THE MIRACLE OF IRON

THE MIRACLE OF IRON

Iron is one of the elements highlighted in the Qur'an. In Surat al-Hadid, meaning Iron, we are informed: And We also sent down iron in which there lies great force and which has many uses for mankind… (Qur’an, 57:25) The word “anzalna,” translated as "sent down" and used for iron in the verse, could be thought of having a metaphorical meaning to explain that iron has been given to benefit people. But, when we take into consideration the literal meaning of the word, which is, "being physically sent down from the sky," as in the case of rain and Sun rays, we realize that this verse implies a very significant scientific miracle. Because, modern astronomical findings have disclosed that the iron found in our world has come from giant stars in outer space. 1 Not only the iron on earth, but also the iron in the entire Solar System, comes from outer space, since the temperature in the Sun is inadequate for the formation of iron. The sun has a surface temperature of 6,000 degrees Celsius, and a core temperature of approximately 20 million degrees. Iron can only be produced in much larger stars than the Sun, where the temperature reaches a few hundred million degrees. When the amount of iron exceeds a certain level in a star, the star can no longer accommodate it, and it eventually explodes in what is called a "nova" or a "supernova." These explosions make it possible for iron to be given off into space. 2 One scientific source provides the following information on this subject: There is also evidence for older supernova events: Enhanced levels of iron-60 in deep-sea sediments have been interpreted as indications that a supernova explosion occurred within 90 light-years of the sun about 5 million years ago. Iron-60 is a radioactive isotope of iron, formed in supernova explosions, which decays with a half life of 1.5 million years. An enhanced presence of this isotope in a geologic layer indicates the recent nucleosynthesis of elements nearby in space and their subsequent transport to the earth (perhaps as part of dust grains). 3 All this shows that iron did not form on the Earth, but was carried from Supernovas, and was "sent down," as stated in the verse. It is clear that this fact could not have been known in the 7th century, when the Qur'an was revealed. Nevertheless, this fact is related in the Qur’an, the Word of Allah, Who encompasses all things in His infinite knowledge. Astronomy has also revealed that other elements also formed outside the Earth. In the expression “We also sent down iron” in the verse, the word “also” may well be referring to that idea. However, the fact that the verse specifically mentions iron is quite astounding, considering that these discoveries were made at the end of the 20th century. In his book Nature’s Destiny, the well-known microbiologist Michael Denton emphasizes the importance of iron: Of all the metals there is none more essential to life than iron. It is the accumulation of iron in the center of a star which triggers a supernova explosion and the subsequent scattering of the vital atoms of life throughout the cosmos. It was the drawing by gravity of iron atoms to the center of the primeval earth that generated the heat which caused the initial chemical differentiation of the earth, the outgassing of the early atmosphere, and ultimately the formation of the hydrosphere. It is molten iron in the center of the earth which, acting like a gigantic dynamo, generates the earth’s magnetic field, which in turn creates the Van Allen radiation belts that shield the earth’s surface from destructive high-energy-penetrating cosmic radiation and preserve the crucial ozone layer from cosmic ray destruction… Without the iron atom, there would be no carbon-based life in the cosmos; no supernovae, no heating of the primitive earth, no atmosphere or hydrosphere. There would be no protective magnetic field, no Van Allen radiation belts, no ozone layer, no metal to make hemoglobin [in human blood], no metal to tame the reactivity of oxygen, and no oxidative metabolism. The intriguing and intimate relationship between life and iron, between the red color of blood and the dying of some distant star, not only indicates the relevance of metals to biology but also the biocentricity of the cosmos… 4 This account clearly indicates the importance of the iron atom. The fact that particular attention is drawn to iron in the Qur’an also emphasises the importance of the element. In addition, there is another hidden truth in the Qur’an which draws attention to the importance of iron: Surat al-Hadid 25, which refers to iron, contains two rather interesting mathematical codes. “Al- Hadid” is the 57th sura in the Qur’an. The abjad of the word “Al-Hadid” in Arabic, when the numerological values of its letters are added up, is also 57. The numerological value of the word “hadid” alone is 26. And 26 is the atomic number of iron. Moreover, iron oxide particles were used in a cancer treatment in recent months and positive developments were observed. A team led by Dr. Andreas Jordan, at the world famous Charité Hospital in Germany, succeeded in destroying cancer cells with this new technique developed for the treatment of cancer—magnetic fluid hyperthermia (high temperature magnetic liquid). As a result of this technique, first performed on the 26-year-old Nikolaus H., no new cancer cells were observed in the patient in the following three months. This method of treatment can be summarised as follows: 1. A liquid containing iron oxide particles is injected into the tumour by means of a special syringe. These particles spread throughout the tumour cells. This liquid consists of thousands of millions of particles, 1,000 times smaller than the red blood corpuscles, of iron oxide in 1 cm3 that can easily flow through all blood vessels. 5 2. The patient is then placed in a machine with a powerful magnetic field. 3. This magnetic field, applied externally, begins to set the iron particles in the tumour in motion. During this time the temperature in the tumour containing the iron oxide particles rises by up to 45 degrees. 4. In a few minutes the cancer cells, unable to protect themselves from the heat, are either weakened or destroyed. The tumour may then be completely eradicated with subsequent chemotherapy. 6 In this treatment it is only the cancer cells that are affected by the magnetic field, since only they contain the iron oxide particles. The spread of this technique is a major development in the treatment of this potentially lethal disease. In the treatment of such a widespread disease as cancer, the use of the expression “iron in which there lies great force and which has many uses for mankind” (Qur’an, 57:25) in the Qur’an is particularly noteworthy. Indeed, in that verse, the Qur’an may be indicating the benefits of iron for human health. (Allah knows best.)

