His command that ye may know that allah has power over all things, and Allah comprehends all   things   in   His   knowledge  ( 65:120)⁷. About the origin of the universe from Singularity, the Quran says:

Do not unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (ratq: as one unit of creation) before we clove them asunder and We made from water every living thing, will they not then believe? (21: 30)

About making all things subservient to humans the following verses of the  Quran  are very clear:

Allah is He Who created the heavens and the earth , and causes water to descend from the sky, thereby producing fruits as food for you , and makes the ships to be of service to you, that they may run upon the sea at his command, and has made of service to you the rivers; and makes the sun and the moon , constant in their courses, to be service unto you, and has made of  service unto you the night and the day. And He gives  you of all you ask of Him , if you would count the bounties of Allah, you cannot reckon it. Lo! Man is verily a wrong-doer, and ingrate (14:32-34).⁸

The Quran (and similarly, the Bible) describes various signs of almighty Creator in its verses for reflection and as a result bringing humans to closer to God. In this connection, the Quran narrates the story of the prophet Abraham  that how  his intellect enlightened  by reflection  on the creation of heavenly bodies  and he leapt from  physical phenomena  of the cosmos to its metaphysical aspect , that is God. The Quran reads: Thus did  We show Abraham the kingship and wonders  (malakut) of the heavens and the earth , so that he might become a firm believer( 6:75) .

Similarly the Quran Says: We Shall show them our signs upon the horizons and in themselves until it is clear to them that He is the Real (41:53), and according to the Bible:

The eternal said  [ to Moses and to us to-day] : I will make all My goodness [ the wonders of creation ] pass before …. You shall see My back [as one finds, in the wake left by a boat , evidence of the boat’s passage], but my face shall not be seen( Exodus 33; 20, 23).

Cosmos and Nature as explained by Muslim Scientists and Theologians

Various Muslim and Non-Muslim scientists and theologians of the past (and present) considered the study of nature as way of seeing the sign of God in the universe. Al-Biruni, a Muslim scientist of eleventh century stated:

When a person decides to discriminate between truth and falsehood, he has to study the universe  to  find out whether it is eternal or created. If somebody thinks that he does not need this kind of knowledge, he is, however in need of thinking the laws that govern our world, in part or in its entirety. This leads him to know the truth about them, and paves the way for knowing the Being Who directs and controls the universe, and for knowing His attributes. This is, in fact, the kind of truth that God enjoyed His knowledgeable servants to search for, and God spoke the truth when he said, “… And they reflect upon the creation of the heavens and the earth [saying]: Our Lord you have not created this in vain [3:191]”. This verse contains what I explained in detail, and if man works according to it, he can have access to all branches of knowledge and cognition.”⁹

The same point is made by the founders of modern science. Robert Boyle stated:

When with bold telescope I surveyed the old and newly discovered stars and planets … when with excellent microscopes; when with the help of anatomical knives and the light of chymical furnaces I studied the book of nature, I find myself exclaiming with the psalmist. How manifold are thy works, O God, in wisdom has made them all ¹⁰.  Similarly, he (Boyle) said that science is a religious task, the disclosure of the admirable workmanship which God displayed in the universe¹¹. Newton believed the universe be speaks on all powerful Creator.¹² Sprat, the historians of the Royal Society, considered science a valuable aid to religion¹³. This views is described well in Addison,s hymn:

The spacious firmament on high,

With all the blue ethereal sky,

And spangled heavens a shining frame,

Their great Original proclaim.

The unwearied sun from day to day.

Does his Creator’s power display,

And publishes to every land,

The work of almighty hand. ¹⁴

Newton was also of the view that the cosmos was created by being incorporeal, living intelligence. The passage from Newton’s Optics is typical.

