THE RISE OF ISLAM

HARUN YAHYA

JUNE, 2003 A.S. Noordeen First Published 1424/2003 All rights reserved. No part of this publi ation !a" be reprodu ed# stored in retrieval s"ste!# or trans!itted in an" for! or b" an" !eans# ele troni # !e hani al# photo op"ing# re ording or other$ise $ithout $ritten per!ission fro! the publisher. %ranslated b" &on 'vans 'dited b" (a" )illoughb" *S+N ,-3.0/0.1/0.1 Published b" A.S. N22&3''N 4.P.2.+o5 100//# 00104 6uala 7u!pur %el8 4023/003 Fa58 40213/10 e.!ail8 asnoordeen9"ahoo. o! e.!ail8 hol"boo:9t!.net.!" $$$.asnisla!i boo:s. o! Printed b" Per eta:an ;afar Sdn. +hd. 6uala 7u!pur All translations fro! the <ur=an are fro! %he Noble <ur=an8 a Ne$ &endering of its >eaning in 'nglish b" ?a@@ AbdalhaAA and Aisha +e$le". Published b" +oo:$or:# Nor$i h# B6. 1420 C'/1,,, A?. Website: www.ha !"#ah#a.$%& E'&ai(: i")%*ha !"#ah#a.$%&

+ONTENTS
Prefa e *sla! *s on the &ise Chapter 1 %he Fall of Atheis! and %he &ise of Faith Chapter 2 %he &apid Spread of *sla! in A!eri a Chapter 3 'urope and *sla! Chapter 4 *sla! *s 4ro$ing in &ussia and China# %oo Chapter 0 %he &appro he!ent bet$een >usli!s# Christians and (e$s Con lusion 4lad %idings of the 21st Centur" Appendi5 %he 3e eption of 'volution

TO THE REA,ER
A spe ial hapter is assigned to the ollapse of the theor" of evolution be ause this theor" onstitutes the basis of all anti.spiritual philosophies. Sin e 3ar$inis! re@e ts the fa t of reationDand therefore# 4od=s '5isten eDover the last 140 "ears it has aused !an" people to abandon their faith or fall into doubt. *t is therefore an i!perative servi e# a ver" i!portant dut" to sho$ ever"one that this theor" is a de eption. Sin e so!e readers !a" find the han e to read onl" one of our boo:# $e thin: it appropriate to devote a hapter to su!!ariEe this sub@e t. All the author=s boo:s e5plain faith.related issues in light of <ur=ani verses# and invite readers to learn 4od=s $ords and to live b" the!. All the sub@e ts on erning 4od=s verses are e5plained so as to leave no doubt or roo! for Auestions in the reader=s !ind. %he boo:s= sin ere# plain# and fluent st"le ensure that ever"one of ever" age and fro! ever" so ial group an easil" understand the!. %han:s to their effe tive# lu id narrative# the" an be read at a one sitting. 'ven those $ho rigorousl" re@e t spiritualit" are influen ed b" the fa ts these boo:s do u!ent and annot refute the truthfulness of their ontents. %his and all the other boo:s b" the author an be read individuall"# or dis ussed in a group. &eaders eager to profit fro! the boo:s $ill find dis ussion ver" useful# letting the! relate their refle tions and e5perien es to one another. *n addition# it $ill be a great servi e to *sla! to ontribute to the publi ation and reading of these boo:s# $ritten solel" for the pleasure of 4od. %he author=s boo:s are all e5tre!el" onvin ing. For this reason# to o!!uni ate true religion to others# one of the !ost effe tive !ethods is en ouraging the! to read these boo:s. )e hope the reader $ill loo: through the revie$s of his other boo:s at the ba : of this boo:. ?is ri h sour e !aterial on faith.related issues is ver" useful# and a pleasure to read. *n these boo:s# unli:e so!e other boo:s# "ou $ill not find the author=s personal vie$s# e5planations based on dubious sour es# st"les that are unobservant of the respe t and reveren e due to sa red sub@e ts# nor hopeless# pessi!isti argu!ents that reate doubts in the !ind and deviations in the heart.

A-OUT THE AUTHOR

No$ $riting under the pen.na!e of ?A&BN FA?FA# he $as born in An:ara in 1,0/. ?aving o!pleted his pri!ar" and se ondar" edu ation in An:ara# he studied arts at *stanbul=s >i!ar Sinan Bniversit" and philosoph" at *stanbul Bniversit". Sin e the 1,-0s# he has published !an" boo:s on politi al# s ientifi # and faith.related issues. ?arun Fah"a is $ell.:no$n as the author of i!portant $or:s dis losing the i!posture of evolutionists# their invalid lai!s# and the dar: liaisons bet$een 3ar$inis! and su h blood" ideologies as fas is! and o!!unis!. ?is pen.na!e is a o!posite of the na!es ?arun GAaronH and Fah"a G(ohnH# in !e!or" of the t$o estee!ed Prophets $ho fought against their people=s la : of faith. %he Prophet=s seal on the his boo:s= overs is s"!boli and is lin:ed to the their ontents. *t represents the <ur=an Gthe final s riptureH and the Prophet >uha!!ad Gpea e be upon hi!H# last of the prophets. Bnder the guidan e of the <ur=an and the Sunnah Gtea hings of the ProphetH# the author !a:es it his purpose to disprove ea h funda!ental tenet of godless ideologies and to have the Ilast $ord#I so as to o!pletel" silen e the ob@e tions raised against religion. ?e uses the seal of the final Prophet# $ho attained ulti!ate $isdo! and !oral perfe tion# as a sign of his intention to offer the last $ord. All of ?arun Fah"a=s $or:s share one single goal8 to onve" the <ur= an=s !essage# en ourage readers to onsider basi faith.related issues su h as 4od=s '5isten e and Bnit" and the hereafterJ and to e5pose godless s"ste!s= feeble foundations and perverted ideologies. ?arun Fah"a en@o"s a $ide readership in !an" ountries# fro! *ndia to A!eri a# 'ngland to *ndonesia# Poland to +osnia# and Spain to +raEil. So!e of his boo:s are available in 'nglish# Fren h# 4er!an# Spanish# *talian# Portuguese# Brdu# Arabi # Albanian# &ussian# Serbo.Croat G+osnianH# Polish# >ala"# B"gur %ur:ish# and *ndonesian. 4reatl" appre iated all around the $orld# these $or:s have been instru!ental in !an" people re overing faith in 4od and gaining deeper insights into their faith. ?is boo:s= $isdo! and sin erit"# together $ith a distin t st"le that=s eas" to understand# dire tl" affe t an"one $ho reads the!. %hose $ho seriousl" onsider these boo:s# an no longer advo ate atheis! or an" other perverted ideolog" or !aterialisti philosoph"# sin e these boo:s are hara teriEed b" rapid effe tiveness# definite results# and irrefutabilit". 'ven if the" ontinue to do so# it $ill be onl" a senti!ental insisten e# sin e these boo:s refute su h ideologies fro! their ver" foundations. All onte!porar" !ove!ents of denial are no$ ideologi all" defeated# than:s to the boo:s $ritten b" ?arun Fah"a. %his is no doubt a result of the <ur=an=s $isdo! and lu idit". %he author !odestl" intends to serve as a !eans in hu!anit"=s sear h for 4od=s right path. No !aterial gain is sought in the publi ation of these $or:s. %hose $ho en ourage others to read these boo:s# to open their !inds and hearts and guide the! to be o!e !ore devoted servants of 4od# render an invaluable servi e. >ean$hile# it $ould onl" be a $aste of ti!e and energ" to propagate other boo:s that reate onfusion in people=s !inds# lead the! into ideologi al haos# and that learl" have no strong and pre ise effe ts in re!oving the doubts in people=s hearts# as also verified fro! previous e5perien e. *t is i!possible for boo:s devised to e!phasiEe the author=s literar" po$er rather than the noble goal of saving people fro! loss of faith# to have su h

a great effe t. %hose $ho doubt this an readil" see that the sole ai! of ?arun Fah"a=s boo:s is to over o!e disbelief and to disse!inate the <ur=an=s !oral values. %he su ess and i!pa t of this servi e are !anifested in the readers= onvi tion. 2ne point should be :ept in !ind8 %he !ain reason for the ontinuing ruelt"# onfli t# and other ordeals endured b" the vast !a@orit" of people is the ideologi al prevalen e of disbelief. %his an be ended onl" $ith the ideologi al defeat of disbelief and b" onve"ing the $onders of reation and <ur=ani !oralit" so that people an live b" it. Considering the state of the $orld toda"# leading into a do$n$ard spiral of violen e# orruption and onfli t# learl" this servi e !ust be provided speedil" and effe tivel"# or it !a" be too late. *n this effort# the boo:s of ?arun Fah"a assu!e a leading role. +" the $ill of 4od# these boo:s $ill be a !eans through $hi h people in the t$ent"first entur" $ill attain the pea e# @usti e# and happiness pro!ised in the <ur=an.

.REFA+E ISLAM IS ON THE RISE

3uring the last 20 "ears# the nu!ber of >usli!s in the $orld has been in reasing steadil". Statisti s for the "ear 1,13 indi ate that the $orld population of >usli!s $as 000 !illionJ no$# it has rea hed 1.0 billion. %oda"# ever" fourth person is a >usli!.1 *t is probable that the >usli! population $ill ontinue to in rease and that *sla! $ill be o!e the $orld=s largest religion. %he reason for this stead" rise is not onl" the in reasing population in >usli! ountries# but also the gro$ing nu!bers of people $ho are turning to *sla!# a pheno!enon that has gained !o!entu!# espe iall" after the atta : on the )orld %rade Center on Septe!ber 11# 2001 Ghereinafter referred to as ,/11H. %his atta :# deplored b" ever"one# espe iall" >usli!s# has suddenl" turned people=s attention Gespe iall" A!eri ansH to *sla!. People in the )est are tal:ing a lot about $hat :ind of a religion *sla! is# $hat the <ur=an sa"s# $hat obligations o!e $ith being a >usli!# and ho$ >usli!s are reAuired to ondu t their affairs. %his interest has naturall" brought about a rise in the nu!ber of people $orld$ide turning to *sla!. So# the o!!onl" heard predi tion after ,/11 that Ithis atta : $ill hange the ourse of $orld histor"I has# in a sense# started to o!e true. %he pro ess of returning to religious and spiritual values# $hi h the $orld has been e5perien ing for a long ti!e# has be o!e a turning to *sla!. So!eti!es# $hen su h develop!ents are reported b" the !edia# $e see ho$ e5traordinar" these events reall" are. Although so!eti!es presented as ordinar" o urren es# in realit" the" are signs that *sla!i !oralit" has begun to spread throughout the $orld ver" Aui :l". )e !ust realiEe that these signs are either ignored in favor of other events# or annot properl" be appre iated b" !an" people. ?o$ever# it is of great i!portan e that8 Pro!inent states!en Auote the <ur=an in their spee hes and ta:e ever" o asion to e5press their reveren e for it. %he" have begun to visit !osAues and as: for detailed infor!ation about *sla!. For the first ti!e in histor"# the Pope has invited Christians and >usli!s to fast together for one da". Christian lerg" Auote the <ur=an in their ser!ons. For $ee:s# the <ur=an has been the best selling boo: in )estern ountries %here have been internationall" televised spe ial ne$s progra!s# reports# and dis ussion progra!s introdu ing *sla!. )orld.reno$ned ne$spapers have published arti les about *sla! and >usli!s. %he !ost popular boo:s in libraries are those about *sla! and *sla!i histor". %his boo: presents and evaluates these develop!ents so that readers !a" appre iate their i!portan e. 2n the one hand# this boo: $ill atte!pt to !a:e believers !ore deter!ined and resolved and# on the other hand# sho$ the i!portan e of telling ever"one about *sla!i !oralit". All of these develop!ents have been revealed in the <ur=an8 /Whe" 0%12s he(3 a"1 4i$t% # ha4e a i4e1, a"1 #%! ha4e see" 3e%3(e e"te i"5 0%12s e(i5i%" i" 1 %4es, the" 5(% i)# #%! L% 12s 3 aise a"1 as6 His )% 5i4e"ess/ 78! 2a", 990: 2'3: and it is i!portant to :no$ that $hat this verse sa"s $ill o!e true ver" soon. *t is even happening no$. 4od $ill indeed fulfill this pro!ise. %herefore# believers !ust do $hatever the" an to ta:e part in these develop!ents.

+HA.TER 9 THE FALL OF ATHEISM AN, THE RISE OF FAITH

+efore loo:ing at *sla!=s $orld.$ide gro$th# $e !ust e5a!ine another riti al develop!ent8 the ollapse of atheis! and the rise of faith. Al!ost ever"one $ho has studied hu!an histor"# parti ularl" its philosophi al and so ial aspe ts# $ill agree that the nineteenth entur" $as an i!portant period# for it $as during those "ears that the first steps $ere ta:en to$ard the future spiritual ollapse. *ts !ost i!portant hara teristi $as the gro$th of atheis! Gi.e.# re@e ting 4od=s '5isten eH as opposed to theisti beliefs and religion# $hi h had been generall" do!inant in the $orld until then. Although atheis! has e5isted fro! an ient ti!es# the rise of this idea a tuall" began in eighteenth. entur" 'urope# $ith the spread and politi al effe t of the philosoph" of so!e anti.religious thin:ers. >aterialists su h as 3enis 3iderot G1113.-4H and +aron d=?olba h G1123.-,H proposed that the universe $as a onglo!eration of !atter that had e5isted forever and that onl" !atter e5isted. *n the nineteenth entur"# atheis! spread even further afield. Su h thin:ers as 7ud$ig Feuerba h G1-04.12H# 6arl >ar5 G1-1-.-3H# Friedri h 'ngels G1-20.,0H# Friedri h NietEs he G1--4.1,00H# '!ile 3ur:hei! G1-0,.1,11H# and Sig!und Freud G1-0/.1,3,H applied atheist thin:ing to different fields of s ien e and philosoph". %he greatest support for atheis! a!e fro! Charles 3ar$in G1-0,.-2H# $ho re@e ted the idea of reation and proposed the theor" of evolution# $hi h gave a supposedl" s ientifi ans$er to the Auestion that had baffled atheists for enturies8 ?o$ did hu!an beings and living things o!e to beK %his theor" onvin ed a great !an" people that there $as a !e hanis! in nature that ani!ated lifeless !atter and produ ed !illions of different living spe ies fro! it. %o$ard the end of the nineteenth entur"# atheists for!ulated a $orldvie$ that Ie5plainedI ever"thing8 %he universe had not been reated# for it had no beginning and had e5isted forever. %he" lai!ed that it had no purpose# that its order and balan e $ere the result of han e# and that 3ar$in=s theor" of evolution e5plained ho$ hu!an beings and other living things a!e into being. %he" believed that >ar5 and 3ur:hei! had e5plained histor" and so iolog"# and that Freud had e5plained ps" holog" on the basis of atheist assu!ptions. ?o$ever# t$entieth. entur" s ientifi # politi al# and so ial develop!ents disproved these vie$s# for ongoing dis overies in astrono!"# biolog"# ps" holog"# and so ial s ien es nullified the bases of atheist suppositions. *n his boo: God: The Evidence, The Reconciliation of Faith and Reason in a Postsecular World # A!eri an s holar Patri : 4l"nn of the 4eorge )ashington Bniversit" $rites8 %he past t$o de ades of resear h have overturned nearl" all the i!portant assu!ptions and predi tions of an earlier generation of !odern se ular and atheist thin:ers relating to the issue of 4od. >odern thin:ers assu!ed that s ien e $ould reveal the universe to be ever !ore rando! and !e hani alJ instead it has dis overed une5pe ted ne$ la"ers of intri ate order that bespea: an al!ost uni!aginabl" vast !aster design. >odern ps" hologists predi ted that religion $ould be e5posed as a neurosis and outgro$nJ instead# religious o!!it!ent has been sho$n e!piri all" to be a vital o!ponent of basi !ental healthL Fe$ people see! to realiEe this# but b" no$ it should be lear8 2ver the ourse of a entur" in the great debate bet$een s ien e and faith# the tables have o!pletel" turned. *n the $a:e of 3ar$in# atheists and

agnosti s li:e M%ho!as ?enr"N ?u5le" M1-20.,0N and M+ertrandN &ussell M1-12.1,10N ould point to $hat appeared to be a solid bod" of testable theor" purportedl" sho$ing life to be a idental and the universe radi all" ontingent. >an" s ientists and intelle tuals ontinue to leave to this $orldvie$. +ut the" are in reasingl" pressed to al!ost absurd lengths to defend it. %oda" the on rete data point strongl" in the dire tion of the 4od h"pothesis.2 S ien e# $hi h has been presented as the pillar of atheist/!aterialist philosoph"# turns out to be @ust the opposite. As another $riter puts it8 I%he stri t !aterialis! that e5 ludes all purpose# hoi e# and spiritualit" fro! the $orld si!pl" annot a ount for the data pouring in fro! labs and observatories.I3 *n short# atheis! suffered a sudden ollapse in the last Auarter of the t$entieth entur" at the hands of the ver" s ientifi and so iologi al on epts fro! $hi h its adherents had hoped to re eive the !ost support. *n this hapter# $e $ill loo: at its ollapse in the areas of os!olog"# biolog"# ps" holog"# !edi ine# and so iolog"J later se tions $ill dis uss ho$ this has prepared the foundation for *sla!=s rise.