THE MIRACLE OF DESIGN IN THE CELL

THE MIRACLE OF DESIGN IN THE CELL

In every part of our body there reigns a tiny yet complex life. An examination under the microscope into the depths of any human organ brings us face to face with an astounding miracle of creation: millions of tiny living things that have come together to make up that organ are engaged in arduous activity. These tiny beings are cells, the basic units of life. Not only man but also all other living things are composed of these microscopic living beings.

There are about 100 trillion cells in the human body. Some of these cells are so tiny that even 1 million of them together hardly cover a space as large as the pointed end of a pin. Despite this, however, the cell is by far the most complex structure mankind has ever encountered, as is also agreed by the scientific community. Containing many secrets hitherto undiscovered, the cell of a living thing also constitutes the greatest impasse for the theory of evolution. That is because the cell is one of the most striking pieces of evidence that human beings and all other living beings are not the products of coincidences, but are created by a Creator.

In order for the cell to survive, all the basic components of the cell, each performing many vital functions, have to be intact. If the cell came into existence by evolution, then millions of its components had to simultaneously exist in the same place and they had to come together in a particular order and plan. Since this is utterly implausible, such a structure has no explanation other than "creation." One of the leading evolutionists, Alexander Oparin, expressed the deadlock the theory of evolution encountered in this way:

"Unfortunately, the origin of the cell remains a question which is actually the darkest point of the complete evolution theory." (Alexander I. Oparin, Origin of Life, (1936) NewYork: Dover Publications, 1953 (Reprint), p.196)

The English mathematician and astronomer Sir Fred Hoyle made a similar comparison in one of his interviews published in Nature magazine dated November 12, 1981. Although an evolutionist himself, Hoyle said that the odds that higher life forms might have emerged in this way was comparable to the odds of a tornado sweeping through a junk-yard assembling a Boeing 747 from the materials in it. This means that it is not possible for the cell to come into being by coincidence and therefore, it must definitely have been "created".

Despite this however, evolutionists still claim that life came into existence by chance under the conditions of the primordial earth, which was the most uncontrolled environment possible. This is a claim entirely incompatible with scientific data. In addition, even the simplest probability calculations verify in mathematical terms that not even one single protein out of millions existing in the cell could have come into being by coincidence, let alone a single cell of an organism.

To gain some understanding of the awe-inspiring structure of the cell, it will be enough to examine just the structure and functions of the membrane enveloping these cellular organelles.

The cell membrane is an ambient cover for the cell, yet its duty is not limited to it. This membrane both regulates communications and relations with neighboring cells and deftly coordinates and supervises the entries and exits to the cell.

The cell membrane is so thin, at just one hundred thousandth of a millimeter, that one can detect it only under an electron microscope. The membrane resembles a double-sided endless wall. On this wall, there are doors making entry to and exit from the cell possible and receptors allowing the membrane to recognize the extracellular environment. These doors and receptors are made of protein molecules. They are located on the cell wall and meticulously check all the entries and exits to the cell.

What are the accomplishments of this thin structure made up of unconscious molecules such as fat and protein? That is, which features of the membrane lead us to call it "conscious" and "wise"?

The primary duty of the cell membrane is to enclose the cellular organelles so as to keep them intact. However, it has a far more complex function than this. It supplies the substances vital for the continuity of the cell and its functions from the extracellular environment. Outside the cell, there are countless chemical substances. The cell membrane recognizes the substances essential for the cell and only lets them in. It acts very economically and never allows in more than what the cell needs. Meanwhile, it detects harmful wastes in the cell right away and, without losing any time, discharges them from the cell.

Another function of the cell membrane is to instantly transmit the messages, which are received from the brain or any other part of the body via hormones, to the center of the cell. To perform these functions, it has to know all the activities and developments taking place in the cell, keep a list of required or excess substances, keep stocks under control and act under the guidance of a superior memory and decision-making skills.

The cell membrane is so selective that without its authorization, not even a single substance in the extracellullar environment can pass through the cell doors, even by chance. There is not even a single unnecessary, purposeless molecule in the cell. Exits from the cell are also strictly checked. The duty of the cell membrane is vital and it does not permit even minor errors. The entry of a wrong or harmful chemical substance into the cell, the supply or discharge of a substance in excess amounts or failure to discharge waste products on time, or as required, mean the death of the cell.

If the first living cell had come into existence by coincidence as evolutionists claim, and if just one of these properties of the membrane had not been fully formed, then the cell would certainly have disappeared in a very short time.

Which "coincidence", then, formed such a "wise" mass of fat?...

Let's ask another question, which by itself refutes the theory of evolution straight away; does the "wisdom" displayed in the aforementioned functions belong to the cell membrane?

Keep in mind that these functions are not carried out by a human being or a machine such as a computer or robot under man's control, but are merely in a cover enclosing the cell, which is made up of fat mixed here and there with various proteins. We also need to consider that the cell membrane, which can handle so many complex tasks flawlessly, has no brain or center of thinking.

It is obvious that such wise patterns of behavior and a conscious decision-making mechanism could not have been caused by the cell membrane itself, which is a layer made up of fat and protein molecules. This also holds true for all other cellular organelles. These organelles do not even have a nervous system, let alone a brain to think and make decisions with. Despite this, however, they accomplish incredibly complex tasks, make precise calculations and take vital decisions. That is because each one of them obeys the orders of God, Who created them flawlessly and sustains them. In the 12^th verse of Surat at-Talaq, the fact that everything acts in compliance with the command of God is stated:

It is God who has created seven heavens, and earth as many. His commandment descends through them, so that you may learn that God has power over all things and that God encompasses all things with His knowledge.