Whence is it that nature doth nothing in vain, and whence arises all that order and beauty which we see in the world? How came the bodies of animals to be contrived with so much art, and for what ends were their several parts? Was the eye contrived without skill in optics? …. Does it not appear from phenomena that there is a being incorporal, living intelligence? ¹⁵

The great Muslim mystic thinker Al-Ghazali stressed on the study of nature but he had criticized those scientists who thought that science was enough to explain everything. He explained that the laws of phenomena must be constant or there could be no such thing as science, but it is great error to mistake the slaves for the master (i.e. the physicists and the astronomers confound the laws they perceive with the law giver). Therefore, science alone is not enough to give us knowledge of God. He then proceeds to criticize atheist scientists:

“There are some who, failing to find God by observation concluded that there is no God and the world made itself or existed from everlasting. They are like a man who seeing a beautifully written letter should suppose that it had written itself without a writer, or had always existed …, it is this group too, who through ignorance of the real nature of the soul, repudiate the doctrine of a future life, in which they will be called to account for their acts . They regard themselves as no better than animals and equally perishable. ¹⁶  

He also considered man as microcosm (and the world as macrocosm) and was of the opinion that those who wish to attain greater knowledge of God should study the cosmos, just as close study of the niceties and shades of language in a great poem reveals to us more and more of the genius of its author.¹⁷

Similarly, according to the great theologian Ibn-al-Qayyem:

He (God) did lay down for His creatures various landmarks, and erected for them compelling signs and made clear for them the most evident of pointers, so that those who are destined to perish should perish by clear proof of his sovereignty, and those who survive should survive by clear evidence. ¹⁸

The great mystic Sheikh Ibn-al-Arabi was of the opinion that the cosmos and the self are the two realities within which the Real Self-disclosure may be witnessed. According to Sheikh: everything in cosmos is created by His word, so everything is the messenger of God. The cosmos all of it, is a book inscribed [52:2] since it is an orderly arrangements, parts of which have been joined to other parts. ¹⁹

Among the contemporary Muslim thinkers and Scholars, Seyyed Hossain Nasr wrote much about Islamic spirituality and cosmology. The summary of his thoughts in given below:

The spiritual significance of nature in Islam can not be understood fully without considering the Islamic cosmological sciences which reveal the imprint of the one upon the manifold and relate the world of multiplicity to its unique origin. Islamic cosmology acts as bridge between metaphysical teachings of the Quranic Revelation and the particular sciences and provides the frame work whereby particular branches of knowledge can be sacralized and integrated into the supreme knowledge of the Shahadah [of God). The spiritual significance of all Islamic cosmology is to provide knowledge of the cosmos so as to transform the cosmic reality from opacity to transparency, from a veil to the means of unveiling the Divine Reality, which the cosmos veils and unveils by its very nature. The goal to provide a map of the cosmic labyrinth so as to enable man to escape from the prison of limitative existence. The goal is to reveal Unity (al-tawahid) as reflected in the world of multiplicity [There is  ultimately but one Being, one Reality, all else consisting of reflections of the Divine Names and Qualities upon the mirror of non-existence. ²⁰ 

Since all levels of cosmic existence belong to God, all creatures also praise Him with their very existence. The Quran says, “The seven havens and the earth and all that they contain praise Him (as each thing is a theophany (tajalli) of Divine names and qualities) nor is there anything that does not celebrate His praise though ye understand  not their praise.

In an interview with Dr. Muzaffar Iqbal, S.H. Nasr spoke about the limitations of the modern cosmology:

Modern cosmology is an extrapolation of terrestrial Physics, based on the thesis that all laws of Physics that we have situated on the earth apply to the whole cosmos. Beside the fact that this is an extrapolation and we really do not know, it excludes any factor which can not be measured on an instrument. And therefore it is bound within the measurable world of classical physics, as well of modern physics and  quantum mechanics, where as the cosmological doctrines of Islam  or any other traditional religion, are based on a total vision of reality, a reality not only of God, but also what we call the angelic or nonmaterial levels of reality which are not at all, in any way, affected by whatever we may discover about physical aspects of the cosmos …. Cosmology means the science of the cosmos and the cosmos is not limited to its material or measurable or visible aspects. These are the parts of the cosmos, but not the whole of the cosmos. ²¹

How Big Our Universe Is?

