The Origin of Man:Evolution or Intelligent Design.

The question of evolution or intelligent design is a controversial topic around the world. Creationists are certain that there was a creator who designed everything, while Evolutionists believe that evolution on its own brought us into existence. It was Charles Darwin in his 1859 book On the Origin of Species who introduced the theories of Natural Selection and Common Descent which gave rise to this heated debate. In 1871 in his second large book on evolution The Descent of Man, Darwin applied his two theories to human evolution. In the Muslim world human evolution was completely rejected without any consideration. The Muslim religious scholars at the time of Darwin were not fluent in English, nor were they well educated in science, so none of them had the skills needed to investigate the Quran in light of scientific findings. Once they declared “evolution is wrong,” it just stayed that way.

This slide show is too long so ill keep it simple and leave the link below. It talks about the fossils that were found which were somewhat similar to us. And by using verses from the Quran explains where it all fits. Verses which actually agree to it being true. that these beings had once roamed the earth before man did. They link the verses from the Quran to the modern day science and findings about these fossils. And actually suggests that we too could be replaced. Have a read.

Heres the link: Origin of Man

We will be removed. Its not a matter of IF but WHEN!

Ok ok, bear with me. i recently came across this lecture which explains a very interesting religious view about evolution which was really different from the ones we usually hear. All we hear is "God created man and sent Adam as the first human being. so evolution is false" and we stop it right there. Anyone who says anythin against it......well, u know how the stories go. So ive summed up the slides and decided to put it up. The one below is one which was presented before the actual one which relates to it. so i figured i'd put it up as well. So have a read through this one and ill post the following one(longer than this im afraid:The origin of man, Evolution or Intelligent Design) after this. And at the bottom ive put up the link which would take you to the actual slides. i reckon that would be better(its got pictures and better to read as well ;).hehe



فَإِذَا نُفِخَ فِي الصُّورِ نَفْخَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ وَحُمِلَتِ الْأَرْضُ وَالْجِبَالُ فَدُكَّتَا دَكَّةً وَاحِدَةً فَيَوْمَئِذٍ وَقَعَتِ الْوَاقِعَةُ
And when the Horn is blown one blow. And the earth and the mountains are carried and then pounded one pound. Then on that day The Event (Extinction Level Event) has occurred.
The Glorious Quran: chapter 69, verses 13-15 (610 AD)Early Muslim scholars1,2 stated that the companions of Prophet Muhammad indicated that these verses of chapter 69 entitled “Al-Haaqah” “The Inevitable” are related to the first blow of the Horn, an event which will mark the end of the human race as we know it. The phrase “فَدُكَّتَا دَكَّةً وَاحِدَةً” translated as “pounded one pound” accurately describes the effect of the impact of a massive object with the Earth. The Quran calls this inevitable Extinction Level Event Al-Waqia, The Event, and describes it in more detail in chapter 56 entitled “Al-Waqia” “The Event” verses 1-6

إِذَا وَقَعَتِ الْوَاقِعَةُ لَيْسَ لِوَقْعَتِهَا كَاذِبَةٌ
When The Event (Extinction Level Event) occurs.
For its occurrence there is no denier.
The Glorious Quran: chapter 56, verses 1-2 (610 AD)
These are the first two verses of chapter “Al-Waqia” “The Event.” Modern science confirms that it is only a matter of time before a massive space object hits Earth again. People at ground-zero will not know what hit them. This inevitable event will cause destruction of global proportion. No one will deny its occurrence, for every person on Earth will experience the effects of this Extinction Level Event.

خَافِضَةٌ رَّافِعَةٌ
Lowering down, raising up.
The Glorious Quran: chapter 56, verse 3 (610 AD)
The impact of this massive object will create a huge deep crater 10-15 times larger than the object itself, ejecting an enormous amount of material into the upper atmosphere. The aftershock of this impact will also create a wave of earth that will travel around the globe in all directions wiping out everything in its path. The Arabic words “خَافِضَةٌ” “khafidah” (lowering down) and “رَّافِعَةٌ” “raffiah” (raising up) accurately describe the sequence and effect of the impact of this massive object and the giant wave of earth that results from this event.

