180. Prayers are to be made in silence and all humbleness.

This verse (7:55) of the Quran teaches us the method or ways to pray or make supplications.

We are aware of the ways to approach a dignitary or a minister in the government.

When we place our demands to them, we do not place them in a rhyme, or in the form of a poem, or with an accompanying song and dance, or in a high decibel, it will be rejected by them.

We should be more humble while asking for blessings from God’s side, than we do when asking for help from a human. This is the message conveyed here. 

The first discipline that needs to be observed while praying to God is subservience. One cannot ask Him musically or in rhymes, or with dance and songs. All these forms of prayers belie reverence and subservienceness. Most of the Muslims pray to God without even realizing they are facing the great God, and asking help from the Omnipotent.

Even more praying in secret is pointed out as yet another discipline in this verse.

We come to understand from this verse praying in a group in chorus is also not the proper method.

Each person has his own demands and needs, and asking them in one’s mother tongue, with secrecy and subservience is the most important discipline in prayer to God.

We need to take note, the Almighty will accept prayers that are made the way He has commanded us to.

To know more please refer to explanation points 190, 192, 270.

179. In how many days was the world created?

These verses (7:54, 10:3, 11:7, 25:59, 32:4, 41:9,10, 41:12, 50:38, 57:4) of the Quran talk about the number of days it took to create earth, the heavens, and those in between .Though the above cited verses seem to contradict each other when superficially viewed ,the fact is not so.

In verses ( 7:54, 10:3, 11:7, 57:4) of the Quran it talks about heaven and earth being created in six days. 

 Verse (41:9) of the Quran talks about the earth being created in two days and in verse (41:12) about the heavens being created in two days.totalling up to four days for the creation of the heavens and earth.Whereas in the other verses of the Quran, the statement is it took six days for the creation for both thus contradicting itself.This is the question raised by those trying to find fault with the Quran.

Superficially seen there seems to be a contradiction, but there are certain other verses that belies the contradictions in these verses and the Quran offers explanations to them. 

The planet earth was created in two days And it needed a lot of arrangements.to make the planet livable to man, such as plants to be grown, with the arrangement for groundwater, with mountains as pegs etc. The Quran says to make all these arrangements was a need for two days in the following verses.

Verse 41:10 of the Quran says He created mountains as pegs,on it as blessings, and decided on the food to be grown on it , in four days.

The Quran has explained the number of days as six ,taken to create the heavens and earth.

Two days to create the heavens.

Two days to create the earth.

And two days to create all the other arrangements on the earth.

Thus the number of days to create the earth in full is six days, but when mentioning the creation of earth alone is two days, not taking into consideration all the other creations within the planet.

This verse talks only about the creation of the heavens and earth. There is a question by some, whether the creation by God is only the heavens and earth as per this verse, did not He create the rest of the planets?

We find answers to this question in verses 25:59, 32:4, 50:38 of the Quran, that say the sentence ‘creation of the heavens means all those in the intervening space’.

Since all the other planets were not in need of arrangements for human survival the Almighty took two days to create the heavens along with the other planets. 

Some may question the time taken (ie) six days to create the heavens and earth by the Almighty, who is Omnipotent with a single command ‘Be’ and it would come into existence. And they view this as a contradiction..

There is no contradiction.. This can be explained with the help of an example.

Let's take the example of a weightlifter,who can lift 200 kgs in a single attempt.If we say he made eight attempts with twenty five weights would that amount to contradiction. It cannot be termed as a contradiction, he could have lifted all the eight twenty five kg weights totalling to 200 kgs, in a single lift, there is no dispute about it.But it should not be misunderstood as he lifts only 200 kgs weight every time.

.Similarly the Almighty wishes something to ‘Be’ it happens the very same instant. It’s all how He wishes and when He wishes. The Almighty creates whatever, however, whenever, wherever He wishes..There is no contradictions in His words.

178. The ones that enter paradise from the barrier wall (The Araaff).

The verse (7:49) of the Quran uses the sentence “ You enter paradise, there is no fear or worry”.

There is a difference of opinion about whom these words are addressed to and addressed by whom.

Some say these words are addressed to those on the barrier wall (The Araaff).

As per this interpretation all those on the barrier wall (Araff) are destined to reach paradise . 

Some other scholars say this is the statement of those on the barrier wall (Araaff) while pointing towards those in paradise the people on the barrier wall (Araaff) would say “ You swore that Allah will never show mercy on these people (those in hell), but it has been announced for them to enter paradise now, . 