The discoveries of modern cosmology and astronomy  have unveiled the immense universe , in which our solar system is just a small peck. Our Milky way galaxy contains about 100 billion stars, the sun is one of them; the diameter of that galaxy is 600 quadrillion miles- yes, 600,000,000,000,000,000 miles! It takes light 100, 000 years to cross it.²² But this awesome Milky Way galaxy is just a tiny part of the whole universe. until the 1920s that seemed to be the only galaxy. But later on , due to further advancement in modern astronomy , it became evident that more galaxies are present in the universe ¾ more than 100 billion galaxies, each with, on average, a  100 billion stars like our sun. In all these galaxies, there are perhaps as many planets as stars, 10¹¹x10¹¹= 10 ²² , ten billion trillion.²³ Most of these galaxies are too far to be seen with naked eye, and a powerful telescope is required to observe them. However, three galaxies can be seen between the constellations of the Cassiopeia Pegasus in the northern sky. It is about 20 billion billion (20x10¹⁸) kilometers from the earth. This galaxy is bigger than our Milky way and consists of 150, 0000 millions (150 billion stars). The two galaxies visible in the southern sky are  the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds.. The milky Way , the Andromeda , the Magellanic Clouds and 16 other galaxies form a group called the Local group.²⁴

It is also discovered by the astronomers that the 100 billion galaxies are not distributed uniformly in the sky but in groups and clusters. The cosmos is organized to form very large bubbles having dimension of about 15 million light- years [The dimensions of the cosmos are so large that familiar units of distance such as meters or miles are insufficient, so distance is measured with the speed of light. In one second a beam of light travels 186,000 miles, nearly 300,000 kilometers or seven times around the earth. In eight minutes it will travel from sun to the earth. We can say the sun is eight light minutes away. In a year light travels ten trillion kilometers, about six trillion miles. That unit of length – the distance light travels in a year – is called a light year] ²⁵. They are called cosmic bubbles because interiorly they look virtually empty with apparently no visible matter or galaxies. The galaxies appear to present at the walls of the bubbles. One of the most important aspect of the study is the discovery of Great Wall ( as called by the Geller and Huchra)this is a sheet of galaxies nearly 200 million light years wide, 500 million long and nearly 15 million light years thick. Although it appears a single structure but according to some scientists it may be made up of the walls of adjacent bubbles. Geller remarked: “Because it runs off the edge of our survey, we do not know how big it really is.²⁶

The survey also elaborates the observation of four strips of sky. Although science is rather tired to see the edge of the universe and to see the seven skies as mentioned in the Quran at many places , but the four strips of the skies may be different skies as mentioned in the Quran. evidence show that the present expanding universe arose 15-20 billion years ago from a singularity. There are many questions which cannot be answered by science alone: Why that bang took place at the specific moment? What was the force responsible for that? What was there before and what was outside the universe? The most complex Big Bang implies more than just a source of vast energy. Intelligent and foresight are vital because the rate of expansion seems very finely tuned. (Fine tuning will be described later on)

Cosmos began to Exist?

Many scientists are uncomfortable with the idea that the universe was created by some higher intelligence; speculate that by some mechanism it created itself out of nothing. This   means a kind of creation with out a creator.

This kind of discussion often refers to a purely physical issue, that our world originated as a fluctuation of the quantum vacuum, a process that can be explained according to the laws of physics .In this case, it is completely clear that quantum vacuum cannot be equated with the notion of “nothingness”²⁷ (also the vacuum is far from an absolute vacuum. Certain laws and fields as background  must  be assumed).²⁸

Actually the origin of universe as a vacuum fluctuation was first proposed by Edward Tyron in 1973 to circumvent the notion of beginning (from the initial singularity) Similarly the steady state theory by Bondi , Gold and Hoyle and the  model  of the oscillating universe  proposed by de Sitter , Tolman and Dicke  were also of such attempts  to explain the universe without a creator . Another explanation was given by J. Hartle and Stephen Hawking, by applying quantum mechanical principles to the Big Bang and making use of the concept of imaginary time, attempted to show that space –time is finite but has no boundary. Thus by negating the creation in time, they attempted to make God’s existence superfluous. Hawking says that:

So long as the universe had a beginning, we could suppose it had a Creator. But, if the universe is really self-contained, having no boundary or edge, it would have neither beginning nor end; it would simply be what then for a Creator?.²⁹

According to the eminent physicist and theologian Mehdi Golshani

These attempts leave some questions unanswered. Where do the laws of physics come from? Why is there a universe in which such laws apply? Why are these laws  comprehensible to us ? Furthermore, the assumption of no beginning in time does not make the universe self-explanatory and independence of God³⁰.

Paul Davies states:

the fact that the universe might have no origin in time does not explain its existence, or why it has the form it has. Certainly it does not explain why nature possesses the relevant fields ( such as the creation field ) and physical principles that establish the steady state condition.³¹

Mariana Artigas is giving the explanation of creation and existence as:

Our world began as quantum bubble ---. The original quantum fluctuation could have been the result of a divine creation, but it is impossible to prove by means of physics alone, for it could also have been the result of prior physical states.

Science alone can not prove the existence of divine creation. Indeed, from the scientific point of view we can always suppose that some state of universe elementary as it may be, was the result of other preceding states. The arguments that can lead us to admit the existence of a divine creation are rather metaphysical and religious. In the thirteen century Thomas Aquinas argued that by using rational argument, we can prove that the world is created insofar as it requires divine action at its foundation, but at the same time we can not prove by rational argument that the world has had origin in time.³²

William Lane Craig has argued that, on the basis of Scientific Cosmology, we could conclude that the universe began to exist:

To recapitulate: since an actual infinite cannot exist and an infinite temporal regress of events is an infinite , we can be sure that an infinite temporal regress of events can exist, that is to say , the temporal regress of events  finite . Therefore, since the temporal regress of events is finite, the universe began to exist.³³

The great mystery and enigma of existence can only be understood if considered some Supernatural Power because the creation event is outside science.

St.Anselm  rightly said:

I do not seek understanding in order to believe. Rather I believe in order to understand.³⁴      

Allan Sandage is also right in saying:

Scientists who say that“ we do not need to invoke a higher power “ simply mandate away any possible explanation outside the exceedingly narrow precepts of reductionist science. Of course, ib initio creation itself is, by any definition of the boundaries of science, supernatural. To put all the onus of creation on an unknown creator is seen by atheists as the height of absurdity; but for others , the alternative of believing that the universe created itself is more absurd.³⁵

Fine tuning in cosmos: what it implies?

The four fundamental forces ¾ Gravity, Electromagnetism, stronge and weak nuclear forces ¾ are fully applicable both in the vastness of the cosmos and in the infinite smallness of atomic structures. It means the physical world is a wonder-fitted phenomenon of unity. The same laws (and forces) that govern the 100 billion stars distributed among the 100 billion galaxies of our visible universe, stretching over some 15 billion light years of space, also govern chemical reactions within the 0.001 centimeter of a cell. From the 10^-5 meter of an organic cell to 10²⁶ meters of the Universe, from the mass of the sun, 10³⁰ kilograms, it is one set of laws. Why? It did not have to be this way. Why is the universe so intelligible, so consistent? Science alone cannot say. Perhaps we are encountering a hint of metaphysical held within the physical ³⁶.

Now let us describe some detail of those forces at micro and macro levels.

Elements vital for our life ¾ particularly carbon, Oxygen, Hydrogen and Iron ¾ could not exist were it not for the fine tuning (subtle and fine harmony) of the four forces evident in the universe.