إِذَا رُجَّتِ الْأَرْضُ رَجًّا
When the Earth is shaken a great shacking.
The Glorious Quran chapter: 56, verse 4 (610 AD)The massive object that brings about an Extinction Level Event will hit Earth with such force that it will shake the entire planet. The impact will cause every major fault line to fail. Immense earthquakes will occur in all parts of the globe causing unimaginable destruction.

وَبُسَّتِ الْجِبَالُ بَسًّا
And the mountains are shattered to pieces.
The Glorious Quran: chapter 56, verse 5 (610 AD)
Recent research on “How Asteroids Trigger Volcanoes”1 has shown that an impact of a large asteroid and the resulting earthquakes and surface tremors will trigger volcanic eruptions around the globe. The larger the object the larger the earthquakes causing larger cracks in the Earth’s crust that allow for an increased magma flow, resulting in more violent eruptions.

فَكَانَتْ هَبَاء مُّنبَثًّا
So they become scattered dust.
The Glorious Quran: chapter 56, verse 6 (610 AD) The very fine (like flour) particles from the numerous volcanic eruptions will be carried for many miles, settling out as a dust-like layer across the landscape. This is known as an ashfall.

إِذَا الشَّمْسُ كُوِّرَتْ
When the sun is shaped like a ball.
The Glorious Quran: chapter 81, verses 1 (610 AD)Early Muslim scholars1,2 stated that the companions of Prophet Muhammad indicated that verses 1-6 of this chapter “Al-Takwir” are also describing events related to the first blow of the Horn. The dust in the air from the impact and from volcanic ash will block the sunlight reducing its visibility making it look like a ball. The dramatic decrease of sunlight reaching the surface will also produces a drastic short-term global reduction in temperature, called impact winter. Plant photosynthesis stops and the food chain collapses.

وَإِذَا النُّجُومُ انكَدَرَتْ
And when the stars are obscured.
The Glorious Quran: chapter 81, verses 2 (610 AD)At night the volcanic ash and smoke in the atmosphere will obscure the starlight.

وَإِذَا الْجِبَالُ سُيِّرَتْ
And when the mountains are moved.
The Glorious Quran chapter: 81, verse 3 (610 AD)The uncountable violent volcanic eruptions will create massive mountains of flowing lava

وَإِذَا الْعِشَارُ عُطِّلَتْ
And when the she-camels, ten months with young, are abandoned.
The Glorious Quran: chapter 81, verse 4 (610 AD)
A camel in her tenth month of pregnancy is extremely precious to her owner because she is just about to deliver her baby. However, due to the horrible events of this day of destruction, even the most precious of property will be abandoned.

وَإِذَا الْوُحُوشُ حُشِرَتْ
And when the wild beasts are gathered together.
The Glorious Quran: chapter 81, verse 5 (610 AD)
Out of fear, all kinds of wild animals will run together seeking areas of relative safety.

وَإِذَا الْبِحَارُ سُجِّرَتْ
And when the oceans are set alight.
The Glorious Quran: chapter 81, verse 6 (610 AD)
The Volcanic eruptions in the seas and the lava purring into them from the land will raise their level and temperature and make them appear on fire.

