In the Laws of Physics: It’s “natural” when apple moves downward due to gravity forces. It’s “supernatural” to move upward without a lifting force!
In the Laws of Biology: It’s “natural” when a living body dies. It’s “supernatural” a dead body returns to life!
“Natural” is what moves with the Laws of Physics & Biology while, in contrast, “Supernatural” is what moves against. However, both Natural and Super, MUST be accompanied with detectable effect(s) on our physical environment for their existence to be acknowledged/believed.
Due to their detectable effects, science had pointed out many “against the law” processes that took place during the known history of Universe and Life which could arguably be classified Supernatural at least from directional points of view. One famous example is the moment when the planet Earth became no longer “sterilized”! The moment of which Life appeared in the form of the first Prokaryotic Cell 4 billion years ago. The moment most atheists wouldn’t feel comfortable talking about as much as they would on evolution afterwards.
In order for the first Prokaryotic Cell to appear on Earth, declaring the era of Biology, many theories were put on the table with the Primordial Soup Theory stands as the most accepted among the scientific elite. The theory, within four steps 1 > 2 > 3 > 4, had explained what Life needed in order to appear:
1- The early Earth had a chemically reducing atmosphere, (lack of Oxygen).
2- This atmosphere, exposed to energy in various forms, produced simple organic compounds (“Monomers”).
3- Such simple organic building blocks polymerize and form longer chains of more complex structures (“Polymers”).
4- Interacting in consistent ways to form naked RNA, a Protocell, Genetic Memory needed for reproduction then ultimately LIFE!
What gives power to this theory is the fact that steps 1 & 2 were experimentally proven in lab. Conducted in 1952 published in 1953 by Stanley Miller and Harold Urey at the University of Chicago which became widely known as Miller–Urey experiment. Even though steps 3 & 4 were not covered by the scope of the experiment but it (the experiment) helped providing the means to confirm two crucial issues: starting point and process direction Life needed to travel in order to appear on planet Earth. In brief, the process must have gone the direction 1 > 2 > 3 > 4 in order to spark Life on Earth.
The interesting part of the deal isn’t really the “HOW” but the “PROCESS DIRECTION”! It puzzled the scientists ever since trying to explain how steps 3 & 4 could have taken place in such sequence! “Mother” Nature beyond any reason of doubt had confirmed its preferred process direction to be the OPPOSITE! Nature always preferred to go from step 4 back to 2 (i.e. 4 > 3 > 2). For example, In an aqueous environment hydrolysis of oligomers/polymers into their constituent monomers would be favoured over the condensation of individual monomers into polymers. More fundamentally, Natural biochemical reactions are limited to self-excisions (in which a longer RNA molecule becomes shorter and polymers dismantle to monomers), Much rarer small additions that are incapable of coding for any useful protein. In simpler words, Nature always preferred death/decay for living things over life for dead things!
Nature, not only preferred the process opposite direction 4 > 3 > 2 but in fact, viciously fought for it! The Miller experiment forms compounds that would have prohibited the formation of polymers in high concentration, for example, produces many substances that would undergo cross-reactions with the amino acids or terminate the peptide chain. In simpler words, if it was Nature alone, it would’ve killed any rising form of Life 4 billion years ago!
Nature being supportive to the 4 > 3 > 2 direction, the opposite route 2 > 3 > 4 stated by the Primordial Soup Theory could arguably be classified “Supernatural”. If Nature was the Hi-Way then Life needed to drive the wrong-side in order to appear. The process direction that helped the first Prokaryotic Cell see the light 4 billion years ago is no short of Supernatural!
Primordial Soup Theory represents the point where Natural and Supernatural events can meet. The process direction 1 > 2 is totally Natural as proven by Miller Experiment while the rest 2 > 3 > 4 is totally Supernatural being opposite to the direction Nature goes. The dividing line lies between step 2 and 3 of what’s Natural and Super.The reason scientists usually use the term “the miracle of Life” whenever they need to describe this very special moment of our history on Earth despite the fact the term “Miracle” isn’t really welcomed!