+%s&%(%5#: The +%((a3se %) the +%"$e3t %) A" Ete "a( U"i4e se a"1 the ,is$%4e # %) + eati%"
%he first blo$ to atheis! fro! t$entieth. entur" s ien e $as in the field of os!olog". %he idea that the universe had e5isted forever $as dis ounted# for s ientists dis overed that it had a beginning. *n other $ords# the" proved s ientifi all" that the universe had been reated fro! nothing. %his idea of an eternal universe a!e to the )estern $orld# along $ith !aterialist philosoph"# fro! lassi al 4ree: iviliEation. *t stated that onl" !atter e5ists# and that the universe o!es fro! eternit" and goes to eternit". *n the >iddle Ages# $hen the Catholi hur h do!inated )estern thought# !aterialis! $as forgotten. ?o$ever# in the !odern period )estern s ientists and philosophers be a!e onsu!ed $ith uriosit" about these lassi al 4ree: origins and revived an interest in !aterialis!. %he first person to propose a !aterialist understanding of the universe $as the reno$ned 4er!an philosopher *!!anuel 6ant G1124.1-04H# even though he $as not a !aterialist in the philosophi al sense of the $ord. 6ant proposed that the universe $as eternal and that ever" possibilit" ould be realiEed onl" $ithin this eternit". )ith the o!ing of the nineteenth entur"# it be a!e $idel" a epted that the universe had no beginning and that there had been no !o!ent of reation. Adopted passionatel" b" su h diale ti al !aterialists as >ar5 and 'ngels# this idea found its $a" into the t$entieth entur". %his idea has al$a"s been o!patible $ith atheis!# for a epting that the universe had a beginning $ould !ean that 4od had reated it. %hus the onl" $a" to ounter this idea $as to lai! that the universe $as eternal# even though s ien e did not support su h a lai!. 4eorges PolitEer G1,03.42H# a dogged proponent of this lai!# be a!e $idel" :no$n as a supporter of !aterialis! and >ar5is! in the first half of the t$entieth entur" through his boo: Principes Fondamentaux de Philosophie G%he Funda!ental Prin iples of Philosoph"H. Assu!ing the Ieternal universeI !odel to be valid# he opposed the idea of reation8 %he universe $as not a reated ob@e t. *f it $ere# then it $ould have to be reated instantaneousl" b" 4od and brought into e5isten e fro! nothing. %o ad!it reation# one has to ad!it# in the first pla e# the e5isten e of a !o!ent $hen the universe did not e5ist# and that so!ething a!e out of nothingness. %his is so!ething to

$hi h s ien e annot a ede.4 +" supporting the idea of an eternal universe# PolitEer thought that s ien e $as on his side. ?o$ever# ver" soon thereafter# the fa t that he had alluded to b" sa"ing Iif it is so# $e !ust a ept the e5isten e of a reator#I that is# that the universe had a beginning# $as proven. %his proof a!e as a result of the I+ig +angI theor"# perhaps the !ost i!portant on ept of t$entieth. entur" astrono!". %he +ig +ang theor" $as for!ulated after a series of dis overies. *n 1,2,# the A!eri an astrono!er 'd$in ?ubble G1--,.1,03H noti ed that the gala5ies $ere ontinuall" !oving a$a" fro! ea h other and that the universe $as e5panding. *f the flo$ of ti!e in an e5panding universe $ere reversed# the $hole universe !ust have o!e fro! a single point. )hile assessing the validit" of ?ubble=s dis over"# astrono!ers $ere fa ed $ith the fa t that this single point $as a I!etaph"si alI state of realit" in $hi h there $as an infinite gravitational attra tion $ith no !ass. >atter and ti!e a!e into being through the e5plosion of this !ass.less point. *n other $ords# the universe $as reated fro! nothing. 2n the one hand# so!e die.hard !aterialist astrono!ers have tried to resist the +ig +ang theor" and !aintain the idea of an eternal universe. Arthur 'ddington G1--2.1,44H# a reno$ned !aterialist ph"si ist# su!!ed up their vie$ Auite $ell $hen he said8 IPhilosophi all"# the notion of an abrupt beginning to the present order of Nature is repugnant to !e.I 0 3espite this repugnan e# ho$ever# the +ig +ang theor" ontinues to be orroborated b" on rete s ientifi dis overies. *n their observations !ade in the 1,/0s# Arno PenEias and &obert )ilson dete ted radioa tive re!ains of the e5plosion G os!i ba :ground radiationH. %hese observations $ere verified in the 1,,0s b" the C2+' GCos!i +a :ground '5plorerH satellite. Confronted $ith all of these fa ts# atheists have been sAueeEed into a orner. Anthon" Fle$# an atheist professor of philosoph" at the Bniversit" of &eading and author of Atheistic Humanism# !a:es this interesting onfession8 Notoriousl"# onfession is good for the soul. * $ill therefore begin b" onfessing that the Stratoni ian atheist has to be e!barrassed b" the onte!porar" os!ologi al onsensus. For it see!s that the os!ologists are providing a s ientifi proof of $hat St. %ho!as ontended ould not be proved philosophi all"J na!el"# that the universe had a beginning. So long as the universe an be o!fortabl" thought of as being not onl" $ithout end but also $ithout beginning# it re!ains eas" to urge that its brute e5isten e# and $hatever are found to be its !ost funda!ental features# should be a epted as the e5planator" ulti!ates. Although * believe that it re!ains still orre t# it ertainl" is neither eas" nor o!fortable to !aintain this position in the fa e of the +ig +ang stor"./ An e5a!ple of the atheists= rea tion to the +ig +ang theor" is seen in a 1,-, arti le b" (ohn >addo5# editor of Nature# one of the best.:no$n !aterialist.s ientifi @ournals. *n his arti le# entitled I3o$n $ith the +ig +ang#I >addo5 $rote that the +ig +ang is Iphilosophi all" una eptable#I be ause I reationists and those of si!ilar persuasions L have a!ple @ustifi ation in the do trine of the +ig +ang.I ?e also predi ted that it Iis unli:el" to survive the de ade ahead.I1 ?o$ever# despite >addo5= hopes# the +ig +ang theor" ontinues to gain reden e# and ne$ dis overies ontinue to prove that the universe $as reated. So!e !aterialists have a relativel" logi al vie$ of this issue. For e5a!ple# the 'nglish !aterialist ph"si ist ?. P. 7ipton Iun$illingl"I a epts the s ientifi fa t of reation. ?e $rites8 * thin: L that $e !ust L ad!it that the onl" a eptable e5planation is reation. * :no$ that this is

anathe!a to ph"si ists# as indeed it is to !e# but $e !ust not re@e t a theor" that $e do not li:e if the e5peri!ental eviden e supports it.%hus# !odern astrono!" proves and states that ti!e and !atter $ere brought into being b" an eternall" po$erful Creator# )ho is independent of both of the!. %he eternal po$er that reated the universe in $hi h $e live is 4od# the possessor of infinite !ight# :no$ledge# and $isdo!.

.h#si$s a"1 Ast %"%&#: The +%((a3se %) the I1ea %) A Ra"1%& U"i4e se a"1 the ,is$%4e # %) the A"th %3i$ . i"$i3(e
A se ond atheist dog!a rendered invalid b" t$entieth. entur" dis overies in astrono!" is the idea of a rando! universe. %he vie$ that all !atter in the universe# the heavenl" bodies# and the la$s that deter!ine the relationships a!ong the! is no !ore than the purposeless result of han e has been under!ined dra!ati all". For the first ti!e sin e the 1,10s# s ientists have begun to re ogniEe that the universe=s ph"si al balan e is ad@usted deli atel" in favor of hu!an life. Advan es in resear h have enabled s ientists to dis over that the universe=s ph"si al# he!i al# and biologi al la$s# as $ell as su h basi for es as gravit" and ele tro.!agnetis! and even the ver" stru tures of ato!s and ele!ents# are all ordered e5a tl" as the" have to be for hu!an life. )estern s ientists have alled this e5traordinar" design the Ianthropi prin ipleI8 'ver" aspe t of the universe is designed $ith a vie$ to hu!an life. )e !a" su!!ariEe its basi hara teristi s as follo$s8 %he speed of the universe=s first e5pansion Gthe for e of the +ig +ang e5plosionH $as e5a tl" the velo it" that it had to be. A ording to s ientists= al ulations# if the e5pansion rate had differed fro! its a tual value b" !ore than one part in a billion billion# the universe either $ould have re ollapsed before rea hing its present siEe or splattered in ever" dire tion in a !anner that it ould never be reunited. *n other $ords# even at the first !o!ent of its e5isten e there $as a fine al ulation of the a ura " of a billion billionth. %he universe=s four ph"si al for es Gi.e.# gravitational for e# $ea: nu lear for e# strong nu lear for e# and ele tro!agneti for eH are all at the ne essar" levels for an ordered universe to e!erge and for life to e5ist. 'ven the tiniest variations in these for es Ge.g.# one in 103, or one in 102-J that isD rudel" al ulatedDone in a billion billion billion billionH# the universe either $ould be o!posed onl" of radiation or of h"drogen. >an" other deli ate ad@ust!ents !a:e 'arth ideal for hu!an life8 the siEe of the Sun# its distan e fro! 'arth# $ater=s uniAue ph"si al and he!i al properties# the $avelength of the sun=s ra"s# the $a" that 'arth=s at!osphere ontains the gases ne essar" for respiration# and 'arth=s !agneti field being ideall" suited to hu!an life. GFor !ore infor!ation on this topi # see ?arun Fah"a=s The reation of the !niverse, Al.AttiAue Publishers8 2001H %his deli ate balan e is a!ong the !ost stri:ing dis overies of !odern astroph"si s. Paul 3avies# the $ell.:no$n astrono!er# $rites in the last paragraph of his The osmic "lueprint8 I%he i!pression of 3esign is over$hel!ing.I, *n an arti le in the @ournal Nature# the astroph"si ist ). Press $rites that /the e is a 5 a"1 1esi5" i" the U"i4e se that )a4% s the 1e4e(%3&e"t %) i"te((i5e"t (i)e./10

*nterestingl"# the !a@orit" of the s ientists $ho have !ade these dis overies $ere !aterialists $ho a!e to this on lusion un$illingl". %he" did not underta:e their s ientifi investigations hoping to find a proof for 4od=s '5isten e. +ut !ost# if not all# of the!# despite their un$illingness# arrived at this on lusion as the onl" e5planation for the universe=s e5traordinar" design. *n his The #$m%iotic !niverse# the A!eri an astrono!er 4eorge 4reenstein a :no$ledges this fa t8 ?o$ ould this possibl" have o!e to pass Mthat the la$s of ph"si s onfor! the!selves to lifeNK L As $e surve" all the eviden e# the thought insistentl" arises that so!e supernatural agen "Dor# rather Agen "D !ust be involved. *s it possible that suddenl"# $ithout intending to# $e have stu!bled upon s ientifi proof of the e5isten e of a Supre!e +eingK )as it 4od $ho stepped in and so providentiall" rafted the os!os for our benefitK11 +" beginning his Auestion $ith I*s it possible#I 4reenstein# an atheist# tries to ignore the plain fa t onfronting hi!. +ut !an" s ientists $ho have approa hed the Auestion $ithout pre@udi e a :no$ledge that the universe has been reated espe iall" for hu!an life. >aterialis! is no$ being vie$ed as an erroneous belief outside the real! of s ien e. %he A!eri an geneti ist &obert 4riffiths a :no$ledges this $hen he sa"s8 I*f $e need an atheist for a debate# * go to the philosoph" depart!ent. %he ph"si s depart!ent isn=t !u h use.I12 &n Nature's (estin$: Ho) the *a)s of "iolo+$ Reveal Purpose in the !niverse# $hi h e5a!ines ho$ ph"si al# he!i al# and biologi al la$s are a!aEingl" al ulated in an OOideal== $a" $ith a vie$ to hu!an life=s reAuire!ents# $ell.:no$n !ole ular biologist >i hael 3enton $rites8 %he ne$ pi ture that has e!erged in t$entieth. entur" astrono!" presents a dra!ati hallenge to the presu!ption $hi h has been prevalent $ithin s ientifi ir les during !ost of the past four enturies8 that life is a peripheral and purel" ontingent pheno!enon in the os!i s he!e.13 *n short# the idea of a rando! universe# perhaps atheis!=s !ost basi pillar# has been proved invalid. S ientists no$ openl" spea: of !aterialis!=s ollapse.14 4od reveals the falsit" of this idea in the <ur=an8 /We 1i1 "%t $ eate hea4e" a"1 Ea th a"1 e4e #thi"5 betwee" the& t% "% 3! 3%se. That is the %3i"i%" %) th%se wh% 1isbe(ie4e;/ G<ur=an# 3-8 21H# and s ien e onfir!ed that truth in the 1,10s.

8!a"t!& .h#si$s a"1 the ,is$%4e # %) ,i4i"e Wis1%&

2ne area of s ien e that shatters the !aterialist !"th and gives positive eviden e for theis! is Auantu! ph"si s. <uantu! ph"si s deals $ith !atter=s tiniest parti les# also alled the Isub.ato!i real!.I *n s hool# ever"one learns that !atter is o!posed of ato!s. Ato!s are !ade up of a nu leus and several ele trons spinning around it. 2ne strange fa t is that all of these parti les ta:e up onl" so!e 0.0001 per ent of the ato!s. *n other $ords# an ato! is so!ething that is ,,.,,,, per ent Ie!pt".I 'ven !ore interestingl"# further e5a!ination sho$s that the nu lei and ele trons are !ade up of !u h s!aller parti les alled IAuar:s#I $hi h are not even parti les in the ph"si al senseJ rather# the" are si!pl" energ". %his dis over" bro:e the lassi al distin tion bet$een !atter and energ". *t no$ appears that onl"

energ" e5ists in the !aterial universe# and that !atter is @ust IfroEen energ".I %here is a still !ore intriguing fa t8 <uar:s# those pa :ets of energ"# a t in su h a $a" that the" !a" be des ribed as I ons ious.I Ph"si ist Free!an 3"son# $hen a epting the %e!pleton PriEe for Progress in &eligion G2000H# stated that8 Ato!s are $eird stuff# behaving li:e a tive agents rather than inert substan es. %he" !a:e unpredi table hoi es bet$een alternative possibilities a ording to the la$s of Auantu! !e hani s. *t appears that !ind# as !anifested b" the apa it" to !a:e hoi es# is to so!e e5tent inherent in ever" ato!.10 *n other $ords# there is infor!ation behind !atter# infor!ation that pre edes the !aterial real!. 4erald S hroeder# an >*%.trained s ientist $ho has $or:ed in both ph"si s and biolog" and authored The #cience of God# !a:es a nu!ber of i!portant o!!ents on this sub@e t. *n his !ore re ent boo:# The Hidden Face of God: #cience Reveals the !ltimate Truth# S hroeder e5plains that Auantu! ph"si sDalong $ith other bran hes of s ien eDis the tool for dis overing a universal $isdo! l"ing behind the !aterial $orld. As he puts it8 *t too: hu!anit" !illennia before an 'instein dis overed that# as biEarre as it !a" see!# the basis of !atter is energ"# that !atter is a tuall" ondensed energ". *t !a" ta:e a $hile longer for us to dis over that there is so!e non.thing even !ore funda!ental than energ" that for!s the basis of energ"# $hi h in turn for!s the basis of !atter.1/ (ohn Ar hibald )heeler# professor of ph"si s at Prin eton Bniversit" and re ipient of the 'instein A$ard G2003H# e5plained the sa!e fa t $hen he said that the IbitI Gthe binar" digitH of infor!ation gives rise to the Iit#I the substan e of !atter.11 A ording to S hroeder# this has a Iprofound !eaningI8 %he !atter/energ" relationships# the Auantu! $ave fun tions# have profound !eaning. S ien e !a" be approa hing the realiEation that the entire universe is an e5pression of infor!ation# $isdo!# an idea# @ust as ato!s are tangible e5pressions of so!ething as ethereal as energ".1%his $isdo! is su h an o!nis ient thing that it overs the $hole universe8 A single ons iousness# a universal $isdo!# pervades the universe. %he dis overies of s ien e# those that sear h the Auantu! nature of subato!i !atter# have !oved us to the brin: of a startling realiEation8 all e5isten e is the e5pression of this $isdo!. *n the laboratories $e e5perien e it as infor!ation that first ph"si all" arti ulated as energ" and then ondensed into the for! of !atter. 'ver" parti le# ever" being# fro! ato! to hu!an# appears to represent a level of infor!ation# of $isdo!.1, %his !eans that the !aterial universe is not a purposeless and haoti heap of ato!s# as the atheist/!aterialist dog!a assu!es# but instead is a !anifestation of a $isdo! that e5isted before the universe and that has absolute sovereignt" over ever"thing that e5ists. *n S hroeder=s $ords# it is Ias if a !etaph"si al substrate $as i!pressed upon the ph"si al.I20 %his dis over" shatters the $hole !aterialist !"th and reveals that the visible !aterial universe is @ust a shado$ of a trans endent Absolute +eing. %hus# as S hroeder e5plains# Auantu! ph"si s has be o!e the point at $hi h s ien e and theolog" !eet8 %he age.old theologi al vie$ of the universe is that all e5isten e is the !anifestation of a trans endent $isdo!# $ith a universal ons iousness being its !anifestation. *f * substitute the $ord infor!ation for $isdo!# theolog" begins to sound li:e Auantu! ph"si s. )e !a" be $itnessing the s ientifi onfluen e of the ph"si al $ith the spiritual.21 <uantu! is reall" the point at $hi h s ien e and theolog" !eet. %he fa t that the $hole universe is

pervaded b" a $isdo! $as revealed in the <ur=an 14 enturies ago. 2ne verse reads8 Y%! 5%1 is 0%1 a(%"e, the e is "% 5%1 b!t Hi&. He e"$%&3asses a(( thi"5s i" His 6"%w(e15e. 78! 2a", 20:<=:

The Nat! a( S$ie"$es: The +%((a3se %) ,a wi"is& a"1 the >i$t% # %) /I"te((i5e"t ,esi5"/
As stated earlier# one of the !ain supports for atheis!=s rise to its Eenith in the nineteenth entur" $as 3ar$in=s theor" of evolution. +" asserting that the origin of hu!an beings and all other living things la" in un ons ious natural !e hanis!s# 3ar$inis! gave atheists the s ientifi guise the" had been see:ing for enturies. %hat ti!e=s !ost passionate atheists adopted his theor"# and su h atheist thin:ers as 6arl >ar5 and Friedri h 'ngels !ade its elu idation the basis of their philosoph". %he relationship bet$een 3ar$inis! and atheis! born at that point in ti!e has ontinued until our o$n ti!e. +ut# at the sa!e ti!e# this ore belief of atheis! is the ver" one that has re eived the greatest blo$ fro! t$entieth. entur" s ien e. 3is overies in paleontolog"# bio he!istr"# anato!"# geneti s# and other s ientifi fields have shattered the theor" of evolution GSee ?arun Fah"a=s (ar)inism RefutedH. )e have dealt $ith this fa t in far !ore detail else$here. ?o$ever# in short# $e an sa" the follo$ing8 .a(e%"t%(%5#: 3ar$in=s theor" rests on the assu!ptions that all spe ies o!e fro! a single o!!on an estor and that the" diverged fro! one another over a long period of ti!e b" !eans of s!all gradual hanges. Supposedl"# the reAuired proofs $ill be dis overed in the fossil re ord or the petrified re!ains of living things. +ut fossil resear h ondu ted during the t$entieth entur" presents a totall" different pi ture# for no fossil of a single undoubted inter!ediate spe ies# one that $ould substantiate this theor" of gradual evolution a!ong spe ies# has been found. >oreover# ever" ta5on Man ani!al or plant group having natural relationsN appears suddenl" in the fossil re ord# and no tra e has ever been found of an" previous an estors. %he pheno!enon :no$n as the Ca!brian '5plosion# $hi h s ientists lassif" as a period of ti!e that o urred 040 to 4,0 !illion "ears ago# is espe iall" interesting. *n that earl" geologi al period# nearl" all of the ani!al :ingdo!=s ph"la G!a@or groups $ith signifi antl" different bod" stru turesH appeared suddenl". %he sudden e!ergen e of !an" different ategories of living things $ith totall" different bod" stru tures and e5tre!el" o!ple5 organs and s"ste!s Ge.g.# !ollus:s# arthropods# e hinoder!s# and# as re entl" dis overed# even vertebratesH rendered the theor" of evolution invalid and proved reation# for as evolutionists also agree# a ta5on=s sudden e!ergen e i!plies purposeful design# and this !eans reation. -i%(%5i$a( Obse 4ati%"s: 3ar$in elaborated on his theor" b" rel"ing upon e5a!ples of ho$ ani!al breeders produ ed different dog or horse varieties. ?e e5trapolated the li!ited hanges he observed to the $hole natural $orld# and proposed that ever" living thing ould have o!e fro! a o!!on an estor. +ut 3ar$in !ade this lai! in the nineteenth entur"# $hen the level of s ientifi sophisti ation $as lo$. *n the t$entieth entur"# things hanged greatl". 3e ades of observation and e5peri!entation on various ani!al spe ies have sho$n that variation in living things has never gone be"ond a ertain geneti boundar". 3ar$in=s assertions# li:e8 I* an see no diffi ult" in a ra e of bears being rendered# b" natural sele tion# !ore and !ore

aAuati in their habits# $ith larger and larger !ouths# till a reature $as produ ed as !onstrous as a $haleI22 a tuall" de!onstrates his great ignoran e. 2n the other hand# observations and e5peri!ents sho$ that !utations defined b" Neo.3ar$inis! as an evolutionar" !e hanis! add no ne$ geneti infor!ation to living reatures. The O i5i" %) Li)e: 3ar$in spo:e about a o!!on an estor# but never !entioned ho$ this person a!e to be. ?is onl" on@e ture $as that the first ell ould have for!ed as a result of rando! he!i al rea tions Iin so!e s!all $ar! little pond.I23 +ut those evolutionar" bio he!ists $ho sought to lose this hole in 3ar$inis! $ere frustrated b" the fa t that all of their observations and e5peri!ents sho$ed that no living ell ould arise $ithin inani!ate !atter b" !eans of rando! he!i al rea tions. 'ven the 'nglish atheist astrono!er Fred ?o"le e5pressed that su h a s enario Iis o!parable $ith the han e that a tornado s$eeping through a @un:."ard !ight asse!ble a +oeing 141 fro! the !aterials therein.I24 I"te((i5e"t ,esi5": S ientists $ho stud" ells and their !ole ules# along $ith the ells= re!ar:able organiEation $ithin the bod"# and the bodil" organs= deli ate order and plan are fa ed $ith proof that evolutionists strongl" $ish to re@e t8 %he $orld of living things is per!eated b" designs too o!ple5 to be found in an" te hnologi al eAuip!ent. *ntri ate e5a!ples of design# in luding our e"es that are far superior to an" a!era# the $ings of birds that have inspired flight te hnolog"# the o!ple5l" integrated s"ste! of the ells of living things# and the re!ar:able infor!ation stored in 3NA have vitiated the theor" of evolution# $hi h regards living things as the produ t of blind han e. +" the end of the t$entieth entur"# all of these fa ts had sAueeEed 3ar$inis! into a orner. %oda"# in the Bnited States and other )estern ountries# the theor" of intelligent design is gaining ever.in reasing a eptan e a!ong s ientists. %hose $ho defend it sa" that 3ar$inis! has been a great error in the histor" of s ien e# and that it a!e to be so b" i!posing !aterialist philosoph" on the s ientifi paradig!. S ientifi dis overies sho$ that there is a design in living things# $hi h proves reation. *n short# s ien e proves on e !ore that 4od reated all living things.

.s#$h%(%5#: The +%((a3se %) F e!1ia"is& a"1 the A$$e3ta"$e %) Faith

%he representative of nineteenth. entur" atheis! in ps" holog" $as the Austrian ps" hiatrist Sig!und Freud G1-0/.1,3,H. ?e proposed a ps" hologi al theor" that re@e ted the soul=s e5isten e and tried to e5plain hu!anit"=s $hole spiritual $orld in ter!s of se5ual and si!ilar hedonisti !otivations. +ut Freud=s greatest assault $as against religion. *n his The Future of an &llusion# originall" published in 1,21# Freud proposed that religious faith $as a :ind of !ental illness GneurosisH that $ould disappear o!pletel" as hu!anit" progressed. 3ue to the pri!itive s ientifi onditions of the ti!e# his theor" $as proposed $ithout either the reAuisite resear h and investigation or an" s holarl" literature or possibilit" of o!parison. %herefore# its lai!s $ere e5tre!el" defi ient. After Freud# ps" holog" developed on an atheist foundation. >oreover# the founders of other s hools of ps" holog" $ere passionate atheists. %$o of these $ere +. F. S:inner G1,04.,0H# founder of the behaviorist s hool# and Albert 'llis G1,13. H# founder of rational.e!otive therap". %he $orld of ps" holog" graduall" be a!e the foru! for atheis!. A 1,12 poll a!ong the !e!bers of the A!eri an Ps" hologi al Asso iation

revealed that onl" 1.1 per ent of ps" hologists in the ountr" had an" religious beliefs.20 +ut !ost ps" hologists $ho fell into this great de eption $ere undone b" their o$n ps" hologi al investigations. %he basi suppositions of Freudianis! $ere sho$n to have al!ost no s ientifi support. >oreover# religion $as sho$n not to be a !ental illness# as Freud and so!e other ps" hologi al theorists de lared# but rather a basi ele!ent of !ental health. Patri : 4l"nn su!!ariEes these i!portant develop!ents8 Fet the last Auarter of the t$entieth entur" has not been :ind to the ps" hoanal"ti vision. >ost signifi ant has been the e5posure of Freud=s vie$s of religion as entirel" falla ious. *roni all" enough# s ientifi resear h in ps" holog" over the past t$ent".five "ears has de!onstrated that# far fro! being a neurosis or sour e of neuroses as Freud and his dis iples lai!ed# religious belief is one of the !ost onsistent orrelates of overall !ental health and happiness. Stud" after stud" has sho$n a po$erful relationship bet$een religious belief and pra ti e# on the one hand# and health" behaviors $ith regard to su h proble!s as sui ide# al ohol and drug abuse# divor e# depression# even# perhaps surprisingl"# levels of se5ual satisfa tion in !arriage# on the other. *n short# the e!piri al data run e5a tl" ontrar" to the supposedl" Is ientifi I onsensus of the ps" hotherapeuti profession.2/ Finall"# as 4l"nn sa"s# I!odern ps" holog" at the lose of the t$entieth entur" see!s to be rea Auainting itself $ith religion#I21 and Ia purel" se ular vie$ of hu!an !ental life has been sho$n to fail not @ust at the theoreti al# but also at the pra ti al# level.I2*n other $ords# ps" holog" also has routed atheis!.

Me1i$i"e: The ,is$%4e # %) H%w /Hea ts Fi"1 .ea$e/

Another bran h of s ien e affe ted b" the ollapse of atheist suppositions $as !edi ine. A ording to results o!piled b" 3avid +. 7arson and his tea! at the National *nstitute for ?ealth are &esear h# a o!parison a!ong A!eri ans in relation to their observan e of religious duties "ielded ver" interesting results. %he ris: of arterios leroti heart disease for !en $ho attended hur h freAuentl" $as @ust /0 per ent of that for !en $ho $ere infreAuent hur h attendeesJ a!ong $o!en# sui ide $as t$i e as high a!ong infreAuent as a!ong freAuent hur h attendersJ s!o:ers $ho ran:ed religion as ver" i!portant in their lives $ere over seven ti!es less li:el" to have nor!al diastoli pressure readings than $ere those $ho did not.2, Se ular ps" hologists generall" e5plain su h pheno!ena as having a ps" hologi al ause. *n this sense# faith raises a person=s !orale and ontributes to his or her $ell.being. %here !a" be so!e truth in this e5planation# but if $e loo: !ore losel"# $e see so!ething !u h !ore dra!ati 8 +elief in 4od is far stronger than an" other influen e on one=s !orale. *n o!prehensive resear h on the relationship bet$een religious belief and ph"si al health# 3r. ?erbert +enson of the ?arvard >edi al S hool a!e up $ith so!e interesting results. Although he has no religious faith# +enson on luded that faith in 4od and $orship had a far !ore positive effe t on hu!an health than ould be observed in an"thing else. +enson on ludes that he has Ifound that faith Auiets the !ind li:e no other for! of belief.I30 )h" is there su h a spe ial relation a!ong faith# the hu!an spirit# and the bod"K +enson# a se ular resear her# stated that the hu!an !ind and bod" are I$ired for 4od.I31

%his fa t# $hi h the !edi al $orld is slo$l" beginning to noti e# is a se ret revealed in the <ur=an8 /O"(# i" the e&e&b a"$e %) 0%1 $a" the hea t )i"1 3ea$e./ 78! 2a", 93:2=: %he reason $h" those $ho believe in 4od# pra" to ?i! and trust in ?i! are ph"si all" and !entall" healthier than others is that the" behave in har!on" $ith their nature. Philosophi al s"ste!s opposed to hu!an nature al$a"s bring pain# sorro$# an5iet"# and depression in their $a:e. %he basi sour e of religious people=s pea e is that the" a t in order to gain 4od=s approval. *n other $ords# this pea e is the natural result of listening to the voi e of one=s ons ien e. People $ho live the !oralit" of religion si!pl" Ito be !ore at pea eI or Ito be healthierI annot live a ording to the !oralit" of religionJ those $ho a t $ith this intention annot find pea e in its true sense. 4od $ell :no$s $hat people store in their hearts and $hat the" reveal. Pea e of !ind o!es onl" b" being sin ere and atte!pting to gain 4od=s approval. 4od o!!ands8 S% set #%! )a$e )i &(# t%wa 1 the ?t !e@ e(i5i%", as a 3! e "at! a( be(ie4e , 0%12s "at! a( 3atte " %" whi$h He &a1e &a"6i"1. The e is "% $ha"5i"5 0%12s $ eati%". That is the t !e e(i5i%"Ab!t &%st 3e%3(e 1% "%t 6"%w it. 78! 2a", 30:30: *n light of these dis overies# !odern !edi ine is starting to be o!e a$are of this truth. As Patri : 4l"nn sa"s# I onte!porar" !edi ine is learl" !oving in the dire tion of a :no$ledging di!ensions of healing be"ond the purel" !aterial.I32

S%$iet#: The Fa(( %) +%&&!"is&, Fas$is&, a"1 the Hi33ie , ea&

%he ollapse of atheis! did not o ur onl" in astroph"si s# biolog"# ps" holog"# and !edi ineJ it also happened in politi s and so ial !oralit". %he ollapse of o!!unis! !a" be onsidered one of the !ost i!portant e5a!ples of this. Co!!unis! !a" be onsidered the !ost i!portant politi al result of nineteenth. entur" atheis!. %he founders of this ideolog"# >ar5# 'ngels# Pladi!ir 7enin G1-10.1,24H# 7eon %rots:" G1-1,.1,40H# or >ao ;edong G1-,3.1,1/H# all adopted atheis! as a basi prin iple. A pri!ar" goal of all o!!unist regi!es $as to produ e atheisti so ieties and destro" religious belief. Stalin=s Soviet Bnion# >ao=s Co!!unist China# 6a!pu hea GCa!bodiaH# Albania# and so!e 'astern blo ountries applied i!!ense pressure on >usli!s and other religious people# so!eti!es to the point of o!!itting !ass !urder. Fet# a!aEingl"# at the end of the 1,-0s# this blood" atheist s"ste! ollapsed. )hen $e e5a!ine the reasons for this dra!ati fall# $e see that $hat ollapsed $as a tuall" atheis!. Patri : 4l"nn $rites8 %o be sure# se ular historians $ould sa" that the greatest !ista:e of Co!!unis! $as to atte!pt to def" the la$s of e ono!i s. +ut other la$s# too# a!e into pla" L >oreover# as historians penetrate the ir u!stan es of the Co!!unist ollapse# it is be o!ing learer that the Soviet elite $as itself in the throes of an atheisti I risis of faith.I ?aving lived under an atheisti ideolog"Done that onsisted of lies and that $as based on a I+ig 7ieID the Soviet s"ste! suffered a radi al de!oraliEation# in ever" sense of that ter!. People#

in luding the ruling elite# lost all sense of !oralit" and all sense of hope.33 An interesting indi ation of the Soviet s"ste!=s great I risis of faithI $as President >i:hail 4orba hev=s G1,31. H atte!pted refor!s. 'ver sin e he be a!e general se retar" of the o!!unist part" G1,-0.,1H and assu!ed the Soviet presiden " in 1,,0# 4orba hev $as interested in !oral proble!s as $ell as e ono!i refor!s. For e5a!ple# one of the first things he did $as to initiate a a!paign against al oholis!. *n order to raise Soviet so iet"=s !orale# for a long ti!e he used >ar5ist.7eninist ter!inolog". +ut seeing that this $as of no use# he even began to !ention 4od in so!e of his spee hes# although he $as an atheist. Naturall"# these insin ere $ords of faith $ere of no use# and the risis of faith in Soviet so iet" ontinued to $orsen. Finall"# the giganti Soviet e!pire ollapsed in 1,,1. %he t$entieth entur" do u!ented not onl" the fall of o!!unis!# but also that of fas is!# another fruit of nineteenth. entur" anti.religious philosoph". Fas is! is the out o!e of a philosoph" that !a" be alled a !i5ture of atheis! and paganis!# and is intensel" hostile to theist religions. Friedri h NietEs he G1-44.1,00H# $ho !a" be alled the father of fas is!# e5tolled the !oralit" of barbarous idolatrous so ieties# atta :ed Christianit" and other !onotheisti religions# and even alled hi!self the IAnti.Christ.I ?is dis iple# >artin ?eidegger G1--,.1,1/H# $as an avid NaEi supporter# and the ideas of these t$o atheist thin:ers gave i!petus to the terrif"ing savager" of NaEi 4er!an". %he Se ond )orld )ar# $hi h aused the death of 00 !illion people# is another e5a!ple of the ala!it" that su h atheist ideologies as fas is! and o!!unis! have brought upon hu!anit". At this point# $e !ust re all So ial 3ar$inis!# another atheist ideolog" that helped ause both $orld $ars. *n his Europe #ince ,-./# ?arvard histor" professor (a!es (oll states that behind ea h of the t$o $orld $ars la" the philosophi al vie$s of So ial 3ar$inist 'uropean leaders $ho believed in the !"th that $ar $as a biologi al ne essit" and that nations developed through onfli t.34 Another so ial onseAuen e of atheis! appeared in )estern de!o ra ies. *n the present da"# there is a tenden " to regard the )est as the IChristian $orld.I ?o$ever# sin e the nineteenth entur"# a Aui :l" gro$ing atheist ulture has held s$a" $ith Christian ulture# and toda" there is a onfli t bet$een the! in $hat $e all )estern iviliEation. And this atheist ele!ent $as the true ause of )estern i!perialis!# !oral degeneration# despotis!# and other negative !anifestations. *n his God: The Evidence# A!eri an $riter Patri : 4l"nn dra$s attention to this !atter and# in order to o!pare the 4od.fearing and atheist ele!ents in the )est# ta:es the e5a!ples of the A!eri an and the Fren h revolutions. %he A!eri an revolution $as realiEed b" people $ho believed in 4od. %he A!eri an 3e laration of *ndependen e states that all !en Iare endo$ed b" their Creator $ith ertain unalienable rights.I Sin e the Fren h revolution $as the $or: of atheists# the Fren h 3e laration of ?u!an &ights $as different# $ith no referen e to 4od and full of atheist and neo.pagan notions. %he a tual results of the t$o revolutions $ere Auite different8 *n the A!eri an !odel# a relativel" !ore pea eful# tolerant environ!ent $as reated# one that respe ted religion and religious beliefJ in Fran e# the fier e hostilit" to religion dro$ned the ountr" in blood and unleashed a savager" that had no eAual in Fren h histor" up until that ti!e. As 4l"nn sa"s# Ithere is an interesting histori al orrelation bet$een atheis!# on the one hand# and !oral and politi al atastrophe# on the other hand.I30 4l"nn notes that atte!pts to turn A!eri a into an atheist ountr" also have har!ed so iet". %he fa t that the se5ual revolution# for e5a!ple# that spread during the 1,/0s and 1,10s aused i!!ense so ial da!age in

ter!s of traditional !oral values is a epted even b" se ular historians.3/ %he hippie !ove!ent $as a de!onstration of this so ial da!age. ?ippies believed that the" ould find spiritual e!an ipation through se ular hu!anist philosoph"# eastern philosophies# and b" su h things as unli!ited drugs and se5. %hese "oung people $ho poured into the streets $ith ro!anti songsDli:e (ohn 7ennon=s &ma+ine# released in 1,11 and in $hi h he spo:e of a $orld I$ith no ountries# and no religion tooID $ere a tuall" undergoing a !ass de eption. *n fa t# a $orld $ithout religion a tuall" brought the! to an unhapp" end. %he hipp" leaders of the 1,/0s either :illed the!selves or died fro! drug.indu ed o!as in the earl" 1,10s. >an" other "oung hippies shared a si!ilar fate. >e!bers of the sa!e generation $ho turned to violen e found the!selves on the re eiving end of violen e. %he 1,/- generation# $hi h turned its ba : on 4od and religion and i!agined the" ould find salvation in su h on epts as revolution or selfish 'pi ureanis!# ruined both the!selves and their o$n so ieties.