These are the two types of interpretations that can be attributed to this verse.

177. To whom are the gates of heaven not open?                                

In this verse (7:40) of the Quran we find it saying the gates of heaven are not open to some. 

There are many explanations offered to this verse .Some scholars explain it by saying ‘since paradise is in the heavens, evil would not be allowed there’.This interpretation is wrong.

.As per the argument of such people, even the pious cannot reach paradise because heaven and hell are adjacent to each other with an intervening wall. The name of the surah ‘Al Araaf’ is derived from it.”The intervening wall”’ 

Prophet Muhammad has explained the reason for the gates of heaven not open to some.

The angels immediately carry the souls of the dead, up to the heavens. The souls of the pious and the good have a good fragrance on them. The guardians at every gate of the heavens welcome them and the Almighty would say “ Register the name of this servant of Mine in the ‘Illiiene’ and take him back to earth where I created him. That soul will be inserted to the body that was bearing it all the while and taken down to earth where questioning begins in the grave.The souls of the evil will stink with bad odour and when taken to the gates of the heavens, the gates will not be opened for them said Prophet Muhammad and recited the verse 7:40 of the Quran.The Almighty would say ‘Register his name in the ‘Sijjin ’down in the depths of the earth’ -and the questioning of him starts there in the grave.

(Hadith Book Bukhari: 336, 3094)

For more details please refer to point No;434.

176. Condition to be fully attired during worship.

There are certain religious sects that demand people dispense their dress, especially their upper garments during worship. This is imposed on people irrespective of their position they hold even in the political hierarchy of the country. They are required to remove their upper garments before entering the place of worship.

The person who performs the rituals to the deity does it without wearing an upper garment, in some cases carrying the work without any dress.

The Holy Quran does not allow this kind of a belief by its followers, as can be seen in verse (7:31) asking people to be clad in good clean clothes when they come to masjids to worship.

People who go dressed very nicely in good clothes to important functions, do not pay much attention when they go to masjids, this is wrong. 

The person who goes to masjid to worship all the five times in good dress sets a good precedent to others is the message conveyed here.

There are certain masjids where sitting on the prayer mats would make clothes dirty.

Masjids are to be maintained without odor, neat and clean, not necessarily splendid is the responsibility of the people who manage the masjids is the message conveyed here.

175. Humans can live only on earth.

In these verses (2:36, 7:10, 7:24, 7:25, 30:25) of the Quran we find the message “Only on this earth can humans survive ”.

It has been discovered that along with the natural satellite of the earth moon there are nine planets in the sun family. And it has also been discovered that life cannot exist on any other planets including the moon, a satellite of the earth.

Let’s take into consideration the planet Mercury which is about 48.754 million kms (About 4 crores 87 lakhs kms) from the sun.

This planet is devoid of oxygen and the max temperature is 480℃ and the minimum being 180 °C.This is 12 times more than that humans could endure. 

Moreover the force of gravity on this planet is ⅓ of what is on earth.

The planet Venus is about 100.8 million kms from the sun and the maximum temperature is 457℃.This is 10 times more than the maximum temperature on earth, and devoid of oxygen which makes it impossible for lives to survive.This planet is also called the “Boiling Planet’’. 

Humans cannot live on planet Mars either. This planet is 23 million kms from the Sun, with just 1% of air available when compared to Earth. And even that air contains just 1% of Oxygen in it . The maximum temperature here is 87℃ and the minimum being 17℃ making it impossible for man to live.

The planet Jupiter is 78 million kms from the Sun.This planet is one made up of gases and not of rocks And the force of gravity is double that of what is on Earth. The weight of men will be doubled here,making it not possible to carry our own weight. Hence this planet is not suitable for humans to inhabit.

The planet Saturn is 142 million kms from the Sun. The temperature is always at -143℃ freezing everything around and making human living impossible. 

With the planet Uranus being 178 million kms from the Sun, and Neptune at 450 million kms and Pluto at 590 million kms, the cold climate prevailing in these planets cannot be imagined making it never possible for man to live in these

The satellite planet of Earth, the moon does not contain air or water, with day time temperature of 127℃ and a night time temperature of -173℃.is not fit for life to survive.

Man can survive only on Earth which is about 15 million kms from the Sun. 

Though it has been said about certain traces of life being found in some planets it is still to be established .And scientists do accept the fact that life can exist only on earth. 

