
THE EXISTENCE OF MICROSCOPIC LIFE
Glory be to Him Who created all the pairs: from
what the earth produces and from themselves and from things
unknown to them. (Qur'an, 36:36)
� And He creates other things you do not know.
(Qur'an, 16:8)
The
above verses indicate the existence of life forms unknown to people
at the time of the revelation of the Qur'an. Indeed, with the discovery
of the microscope, new living things too small to be seen with the
naked eye have also been discovered by man. People have therefore
begun to learn about the existence of these life forms, indicated
in the Qur'an. Other verses which point to the existence of micro-organisms,
which are invisible to the naked eye and generally consist of a
single cell, read:
� He is the Knower of the Unseen, Whom not even
the weight of the smallest particle eludes, either in the
heavens or in the earth; nor is there anything smaller or
larger than that which is not in a Clear Book. (Qur'an, 34:3)
� Not even the smallest speck eludes your Lord,
either on earth or in heaven. Nor is there anything smaller
than that, or larger, which is not in a Clear Book. (Qur'an,
10:61)
There are 20 times more members of this secret world, which is
spread all over the planet, micro-organisms in other words, than
there are animals on Earth. These micro-organisms, invisible to
the naked eye, comprise bacteria, viruses, fungi, algae and Acarina
(mites and ticks). They also constitute an important element in
the balance of life on Earth. For example, the nitrogen cycle, one
of the fundamental components of the formation of life on Earth,
is made possible by bacteria. Root fungi are the most important
element in plants being able to take up minerals from the soil.
The bacteria on our tongues prevent us being poisoned by food containing
nitrates, such as salad stuffs and meat. At the same time, certain
bacteria and algae possess the ability to make photosynthesis, the
fundamental element in life on Earth, and share that task with plants.
Some members of the Acarina family decompose organic substances
and turn them into foodstuffs suitable for plants. As we have seen,
these tiny life forms, about which we have only learned with modern
technological equipment, are essential to human life.
Fourteen centuries ago, the Qur'an indicated the existence of living
things beyond those which can be seen with the naked eye. This is
another spectacular miracle contained within the verses of the Qur'an.
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