The M%4e&e"t T%wa 1 Re(i5i%!s M% a(it#

%he fa ts given above learl" sho$ that atheis! is undergoing an inevitable ollapse. *n other $ords# hu!anit" isDand $ill beDturning to$ard 4od# and not onl" in the s ientifi and politi al o!!unities. Fro! pro!inent states!en to !ovie stars and pop artists# those $ho influen e opinion in the )est are far !ore religious than the" used to be. >an" people have seen the truth and o!e to believe in 4od after having lived for "ears as atheists. GPatri : 4l"nn# fro! $hose boo: $e have Auoted# is one of these e5.atheists.H *nterestingl"# the develop!ents ontributing to this result also began in the se ond half of the 1,10s. %he anthropi prin iple first appeared in the 1,10s# and s ientifi riti is! of 3ar$inis! started to be loudl" voi ed at the sa!e ti!e. %he turning point against Freud=s atheist dog!a $as >. S ott Pe :=s The Road *ess Traveled. For this reason# 4l"nn# in the 1,,1 edition of his boo:# $rites that Iover the past t$ent" "ears# a signifi ant bod" of eviden e has e!erged# shattering the foundations of the long.do!inant !odern se ular $orldvie$.I31 Surel"# the fa t that the atheist $orldvie$ has been sha:en !eans that another $orldvie$ is rising# $hi h is belief in 4od. Sin e the end of the 1,10s Gor# fro! the beginning of the fourteenth entur" a ording to the >usli! alendarH# the $orld has seen a rise in religious values. 7i:e other so ial pro esses# be ause this develops over a long period of ti!e instead of all at on e# a !a@orit" of people !a" not noti e it. ?o$ever# those $ho evaluate the develop!ent a little !ore arefull" see that the $orld is at a !a@or turning point in the real! of ideas. Se ular historians tr" to e5plain this pro ess a ording to their o$n prin iples. ?o$ever# given that the" are in deep error $ith regard to 4od=s '5isten e# the" also are greatl" !ista:en about the ourse of histor". *n fa t# as the follo$ing verse reveals# histor" !oves as 4od has deter!ined8 /Y%! wi(( "%t )i"1 a"# $ha"5i"5 i" the 3atte " %) 0%1. Y%! wi(( "%t )i"1 a"# a(te ati%" i" the 3atte " %) 0%1./ 78! 2a", 3B: C3: *t follo$s# then# that histor" has a purpose and unfolds as 4od has o!!anded. And 4od=s o!!and is to perfe t ?is light8 The# 1esi e t% eDti"5!ish 0%12s Li5ht with thei &%!ths. -!t 0%1 e)!ses t% 1% %the tha" 3e )e$t

His Li5ht, e4e" th%!5h the !"be(ie4e s 1etest it. 78! 2a", <: 32: *n other $ords# 4od has sent ?is light to hu!anit" through the religion that ?e has revealed8 *sla!. %hose $ho do not believe $ant to e5tinguish this light b" their I!outhsID inti!ations# propaganda# and philosophies# but 4od $ill finall" perfe t ?is light and give do!inion to religious values.

+%"$(!si%"
)e are living at an i!portant ti!e. Atheis!# $hi h people have tried for hundreds of "ears to portra" as the I$a" of reason and s ien e#I is proving to be !ere irrationalit" and ignoran e. >aterialist philosoph"# $hi h sought to use s ien e for its o$n ends# has been defeated b" s ien e. A $orld res uing itself fro! atheis! $ill turn to 4od and religion. +ut# to $hat religion $ill it turnK )ith 4od=s per!ission# that religion $ill be *sla!. As $e $ill see in subseAuent hapters# this pro ess began long ago. Clearl"# >usli!s have i!portant duties in this period. %he" !ust be a$are of this !a@or hange in the $orld=s $a" of thin:ing# interpret it# !a:e good use of the han es and opportunities provided b" globaliEation# and effe tivel" represent the truth along this road. %he" !ust :no$ that the basi onfli t of ideas is bet$een atheis! and faith. *t is not a struggle bet$een 'ast and )est# for both of these ontain believers and atheists. For this reason# faithful Christians and faithful (e$s are allies of >usli!s. %he !ain divergen e is not bet$een >usli!s and the People of the +oo: G(e$s and ChristiansH# but bet$een >usli!s and the People of the +oo: on the one hand# and atheists and pagans on the other. 2f ourse $e !ust not sho$ hostilit" to su h peopleJ rather# $e !ust vie$ the! as people $ho need to be res ued fro! their error. %he ti!e is fast approa hing $hen !an" people $ho are living in ignoran e $ith no :no$ledge of religious !oralit" $ill be gra ed b" faith in the i!pending post.atheist $orld.

+HA.TER 2 THE RA.I, S.REA, OF ISLAM IN AMERE+A B0

*n the previous hapter# $e related that people $ere beginning to re@e t atheis! and turn to$ard religion# and as:ed for $hat religion the" $ere sear hing. %he gro$ing nu!ber of people turning to *sla! in the last fe$ "ears sho$s that the true ans$er to this Auestion is starting to be dis overed. 'ver" da"# interest in *sla! is in reasing throughout the $orld# and !an" people are onverting after reading the <ur=an and stud"ing the Prophet >uha!!ad=s life. *n addition# there are people $ho !a" have not started to pra ti e *sla! "et but $ho are ver" influen ed b" the <ur=an=s !oral tea hings and sa" that the best $a" of life for hu!an beings is the one des ribed in the <ur=an. %hirt" or fort" "ears ago# the great !a@orit" of people :ne$ al!ost nothing about *sla!J no$# *sla! has be o!e the !ost tal:ed about# $ritten about# and resear hed religion in the $orld# as $ell as the religion about $hi h the !ost progra!s have been prepared. 2f ourse# this state of affairs has ontributed to so iet"=s learning about *sla!. 2n the one hand# those involved in su h a tivities have e5panded their :no$ledge about *sla!J on the other hand# those to $ho! this infor!ation is dire ted !a" have ta:en the opportunit" for the first ti!e in their lives to gain :no$ledge about *sla!. So# it is fro! the la : of infor!ation or $rong infor!ation that people $ho have had little onta t $ith *sla! are o!ing to this religion in droves. %his !ove!ent is Auite noti eable in the Bnited States# a ountr" founded on religious values. )hen A!eri ans spea: about their ountr"# one of the things the" stress is that people fro! ever" religious ba :ground are free to live together in pea e and se urit". %his situation has given >usli!s i!!igrants a pla e to pra ti e their religion freel" and to tal: about their faith. As a result# the nu!ber of >usli!s in reases dail". *n spite of this# for "ears >usli!s have re!ained s!all in nu!bers and e ono!i all" and politi all" $ea:. +ut over the past 10 "ears# these e ono!i # so ial# and politi al diffi ulties have begun to disappear. *n so!e states# e5isting !osAues are filled to overflo$ing and ne$ ones have been built. ?undreds of *sla!i s hools# both full.ti!e and $ee:end# have opened and have had to e5pand to !eet enroll!ent figures. >an" o!panies have begun to set aside roo!s for their >usli! e!plo"ees# !an" ban:s have begun to open depart!ents that operate a ording to *sla!i la$# and !an" state institutions have begun to hire >usli!s for high.level positions. A re ent issue of hristianit$ Toda$# one of A!eri a=s best.:no$n !agaEines# ontained an arti le entitled IAre Christians Prepared for >usli!s in the >ainstrea!KI *t gives this a ount of *sla!=s rise in A!eri a8 *sla! ould be the se ond.largest religion in A!eri a b" 2010# surpassing (udais!# a ording to so!e esti!ates. +" other esti!ates# *sla! has a hieved that ran: alread". >usli!s !oving to the )est are hanging the ultural and religious lands ape. A hospital in 3etroit offers >usli! patients opies of the <ur=anJ 3enver *nternational Airport in ludes a hapel for >usli! pra"ersJ the B.S. Senate has invited a >usli! leri to open its session in pra"erJ the !ilitar" has hired four >usli! haplainsJ the )hite ?ouse sends greetings Gli:e its Christ!as ardsH on *d al.Fitr# the feast that ends &a!adanJ the Saudi Arabian '!bass" in )ashington 3.C. sends 100 <ur=ans a !onth to prisons $hile i!a!s Gspiritual

leadersH send volunteers to tea h Arabi . I2n Capitol ?ill L $ee:l" >usli! pra"er servi es and foru!s to e5pose ongressional staffers to >usli! vie$points have be o!e regular fare#I notes *ra &if:in of &eligion Ne$s Servi e GNov. 30# 1,,,H# Iand a bill has been introdu ed in Congress to issue a postage sta!p o!!e!orating &a!adan.I3%hese stri:ing develop!ents have attra ted the interest of !an" so iologists. 2ne of the !ost i!portant na!es asso iated $ith this issue is Professor 3ianne ' :# :no$n for oining the na!e IPluralis! Pro@e tI for an enterprise in interfaith dialogue. *n her boo:# A Ne) Reli+ious America# she gives an a ount of $hat she has deter!ined about *sla!=s rapid rise8 As >usli!s be o!e !ore nu!erous and visible in A!eri an so iet"# publi offi ials have begun to shift fro! spea:ing of I hur hes and s"nagoguesI to I hur hes# s"nagogues# and !osAues.I %he annual observan e of the &a!adan !onth of >usli! fasting no$ re eives publi noti e and be o!es the o asion for portraits of the >usli!s ne5t door in the (allas 0ornin+ Ne)s or the 0inneapolis #tar Tri%une. %he fast.brea:ing !eals alled IiftarI at the lose of ea h da" have be o!e !o!ents of re ognition. *n the late 1,,0s there $ere iftar observan es b" >usli! staffers on Capitol ?ill# in the Pentagon# and in the State 3epart!ent. *n 1,,/ the )hite ?ouse hosted the first observan e of the elebration of 'id al.Fitr at the end of the !onth of &a!adan# a pra ti e that has ontinued. %he sa!e "ear also sa$ the B.S. Nav" o!!ission its first >usli! haplain# 7ieutenant >. >ala: Abd al.>uta= Ali Noel# and in 1,,- the B.S. Nav"=s first !osAue $as opened on the Norfol: Naval +ase in Pirginia# $here 7ieutenant Noel $as stationed. )hen 00 sailors attend Frida" pra"ers at this fa ilit"# the" signal to all of us a ne$ era of A!eri an religious life.3, ' : onsiders these develop!ents a sign of the beginning of a ne$ age# one in $hi h *sla! $ill spread Aui :l"# not onl" throughout A!eri a but throughout the $orld.

,e4e(%3&e"ts A)te <F99

A!eri an interest in *sla! rea hed its pinna le in the last Auarter of 2001. %he !ost i!portant reason for this $as the ,/11 atta :s against the )orld %rade Center and the Pentagon. Several studies underta:en to deter!ine the roots of terrorist ideolog"# as $ell as investigations of *sla!# have enabled people to learn that *sla! is a pea eful religion that en@oins toleran e# @usti e# !er "# and love. *sla! has suddenl" be o!e a !a@or topi of dis ussion all over the $orld. >ore and !ore $orld.reno$ned states!en# politi al s ientists# resear hers# and thin:ers onsider it ne essar" to understand *sla! orre tl"# and have given spee hes underlining *sla!i toleran e and $illingness to rea h agree!ent. A!eri ans have approa hed >usli! organiEations in order to find the !ost a urate infor!ation about *sla! and *sla!i histor". As a result of this interest# the >iddle 'ast >edia &esear h *nstitute reported that after ,/11# 34#000 A!eri ans onverted to *sla!.40 %he 'g"ptian $ee:l" al1Ahram al1Ara%i published a letter b" 3r. )alid A. Fatihi of the ?arvard >edi al Fa ult". *n it# he stated that $hen he first heard of the atta :# he thought that the $or: he had done to introdu e *sla! to A!eri a $ould be set ba : b" 00 "ears. ?o$ever# he soon realiEed ho$ $rong he $as. ?e ontinues8 2n Saturda"# Septe!ber 10# * $ent $ith !" $ife and hildren to the biggest hur h in +oston# M%rinit" Chur h inN Cople" SAuare# b" offi ial invitation of the *sla!i So iet" of +oston# to represent *sla! b" spe ial invitation of the senators of +oston. Present $ere the !a"or of +oston# his $ife# and the heads of the

universities. %here $ere !ore than 1#000 people there ... * read an offi ial state!ent issued b" the leading >usli! leri s onde!ning the in ident Mi.e.# the atta :sN. %he state!ent e5plained *sla!=s stan e and prin iples# and its subli!e pre epts. After$ards# * read 6orani verses translated into 'nglishL 2ne said to !e8 I* do not understand the Arabi language# but there is no doubt that the things "ou said are the $ords of Allah.I 2n Sunda"# Septe!ber 1/# the *sla!i So iet" of +oston issued an open invitation to the *sla!i Center in Ca!bridge# lo ated bet$een ?arvard and >*%. )e did not e5pe t !ore than 100 people# but to our surprise !ore than 1#000 people a!e# a!ong the! the neighbors# the universit" le turers# !e!bers of the lerg"# and even the leaders of the priests fro! the nearb" hur hes# $ho invited us to spea: on *sla!. All e5pressed solidarit" $ith >usli!s. >an" Auestions flo$ed to us. 'ver"one $anted to :no$ about *sla! and to understand its pre eptsL %hat sa!e da"# * $as invited again to parti ipate in a !eeting in the hur h# and again * sa$ the sa!e things. 2n %hursda"# a delegation of 300 students and le turers fro! ?arvard visited the enter of the *sla!i So iet" of +oston# a o!panied b" the A!eri an A!bassador to Pienna. %he" sat on the floor of the !osAue# $hi h $as filled to apa it". )e e5plained to the! the pre epts of *sla!# and defended it fro! an" suspi ions Mpro!ulgated in the !ediaN. * again read to the! fro! the verses of Allah# and MtheirN e"es filled $ith tears. %he audien e $as !oved# and !an" as:ed to parti ipate in the $ee:l" lessons for non.>usli!s held b" the *sla!i CenterL 2n Frida"# Septe!ber 21# the >usli!s parti ipated in a losed !eeting $ith the governor of >assa husetts. *n the !eeting# a dis ussion $as held on introdu ing *sla! into the s hool urri ulu!# to infor! the MA!eri anN people and to fight ra is! against >usli!s arising fro! the A!eri an people=s ignoran e regarding the religion L %hese are onl" so!e of the e5a!ples of $hat happened and is happening in the it" of +oston# and in !an" other A!eri an ities# during these da"s. Prosel"tiEing in the na!e of Allah has not been under!ined# and has not been set ba : 00 "ears# as $e thought in the first da"s after Septe!ber 11. 2n the ontrar"# the 11 da"s that have passed are li:e 11 "ears in the histor" of prosel"tiEing in the na!e of Allah. * $rite to "ou toda" $ith the absolute onfiden e that over the ne5t fe$ "ears# *sla! $ill spread in A!eri a and in the entire $orld# Allah $illing# !u h !ore Aui :l" than it has spread in the past# be ause the entire $orld is as:ing# I)hat is *sla!QI41 2n a television progra! broad ast one $ee: after ,/11# ' : related $hat that event had hanged8 And "et !ost of us don=t reall" see it Mpositive hangesN. * thin: one of the real gifts# if $e ould all it that# of the last $ee: has been the re ognition that $e are religiousl" diverse in $a"s $e had never i!aginedL 42 %his in reased interest in *sla! aught the A!eri an press= attention# and the issue be a!e a topi on television ne$s progra!s. 2ne ne$spaper that too: up this issue $as The *os An+eles Times. An arti le entitled I'5pressions of Support Surprising to >usli!sI reported that one of the !ost une5pe ted results $as that A!eri ans had begun to stud" and investigate *sla!# and that this interest $as so intense that it even surprised >usli!s8 >an" A!eri ans also are investigating# so!e for the first ti!e# one of the $orld=s great faiths and oldest iviliEations. +oo:stores are selling out of opies of the 6oran. Bniversit" lasses and tea h.ins on the >iddle

'ast and *sla! are filled to apa it". >iddle 'ast s holars are being invited on television ne$s sho$s repeatedl" and being spotted on the street li:e elebrities. And !an" ever"da" >iddle 'asternersD>usli! or notDare fielding a dail" barrage of Auestions about *sla! fro! neighbors# o.$or:ers and strangersL I)e are over$hel!ed#I said >ah!oud Abdel.+aset# religious dire tor of the *sla!i Center of Southern California. Sin e the atta :s# the 7os Angeles.based enter has hosted a stead" strea! of dignitaries# in luding 4ov. 4ra" 3avis# 7os Angeles Count" Sheriff 7ee +a a and 7os Angeles >a"or (a!es 6. ?ahn... &i hard ?rair 3e:!e@ian# a BSC professor on >iddle 'astern politi s# said this thirst for :no$ledge about *sla! is a result of the po$erful i!pa t of the Sept. 11 atta :s and the general la : of religious :no$ledge in A!eri a.43 *n A!eri a toda"# the interest begun $ith ,/11 ontinues to intensif" and be o!e !ore $idespread. *n the follo$ing pages# $e $ill see the rise of *sla! in A!eri a. As $e loo: at all of these develop!ents# $e !ust :eep in !ind one basi fa t8 4od has given the good ne$s of ?is pro!ise to believers that true religion $ill be established a!ong hu!an beings. %he events $e have e5perien ed sho$ us that# 4od $illing# the fulfill!ent of this pro!ise is ver" near. For this reason# $e are living in a ru ial period and a ti!e of profound hange. +elievers !ust realiEe the value of this period# offer the best and !ost a urate infor!ation to those $ho are slo$l" turning to *sla!# ans$er their Auestions in the !ost satisfa tor" $a"# and be Eealous representatives of *sla!. As the verse belo$ sa"s# this is an i!portant harge given b" 4od to believers8 +a(( t% the wa# %) #%! L% 1 with wis1%& a"1 )ai a1&%"iti%", a"1 a 5!e with the& i" the 6i"1est wa#. Y%! L% 1 6"%ws best wh% is &is5!i1e1 ) %& His wa#. A"1 He 6"%ws best wh% a e 5!i1e1. 78! 2a", 9G: 92B:

M!s(i&s i" A&e i$a

%here are bet$een / and 1 !illion >usli!s in A!eri a toda". *n other $ords# >usli!s outnu!ber so!e Christian deno!inations and are eAual to the nu!ber of (e$s. &esear h done in the "ear 2000 b" pro!inent A!eri an universities and *sla!i foundations sho$ that the nu!ber of >usli!s is in reasing rapidl" and that *sla! is gro$ing stronger da" b" da". %he !ain the!e of this resear h# :no$n as the 0os2ue #tud$ Pro3ect# is the establish!ent of !osAues in A!eri a. %he reason for this is that !osAues o up" a ver" spe ial pla e in an" statisti al o!pilations done $ith regard to the A!eri an >usli! o!!unit". >osAues in A!eri a are both houses of $orship and gathering pla es for tal:ing $ith one another and laun hing ultural a tivities to !a:e *sla! !ore $idel" :no$n. 'ver" !osAue establishes a relationship $ith the press to introdu e *sla! to a $ider audien e# spea:s $ith lo al politi ians# visits s hools and hur hes# engages in interfaith dialogue and arries on other su h a tivities. %hus# resear h done on these !osAues is one of the !ost useful tools for gathering a urate and enlightening infor!ation on this o!!unit"=s state. A ording to this resear h# A!eri a no$ has about 1#20, !osAues# !ost of $hi h $ere onstru ted ver" re entl". %hirt" per ent of these !osAues $ere built in the 1,,0s# and 32R $ere built in the 1,-0s. 2ther statisti s sho$ that in 1,,4# the total nu!ber of !osAues in A!eri a $as ,/2J in 2000# there $as a 20R in rease in this nu!ber.