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّ زَلْزَلَةَ السَّاعَةِ شَيْءٌ عَظِيمٌ يَوْمَ تَرَوْنَهَا تَذْهَلُ كُلُّ مُرْضِعَةٍ عَمَّا أَرْضَعَتْ وَتَضَعُ كُلُّ ذَاتِ حَمْلٍ حَمْلَهَا وَتَرَى النَّاسَ سُكَارَى وَمَا هُم بِسُكَارَى وَلَكِنَّ عَذَابَ اللَّهِ شَدِيدٌ
O mankind fear your Lord. Certainly The Earthquake of The Hour is a tremendous thing. The day you see it, every nursing one will forget her nursling and every pregnant one will deliver her burden, and you see mankind drunken, and they are not drunken, but the punishment of Allah is severe.
The Glorious Quran: chapter 22, verses 1-2 (610 AD)
According to Islamic beliefs, these events will bring about the removal of mankind, as we know it, from Earth. These events will not happen until after the second coming of Jesus, which will unite all believers in Allah (God). After his second coming a good wind will take the souls of all believers, so only those who denied Allah will experience the horrors of this day1.

Here's the link:
Evolution

Oman

Some really different but interesting things about Oman and its people. As ive mentioned previously in my last post, i had the pleasure of hanging out with some of them recently and the blabber mouth that i am, couldnt resist but having a long conversation with them about their country and people. Im jes going to mention everything as they come to mind so excuse my writing :p

It seems its casual for them to wear "dishdasha"(that robe one we see arabs wearing so often) in their daily lives. Just like we see wearing tucked in shirt, trousers with tie as an official outfit to go for offices and the same without the tie to go to school, they wear the white dishdasha for school and work. even if they're going to ceremonies as well. usually the difference would be just the colour. this shocked me as the only time ive seen them wear it here is when they go to friday prayers....but then again winter jes passed. so it was a bit hard to actually picture them wearing dishdasha almost all the time back at home.

it seems this life we know about having gfs/bfs is a big noooo to them. but they dont go "its haram in islam" or any of that sort. they jes dont see it as an appealing way so as to speak. maybe theyve gotten too used to it being that way for generations that it seems odd to even hang out with one of the opposite sex even as friends. seems if u come across a girl you like, you'd go and tell ur parents about her and they'd contact her parents and see their background. then they'd meet you two up and she gets to decide if she wants to take it further. but even then you dont get to meet her and stuff. you can call her and talk but you cant take her out on dates or anything. and guys dont even hang out with girls even as friends. if people were to see you with a girl, it would be an embarrasing thing to you, something which could ruin yours and your parents reputation. so they jes dont do it.

But ofcourse there would be ppl who'd go out of their ways and sometimes the police would catch a couple together behind a bush or so *whistle*. but what they do is, ask the girl if the guy is with her doing whatever he is with or without her consent. i guess politely asking if ur being raped.heheh. and even if they were having sex, the worst that could happen is being kept at the police station and ur parents being called up. they'd also try to lecture both of them on it and would try to get them to get married soon. Because what they believe is that its not the job of the police to go around finding adulterers and dealing with them.

One crime that is treated harshly is drug trafficking. a crime punishable by death. only to those who are involved with the selling of the drugs and not the victims. the victims are sent to rehabilitation centres. seems the convicted seller has his face covered and knelt down infront of 7 shooters. but there will only be a single bullet and even the shooters wont know whose gun has the bullet even after firing. A tactic used so that the executioner wont be known. not to mention helping in overcoming any guilt the shooters might have allowing them to tell themselves that they might not have been the actual executioner.

One of them was telling me recently how the weddings are with them. As we assumed its a wedding where men and women are separated. it seems usually the weddings are held at two houses. the house of the groom and bride where all the guys will be going to the groom's house and all the ladies to the brides house. So if i was married i would be first going to the bride's house, drop my wife there and then go over to the groom's house. and after finishing id pick my wife up. And once the whole party is over, the groom would go and pick up his newly wedded wife and the couple would go to the house they'd be residing in to get laid *whistle*. And there are weddings where halls or such are rented like we do in the Maldives. even then the ladies usually go inside and all the gents stay in the garden or so to speak. and when the majority of the guests leave, the two families and relatives eat together and then take pictures.

This has already been too long.....as always.hehe

Next Post: An interesting religious view on Evolution.