It worth to mention that most of other Abiogenesis theories have parked their cars on step 2, composition of monomers, then joined the Primordial Soup Theory the rest of the trip. Exogenesis theories are no different as they became strongly believed doing so after “The Stardust Mission” where NASA brought back samples from the tail of a comet and published a document entitled “NASA Researchers Make First Discovery of Life’s Building Blocks in Comet” refers to the Glycine and other monomers that have been found. Exogenesis parked their cars on step 2 and joined the “gang”!
By this stage, even being scientific, I would assume some fellow atheists wouldn’t feel comfortable with the conclusions, and most probably would resort to play their last card “admit to ignorance”. “I think it takes more courage and integrity to admit to ignorance than to leap to the supernatural for an explanation”, an atheist might reply. This is true from the “HOW” but false from the “Process Direction” point of view. What in essence Primordial Soup Theory had proven is that Life on Earth needed to move through a biological process in a supernatural direction 1 > 2 > 3 > 4 in order to appear, while the process naturally goes 4 > 3 > 2 in a day light clear contradiction. And those atheists who might hope Nature, some day, moves the other way around are absolutely unaware that it’s IRREVERSIBLE too! They look like those waiting for Time to roll back or Entropy to decrease!
In conclusion, Life to begin on Earth, 4 billion years ago, biology processes needed to go through a SUPERNATURAL direction.
No wonder Allah, Almighty God, had pulled mankind attention through revelations to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to this very special moment of history when Life began on Earth, and explicitly asked us to investigate it. Should we mind his supernatural touch that ultimately produced Life and consequently acknowledge his existence after leaving such undeniable effect on our physical world, us!
Quran 29:19 “Have they not considered how Allah begins creation and then repeats it? Indeed that, for Allah , is easy.”
Quran 29:20 “Say: “Travel through the land and observe how He began creation. Then Allah will produce the final creation. Indeed Allah , over all things, is competent.”
Quran 50:15 “Did We fail in the first creation? But they are in confusion over a new creation.”
Quran 52:35 “Or were they created by nothing, or were they the creators [of themselves]?”
Quran 76:1 “Has there [not] come upon man ages of time when he was not a thing [even] mentioned?”
Was Primordial Soup Theory one of the signs Allah, Almighty God, wanted mankind to discover in order to mind him?
Quran 41:53 “We will show them Our signs in the horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth.”
Well! I don’t find a good reason to say no.
The Muslim Debate Initiative 
Great article bro , myself as a student of science liked a scientific way of argument.The verses in the end of article are great .
Keep it up bro. keep publishing more and more like these
On a lighter side Darwish sounds like Darwin.
Thanks a lot brother, with all best wishes in science.
I pray to Allah, Almighty God, it touches the hearts and minds of our fellow atheists the way it did to you.
Darwish/Darwin, I never looked at it from the sound angle! But yeah, you’ve scored a point, lol.
Assalamu alaykum brother.
As a new Muslim, my eeman tends to decrease at times, especially when I sit back and think of all the terrible things happening in the world today. I can’t help but to wonder why God allows such atrocities to continue. But when I read scientific facts such as these. My eeman tends to increase.
Please continue to print more articles like these.
Assalamu ‘aleikum brother Ibrahim. I understand you. My eeman tends also to be low at times. We should try to increase it.Pondering over the signs in nature and within ourselves(scientific) is a great way to increase eeman. Another way is to ponder over the many signs in the Quran. The world today is in great turmoil. But do not let that decrease your eeman dear brother. If you were to turn to the authentic hadiths of the prophet (salla Allahu ‘aleihi wa sallam) concerning the trials and tribulations which he mentioned would come you would find, that he (salla Allahu ‘aleihi wa sallam) has given very accurate descriptions of what was going to happen after him.