%hese data sho$ a natural parallel $ith the gro$ing nu!ber of >usli!s. For e5a!ple# a ording to deter!inations !ade in 1,,4# the nu!ber of >usli!s attending !osAue servi es $as 000#000J in 2000# this figure had in reased to 2 !illionDan appro5i!atel" 300R in rease. A signifi ant part of this nu!ber is o!posed of people $ho onverted to *sla!. %he sa!e resear h sho$s that about 30R of those $orshippers are onverts. A ording to these data# about 20#000 A!eri ans a ept *sla! ever" "ear.44 %he above figures are the result of resear h done before ,/11 and rel" on data fro! the "ear 2000. *n 2001# espe iall" after ,/11# these figures have in reased several fold. %his rapid gro$th of *sla! in A!eri a is related in a ne$s arti le# I*sla! *s 4ro$ing in A!eri a#I on the A!eri an ar!" *nternet site G$$$.defenselin:.!ilH >usli!s# those $ho believe in *sla!# are ever"$here in the Bnited States. %he" !a" be "our do tor or drive "our ta5i. %he" !a" serve "ou in restaurants or advise "ou in la$. And the" in reasingl" !a" be in the sa!e fo5hole# !anning the sa!e position or $or:ing on the sa!e air raft as "ou L *n the Bnited States# *sla! is the fastest gro$ing religion L40 A Ne) 4or5 Times arti le# I*sla! Attra ts Converts b" the %housands#I ontains intervie$s $ith onverts# anal"Ees *sla!=s rapid rise in A!eri a# and states8 )ith so!e / !illion adherents in the Bnited States# *sla! is said to be the nation=s fastest.gro$ing religion# fueled b" i!!igration# high birth rates and $idespread onversion. 2ne e5pert esti!ates that 20#000 people a "ear be o!e >usli!s in this ountr"J so!e leri s sa" the" have seen onversion rates Auadruple sin e Sept. 11.4/ An A" Ne)s seg!ent# I*sla!8 &ising %ide in A!eri a#I reported that so!e so iologists predi t that $ithin 10 "ears there $ill be !ore >usli!s than (e$s in A!eri a.41 %he ontinuall" rising influen e of *sla! has provided better opportunities for >usli!s living in A!eri a. 2ne pla e $here this gro$th and develop!ent is !ost noti eable is in 3earborn# >i higan. An arti le in the (etroit Ne)s about the spread of *sla!# parti ularl" in 3earborn# !entioned the it"=s gro$ing nu!ber of !osAues. +ut# a ording to the arti le# this is not the onl" sign of *sla!=s rising influen eJ the effe ts of this gro$th an be seen in restaurants# shopping enters# and hospitals. For the first ti!e in >i higan# in a > 3onald=s restaurant# !eals are available using !eat ut a ording to *sla!i la$. Pro!inent super!ar:ets in 3earborn have begun to sell IhalalI !eat. 2a:$ood ?ospital offi ials have started to ad@ust the hospital=s !eal servi e espe iall" for >usli! patients. >oreover# throughout the !onth of &a!adan# the afeteria=s servi e hours are arranged to suit >usli!s.47i:e 3earborn# >usli!s in Chi ago are also Aui :l" gaining influen e. ?ere# the >usli! o!!unit" is distinguished b" its high level of edu ation and prosperit". &esear h ondu ted in the 1,,0s de!onstrated that 1/R of the >usli! o!!unit"=s !e!bers $ere !edi al do tors# 33R $ere engineers# 44R had do torate degrees# -4R had at least a ba helor=s degree# and onl" 2R had less than a high s hool edu ation. >oreover# >usli!s= ontributions to Chi ago $ere highlighted. For e5a!ple# the ar hite t of the (ohn ?an o : Center and the Sears %o$er $as a >usli!8 3r. FaElur &ah!an. %here is hardl" a hospital $ithout a >usli! do tor on its staff and there is hardl" an engineering or ele troni eAuip!ent !anufa turer $ithout >usli! engineers.4,

M!s(i&s i" the A&e i$a" A &#

%he >usli! presen e in the A!eri an ar!" is in reasing da" b" da". At the beginning of the 1,,0s there $ere 2#000 >usli!s in the ar!"J no$ there are bet$een 10#000 and 20#000 soldiers. 00 %here are t$o reasons for this rapid in rease8 the general in rease of the >usli! population in A!eri a and that so!e soldiers $ho served in >usli! ountries onverted. %heir ontinual in rease has allo$ed the! to perfor! their religious duties in pea e. %he first of these $as the ar!"=s appoint!ent of a >usli! haplain to !inister to >usli! soldiers# an i!portant indi ation that the >usli!s= presen e in the ar!" has been offi iall" re ogniEed. Colonel ?er!an 6eiEer spo:e of this fa t in a 1,,4 spee h8 I%his refle ted the gro$ing nu!ber of >usli!s in the servi es over the past 10 "ears. *t !irrors gro$th in the BS so iet" L $here *sla! is the fastest gro$ing religion in the Bnited States.I01 As a result# the ar!" has !ade so!e on essions to !a:e life easier for >usli! soldiers. For e5a!ple# por: is not in luded in their !eals# the" an perfor! their Frida" ongregational pra"ers# and those $ho $ish to !a:e pilgri!age have an easier ti!e of fulfilling this obligation. %hese on essions $ere reported in the Washin+ton Post in 1,,-8 3uring &a!adan# $hen >usli!s refrain fro! food and drin: during da"light hours# !ilitar" o!!anders are urged to a o!!odate their fasting servi e!en and $o!enDe5 using the!# in so!e ases# fro! rigorous ph"si al e5er ise. %he o!!anders also allo$ fle5ible $or: hours so >usli!s an ta:e iftar# the traditional fast.ending !eal# and attend the so ial gatherings and o!!unit" pra"ers that usuall" follo$.02 %hus the A!eri an ar!ed for es are genuinel" interested in >usli!s and tr" to !eet their needs $hen possible. 2ne of the !ain reasons for this is ertainl" the religious hara ter of the A!eri an people. %he belief of !an" A!eri ans in 4od has led the! to adopt a respe tful and tolerant attitude to$ard >usli!s# espe iall" after the" have learned about *sla!i values. 2n of the best instan es of this an be seen in an address given b" the for!er 3eput" 3efense Se retar" (ohn ?a!re8 * thin: that as >usli!s and as Christians# $e understand $hat it !eans to live under a $orld of authorit" Dthe authorit" that=s been revealed to us b" 4odL. )e are partners and $e are friends and $e elebrate $ith our *sla!i brothers and sisters tonight in this feast# and throughout the "ear. *n an A!eri a that so!eti!es is too bus" $orr"ing about the latest fad in lothes# or the ne$est !odel of ar or other !aterial things# it is good to be $ith people $ho thin: in a broader $a"# $ho thin: about their relationship to 4od# $ho thin: about harit"# al!s giving# as one of the entral !andates of life. %his is a great thing. Fou=re a great people to be $ith.03

Is(a& i" the A&e i$a" Me1ia

%oda"# the !edia is one of the !ost influential fa tors in for!ing publi opinion# for it instills in people either a s"!path" for or an aversion to a parti ular issue and gets the! to a ept or oppose it. ?o$ the !edia has influen ed the A!eri an people=s vie$ of *sla! is a ase in point. Bntil re entl"# *sla! generall" had a bad press in ertain se tors of the A!eri an !edia# $hi h tried to onvin e people that *sla! $as an Arab religion and that negative stereot"pes of Arabs $ere generall" true. +ut

this false infor!ation and pre@udi ed vie$ had e5a tl" the opposite effe t8 Contrar" to the e5pe ted alienation of publi opinion fro! *sla!# it be a!e the fastest gro$ing religion in A!eri a. %hese reports brought >usli!s and *sla! into the lives of the A!eri an people. *n this $a"# !an" $ho :ne$ nothing about *sla! $ere infor!ed and began to ta:e an interest in it. %his is also a realiEation of the <ur=ani verse8 /It &a# be that #%! hate s%&ethi"5 whe" it is 5%%1 )% #%!, a"1 it &a# be that #%! (%4e s%&ethi"5 whe" it is ba1 )% #%!. 0%1 6"%ws a"1 #%! 1% "%t 6"%w/ 78! 2a", 2: 29G: %he !edia reports that see!ed negative at the first loo: be a!e a !eans $hereb" !ore a urate reports $ere !ade that $ould prevent the disse!ination of false infor!ation about *sla! and present *sla! in a better $a". %he !edia fo used upon >usli!s be ause of the rapid gro$th of the >usli! population. So# during the 1,,0s *sla! and >usli!s be a!e one of the !ost i!portant topi s in the A!eri an !edia. Nearl" all of these reports highlighted a uratel" the $a" >usli!s thin: and $hat the" believe# and infor!ed non.>usli!s about *sla!. %he" e5plained the dail" lives and $orldvie$s of >usli!s# and gave pro!inen e to the vie$s of re ent onverts. At the sa!e ti!e# these reports often ontained spe ial se tions on *sla!i histor"# the funda!entals of *sla!# and the <ur=an. *nternet pages belonging to radio and television stations also presented the addresses of *sla!i sites so that people ould obtain infor!ation !ore easil". %his pro ess of infor!ation a elerated as a result of the publi interest after ,/11. Nearl" all !a@or ne$spapers began to as: $hether or not terroris! $as inherent to *sla! and to offer o!prehensive reports ontaining the vie$s of a ade!i s# lerg"# historians# and so ial s ientists. As a result# the A!eri an people on e again sa$ that *sla! is a pea eful religion# and learned that their religious beliefs had !an" things in o!!on $ith those of the >usli!s. %his situation ertainl" pla"ed an i!portant role in the gro$ing interest in *sla!. 3uring this ti!e# !an" people $ho $ere largel" ignorant of *sla! and did not have eas" a ess to a urate infor!ation ould no$ edu ate the!selves $ith relative ease.

The 8! 2a" Has -e$%&e the -est Se((i"5 -%%6 i" A&e i$a
%he ,/11 traged" aused the gro$th of *sla! in A!eri a to a elerate greatl". 2ne of the learest indi ations of this is that after the atta :s# the <ur=an be a!e the best.selling boo: in !an" states for a long ti!e. A!eri an interest in the <ur=an in reased to su h an e5tent that Penguin +oo:s# one of the best.:no$n publishers of the <ur=an in 'nglish# reported that it had printed 20#000 e5tra opies after ,/11.04 !#A Toda$ reported on this intense interest in IPeople )ant to 6no$# so 6oran is +estseller#I sa"ing that sales of the <ur=an had in reased b" five ti!es.00 )hen as:ed for his vie$ on this !atter# a leading e5pert in *sla!# (ohn 'sposito# e!phasiEed an i!portant point8 %he strength of the <ur=an is that a >usli!# or an"one# an open it to an" page and get a !essage dealing $ith life=s !eaning.0/ *n addition to be o!ing a best seller# so!e publi s hools as:ed their students to !e!oriEe so!e <ur=ani verses. For e5a!ple# seventh grade students in +"ron# California# publi s hool s"ste! $ere to ta:e a three.$ee: ourse to give the! detailed infor!ation about the tenets of *sla!. *n this ourse# the" $ere to

!e!oriEe <ur=ani verses# learn about *sla!i histor" and the life of Prophet >uha!!ad# and even !a:e spee hes to the lass using >usli! na!es that the" had hosen for the!selves. And this progra! $as put into effe t i!!ediatel". Along $ith this# it $as proposed that students learn ho$ >usli!s pra" and $hat *sla!=s religious duties are.01 People in the state of >aine had a ver" :een interest in *sla!. A fe$ da"s after ,/11# there $as a large in rease in sales of the <ur=an and boo:s on *sla!i histor". 2n Septe!ber 22# the "an+or (ail$ Ne)s reported on the people=s interest in *sla! in I>ainers Stud"ing %enets of *sla!.I %his arti le said# in part8 As A!eri ans struggle to o!e to ter!s $ith last $ee:=s events# >ainers apparentl" are turning to en " lopedias# histor" boo:s# biographies# te5tboo:s and the <ur=an itself to understand $hat the !a@orit" of >usli!s believe. 4ig )ee:s of +oo: >ar =s in do$nto$n +angor said )ednesda" the store had sold all but one op" of the <ur=anL. She said several of the titles are on ba : order until publishers an reprint the!. Staffers at +orders +oo:s# >usi and CafS in +angor reported the" had sold five opies of the <ur=an sin e Sept. 11# o!pared $ith the t$o opies that had been sold bet$een (an. 1 and Sept. 10.0%he arti le gave further infor!ation about this interest. For e5a!ple# students at +angor %heologi al S hool# $ho nor!all" stud" about *sla! to$ard the end of the s hool "ear# $anted to start the ourse right a$a"# and so 3ana Sa$"er# one of the s hool=s tea hers# started a ourse about the <ur=an and the Prophet=s life. *n this ourse# Sa$"er said that de laring all >usli!s to be terrorists $as the sa!e as sa"ing that all Christians are responsible for a ri!e o!!itted b" one Christian.0, The Guardian featured an arti le b" (ere!" &if:in# the $ell.:no$n A!eri an e ono!ist# in $hi h he said that he $as asha!ed that he had not read an"thing about *sla! prior to ,/11# and that no$ he $as not the onl" one engaged in learning about *sla!8 *=! asha!ed to ad!it it# but before Septe!ber 11# * didn=t pa" !u h attention to *sla!. * had a ursor" :no$ledge of the histori al struggle bet$een *srael and its Arab neighbors. * :ne$ a bit about the struggle $ith the $est over oil.... *t too: the deaths of 0#000 A!eri ans in a horrifi a t of terroris! to get !" attention. 7i:e so !an" others# * have been reading up on *sla!Dits tenets# internal struggles# . . . visions. . . # its si!ilarities and deep differen es $ith Christianit" and the )est... *=! not alone. Seven of the 10 lead boo:s on the Ne) 4or5 Times paperba : bestseller list are devoted to *sla!. %he 6oran has be o!e a bestseller. %he $hole $orld# it see!s# has been onverted into a lassroo! as $e tr" to !a:e sense out of the tragi events of Septe!ber 11 and its after!ath./0

The Rise O) Is(a& Wi(( +%"ti"!e

All of these develop!ents indi ate so!ething stri:ing8 *sla! is spreading Aui :l" in A!eri a and graduall" gaining po$er. %he o!ing hapters $ill sho$ ho$ this gro$th is not li!ited to A!eri a# but ho$ *sla! is spreading ever"$here in the $orld. %hese are ver" signifi ant develop!ents and# 4od $illing# are signs of !an" !ore i!portant develop!ents. %herefore# these events are good ne$s for believers and a ause for @o" and e5 ite!ent. *n the <ur=an# 4od announ es that true religion $ill indeed triu!ph# as in8 It is He Wh% se"t His Messe"5e with 5!i1a"$e a"1 the T !e Re(i5i%" t% eDa(t it %4e e4e # %the e(i5i%", th%!5h the i1%(ate s hate it. 78! 2a", G9: <: %hus# $hile evaluating these develop!ents $e !ust not forget that all of the! are pro!ises of 4od. Su h an attitude is i!portant# if the" are to be appre iated as the" should be. 2ther$ise# these events $ill be regarded as

ordinar" happenings in the general flo$ of life and si!pl" as the results of a fe$ politi al develop!ents. +ut the truth is Auite different. *n fa t# 4od has deter!ined ever" !o!ent that $e e5perien e a ording to ?is 3estin" for us. )here and ho$ people approa h *sla!# ho$ !an" <ur=ans a boo:store sells# ho$ a state offi ial begins to ta:e in interest in *sla! and $hen# $here# and ho$ this interest $ill be e5pressed are all develop!ents that 4od has alread" deter!ined. Although $e :no$ that 4od reates a reason for ever" event# $e !ust al$a"s re!e!ber that ?e has alread" deter!ined our destin". 4iven this a$areness# $e realiEe that $e should than: 4od for the blessing of reating us to live in this ti!e# $hen su h i!portant develop!ents are ta:ing pla e. )e sa" this be ause ever" event that $e e5perien e is a step leading to greater and !ore i!portant develop!ents# and ever" su h event announ es the good ne$s that the blessed ti!e for $hi h >usli!s have been $aiting for enturies is approa hing. 2ur than:sgiving for this blessing !ust ta:e the for! of both $ords and deeds. *n other $ords# $e !ust $or: to Aui :en the spread of the <ur=an=s !oral tea hings# struggle against an" irreligious ideologies and ideas that i!pede this develop!ent# and ta:e ever" opportunit" to onve" these tea hings. 2ne other point also should be :ept in !ind8 Along $ith this rise# >usli!s ould ontinue to fa e various pressures fro! ertain Auarters. ?o$ever# su h on erns are be"ond the s ope of this boo:. Nevertheless# the" annot !a:e us ignore the fa t of *sla!=s rapid gro$th throughout the $orld# the in reasing interest in *sla!# and the ontinued gro$th of the >usli! population. %hus $e !ust not onfuse interest in *sla!# espe iall" in the )est# $ith the pre@udi ed# anti.*sla!# and anti.>usli! attitudes and hostile stan es observed in so!e ir les. %hese t$o topi s !ust be dis ussed separatel". Si!ilarl"# $hen the )estern $orld e5a!ines *sla!# it !ust onsider the !oral values of the <ur=an and those $ho have sin erel" adopted the!. *f the" do not# instead of !a:ing de isions and poli ies that $ould ontribute to $orld pea e and ensure se urit" and $ell.being# differen es ould be !agnified and dialogue i!paired. %he basis for a dialogue bet$een t$o iviliEations $ill be established b" the good$ill of believers# $ho ons ientiousl" live a ording to the high !oralit" that 4od o!!anded. Strengthening su h a dialogue !eans that ever" vie$point and ideolog" that violentl" agitates against pea e and $ell.being b" fo!enting onfli t# argu!ent# and $ar $ill be eradi ated. %he funda!ental support for the struggle against terror# violen e# and ever" !ove!ent that da!ages $orld pea e !ust be negotiation# dialogue# and a dis ussion at the level of ideas. %his approa h is the best $a" to prevent steps ta:en to bring $orld so ieties into pea e and se urit" fro! inadvertentl" har!ing inno ent people and being used for other purposes.