Arabs

Ive had the opportunity to hang out with a couple of guys from United Arab Emirates and guys from Oman these last couple of months. And i encountered some really interesting and different stuff about them which i thought of sharing. when i came here in 2005, i had two friends from Oman. This time theres a new guy from Oman and three guys from UAE. Obviously ive been spending more time with them than the aussie guys.....even though they talk in arabic most of the time and have no idea what the hell they are saying.hehe. But atleast they try to talk in English whenever im there.

During ramadan we had a little break fasting the five of us at one of their place. and they had this drink which was a substitute for the watermelon drinks we have back at home. the first time i drank it i didnt hesitate to try n gulp it all down as it looked like milk. wrong move! you shouldve seen the look on my face. The drink was creamy and yet spicy as well and to me it jes tasted aweful. apparently it was made of yogurt and they do mix some stuff in it. Apparently this was a traditional drink they had right after they broke their fast with dates. But all the maldivians say that its a "firihen beys".hehe. And they have a coffee of some sort. it was good i must say. but damn its so strong. they even serve it in these tiny little cups which look even smaller than those 'shot' glasses. maybe cos its strong. and it seems u shud have atleast three cups and when ur done, ur supposed to give the cup back to the person who served it to you while shaking the cup in ur hand which is a sign that ur done.

The most interesting thing i found is when they eat they put on this huge plastic sheet or sometimes newspaper on the floor(by floor i mean the rug or tiles ofcourse). They would then bring this huge tray filled with rice usually with the meat or curry poured on top in the centre. Then the guys would sit around it and go at it in the same tray while sitting on the floor. It seems thats how they eat even back at home with their families. everyone eating from the same tray.Like there'll be an area on the tray for each person and once uve emptied that bit u can bring in more from the centre.

I went to this gathering quite recently. it was actually a celebration. three of them had passed their final exams and had gotten their engineer certificates so they had made lamb for everyone and invited them over. Coincidentally i was doing group studies with two of them that day. so they dragged me along for this meal. There's this square shaped block of flats where all the arabs had rented apartments from. so the meal was at two adjoining apartments. most of them came wearing that arab outfit we usually see on the tellie. excluding the turban ofcourse. Here is the best thing ive seen among these guys. they were from both UAE and Oman, same region but different countries. and they had all met up only a day back at friday prayers. but when we went there, the hosts were standing outside and they were greeting everyone that came. the look on their faces. it seemed as if they hadnt met each other for ages. i felt as if they were all brothers from the same family who had met after a long gap in between. and its like this whenever they run into each other. i could pick up few of the stuff they were saying. and it wasnt like those usual greetings u get from the aussie folk where everyone merely asks "hey! hows it going?". they had these huge smiles and kept asking each other what they had been upto, laughing and really enjoying the conversations. some of them teasing the others.

The group of about 20guys were divided into the two apartments which had two trays each. so five guys for each tray. they were all laughing, teasing andd having a great time even while eating. when we were done we all moved into one apartment where we had dessert. even for dessert, spoons were handed out and the sweets or trays of pudding or so were kept at the centre and each one would take a spoonful each time while chatting away. What came next was pretty interesting as well. There was this vase shaped thing which had a burning piece of coal or sumthing in it. they poured some powder onto it and this smoke started rising from it continuously. Reminded me of the prophets's series they show during ramadan where Abrahama's grandfather was in his chamber praying.hehe. anyways it seems this was some kind of perfume. it was passed around the room like the red indians passed the pipe. and each one would coat himself with the fumes and pass it to the next. seems it was a traditional thing. Then came that coffee.hehe. and loads of those small cups passed around and one guy pouring coffee for everyone. it was fun considering the fact that i didnt understand 95% of the conversations they had when they spoke arabic.

