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Life forms and the Universe

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Israfil View Drop Down
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    Posted: 31 January 2006 at 11:12pm

At the center of man's arrogance was the idea that man as well as earth was at the center of the universe. The center, which if you were to put on a wide board would be the focal point of the picture. In regards to the universe through time, mankind has grew to accept the fact of the possibility of other life forms.  I remember from watching the movie Contact a quote stuck in my mind whenever one would ask whether life forms existed in the universe and the answer from the movie would be "Well if there weren't it would be an aweful waste of space."

However God in his infinite wisdom knows the extension of his creation and knows the myseries of creation therefore I will not further speculate on what that is. I do know is that such elements in which God used to make life here on earth are some of the basic elements which can compose life elsewhere. Given the right environment it is a possibility there life forms exist. Life forms which are perhaps more advance than ours.

The Earth is a young planet therefore it is ideal for any scientific theoriest to believe that if there were life forms, they would be much more advance than ours. But this thought is really scary to some who hold the conservative belief. To some mankind is the most precious of all God's creatures. Why is that? For some it is because we are the highest intellect, capable of constructing and reconstructing our environment. We are the only species that can adapt in almost any element, and I say almost because we have yet to adapt in some extreme conditions the Ice Age is an exception.

But I caution those who indeed look into their telescopes and ponder that creation which may exist by the will of god to think: Even if these ancient life forms in our universe do exist how do we treat such life forms if the time came for us to meet them or contact them? Are we advance enough to even get beyond our own petty differences? I ask these questions because before we can even ponder the beyond can we first go beyond our own limitations which are the imperfections set in society?

I'm sure any intelligent race that, at a distance studies our species they would perhaps think of us as primitive, not because of our technology but because of our interaction with each other. Sure, we can get along and sure our family unit can be strong, but the strongest element in the human kingdom is the unity among the people. In order for us to reach beyond our own capabilities we have to go beyond our created limitations, set by the perennial ignorances that plague us. Religion must be the forefront of our spirituality but humanity and the preservation of the human race must be our focal point.

But to adopt such an ideology we must also abandon what we hold dear which is the culture and the individualistic cultures of our socities. I believe we must abandon our isolationist belief sturctures and our pessimism. We are primitive and if I were a foreign life form intelligent enough to comprehend I would think the same way. It "sucks" because only an elite few of our race (meaning the human race) gets a chance to see the universe first hand. A few priviledge, with the right connections and enough money can travel to space and even for a brief moment can see a glimpse of the empty, but ancient space which God has created.

If only we as humans can come together and put our differences aside I believe we too can become an ancient race which has overcome the limiting obstacles of our society. But to ponder whether life exist I think we must come up with our own answers, but I for one believe life exist out there. If God can create diversity here, why not elsewhere? I say buy a telescope and look at space because it is like an symphony of continuous music.

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Shams Zaman View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Shams Zaman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 February 2006 at 9:26am

Dear brother Israfil!

One thing I can tell with certainity is that there is life beyond our universe. As Quran tells:

36:36 Glory be to Him Who created pairs of all things, of what the earth grows, and of their kind and of what they do not know.

48:7 And Allah commands the hosts of the heavens and the earth and Allah is Mighty, Wise.

There are some other verses as well pointing to this direction as well. But I am not sure that whether we will be able to establish any contact with them or not. Perheps we may never! Anyhow this is only my assumption.

But let us not forget whether we would be or wouldn't be but our actions should be independent of the theory. We have to make this world a peaceful and loveable place. We are not animals and must prove ourselves as superior to them. Infact presently we are proving it the other way. Religion and Humanity are not two different concepts but rather humanity is embedded in almost all the religions.

What we need to do is that regardless of our theoratical concepts should live as humans who take care of physical needs and share these with each other, (infact this also happens to be the main teaching of Islam).

Unfortunately this is not happening. The capitalist co-orporates are literally draining the blood of the poor to fill up their bank accounts and making profits. Look at Africa, Latin America, Mexico, Asia, Eastren Europe etc, and look at the developed world, IMF, world Bank how they have plundered the poor people of these countries.

I do not know that whether someday we will be able to establish contact with the outer worlds or not or will we be embarrassed by that contact or not, but I know it for sure that one day we will be standing in front of God alongwith our deeds, and most of us will be standing with our head bowed down in utmost shame and despair if we didn't put ourselves right.

Shams Zaman   Pakistan.   

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Israfil View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Israfil Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 February 2006 at 12:17pm
Well the intent here was for us to ponder other life forms in the universe.
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Maryga View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Maryga Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 February 2006 at 5:28pm

Assalam-alaikum

Can someone tell me what you think about the new scientific finding that ones DNA which is the sure and crucial link to one's identity can be found on so many things that the person has left behind? For instance cigarette butts, hair etc. Another great marvel of Allah's creation and we living in this age to be amidst this discovery, how do you view it?

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Israfil View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Israfil Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 February 2006 at 8:20am

Maryga

Our DNa is present in everything. In our skin, the oils of skin in our saliva in our blood, everything. So if we touch something the cells which mostly come from oil and skin are left on the surfaces of items or things we touch this case can be traced to us by certain technologies. This is surely nothing new as these methods are also used in law enforcement to either convict or free people.

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Maryga View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Maryga Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 February 2006 at 3:17pm

This is surely nothing new as these methods are also used in law enforcement to either convict or free people.

Israfil, the decoding of the DNA stucture is not very old. It was only recent and the use of DNA so extensively is also recent. What surprises me is that DNA which is living is left behind on so many articles and places even after we are dead and gone. Who knows what further scientific discoveries will come out of it! We know that for cloning the scientists use somatic cells, but would a time come when just the DNA be enough! Perhaps I'm letting my imagination run wild. Anyway, for us Muslims this should re-inforce the fact that when scientific discovery can lead to reconstruction of an entire being, why should anyone doubt that when we are dust and bones we will not be put together by Allah's command!

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ak_m_f Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 February 2006 at 3:23pm

If construction of humans by cloning is possible then we should support it
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Shams Zaman View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Shams Zaman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 February 2006 at 4:33am

I think that if the stem cell research can produce the desired results there is no need to produce humans by cloning.

There is never a 100% surety that the cloned human will be a healthy one. Secondly this issue needs to be seen in great detail in the light of following verses:

30:30 "Then set your face upright for religion in the right state-- the nature made by Allah in which He has made men; there is to be no altering of Allah's creation; that is the right religion, but most people do not know."

4:119 "And most certainly I (satan) will lead them astray and excite in
them vain desires, and bid them so that they shall slit the ears of the cattle, and most certainly I will bid them so that they shall alter Allah's creation; and whoever takes the Satan for a guardian rather than Allah he indeed shall suffer a manifest loss".

So I think that cloning should not be supported.

Shams Zaman

 

 

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