+HA.TER 3 EURO.E AN, ISLAM

Is(a&: E! %3e2s Se$%"1 La 5est Re(i5i%"
As in the rest of the $orld# *sla! is in the !idst of a rapid gro$th in 'urope. %his develop!ent has been attra ting !ore attention in re ent "ears# as eviden ed b" the !an" theses# reports# and arti les published on Ithe pla e of >usli!s in 'uropeI and Idialogue bet$een 'uropean so iet" and >usli!s.I Along $ith these a ade!i reports# the !edia has arried freAuent reports about *sla! and >usli!s. %he root of this interest lies in the ontinual gro$th of >usli! population figures in 'urope# and that this in rease annot be as ribed solel" to i!!igration. )hile i!!igration ertainl" has had a signifi ant effe t on the >usli! population=s gro$th# so !an" resear hers have addressed this !atter for Auite another reason8 high onversion rates. %he &o!an Catholi Chur h# headAuartered in Pati an Cit"# is one of the institutions that follo$s onversion trends. 2ne of the !ain topi s during the 2 tober 1,,, !eeting of the 'uropean s"nod# $hi h $as attended b" al!ost all of the Catholi lerg"# $as the Chur h=s position in the ne$ !illenniu!. %he onferen e=s !ain the!e $as the rapid gro$th of *sla! in 'urope. %he National atholic Reporter reported that so!e radi al individuals stated that the onl" $a" to prevent >usli!s= gaining po$er in 'urope $as to stop tolerating >usli!s and *sla!J other !ore ob@e tive and rational individuals unders ored the fa t that sin e the t$o religions believe in one 4od# there should be no roo! for an" onfli t or struggle bet$een the!. *n one session# Ar hbishop 6arl 7eh!ann of 4er!an" stressed that there is !ore internal pluralis! $ithin *sla! than !an" Christians per eive# and that the radi als= lai!s about *sla! had no basis in truth./1 Considering the position of >usli!s $hen elu idating the Chur h=s position in the ne$ !illenniu! $as Auite proper# for a 1,,, Bnited Nations= surve" sho$ed that bet$een 1,-, and 1,,-# 'urope=s >usli! population gre$ b" !ore than 100 per ent./2 %oda"# about 13 !illion >usli!s live in )estern 'urope8 3., !illion in 4er!an"# 3.3 !illion in +ritain# 1.0 !illion in Fran e# and the rest in other ountries./3 &elevant resear h also has revealed that $hile the nu!ber of >usli!s in 'urope ontinues to gro$# there is a deepening of religious a$areness a!ong >usli!s. A ording to a surve" ondu ted b" the Fren h ne$spaper *e 0onde in 2 tober 2001# o!pared to data olle ted in 1,,4# !an" >usli!s ontinue to perfor! their pra"ers# go to the !osAue# and fast. %his a$areness is seen !u h !ore a!ong universit" students./4 *n an A5tuel !agaEine arti le# $hi h $as based on reports in the foreign press# )estern resear hers said that 'urope $ould be o!e one of the !ost i!portant enters for the disse!ination of *sla! about 00 "ears later./0 Along $ith this so iologi al and de!ographi resear h# $e also !ust not forget that 'urope has not be o!e a Auainted $ith *sla! onl" re entl"# but that *sla! is a tuall" an inseparable part of 'urope.

The Hist% # %) Is(a& i" E! %3e

'urope and the real! of *sla! have had lose relations $ith ea h other for enturies. First# the state of Andalusia G10/.14,2H on the *berian Peninsula# and later the Crusades G10,0.12,1H and the 2tto!an apture of the +al:ans G13-,H# brought about a onstant interrelation bet$een the t$o so ieties. >an" historians and so iologists assert toda" that *sla! $as the leading ause of 'urope=s !ove!ent fro! the dar:ness of its >iddle Ages to the brillian e of its &enaissan e. At a ti!e $hen 'urope $as ba :$ard in !edi ine# astrono!"# !athe!ati s# and !an" other fields# >usli!s possessed a vast treasure of :no$ledge and great possibilities of develop!ent. %he first event that !ade 'uropeans a$are of *sla!=s o!ing i!portant pla e in their lives $as the aliph =B!ar ibn al.6hattab=s apture of (erusale! G/3-H. %his aused 'urope to realiEe for the first ti!e that *sla! $as spreading and approa hing its o$n borders. %he !ain reason for the Crusades# laun hed four enturies later# $as to ta:e (erusale! ba : fro! the >usli!s. +ut the Crusaders $ho set out for this purpose gained so!ething else# for the onta t the" !ade $ith the >usli! $orld $as the first step to$ard 'urope=s rebirth. 3o!inated b" dar:ness# onfli t# $ar# and despotis!# 'urope en ountered the *sla!i $orld=s advan ed iviliEation and sa$ that its inhabitants $ere both highl" prosperous and iviliEed# as $ell as Auite advan ed in the fields of !edi ine# astrono!"# and !athe!ati s as in their so ial lives. %he" also sa$ that values rarel" found in 'urope at that ti!e Ge.g.# pluralis!# toleran e# understanding# o!passion# and self.sa rifi eH $ere aspe ts of the high !oralit" e5pressed b" >usli!s# $ho $ere a$are of their religious responsibilities. >ean$hile# as the Crusades ontinued# 'uropean so ieties also had relations $ith a >usli! so iet" !u h loser to ho!e8 the >usli! :ingdo! of Andalusia# lo ated in the southern part of their o$n ontinent. Andalusia had a great ultural influen e upon 'urope until its de!ise in the late fifteenth entur". >an" historians $ho have studied Andalusia=s influen e upon 'urope agree that this :ingdo!# $ith its so ial stru ture and high level of iviliEation# $as far !ore advan ed than the rest of 'urope# and that it $as one of the prin iple fa tors in the develop!ent of 'uropean iviliEation. %he pro!inent Spanish historian +lan o *baTeE $rites that8 3efeat in Spain did not o!e fro! the northJ the >usli! onAuerors a!e fro! the south. %his $as !u h !ore than a vi tor"# it $as a leap of iviliEation. +e ause of this# the ri hest and !ost brilliant iviliEation :no$n in 'urope $as born and flourished throughout the >iddle Ages bet$een the -th and the 10th enturies. 3uring this period northern peoples $ere shattered b" religious $ars# and $hile the" !oved about in bloodthirst" hoards# the population of Andalusia surpassed 30 !illion. *n this nu!ber# $hi h $as high for the ti!e# ever" ra e and religion !oved freel" and $ith eAualit"# and the pulse of so iet" $as ver" livel".// )ith its $ell.illu!inated streets# the apital Cordoba provided a stri:ing ontrast to the 'uropean ities and a ording to the 'nglish historian (ohn ). 3raper# ISeven hundred "ears after this ti!e# there $as not so !u h as one publi la!p in 7ondon. *n Paris# enturies later# $hoever stepped over his threshold on a rain" da" stepped up to his an:les in !ud.I/1 Andalusia finall" eased to e5ist in 14,2 $ith the fall of 4ranada# the last >usli! :ingdo! on the *berian Peninsula. +ut no$# 'uropeans a!e fa e to fa e $ith the 2tto!an '!pire# $hi h $as beginning to advan e in the +al:ans during the fifteenth entur" as a result of several vi tories and !ass onversions a!ong the +al:an people. %his onversion $as never for ed or obtained b" pressure. *n ti!e# the *sla!i !oralit" put in pla e b" the 2tto!ans brought those $ho $itnessed it to hoose *sla! freel". 2tto!an iviliEation# built on the <ur=ani

!oral values of @usti e# eAualit"# toleran e# and o!passion# re!ained in the +al:ans for 400 "ears# and its tra es an still be seen there. GA large nu!ber of these re!ains $ere destro"ed b" Serbian troops and !issiles during the $ar in +osnia# but this does not hange the fa ts of histor".H %his <ur=ani .based iviliEation !ade *sla! an i!portant part of 'urope. 'ven toda"# Auite a large nu!ber of 'uropean >usli!s live in the +al:ans. 2ne person $ho believes that 'uropean iviliEation has learned !u h fro! *sla! and that the t$o iviliEations have al$a"s been inti!atel" onne ted is Charles# Prin e of )ales. Prin e Charles des ribes *sla!i iviliEation and $hat Andalusia and the 2tto!an e5perien e in the +al:ans has taught 'urope8 3iplo!a "# free trade# open borders# the te hniAues of a ade!i resear h# of anthropolog"# etiAuette# fashion# alternative !edi ine# hospitals# all a!e fro! this great it" of ities. >ediaeval *sla! $as a religion of re!ar:able toleran e for its ti!e# allo$ing (e$s and Christians to pra ti e their inherited beliefs# and setting an e5a!ple $hi h $as not# unfortunatel"# opied for !an" enturies in the )est. %he surprise# ladies and gentle!en# is the e5tent to $hi h *sla! has been a part of 'urope for so long# first in Spain# then in the +al:ans# and the e5tent to $hi h it has ontributed so !u h to$ards the iviliEation $hi h $e all too often thin: of# $rongl"# as entirel" )estern. *sla! is part of our past and present# in all fields of hu!an endeavour. *t has helped to reate !odern 'urope. *t is part of our o$n inheritan e# not a thing apart./%he S$edish a!bassador *ng!ar 6arlsson# :no$n in %ur:e" for his boo: &slam and Europe# sa"s that in the Andalusian period# Christians# >usli!s# and (e$s lived together in pea e and that this should be ta:en as a !odel in 'urope. ?igh representative for the *nternational Co!!unit" in +osnia.?erEegovina# )olfgang Petrits h# stresses in an arti le in the Nove!ber 20# 2001 edition of the Ne) 4or5 Times that the struggle against terror !ust not be dire ted against *sla! and that it !ust never be forgotten that *sla! is a tuall" a part of 'urope. *n his arti le# I*sla! is Part of the )est# %oo#I he states8 I)hen $e step be"ond the us.and.the! paradig!# $e !ight re!e!ber that *sla! is part of the 'uropean tradition.I/, 6eeping this histori al fa t in !ind is one $a" to prevent the haos desired b" those provo ateurs $ho put for$ard the I lash of iviliEationsI thesis. 3ifferen es in iviliEation are not reasons for onfli tJ rather# the" an be an i!portant !eans of advan ing dialogue.

E! %3ea" Lea1e s a"1 Is(a&

'uropean leaders have onsidered t$o fa ts ver" arefull"8 %here $ill be no onfli t bet$een *sla! and Christianit"# and *sla! has not allied itself $ith terroris!. >ost 'uropean govern!ental leaders and pro!inent politi ians have sent !essages o!!ending *sla! and e5pressing their interest in its !oral tea hings. As !entioned above# Prin e Charles has a lose onne tion $ith *sla!. ?e first e5pressed this at 25ford in 1,,3. Sin e that ti!e# he has had lose relations $ith >usli!s living in 'ngland and has attended !an" !eetings and openings organiEed b" >usli!s. ?e also has e5pressed his ad!iration for *sla! !an" ti!es. At )ilson Par: in 1,,/# he !ade his ad!iration for *sla! lear# as $ell as the reasons for it. Stressing the follo$ing points# he stated8 * feel that $e in the )est ould be helped to redis over the roots of our o$n understanding b" an appre iation of the *sla!i tradition=s deep respe t for the ti!eless traditions of the natural order.... >odern !aterialis! is unbalan ed and in reasingl" da!aging in its long.ter! onseAuen es.... +ut during the past three

enturies# in the )estern $orld at least# a dangerous division has o urred in the $a" $e per eive the $orld around us. S ien e has tried to assu!e a !onopol"# even a t"rann"# over our understanding. &eligion and s ien e have be o!e separated... )e are onl" no$ beginning to gauge the disastrous results... S ien e has done the inesti!able servi e of sho$ing us a $orld !u h !ore o!ple5 than $e ever i!agined. +ut in its !odern# !aterialist# one.di!ensional for!# it annot e5plain ever"thing.... %his M!aterialistN vie$ is Auite ontrar"# for e5a!ple# to the outloo: of the >usli! rafts!an or artist# $ho is never on erned $ith displa" for its o$n sa:e# nor $ith progressing ever for$ard in his o$n ingenuit"# but is ontent to sub!it a !an=s raft to 4od. %hat outloo: refle ts# * believe# the !e!orable passage in the 6oran8 I$hithersoever "ou turn there is the fa e of 4od and 4od is all.'!bra ing# all.6no$ingI.... %here are !an" $a"s in $hi h !utual understanding and appre iation an be built. Perhaps# for instan e# $e ould begin b" having !ore >usli! tea hers in +ritish s hools# or b" en ouraging e5 hanges of tea hers. 'ver"$here in the $orld people $ant to learn 'nglish. +ut in the )est# in turn# $e need to be taught b" *sla!i tea hers ho$ to learn $ith our hearts# as $ell as our heads.10 %hrough the Prin e Foundation# Prin e Charles has sought to benefit >usli!s. %he 25ford *sla!i &esear h Center# $hi h began its a tivities in 1,,3# $as founded $ith his sponsorship. %he Pisual *sla!i and %raditional Arts depart!ent# $hi h arries on its a tivities in on@un tion $ith his foundation# $or:s to provide# a!ong other things# the so iologi al and e ono!i !eans to support the traditions and ultures of +ritish >usli!s# over the osts of edu ation for >usli! hildren# and establish interreligious dialogue. 7atel"# through this se tion# the prin e raised 10 !illion pounds for the >usli! Centre Pro@e t to be established in 7ondon.11 Prin e Charles is espe iall" on erned $ith edu ating >usli! "outh. *n 2001# for the first ti!e he invited >usli!s to attend a &a!adan elebration in +u :ingha! Pala e# and there e5pressed his thoughts on this !atter to spe iall" invited >usli! "oung people. %he event $as reported in The 0uslim Ne)s in the follo$ing $ords8 ?e $el o!ed the Igreater sensitivit" and i!aginationI offered b" >usli! "outh# be ause $ithout that I$e $ill be o!e so !u h !ore dr" and sterile.I Prin e Charles a :no$ledged the diversit" of the >usli! "outh present8 IFou !a:e up $hat * an onl" des ribe as a ver" ri h tapestr" that !a:es an enor!ous differen e to the diversit" and ri hness of our ountr". 2ne of the things * have al$a"s tried to get a ross# $hi h is not al$a"s eas"# is that in a $orld $hi h is in reasingl" se ular# in reasingl" !aterialisti # it is absolutel" essential for all those $ho believe and have faith in so!ething greater than ourselves in so!ething be"ond the purel" !aterial# are re!e!bered and elebrated.I12 3uring this re eption# he hatted $ith individual "oung >usli!s about their needs for !ore than an hour# as:ing the! if the" en ountered an" diffi ulties in their edu ation# areers# and the pra ti e of *sla!. A!ong other things# the prin e $as espe iall" urious about $hether "oung people understood the spirit of the <ur=an# if the" had read it fro! over to over# if the" had en ountered an" diffi ulties at s hool during &a!adan# and $hether the" $ere happ" $ith the food offered b" their s hools for the iftar !eal.13 %he interest sho$n b" Prin e Charles is ertainl" highl" i!portant. %he hange in the thin:ing of pro!inent states!en on this !atter is a huge step to$ard eradi ating the false opinion that ertain ir les in the )est have been tr"ing to reate about *sla!. Clearl"# a so iet" $hose leaders realiEe the beaut" and superiorit" of *sla!i !oralit" $ill be able to approa h *sla! far !ore easil"# and >usli!s living in that so iet" $ill en@o" !ore pea eful lives. For this reason# it is an i!portant responsibilit" to ensure that pro!inent people re eive

a urate infor!ation about *sla!. People fa!iliar $ith *sla! and its !oral tea hings# no !atter $hat their position# ertainl" $ill share their i!pressions $ith others. *f the" are a!ong the leaders of that parti ular so iet"# both those $ho dire t so iet" and $ho address the !asses $ill benefit fro! these i!pressions. %herefore# $hen "ou read these des riptions# realiEe the e5traordinar" nature of these develop!ents. *n the )estern $orld toda"# there is a gro$ing rappro he!ent $ith *sla!. Certainl" this is good ne$s for >usli!s $ho $or: to sho$ the proofs of 4od=s '5isten e and Bnit"# defeat the prevailing !aterialist ideologies# and o!!uni ate true religion to others. +elievers also are responsible for relating this good ne$s to all >usli!s.

Th%se Wh% T! " T% Is(a&

As stated above# the s"!path" that leaders feel for *sla! deepl" affe ts the desire of people to approa h *sla!. 2ne indi ation of this is the nu!ber of 'uropeans $ho# over the last fe$ "ears# have onverted to *sla!. &esear h sho$s that these ne$ onverts are not unedu atedJ rather# !ost of the! have a universit" edu ation and a areer. %he April 30# 2001# edition of The (ail$ Tele+raph published infor!ation about the turn to *sla!# espe iall" in 'ngland. )hile intervie$ing onverts# the follo$ing pi ture e!erged8 >ost of the! have status in so iet"# have strong fa!il" onne tions# and hose *sla! after onsiderable resear h and stud". For e5a!ple# (oe Ah!ed.3obson# son of the for!er >inister of ?ealth# $as 1/ "ears old $hen a friend gave hi! a op" of the <ur=an as a gift. *n it# he sa"s# he found the ans$ers to all his Auestions. ?e offi iall" a epted *sla! at the age of 23# and $as supported b" his fa!il" in this de ision. Apparentl"# his father gives hi! *sla!i boo:s as Christ!as presents ever" "ear. A!ong re ent onverts in 'ngland are people li:e the son of (ohn +irt# the for!er general dire tor of ++C# and the daughter of 7ord (usti e S ott# a pro!inent @udge. 2ver the past 20 "ears# an esti!ated 20#000 people in 'ngland have onverted and# as in !an" other ountries# the !ove!ent to$ard *sla! has a elerated. A ording to the >an hester >osAue# after the events of ,/11# si5teen individuals a epted *sla! there alone. 2ne of the interesting things revealed b" su h resear h on onverts is that far !ore $o!en are turning to *sla!. *n A!eri a# one in four onverts is a $o!anJ in 'ngland# the figure is one in t$o.14 *sla! also is gro$ing rapidl" in 3en!ar:. After the offi ial Protestant religion o!es *sla!# and the nu!ber of Catholi s is slightl" less than the nu!ber of >usli!s. 2f the 0.0 !illion 3anes# 3R are >usli!s.10 %his gro$th in the nu!ber of >usli!s is the result of high i!!igration. %his in rease $as dis ussed in the 3anish press in a report entitled I%he Future of 3en!ar:8 'ver" Se ond Person is a >usli!.I &esear h done b" the $ell.:no$n so iologist '"vind Pesselbo# $ho lives in 3en!ar:# sho$s that the nu!ber of >usli!s in 3en!ar: $ill in rease onsiderabl" in the near future.1/