Later on most of us went to the cinema to watch "Body of lies". nice movie i must say. so overall, i think they are pretty interesting people, even the way they uphold their traditions. Most of it was really different from ours but the most wonderful thing i found was the brotherhood they had among themselves. It was the whole "my muslim brother" thing. i even had a few conversations with them about how their life is back in their countries. it was really interesting and different. but thats for some other post.

Gays

Something which ill never understand. Falling in love with and seeking a person of the same gender as a lover or partner. even some maldivians most of whom still cant even say it openly exposing themselves, actually support them. but those that do anonymously especially in blogs are saying "whats the big deal about it?". that if two ppl of the same gender love each other they should be able to live life as they like. thats its not a problem at all. and how much they have been fighting for those rights. and yada yada yada.

And heres my logic to it. its considered wrong for a man to go and have sex with an animal. why? cos its not human. so lets move on to humans. but it seems its not good to have sex with a child. ofcourse thats jes wrong. so how about a 50yr old man gettin it on with a 20yr old woman? or maybe a 20yr old guy with a 50yr old woman? u see where im getting at? so why are you against what ive jes mentioned? its jes wrong aint it? so a man having sex with another man.......does that sound right to u? o.O its jes wrong even health wise. so many complications are arising from it. but MAYBE like some ppl like to believe, IF we keep on having anal sex who knows. maybe one day the future generation of mankind would evolve in a way to accomodate for that as well. *whistle*

But seriously ppl. gays and lesbians? and speakin of lesbians here's something id like to point out which i have to give credit to women. when men hear about lesbians over 90% of the male population doesnt think its disgusting at all. and more than 90% of the male population thinks a guy on a guy is simply disgusting. BUT when women are asked the question one would like to think they would be pretty much the same as a difference that it would be opposite. but thats not how it is right? with women they seem to like the thought of lesbians a hell lot more than the idea of a guy on another guy. raises alot of questions now doesnt it? *whistle whistle* and ive met quite a number of women who actually openly admit that they dont get disgusted on the idea of lesbians and some say that they wouldnt mind trying it out. whereas with guys its a completely different case when talking about a guy with a guy. is this the point where im gonna be told that its happening because women are more open and guys arent?

So those ppl who actually support gay rights and all, why do u support them and if u really do, why cant u say it out in the open? and why is it among a gay couple that they actually have a need for one of them to be the husband and the other the wife? and pls tell me that you dont really think theres nothin wrong with that pic up there?

and this is in reply to something paperclippenny mentioned in the comments. i know that different ppl will have different likes or views on diff matters. one might think the best profession is being a doctor while others might think something else. one might like the colour blur while the other red. one might believe wearing "jubbaa" is a must while others dont. but there are some things where each and everyone of us draws a line. for me this gay thing is one of them. i dont agree with drinking, choosing different religions, using drugs etc etc. but ive got friends who do so. but that does not mean id treat them any differently or hold grudges against them. as long as they dont try to influence me or others into it, its their own thing. and i agree with what u said about "as long as they are not forcing themselves on the innocent". but boasting and being proud about it to the point on having parades, making out in the open, dressing up(more liking undressing up) for such occassions...thats jes too much.

And like anonymous has said it. how sure are we that people we know arent going to get dragged into it. all i know is that a guy would love to have many girls around. pretty sure gays would want the same thing. how many ppl do u think would get dragged into it. every thing is taken step by step. look back a few years. there was a time when "hanee" was pretty much the only gay person we heard of in Maldives. thats not the case now is it? how long do u think it would take maldives to reach the state America or Thailand is in right now, with gay marriages, gay get togethers, transexuals etc etc? not to mention the fact that most of us are starting to believe that progress involves acceptance and rights for people to live any way they wanna live. freedom of this and that. first off sure, we would be thinking its ok for us as long as we dont get dragged into it. im sure most ppl in america and thailand were thinking the same thing a couple of years back. *shrug* all im saying is that there's always a boundary and in my views this is crossing that boundary and more ppl should be aware of it.