Take, for example, the electromagnetic force. If it were significantly weaker, electrons would not be held around the nucleus of an atom, which would be serious because atoms could not combine to form molecules. If on the other hand, if this force were much stronger, electrons would be trapped on the nucleus of an atom. There could not be chemical reactions between atoms, meaning no life. ³⁷

Now consider this at the cosmic level: A slight difference in the electromagnetic force would affect the sun and thus alter the light reaching the earth, making photosynthesis in plants difficult or impossible. It could also rob water of its unique properties, which are vital for life. So again, the precise tuning of the electromagnetic force determines whether we live or not.

Equally vital is the intensity of the electromagnetic force in relation to the other three. For example, some physicists figure this force to be 10⁴⁰⁾ times that of gravity. It might seem a small change to that number to add one more zero (10^41). Yet that would mean that gravity is proportionally weaker, and Dr. Reinhard Breuer comments on the resulting situation: “With lower gravity in their interiors would not drive the temperature high enough for nuclear fusion reaction to get under way: the sun would be unable to shine.” You could imagine what that would mean for us !

What if gravity were stronger proportionately, so that the number had only 39 zeros (10³⁹)? “With just this tiny adjustment,” continues Breuer, “a star like the sun would find its life expectancy sharply reduce.” And other scientists consider the fine-tuning to be even more precise ³⁸.

The Two Nuclear Forces

The structure of the universes involves much more than fine-tuning just gravity and the electromagnetic force. Two other physical forces also relate to our life.

These two forces operate in the nucleus of an atom, and they give ample evidence of forethought. consider the strong nuclear force, which glues protons and neutrons together in the nucleus of the atom. Because of this bonding, various elements can form – light ones (such as helium and oxygen) and heavy ones (such as gold and lead). It seems that if this binding force were a mere 2-percent weaker, only hydrogen would exist, conversely if this force were slightly stronger, only heavier elements, but no hydrogen could be found. Would our lives be affected? Will, if the universe lacked hydrogen, our sun would not have the fuel it needs to radiate life-giving energy. And, of course, we would have no water or food, since hydrogen is an essential ingredient of both.

The fourth force in the discussion, called the weak nuclear force, controls radioactive decay. It also affects thermonuclear activity in our sun. ‘Is this force fine-tuned?’ you might ask. Mathematician and physicist Freeman Dyson explains: “The weak (force) is millions of times weaker than the nuclear force. It is just weak enough so that the hydrogen in the sun burns at a slow and steady rate. If a weak (force) were much stronger or much weaker, any forms of life dependent on sun like stars would again be in difficulties.” Yes, this precise rare of burning keeps our earth warm but not incinerated  and keeps us alive.

Furthermore, scientists believe that the weak force play a role in supernova explosions, which they give as the mechanism for producing and distribution most elements. “If those nuclear forces were in any way slightly different from the way they actually are, the stars would be incapable of making the elements of which you and I are composed,” explains physicist John Polkinghorne.

There is an amazing degree of fine-tuning in these four fundamental forces. “All around us, we seem to see evidence that nature got it just right,” wrote Professor Paul Davies. Yes, the precise tuning fundamental forces has made possible the existence and operation of our sun, our delightful planet with its life-sustaining water, our atmosphere so vital for life, and a vast array of precious chemical elements on earth. But ask yourself, ‘Why such precise tuning, and from where ?

Earth’s Ideal Features

Our existence requires precision in other respects as well. Consider the earth’s measurements and its position relative to the rest of our solar system.

No planet like earth has been found elsewhere in the universe. True, some scientists point to indirect evidence that certain stars have orbiting them objects that are hundreds of times larger than  the earth. Our earth , though ,is  just the right size for our existence. In what sense? If earth were slightly larger, its gravity would be stronger and hydrogen, a light gas, would collect, being unable to escapes the earth’s gravity. Thus the atmosphere would be inhospitable to life. On the other hand, if our earth were slightly smaller, life-sustaining oxygen would escape and surface water would evaporate. In either case we could not live.