Re3% ts %) Is(a& i" The Me1ia

*nterestingl"# the nu!ber of ob@e tive reports in the )estern !edia introdu ing *sla! has in reased. 'spe iall" after the ,/11 atta :s# people $ere urious about *sla! and $ere see:ing a urate infor!ation. *n response# the !edia

produ ed various reports and progra!s. %he ++C broad ast do u!entar" fil!s about *sla! on !an" television hannels# invited spe ial guests to appear on tal:.sho$s# and produ ed a progra! series introdu ing *sla!. Further!ore# !an" television stations added spe ial se tions about *sla! on their *nternet pages to provide infor!ation about *sla!=s basi reAuire!ents# histor"# sa"ings of the Prophet# and <ur=ani verses. )eb sites that provide !ore o!prehensive infor!ation also are provided. *n addition# !an" !agaEines and ne$spapers ontain arti les about *sla! to ans$er people=s Auestions. For e5a!ple# the 2 tober 1# 2001# edition of Time !agaEine arried an arti le b" 6aren Ar!strong entitled I%rue# Pea eful Fa e of *sla!#I $hi h provides the follo$ing infor!ation8 %he ver" $ord &slam# $hi h !eans Isurrender#I is related to the Arabi salam# or pea e. )hen the Prophet >uha!!ad brought the inspired s ripture :no$n as the 6oran to the Arabs in the earl" 1th entur" A.3.# a !a@or part of his !ission $as devoted pre isel" to bringing an end to the :ind of !ass slaughter $e $itnessed in Ne$ For: Cit" and )ashington.... *n the 6oran# therefore# the onl" per!issible $ar is one of self.defense. >usli!s !a" not begin hostilities G281,0H. )arfare is al$a"s evil# but so!eti!es "ou have to fight in order to avoid ... perse ution.... %he 6oran Auotes the %orah# the (e$ish s riptures# $hi h per!its people to retaliate e"e for e"e# tooth for tooth# but li:e the 4ospels# the 6oran suggests that it is !eritorious to forgo revenge in a spirit of harit" G0840H.... *sla! is not addi ted to $ar ... %he pri!ar" !eaning of the $ord @ihad is not Ihol" $arI but IstruggleI.... *n a state!ent in $hi h the Arabi is e5tre!el" e!phati # the 6oran insists# I%here !ust be no oer ion in !atters of faithQI G2820/H. Constantl" >usli!s are en@oined to respe t (e$s and Christians# the IPeople of the +oo:#I $ho $orship the sa!e 4od G2,84/H. *n $ords Auoted b" >uha!!ad in one of his last publi ser!ons# 4od tells all hu!an beings# I2 peopleQ )e have for!ed "ou into nations and tribes so that "ou !a" :no$ one anotherI G4,8 13HDnot to onAuer# onvert# sub@ugate# revile# or slaughter# but to rea h out to$ard others $ith intelligen e and understanding.11

+HA.TER C ISLAM IS 0ROWIN0 IN RUSSIA AN, +HINA, TOO

M!s(i&s i" R!ssia
%he disappearan e of the o!!unist s"ste! at the beginning of the 1,,0s ushered in a ne$ period for &ussia. %he o!!unist s"ste!# founded upon !aterialist philosoph"# established a so ial order based upon the vie$ that hu!an beings $ere no !ore than !atter and lai!s that the hu!an ons ien e is the produ t of !atter in !otion. A ording to this lai!# hu!an intelligen e# thought# feelings# @udg!ents# tenden ies# and $ill are the result of he!i al rea tions $ithin the bod"# $hi h is a :ind of !a hine. %herefore >ar5is!# $hi h is an interpretation of !aterialis!# vie$s all hu!an ulture# iviliEation# religion# on epts of govern!ent# la$# fa!il"# and !oralit" as dependent upon !aterial fa tors. A ording to >ar5# all of these things arise fro! differen es in the !anner of their produ tion and hange over ti!e. *n re@e ting religion=s values and espousing su h thin:ing# !aterialis! is in serious error. People are not onl" !aterial reatures# for ea h one of the! has a spirit that is not# as !aterialists lai!# a produ t of !atter. 2n the ontrar"# $hat $e all I!aterial reaturesI are the things seen# heard# and sensed b" spirit. *t is i!possible to define the $or:ings of the hu!an spirit in ter!s of !aterial onditions. 4od reated it and inspired spe ial Aualities in it# and ever" individual lives his or her life a ording to these spe ial Aualities. *n the <ur=an# 4od o!!ands8 He Wh% has $ eate1 a(( thi"5s i" the best 3%ssib(e wa#. He $%&&e"$e1 the $ eati%" %) &a" ) %& $(a#H the" 3 %1!$e1 his see1 ) %& a" eDt a$t %) base )(!i1H the" )% &e1 hi& a"1 b eathe1 His S3i it i"t% hi& a"1 5a4e #%! hea i"5, si5ht, a"1 hea ts. What (itt(e tha"6s #%! sh%wI 78! 2a", 32:J'<: Bnder its o!!unist govern!ent# &ussia adopted this !aterialist bias and !ade it the base of its so ial life and so ial order. %he o!!unist regi!e# $hi h vie$ed hu!an beings as tools of produ tion and believed that So ial 3ar$inis! ould be appli able to hu!an relationships# left behind i!!ense destru tion in its $a:e# for So ial 3ar$inis! a!e out of Charles 3ar$in=s uns ientifi theor" of evolution# $hi h proposes that hu!an beings are developed ani!als $hose relationships ould be governed b" the sa!e la$s that govern ani!als. *n this order# fro! $hi h faith in 4od and religious !oralit" $ere re!oved# su h basi hu!an needs as love# respe t# o!passion# !er "# self.sa rifi e# lo"alt"# and fidelit" had no pla e. So a herd.ps" holog" developed. People lived uneasil" and in onstant fear. %he" lost the hu!an Aualities of love# o!passion# and !er "# and o!!itted ever" :ind of ri!e in the belief that the" $ould not be punished. +ut 4od turned this so iet" to$ard true religion. &ussia=s spiritual ollapse and !oral degeneration later be a!e the !eans b" $hi h hu!an beings# as a so iet"# $ould approa h religion and spiritualit". Fears ago# the *sla!i s holar +ediuEEa!an Said Nursi announ ed the good ne$s to >usli!s that the" $ould be o!e po$erful in &ussia# and that the &ussian people $ould o!e to *sla!. Shortl" after &ussia=s 1,11 revolution# Said Nursi $ho $as aptured b" &ussian soldiers# said that o!!unis! $ould one da" ollapse and that *sla!

$ould spread throughout &ussia. *n a onversation $ith a &ussian soldier# he said8 I%hree lights $ill be revealed one after another in the *sla!i $orld of Asia. %hree shado$s fro! "our side on top of ea h other $ill be revealed. %he despoti urtain $ill be torn and pu :ered# and * $ill o!e and build !" s hool here.I )ith these $ords# he indi ated the advantages that >usli!s $ould have in &ussia. 'lse$here# he said8 As a result of t$o dreadful $orld $ars# $ith the total a$a:ening of the people# a nation $ithout religion annot survive. &ussia annot live $ithout religion. %he" annot also go ba : to Christianit". %he" an be at the !ost dependent on the <ur=an that brea:s the unbelief and that is based on right and truth and that onvin es the heart. As Said Nursi said# the &ussian people have grasped that there annot be a nation $ithout religion# and this understanding has guided the! to the true religion of *sla!. %oda"# 20 !illion >usli!s live in &ussiaD roughl" 10R of the population. %he !a@orit" of the! are not i!!igrants or foreign residents# but people $ho have lived there for !ore than 1#000 "ears. Bnder o!!unis!# !osAues $ere losed and turned into $arehouses# religious offi ials $ere arrested and sent into e5ile# and great pressure $as e5erted on >usli!s to abandon their religion. No$ there is a great urrent of people approa hing *sla!# one that annot be ignored. %he founding of the &ussian *sla!i Bniversit" in 1,,-# the ount"=s first *sla!i universit"# and the in rease in the nu!ber of !osAues in %ataristan fro! 1- in the Soviet period to !ore than 1#000 toda"# are e5a!ples of the rise of *sla! in &ussia.1%hese are onl" t$o e5a!ples# and there is no doubt that the" are ver" good and i!portant develop!ents. *n &ussia# the birthpla e of o!!unis!# the voi e of *sla! is being heard and# 4od $illing# this gro$th $ill be o!e !ore rapid.

Is(a& i" +hi"a

Bntil no$# $e have dis ussed the gro$th of !ove!ent to$ard *sla! after the fall of o!!unis!. %he situation is a little different in China# one of the last bastions of o!!unis!. ?ere# *sla! is on the rise# but be ause >ao=s &ed ideolog" is still in effe t# opposition to$ard religion is ontinuing apa e. &eligious figures are still being arrested and tortured# pla es of $orship are being losed# and people are not free to $orship or pra ti e their faith. *n the s!all !osAues and pla es of pra"er $here the state per!its $orship# stri t dis ipline is enfor ed b" the poli e and the !ilitar". For e5a!ple# in 'astern %ur:estan GUin@iangH# >usli!s annot perfor! their pra"ers in their preferred !osAues or re!ain in the !osAue as long as the" $ant. *f the" $or: in a state offi e# the" annot fast or perfor! their pra"ers. %hose >usli!s $ho go to the !osAue are losel" $at hed b" se ret poli e agents. >usli!s under the age of 1- annot re eive a religious edu ation# and if the govern!ent dis overs that the" have started to stud" the <ur=an# no !atter ho$ old the" are# the" are arrested and their fa!ilies are penaliEed. +ut this offi ial poli " of pressure and violen e does not prevent people fro! turning to religion. 3espite the stri t i!ple!entation of these !easures# as the Asian edition of Time !agaEine reports# religion in China is gro$ing8 3espite China=s efforts to restri t religious e5pression# ho$ever# the spiritual a$a:ening of its itiEens isn=t about to dissipate. Although the ruling Co!!unist Part" re!ains offi iall" atheist# the ollapse of >aoist

ideolog" reated a va uu! that religion is helping to fill.1, ?o$ever !u h the o!!unist regi!e in China !a" ontest these figures# about 200 !illion >usli!s live there. 3espite ever"thing# the nu!ber of those $ho perfor! a ts of $orship has in reased.-0

+HA.TER B THE RA..RO+HEMENT -ETWEEN MUSLIMS +RISTIANS AN, JEWS

%he gro$th of *sla! is also refle ted in the re ent gro$th of interfaith dialogue. %hese dialogues start b" stating that the three !onotheisti religions have a o!!on beginning and an o!e together at a o!!on point. Su h dialogues have been Auite su essful and have engendered an i!portant rappro he!ent# espe iall" bet$een Christians and >usli!s. *n the <ur=an# 4od infor!s us that >usli!s invite the People of the +oo: GChristians and (e$sH to unite on a o!!on ground8 Sa#: /O .e%3(e %) the -%%6, $%&e t% a 3 %3%siti%" that is the sa&e )% !s a"1 #%!Athat we sh%!(1 w% shi3 "%"e b!t 0%1, a"1 "%t ass%$iate a"# 3a t"e s with Hi&, a"1 "%t ta6e %"e a"%the as (% 1s besi1es 0%1./ I) the# t! " awa#, sa#: /-ea wit"ess that we a e M!s(i&s./ 78! 2a", 3: GC: %he three !onotheisti religions have o!!on beliefs and the sa!e !oral values. +elief in 4od=s '5isten e and Bnit"# angels# Prophets# the 7ast 3a"# ?eaven and ?ell are their basi tenets of faith. Further!ore# self.sa rifi e# hu!ilit"# love# toleran e# respe t# !er "# honest"# avoiding $rongdoing and in@usti e# and a ting a ording to ons ien e are all o!!onl" a epted !oral Aualities. %herefore# sin e these three religions are on the sa!e level# the" !ust $or: together to eradi ate the strife# onfli t# and pain aused b" irreligious ideologies. )hen onsidered fro! this point of vie$# interfaith dialogue assu!es far !ore i!portan e. %he se!inars and onferen es that bring representatives of these religions together# and the !essages of pea e and brotherhood that o!e out of the!# have ontinued regularl" sin e the !id.1,,0s. %hese initiatives have in reased sin e ,/11. After these atta :s# various !e!bers of the Christian lerg" $ere a!ong the !ost i!portant advo ates of *sla!# sa"ing that there is no terror or violen e in *sla!# and that it is a religion of pea e# @usti e# and toleran e. %he Pope# spiritual leader of &o!an Catholi s# and !an" other pro!inent !e!bers of the lerg" said that *sla! and >usli!s annot be held responsible for these atta :s. >oreover# not ontent $ith this# the" as:ed forgiveness on behalf of those people $ho held >usli!s responsible and tried to har! >usli!s.

The .%3e As6e1 +h istia"s t% Fast

2ne notable interfaith !o!ent o urred $hen the Pope invited Christians to fast $ith >usli!s on the last Frida" of &a!adan. A report issued b" the Pati an said8 %he ?ol" Father# Pope (ohn Paul **# has de lared 3e e!ber 14th to be a da" of fasting# a pra"er# and harit" throughout the $orld# begging for pea e# as he indi ated in his Angelus !essage of Nove!ber 1-# 20018 I'a h of us $ho goes $ithout b" fasting $ill be ta:ing on the disposition of the poor# espe iall" those $ho

suffer at present the onseAuen es of terroris! and $ar.I-1 %his reAuest $as i!!ediatel" put into effe t# and on Frida"# 3e e!ber 14# pro!inent Christian leaders visited !osAues for Frida" pra"ers and pra"ed $ith >usli!s. 2ne of these people $as the Cardinal Ar hbishop of 3etroit. *n his Frida" spee h at one of 3etroit=s largest !osAues# the Cardinal said8 * than: "ou for the gra ious invitation to share these sa red hours of &a!adan $ith "ou and the ongregation. * a! espe iall" pleased to be $ith "ou on this Frida"# 3e e!ber 14# as the Catholi Chur h throughout the $orld unites itself in solidarit" $ith >usli! believers ever"$here in spe ial pra"er# fasting# and al!sgiving for $orld pea e and for the healing of all $ho suffer the effe ts of $ar and terroris!. . . %he events of Septe!ber 11 re!ind us that not onl" have te hnolog" and e ono!" be o!e global# but inse urities# fears# violen e# in@usti e# and $ar have also be o!e globalQ As the Pope has e5plained# $hat $e need no$ is a response of $hat he alls IglobaliEed harit"I .L *n the na!e of all the Catholi s of !etro 3etroit# * offer !" apologies and s"!path" for an" $a" in $hi h !e!bers of our Chur h have ever offended "ou b" re!ar:s or attitudes of pre@udi e# anger# or violen e.-2 At servi es on the follo$ing Sunda"# >usli!s pra"ed for all those $ho had been affe ted b" terror and $ar. Perhaps for the first ti!e in histor"# !an" Christian servi es began $ith a reading fro! the <ur=an. *n a 3etroit hur h this pra"er $as said8 7et us lift our !inds and hearts to 4od as $e pra" for all those $ho have died be ause of terroris!J !a" the 7ord grant healing and pea e to their fa!iliesL )e as: that the 7ord re:indle $ithin us hope for a ne$ beginning as one hu!an fa!il". >a" $e together re eive and share 4od=s forgiveness and !er ". %o the !er iful and al!ight"# the reator of heaven and earth# $e sub!it ourselves in all hu!ilit" and gratitude.-3 After$ards# before the reading of the 4ospel# Surat al.Fatiha $as re ited to the ongregation. %his ertainl" $as an e5traordinar" o asion# and a sign that a ver" i!portant period has begun. %his rappro he!ent is an i!portant stage of the spread of religious !oralit" throughout the $orld.

+ON+LUSION 0LA, TI,IN0S OF 29 ST +ENTURY

*n this boo:# $e have e5a!ined atheis!=s ollapse during the past 30 "ears# the in rease of faith in 4od throughout ertain parts of the $orld# and the gro$th of religion. )e also sho$ed that the !ost i!portant fa tor in this gro$th is being pla"ed b" *sla!. )e onsidered the rising rate of onversion# and the interest e5pressed b" govern!ent offi ials# politi ians# and the !edia in *sla!. Putting all of this infor!ation together# it be o!es apparent that there is a strong !ove!ent to$ard *sla! in !an" ountries# and that *sla! is in reasingl" be o!ing the !ost i!portant topi of $orld interest. %hese develop!ents indi ate that the $orld is !oving to$ard a totall" ne$ era# one in $hi h# 4od $illing# *sla! $ill gain in i!portan e and the <ur=an=s !oral tea hings $ill spread li:e a rising tide. *t is i!portant to realiEe that this highl" signifi ant develop!ent $as announ ed in the <ur=an 14 enturies ago8 The# 1esi e t% eDti"5!ish 0%12s Li5ht with thei &%!ths. -!t 0%1 e)!ses t% 1% %the tha" 3e )e$t His Li5ht, e4e" th%!5h the !"be(ie4e s 1etest it. It is He Wh% se"t His Messe"5e with 5!i1a"$e a"1 the T !e Re(i5i%" t% eDa(t it %4e e4e # %the e(i5i%", e4e" th%!5h the i1%(ate s 1etest it. 78! 2a", <:32'33: %he <ur=an also that indi ates that *sla!i !oralit" $ill spread throughout the $orld# for 4od $ills the follo$ing8 0%1 has 3 %&ise1 th%se %) #%! wh% be(ie4e a"1 1% i5ht a$ti%"s that He wi(( &a6e the& s!$$ess% s i" the (a"1, as He &a1e th%se be)% e the& s!$$ess% s, a"1 wi(( )i &(# estab(ish )% the& thei e(i5i%", with whi$h He is 3(ease1, a"1 5i4e the&, i" 3(a$e %) thei )ea , se$! it#. /The# w% shi3 Me, "%t ass%$iati"5 a"#thi"5 with Me./ A"# wh% 1isbe(ie4e a)te that, s!$h 3e%3(e a e 1e4iat% s. 78! 2a", 2C: BB: %he spread of *sla!i !oralit" is one of 4od=s pro!ises to believers. *n addition to these verses# !an" sa"ings of our Prophet# !a" 4od bless hi! and grant hi! pea e# assert that the <ur=an=s !oral tea hings $ill prevail. *n the last da"s before the end of the $orld# hu!anit" $ill e5perien e a period in $hi h $rongdoing# in@usti e# de eit# fraud# $ars# strife# onfli t# and !oral degeneration is $ide.spread. %hen $ill o!e the 4olden Age# in $hi h these !oral tea hings $ill begin to spread a!ong people li:e a rising tide and finall" prevail throughout the $orld. So!e of these sa"ings# as $ell learned o!!entaries upon the!# are given belo$8 3uring this MperiodN# !" u!!ah MpeopleN $ould lead su h a o!fortable and arefree life $hi h the" never led li:e that. M%he landN $ould bring forth its "ield and $ould not hold ba : an"thing and the propert" at that ti!e $ould be a sta :. GSunan *bn.i >a@ahH L %he d$ellers of the heavens and the earth $ill be pleased. %he earth $ill bring forth all that gro$s# and the heavens $ill pour do$n rains in abundan e. Fro! all the good that 4od $ill besto$ on the inhabitants of the earth# the living $ill $ish that the dead $ould o!e to life again. GFanabi= al.!a$adda# Pol. 2# p. 111H %he earth $ould turn li:e the silver tra" gro$ing vegetation... GSunan *bn.i >a@ahH

%he earth $ill be filled $ith eAuit" and @usti e as it $as pre viousl" filled $ith oppression and t"rann". GAbu 3a$udH ... %here $ill be no in@usti e or oppression. Gad.3aniH +ased upon these state!ents# the 4olden Age $ill be an era in $hi h @usti e# plent"# abundan e# $ell. being# se urit"# pea e# and brotherhood $ill prevail a!ong hu!anit"# and one in $hi h people $ill e5perien e love# self.sa rifi e# toleran e# o!passion# !er "# and lo"alt". *n his sa"ings# our Prophet# !a" 4od bless hi! and grant hi! pea e# sa"s that this blessed period $ill be e5perien ed through the !ediation of the >ahdi# $ho $ill o!e in the end ti!es to save the $orld for! haos# in@usti e# and !oral ollapse. ?e $ill eradi ate godless ideologies and bring an end to the prevailing in@usti e. >oreover# he $ill !a:e religion li:e it $as in the da"s of our Prophet# ause the <ur=an=s !oral tea hings to prevail a!ong hu!anit"# and establish pea e and $ell.being throughout the $orld. %his diffi ult responsibilit" reAuires serious effort. *t is highl" probable# as so!e *sla!i s holars point out# that the >ahdi# $ho $ill realiEe this goal# is a spiritual being $ho $ill rule in the last da"s G4od :no$s bestH. )hen the ti!e o!es# this spiritual being $ill use its foundation of *sla!i !oralit" to lead hu!anit" to a !odern enlightened $orld in $hi h pea e and $ell.being prevail. %his is $hat doing the $or: of the >ahdi !eans. %he rise of *sla! being e5perien ed in the $orld toda"# as $ell as %ur:e"=s role in the ne$ era are i!portant signs that the period announ ed in the <ur=an and in our Prophet=s sa"ings is ver" lose. *t is our heartfelt desire that 4od $ill let us $itness this blessed ti!e.