Temperatures suitable for humans to survive exists only on earth, while other planets either burn or freeze human beings and other creatures. Oxygen necessary to sustain life is available only on earth and sustaining life with the help Oxygen cylinders for some days cannot be considered as normal living.

Moreover only the Earth rotates at a 23° angle resulting in the four seasons of the year. 

Existence of one type of temperature either hot or cold through the year may not be suitable for survival of life on earth. 

How can an illiterate person say for sure in the Quran that “ this is the only place for you to survive.” Only Almighty God who created all the planets could say this for sure through Prophet Muhammad. This is yet another proof that the Quran is the word of God.

To know more about whether creatures other than humans inhabit other planets than Earth please refer to point No;440. 

174.The tree that exposed the sex instincts.

In verses (7:20, 7:22, 20:121) of the Quran we find it saying as soon as Adam and Hawwa tasted the fruits from the tree they became aware of their exposed genitals.

Different opinions are expressed interpreting the same.

Adam was dressed while in paradise, and as soon as he tasted the fruit from the prohibited tree his dresses disappeared and he became naked, prompting him to cover himself with leaves in paradise. This is the opinion of most of the scholars. 

The word structure in these verses have prompted the scholars to fall in line. 

There are many doubts expressed regarding this opinion of the said scholars.

In verse 20:118 of the Quran Allah assures you will not become naked in paradise.Had Allah given the kind of assurance as quoted, it could not have been violated .But it is said as soon as they tasted from the tree they turned naked, means the assurance given by God is not being kept up. 

How to explain this without any contradictions?

If the verse No;20:118 of the Quran is interpreted as “ you will not become naked as long as you taste from the tree” then the contradiction is removed. Also a message can be derived, that would say “once the taste from the tree is enjoyed , the punishment is nakedness.

There is another contradiction that arises out of this situation. If the punishment for tasting from the tree is nakedness, then the immediate succor of covering themselves with leaves is the punishment effective not even for a small time. 

”You will not be become naked’ can be interpreted as will not feel the nakedness.Since they were unaware of the sex variation till then, they did not feel the difference in themselves.

When we interpret this by saying “ as soon as they tasted form the tree, the sense of sexuallity and attraction towards each other based on sex ,made themselves to cover with leaves” will not give rise to any contradictions.

There are more reasons to believe in such an interpretation.

Allah has used the sentence ” Once they tasted from the tree their private parts became exposed to them”. 

.If it has been said “the private parts were exposed” it could mean they turned naked. But the Almighty has used the phrase “their individual private parts, the both of them”. The private parts of a person are visible to him even if he is dressed.It does not necessarily mean it is exposed only after the dress is removed.

Since it is used in the sense that their private parts could be seen by themselves and not that they discovered their private parts.We need take it as meaning they realized their private parts. 

Moreover Allah says “ Once they tasted from the tree their private parts were visible to them”.The word “Badad” is translated here.

This word is used in some places to mean “visible to the eye” and in many places to mean “ Appearance in mind” (Feeling)

For example Prophet Yousuf when he was put into the prison Allah says in verse (12:35) ” After witnessing the signs they had a feeling that he should be imprisoned for a certain period.

Here the word “Badad” is translated as ‘a feeling in the mind’ and not as visible to the eye.

In these verses 6:28, 3:154, 5:101, 12:77, 39:48, 45:33 of the Quran the word “Badad” is not used to mean “visible to the eye” Hence we have taken the verses 7:22. and 20:121,to mean the special features and characteristics attributed to the private parts.

For example in children though their private parts are visible to them ,they do not know any details about them.But once they reach their adolescence they come know the significance and the use of it.Similarly Adam and Hawwa were in the stage of children before tasting from that tree, and after tasting from the tree were like adolescents, is the best way to understand these verses..Since they were in the stages of children, here the nakedness need not be targeted.

173. Exemption from permanent stay in hell. 

In many verses of the Quran we find those who commit particular crimes would be consigned to permanent hell. However we find there are exemptions to this through verses (6:128, 11:107, 11:108) of the Quran.

Different explanations are offered by many to the specifying of permanent hell with an addition ‘Except as willed by God’’

There is no place for confusion in the minds of people who believe God is Omnipotent regarding this.

Just as God has the power to decide permanent hell to some, he has the power to exempt others from it. There will be confusion if it is believed, the ones who are exempted will be known only in the hereafter.