Just one in Sahih Muslim (Book 52: Tribulations and signs of the day of judgement, Hadith nr: 2889):
“Abu al-Rabee’ al-‘Atakayee and Qutayba bin Sa’id reported to us, both from Hammad bin Zayd- and the literal phrasing is from Qutayba-: “Hammad repported to us’ from Ayyub, from Abi Qilaba, from Abi Asmaa from Thawban who said, ‘The Messenger of Allah -salla Allahu ‘aleihi wa sallam said:
“Indeed Allah the Most High brought together the earth for me”, or (reporter saying) he said:
“Truly my Lord brought togheter for me the earth, and I saw it’s eastern parts and its western parts, and indeed my umma will reach power over (all) that which (was shown when)brought toghether for me, and i was given the two treasures; the red and the white, and I asked my Lord the Most High not to destroy my nation by a drought or famine seizing all, or let an enemy from amongst others than themselves overpower them, seezing their territory (and anihilate them). Indeed my Lord said to me; “Oh Muhammad, truly when I have made a decree it is not retracted. I will not destroy them by a drought or famine seezing all, nor will I let an enemy from amongst others than themselves overpower them, attacking their community and killing them, even if those who are in (all) corners of the earth- ‘or he said’ (reporter of hadith speaking) ‘from between it’s (earths) corners’ would gather against them until they will be killing eachother and until they will be enslaving eachother”.
This hadith is also reported in a longer version in Sunan Abi Dawud, book 29, hadith nr 4252
Al-Imam an-Nawawi made some interesting comments in his explanation of this hadith:
“The scholars said the meaning of ‘the two treasures’ is gold and silver”, and what is intended is the treasures of Chosroes and Caesar the rulers of Iraq and Greater Syria”.
He also said: In it (the hadith) is an allusion to (the fact that) this nation will be mostly stretched out in the directions of east and west, and thus it came to be. As for the directions of north and south, it is very little in comparison to the east and the west”.
I have relied upon Imam al-Nawawis commentary o sahih Muslim, Ma’alaim al-sunan of Al-Khattabi and ‘Aawn al-‘ma’bud of Al-Azimabadi to make an accurate interpertation of the hadith in English. I seek Allahs forgiveness, and I aplogize to everyone if I have made some obvious misstakes in translation or interpertation.
I just realize that i left a misstake in translation/interpertation. “seezing their territory (and anihilate them” should rather be “attacking their community and killing them”, the two sentences are identical in arabic, and i think that he second interpertation is more accurate. By the way I want to express clearly that my intention of mentioning this hadith is not to encourage violence or hatred, but only to show a miracle of the prophet -salla Allahu ‘aleihi wa sallam.
Looking at some map over the different Islamic empires before modern times will assert more strongly what imam anl-Nawawi (rahimahu Allah) wrote concerning the territorial reach of the Muslim world.
I realize now that someone could make the argument that the hadiths could have been made up after the prophets-salla Allahu ‘aleihi wa sallams death to present an argument for Islam. I am not going to get into an argument concerning the reliability and soundness of hadith methodology since I am in now way qualified to do so, I’ll leave that for someone else who is, instead I want to present another case:
In the Musannaf of ‘Abd al-Razzaq al-Sana’ani reported the following in his Musannaf (Hadith nr 20781) from Ma’mar (bin Rashid) from Al-Zuhri, from Ibn al-Musayyib from Abu Hurayra, from the prophet- salla Allahu ‘aleihi wa sallam:
“The hour will not be established before (until) a people will fight against you who wear shoes (sandals) made of hair and whose faces are like layered shields”
I will leave this open for those who know history to ponder upon the identity of this people who wore shoes made of hair and whose faces looked like shields (i.e. they were large and round)
This hadith was also reported identically by Ahmad bin Hanbal in his musnad (14/91), and declared authentic by the hadith scholar Ahmad Shakir.