The earth is also at an ideal distance from the sun, a factor vital for life to thrive. Astronomer John Barrow and mathematician Frank Tipler studied “the ratio of the Earth’s radius and distance from the Sun.” They concluded that human life would not exist “were this ratio slightly different from what it is observed to be.” Professor David L. Block notes: “Calculations show that had the earth been situated only 5 percent closer to the sun, a runaway greenhouse effect [overheating of the earth] would have occurred about 4 000 million years ago. If, on the other hand, the earth were placed only 1 percent farther from the sun, runaway glaciation [huge sheets ice covering much of the globe] would have occurred some 2 000 million years ago.”

To the above precision, you can add the fact that the earth rotates on its axis once a day, the right speed to produce moderate temperatures. Venus takes 243 days to rotate. Just think if the earth took as long! We could not survive the extreme temperatures resulting from such long days and nights.³⁹          

The fine tuning not only exists in the present microcosm and macrocosm but also that was during the Big Bang and afterward.

Usually explosions bring disorder, destruction and harms For example, atom bomb explosion, volcanic explosion, natural gas explosion, etc, they all have destructive effects. If we were to be introduced to a very detailed order after an explosion ¾ for instance if an explosion under the ground gave rise to a perfect works of art, huge palaces ¾ we might conclude that there was a ‘supernatural’ intervention behind this explosion and that all the pieces dispersed by the explosion has been made in a very controlled way.

Sir Fred Hoyle expresses this situation very well:

“The big bang theory holds that the universe began with a single explosion. Yet as can be seen below, an explosion merely throws matter apart, while the big bang has mysteriously produced the opposite effect ¾ with matter clasping together in the form of galaxies.” ⁴⁰

Paul Davies, a renowned Physicist, calculated that  how ‘fine tuned’ the pace of expansion after the big Bang was, and  he reached at incredible conclusion. According to Davies:

if the rate of expansion after the big bang had been different even by the ratio of one over billion times a billion, no habitable star type would have been formed .⁴¹

Stephen Hawking, the avowed atheist and renowned Physicist states that the universe is set on calculations and balance more finely tuned than we can conceive. Hawking states with reference to the precise rate of expansions of the universe:

Why did the universe start out with nearly the critical rate of expansion that separates models that recollapse from those that go on expanding forever, so that even now, ten thousand million years later, it is still expanding at nearly the critical rate ? If the rate of expansion one second after the big bang had been smaller by even one part in a hundred thousand million million, the universe would have recollapsed before it ever reached its present stage.⁴²

Paul Davies derives unavoidable consequences from these incredible precise balances and calculations:

It is hard to resist the impression that the present structure of the universe, apparently so sensitive to minor alterations in the numbers, has been rather carefully thought out … the seemingly miraculous concurrence of numerical values that nature has assigned to her fundamental constants must remain the most compelling evidence for an element of cosmic design. ⁴³             

In relation to the same fact, an American Professor of Astronomy George Greenstein writes in his book The Symbolic Universe:

 “As we survey all the evidence, the thought insistently arises that some supernatural agency ¾ or, rather Agency ¾ must be involved” .⁴⁴                        

That Agency is nothing but Allah ¾ the Creator of the heavens and the earth ¾ Only the Supreme Creator ¾ Allah ¾ could create such a vast flawless universe with matchless plan, balance, perfection, order and fine tuning.

In the Quran the Lord of the worlds ¾ Rabb-ul -Aalamin ¾ declares:

Do they not look at the sky above them? How we have made it and adorned it, and there are no flaws in it.

You will not see a single flaw in the creation of Merciful. Turn up your eyes, can you see a single fissure or flaw? (50:6, 67:3-4)

Notes and References.

1. Titus Burckhard: Mirror of the Intellect (Lahore: Suhail Academy, 2001),P.17 and also see. Encyclopaedia Britannica (Chicago:William Bentum Publishers, 1975) Vol.18 Word Universe: Structure and Prophets.

2. Quoted in William Chittik: The Self-Disclosure of God: Principles of Ibn-al-Arabi’s Cosmology.(Albany State University of New York Press, 1998) P.xii

3. Paul Edward (ed):  The Encyclopedia of Philosophy (New York: Macmillan Publishing Co: inc. and  The Free Press, 1967) Vol.2 world “Cosmology”.

4. William Chittik, Op.cit; P.3.

5.  Ibid

6. Tantavi:    Jawahir-fil-Quran ( Matba al-Babi Khalbi, 1350 Hijra ) , vol. 1; p. 7. The original words of Allama Tantavi are: “Amma aayaat ul uloomm ul koniati fainnaha tablaghu sabhamaatin wa khamseena aayaatunn koniat”

7. Also see the Quran for such verses 2:29; 7:54; 10:3,6; 11:7;15:85; 20:4-6; 21:16;  25:59; 32: 4-5; 41:9-12; 43;81; 84-85; 44;7, 38-39; 46;3; 50:38; 57;4; 67:3; 70;4;  78:12, 37; 79:27-33; 91:1-6.( the first number  denotes the   chapter (sura) and the second no. denotes the verse(s) of the Quran.

8. Also see for detail Quranic verses of such meaning :2: 42; 6: 99; 13:14; 15;1922; 16: 10-11; 23:8-9; 25: 47-49; 39:9; 50:11;78:14-16;80;24-34.

9. Quoted in Mehdi Golshani’s article Does Science Offer Evidence of a Transcendent Reality and Purpose in Islam and Science (Canada; Center for Islam and Science, CIS) 1:1, June, 2003, P.51.

10. Ibid, P.52.

11. Quoted in Ian Barbers: Religion and Science Historical and Contemporary Issues (San Francisco: Harper Collins Publishers, 1997) P.19.

12. Ibid.

13. Ibid

14. Ibid

15. Ibid

16. Quoted in Azizan Baharuddin: The Significance of Sufi Empirical Principles in the Natural Theology in Islamic Studies (Islamabad, Islamic Research Institute) Vol.39 No.4,  Winter 2000, P.6 -8

17. Ibid

18. Cap. Anas Abdul Hameed (ed): Men and The Universe: Reflections of Ib-ul-Qayyem) Riyadh: KSA, 2000), P.144

19. William Chittick, op.cit; P.6

20. Seyyed Hossain Nasr (ed) Encyclopedia of Islamic Spirituality (Lahore; Sohail Academy, 2000) PP. 345-355.

21. Islam, Science and Muslim: A Conversation with Seyyed Hossain Nasr in Islam and Science 1:1, June, 2003

22. Is There is a Creator Who cares about You (New York; Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, 1998) P.10.

23. Carl Sagan: Cosmos (London:Abacus Books, !995), p.22

24. Riaz-ul-Haq: Modern Space  Science and The Quran (Lahore, Azure Publishers), p.55

25. Carl Sagan: Cosmos (London:Abacus Books, !995), pp.20-21

26. Quoted in Modern Space  Science and Quran, P.55

27. Mariana Artigas: The mind of the Universe (Philadelphia: Templeton Foundation Press, 2001) P.112

28. Mehdi Gulshani, op.cit, P.55

29. Quoted by Mehdi Golshani, op.cit, p.55

30. Mehdi Gulshani, op.cit, p.55

31. Quoted by Mehdi Golshani, op.cit, p.55

32. Mariana Artigas, op.cit; pp. 112-13

33. Quoted by Mariana Artigas, op.cit; P.113

34. Quoted by Allan Sandag Separate Closets in the same house in W.Mark Richardson et al (eds) Science and the Spiritual Quest.(London Routledge, 2002) P.60    

35. Allan Sandag: op.cit; P.59

36. Gerals Schroeder, The Hidden Face of God (London: Touchstone Book, 2001) P.35

37. Is there a Creator Who cares about you, op.cit; P.17

38. Ibid, p. 18

39. Ibid; pp. 19-23

40. Quoted by Haroon Yaha in  Allah is Known Through Reason (New Dehli; Goodword Books, 2000) P.25

41. Ibid, p. 24

42. Ibid, p. 26

43. Ibid

44. Ibid, p. 27

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