‘Abd Al-Razzaq al-Sana’ani, the author or compiler of the musannaf died in the year 211 A.H (826 C.E.).
If anybody could think of some event before the early 3 rd century A.H/ 9th century C.E. which fits the description in the hadith then I would be interested to hear it.
Otherwise I think the tatar or the Mongols would fit the description quite well.
And Allah knows best
I am going to stop bombarding this post with long, and often quite unrelated topics now. I apologize if this has caused any irritation. I just felt like sharing something interesting.
Take care everyone
Wa Alykum Assalam wa Rahamatu Allah we Barakatuh, Brother Ibrahim.
Our brother Ibrahim2 have made a comprehensive highlight, may Allah reward him for that.
In response to your point “I can’t help but to wonder why God allows such atrocities to continue.” … is:
It’s God’s LAW in nature. Competition is the wheel of development. God wouldn’t contradict himself! Biologists usually call it “Natural Selection” (i.e. enhancement by struggles).
Quran 2:251 ” … And if it were not for Allah checking [some] people by means of others, the earth would have been corrupted …”
When competition produces a winner, Allah orders him to be an example of kindness and justice:
Quran 22:41 [And they are] those who, if We give them authority in the land, establish prayer and give zakah [charity] and enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong. And to Allah belongs the outcome of [all] matters.”
Now, the real suffering is caused by those who reach power then disobeys Allah by not showing kindness and justice towards others! Power is a test too.
At the end, Allah also gave us the best advice when we face such sufferings:
Quran 2:155-157 “And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient. Who, when disaster strikes them, say, “Indeed we belong to Allah , and indeed to Him we will return. Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided.”
It’s “patience”, brother.
May Allah keeps your (and my) eeman strong.
Brother Ibrahim (no I’m not writing to myself, lol)
‘A verse which might be useful to ponder upon : “Every sould shall taste death, and We test you with good and evil as a trial, and to us you will all return” (Quran, sura 21, verse 35).
Those things which you may find good may actually be a tribulation. Look at many people who have more money than they can count, but use it for buying golden pistols or indoors skiing facilities and similar wastes of the trust which wealth entails. Their money is not good for them, it is a trial.
What you or 1 million believe should be or not be, or believe is good for you or someone else may not be correct.
“and it may be that you hate something while it is good for you, and it may be that you love something while it is good for you. Allah (God) knows and you do not” (The Quran , sura 2, verse 216)
Allah (God) said: “and you have not been give except a small amount of knowledge” (Quran, sura 17, verse 85).
“that you may know that Allah has encompassed all things in knowledge” (The Quran, sura 65, verse 12)
“and he has knowledge of all things” (The Quran, 2:29)
“He knows what lies in front of them and that which lies behind them, and they do not encompass anything of his knowlegde except for that which He wills” (The Quran, sura 2, verse 255)
This is one point: We do not have knowledge of everything, not even all humans together have, while Allah (God) knows everything that which has happened, that which is happening, what is going to happen. And how things would be if they would be in existence etc.
Seond is that Allah (God) is described as the Wise in many places in the Quran (see for examples: (2:32, 4:26. 59;23, 60:5 and many other places).
Wisdom can be simply and generally explained as “putting everything in its proper place”.
I am sorry if it is felt that I have taken anything out of context, I am NOT a scholar.
The question of why things are as they are is certainly huge and difficult, my advice to you as a brother however is:
Know who your Lord is, Your Lord is not like any of us, or any creation in his attributes.
“There is nothing like Him” (The Quran, sura 42, verse 11).
and secondly trust in your Lord:
“And put your trust in The Living one, He who does not die” (The Quran, 25:58)
And may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon the prophet Muhammad, and all other prophets and those who follow them until the final hour.
I apologize for any misstakes in interpertation of verses, I do not have any Arabic translation available at home at the moment, and I am not a native English speaker. I come from Sweden actually.
Peace everyone, take care
I meant english translation not ‘Arabic. Sorry
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