A..EN,IK THE ,E+E.TION OF E>OLUTION

*n the present da"# there are people $ho live in a !anner far re!oved fro! 4od# and $ho even re@e t faith and den" the e5isten e of 4od for their o$n ends. 2n a ount of their blindness and !indless fearlessness# the" tr" to influen e others and turn the! a$a" fro! 4od. %he" have put for$ard a $hole range of in onsistent ideas and t$isted ideologies b" $hi h to do this. 2ne of these is the theor" of evolution.

The I1e%(%5i$a( +%((a3se %) ,a wi"is&

%he aspe t of 3ar$inis! that stops it fro! being a lai! of interest onl" to the s ientifi $orld and !a:es it of great i!portan e to so iet" as a $hole is its ideologi al di!ension. %he ans$er it gives to the Auestion of ho$ living things# in luding !an:ind# a!e into e5isten e !a:es 3ar$inis! the basis of a nu!ber of philosophies# $orldvie$s and politi al ideologies. ?ere# $e shall onsider the relationship bet$een 3ar$inis! and !aterialist philosoph". >aterialist philosoph"# or I!aterialis!#I is a s"ste! of thought going as far ba : as an ient 4ree e. >aterialis! rests on the assu!ption that !atter is the onl" thing that e5ists. A ording to !aterialist philosoph"# !atter has al$a"s e5isted# and $ill ontinue to do so for all ti!e. Again a ording to this philosoph"# nothing e5ists be"ond !atter. Naturall"# !aterialis! is also refle ted in the politi al arena# $ith o!!unis! indisputabl" ta:ing pride of pla e in this regard. 6arl >ar5 G1-1-.-3H and Friedri h 'ngels G1-20.,0H# regarded as the founders of o!!unis!# $ere also the founders of diale ti al !aterialis!. *n an" ase# o!!unis! is nothing !ore than !aterialist philosoph" adapted to the so ial s ien es b" >ar5 and 'ngels. Co!!unis! is toda" regarded as an ideolog" onsigned to the $astes of histor"# $hereas the fa t is that it is still e5 eedingl" influential. %he destru tive effe ts of this ideolog" an still be felt in !an" ountries. %his is $here 3ar$inis! assu!es great i!portan e. Sin e 3ar$inis!# or the theor" of evolution# !aintains that living things $ere not reated but a!e into being b" han e# it has re eived a $ide a eptan e a!ong !aterialist ideologies# and has been adopted as the Ibasi foundationI of o!!unis! in parti ular. All the !ain o!!unist ideologues have a epted the theor" $ord for $ord# and have based their ideologies upon it. *n a letter to Friedri h 'ngels in 1-/0# for instan e# 6arl >ar5 said of 3ar$in=s boo: that I%his is the boo: $hi h ontains the basis in natural histor" for our vie$.I -4 *n another letter the follo$ing "ear# this ti!e to Ferdinand 7assalle G1-20./4H# >ar5 said8 I3ar$in=s boo: is ver" i!portant and serves !e as a basis in natural s ien e for the lass struggle in histor".I-0 Si!ilarl" >ao %se %ung# the founder of Chinese o!!unis!# openl" stated that I%he foundations of Chinese so ialis! rest on 3ar$in and the theor" of evolution.I-/ %hus the intelle tual struggle against o!!unis! !ust be ai!ed at !aterialist philosoph" and# therefore#

the theor" of evolution. *t is also lear that the $ide a eptan e of the theor" of evolution in so iet" $ill further nourish !aterialis! as $ell as o!!unis!.

The S$ie"ti)i$ +%((a3se %) ,a wi"is&

Although this do trine goes ba : as far as an ient 4ree e# the theor" of evolution $as advan ed e5tensivel" in the nineteenth entur". %he !ost i!portant develop!ent that !ade it the top topi of the $orld of s ien e $as Charles 3ar$in=s The 6ri+in of #pecies, published in 1-0,. *n this boo:# he denied that 4od reated different living spe ies on 'arth separatel"# for he lai!ed that all living beings had a o!!on an estor and had diversified over ti!e through s!all hanges. 3ar$in=s theor" $as not based on an" on rete s ientifi findingJ as he also a epted# it $as @ust an Iassu!ption.I >oreover# as 3ar$in onfessed in the long hapter of his boo: titled I3iffi ulties of the %heor"#I the theor" failed in the fa e of !an" riti al Auestions. 3ar$in invested all of his hopes in ne$ s ientifi dis overies# $hi h he e5pe ted to solve these diffi ulties. ?o$ever# ontrar" to his e5pe tations# s ientifi findings e5panded the di!ensions of these diffi ulties. %he defeat of 3ar$inis! in the fa e of s ien e an be revie$ed under three basi topi s8 1H %he theor" annot e5plain ho$ life originated on 'arth. 2H No s ientifi finding sho$s that the Ievolutionar" !e hanis!sI proposed b" the theor" have an" evolutionar" po$er at all. 3H %he fossil re ord proves the e5a t opposite of $hat the theor" suggests. *n this se tion# $e $ill e5a!ine these three basi points in general outlines8

The Fi st I"s! &%!"tab(e Ste3: The O i5i" %) Li)e

%he theor" of evolution posits that all living spe ies evolved fro! a single living ell that e!erged on the pri!itive 'arth 3.- billion "ears ago. ?o$ a single ell ould generate !illions of o!ple5 living spe ies and# if su h an evolution reall" o urred# $h" tra es of it annot be observed in the fossil re ord are so!e of the Auestions that the theor" annot ans$er. ?o$ever# first and fore!ost# $e need to as:8 ?o$ did this Ifirst ellI originateK Sin e the theor" of evolution denies reation and an" :ind of supernatural intervention# it !aintains that the Ifirst ellI originated oin identall" $ithin the la$s of nature# $ithout an" design# plan or arrange!ent. A ording to the theor"# inani!ate !atter !ust have produ ed a living ell as a result of oin iden es. Su h a lai!# ho$ever# is in onsistent $ith the !ost unassailable rules of biolog".

/Li)e +%&es ) %& Li)e/

*n his boo:# 3ar$in never referred to the origin of life. %he pri!itive understanding of s ien e in his ti!e rested on the assu!ption that living beings had a ver" si!ple stru ture. Sin e !edieval ti!es# spontaneous generation# $hi h asserts that non.living !aterials a!e together to for! living organis!s# had been $idel" a epted. *t $as o!!onl" believed that inse ts a!e into being fro! food leftovers# and !i e fro! $heat. *nteresting e5peri!ents $ere ondu ted to prove this theor". So!e $heat $as pla ed on a dirt" pie e of loth# and it $as believed that !i e $ould originate fro! it after a $hile. Si!ilarl"# !aggots developing in rotting !eat $as assu!ed to be eviden e of spontaneous generation.

?o$ever# it $as later understood that $or!s did not appear on !eat spontaneousl"# but $ere arried there b" flies in the for! of larvae# invisible to the na:ed e"e. 'ven $hen 3ar$in $rote The 6ri+in of #pecies# the belief that ba teria ould o!e into e5isten e fro! non.living !atter $as $idel" a epted in the $orld of s ien e. ?o$ever# five "ears after the publi ation of 3ar$in=s boo:# 7ouis Pasteur announ ed his results after long studies and e5peri!ents# that disproved spontaneous generation# a ornerstone of 3ar$in=s theor". *n his triu!phal le ture at the Sorbonne in 1-/4# Pasteur said8 7Never )ill the doctrine of spontaneous +eneration recover from the mortal %lo) struc5 %$ this simple experiment87-1 For a long ti!e# advo ates of the theor" of evolution resisted these findings. ?o$ever# as the develop!ent of s ien e unraveled the o!ple5 stru ture of the ell of a living being# the idea that life ould o!e into being oin identall" fa ed an even greater i!passe.

I"$%"$(!si4e E))% ts i" the Twe"tieth +e"t! #

%he first evolutionist $ho too: up the sub@e t of the origin of life in the t$entieth entur" $as the reno$ned &ussian biologist Ale5ander 2parin. )ith various theses he advan ed in the 1,30s# he tried to prove that a living ell ould originate b" oin iden e. %hese studies# ho$ever# $ere doo!ed to failure# and 2parin had to !a:e the follo$ing onfession8 Bnfortunatel"# ho$ever# the proble! of the origin of the ell is perhaps the !ost obs ure point in the $hole stud" of the evolution of organis!s.-'volutionist follo$ers of 2parin tried to arr" out e5peri!ents to solve this proble!. %he best :no$n e5peri!ent $as arried out b" the A!eri an he!ist Stanle" >iller in 1,03. Co!bining the gases he alleged to have e5isted in the pri!ordial 'arth=s at!osphere in an e5peri!ent set.up# and adding energ" to the !i5ture# >iller s"nthesiEed several organi !ole ules Ga!ino a idsH present in the stru ture of proteins. +arel" a fe$ "ears had passed before it $as revealed that this e5peri!ent# $hi h $as then presented as an i!portant step in the na!e of evolution# $as invalid# for the at!osphere used in the e5peri!ent $as ver" different fro! the real 'arth onditions.-, After a long silen e# >iller onfessed that the at!osphere !ediu! he used $as unrealisti .,0 All the evolutionists= efforts throughout the t$entieth entur" to e5plain the origin of life ended in failure. %he geo he!ist (effre" +ada# fro! the San 3iego S ripps *nstitute a epts this fa t in an arti le published in Earth !agaEine in 1,,-8 %oda" as $e leave the t$entieth entur"# $e still fa e the biggest unsolved proble! that $e had $hen $e entered the t$entieth entur"8 ?o$ did life originate on 'arthK,1

The +%&3(eD St !$t! e %) Li)e

%he pri!ar" reason $h" the theor" of evolution ended up in su h a great i!passe regarding the origin of life is that even those living organis!s dee!ed to be the si!plest have in redibl" o!ple5 stru tures. %he ell

of a living thing is !ore o!ple5 than all of our !an.!ade te hnologi al produ ts. %oda"# even in the !ost developed laboratories of the $orld# a living ell annot be produ ed b" bringing organi he!i als together. %he onditions reAuired for the for!ation of a ell are too great in Auantit" to be e5plained a$a" b" oin iden es. %he probabilit" of proteins# the building blo :s of a ell# being s"nthesiEed oin identall"# is 1 in 10,00 for an average protein !ade up of 000 a!ino a ids. *n !athe!ati s# a probabilit" s!aller than 1 over 1000 is onsidered to be i!possible in pra ti al ter!s. %he 3NA !ole ule# $hi h is lo ated in the nu leus of a ell and $hi h stores geneti infor!ation# is an in redible databan:. *f the infor!ation oded in 3NA $ere $ritten do$n# it $ould !a:e a giant librar" onsisting of an esti!ated ,00 volu!es of en " lopedias onsisting of 000 pages ea h. A ver" interesting dile!!a e!erges at this point8 3NA an repli ate itself onl" $ith the help of so!e spe ialiEed proteins GenE"!esH. ?o$ever# the s"nthesis of these enE"!es an be realiEed onl" b" the infor!ation oded in 3NA. As the" both depend on ea h other# the" have to e5ist at the sa!e ti!e for repli ation. %his brings the s enario that life originated b" itself to a deadlo :. Prof. 7eslie 2rgel# an evolutionist of repute fro! the Bniversit" of San 3iego# California# onfesses this fa t in the Septe!ber 1,,4 issue of the #cientific American !agaEine8 *t is e5tre!el" i!probable that proteins and nu lei a ids# both of $hi h are stru turall" o!ple5# arose spontaneousl" in the sa!e pla e at the sa!e ti!e. Fet it also see!s i!possible to have one $ithout the other. And so# at first glan e# one !ight have to on lude that life ould never# in fa t# have originated b" he!i al !eans.,2 No doubt# if it is i!possible for life to have originated fro! natural auses# then it has to be a epted that life $as I reatedI in a supernatural $a". %his fa t e5pli itl" invalidates the theor" of evolution# $hose !ain purpose is to den" reation.

I&a5i"a # Me$ha"is&s %) E4%(!ti%"

%he se ond i!portant point that negates 3ar$in=s theor" is that both on epts put for$ard b" the theor" as Ievolutionar" !e hanis!sI $ere understood to have# in realit"# no evolutionar" po$er. 3ar$in based his evolution allegation entirel" on the !e hanis! of Inatural sele tion.I %he i!portan e he pla ed on this !e hanis! $as evident in the na!e of his boo:8 The 6ri+in of #pecies, "$ 0eans of Natural #election9 Natural sele tion holds that those living things that are stronger and !ore suited to the natural onditions of their habitats $ill survive in the struggle for life. For e5a!ple# in a deer herd under the threat of atta : b" $ild ani!als# those that an run faster $ill survive. %herefore# the deer herd $ill be o!prised of faster and stronger individuals. ?o$ever# unAuestionabl"# this !e hanis! $ill not ause deer to evolve and transfor! the!selves into another living spe ies# for instan e# horses. %herefore# the !e hanis! of natural sele tion has no evolutionar" po$er. 3ar$in $as also a$are of this fa t and had to state this in his boo: The 6ri+in of #pecies: Natural sele tion an do nothing until favourable individual differen es or variations o ur.,3

La&a $62s I&3a$t

So# ho$ ould these Ifavorable variationsI o urK 3ar$in tried to ans$er this Auestion fro! the standpoint of the pri!itive understanding of s ien e at that ti!e. A ording to the Fren h biologist Chevalier de 7a!ar : G1144.1-2,H# $ho lived before 3ar$in# living reatures passed on the traits the" a Auired during their lifeti!e to the ne5t generation. ?e asserted that these traits# $hi h a u!ulated fro! one generation to another# aused ne$ spe ies to be for!ed. For instan e# he lai!ed that giraffes evolved fro! antelopesJ as the" struggled to eat the leaves of high trees# their ne :s $ere e5tended fro! generation to generation. 3ar$in also gave si!ilar e5a!ples. *n his boo: The 6ri+in of #pecies, for instan e# he said that so!e bears going into $ater to find food transfor!ed the!selves into $hales over ti!e.,4 ?o$ever# the la$s of inheritan e dis overed b" 4regor >endel G1-22.-4H and verified b" the s ien e of geneti s# $hi h flourished in the t$entieth entur"# utterl" de!olished the legend that a Auired traits $ere passed on to subseAuent generations. %hus# natural sele tion fell out of favor as an evolutionar" !e hanis!.

Ne%',a wi"is& a"1 M!tati%"s

*n order to find a solution# 3ar$inists advan ed the I>odern S"ntheti %heor"#I or as it is !ore o!!onl" :no$n# Neo.3ar$inis!# at the end of the 1,30=s. Neo.3ar$inis! added !utations# $hi h are distortions for!ed in the genes of living beings due to su h e5ternal fa tors as radiation or repli ation errors# as the I ause of favorable variationsI in addition to natural !utation. %oda"# the !odel that stands for evolution in the $orld is Neo.3ar$inis!. %he theor" !aintains that !illions of living beings for!ed as a result of a pro ess $hereb" nu!erous o!ple5 organs of these organis!s Ge.g.# ears# e"es# lungs# and $ingsH under$ent I!utations#I that is# geneti disorders. Fet# there is an outright s ientifi fa t that totall" under!ines this theor"8 >utations do not ause living beings to developJ on the ontrar"# the" are al$a"s har!ful. %he reason for this is ver" si!ple8 3NA has a ver" o!ple5 stru ture# and rando! effe ts an onl" har! it. %he A!eri an geneti ist +.4. &anganathan e5plains this as follo$s8 First# genuine !utations are ver" rare in nature. Se ondl"# !ost !utations are har!ful sin e the" are rando!# rather than orderl" hanges in the stru ture of genesJ an" rando! hange in a highl" ordered s"ste! $ill be for the $orse# not for the better. For e5a!ple# if an earthAua:e $ere to sha:e a highl" ordered stru ture su h as a building# there $ould be a rando! hange in the fra!e$or: of the building $hi h# in all probabilit"# $ould not be an i!prove!ent.,0 Not surprisingl"# no !utation e5a!ple# $hi h is useful# that is# $hi h is observed to develop the geneti ode# has been observed so far. All !utations have proved to be har!ful. *t $as understood that !utation# $hi h is presented as an Ievolutionar" !e hanis!#I is a tuall" a geneti o urren e that har!s living things# and leaves the! disabled. G%he !ost o!!on effe t of !utation on hu!an beings is an er.H 2f ourse# a destru tive !e hanis! annot be an Ievolutionar" !e hanis!.I Natural sele tion# on the other hand# I an do nothing b" itself#I as 3ar$in also a epted. %his fa t sho$s us that there is no Ievolutionar" !e hanis!I in nature. Sin e no evolutionar" !e hanis! e5ists# no su h an" i!aginar" pro ess alled IevolutionI ould have

ta:en pla e.

The F%ssi( Re$% 1: N% Si5" %) I"te &e1iate F% &s

%he learest eviden e that the s enario suggested b" the theor" of evolution did not ta:e pla e is the fossil re ord. A ording to this theor"# ever" living spe ies has sprung fro! a prede essor. A previousl" e5isting spe ies turned into so!ething else over ti!e and all spe ies have o!e into being in this $a". *n other $ords# this transfor!ation pro eeds graduall" over !illions of "ears. ?ad this been the ase# nu!erous inter!ediar" spe ies should have e5isted and lived $ithin this long transfor!ation period. For instan e# so!e half.fish/half.reptiles should have lived in the past $hi h had a Auired so!e reptilian traits in addition to the fish traits the" alread" had. 2r there should have e5isted so!e reptile.birds# $hi h a Auired so!e bird traits in addition to the reptilian traits the" alread" had. Sin e these $ould be in a transitional phase# the" should be disabled# defe tive# rippled living beings. 'volutionists refer to these i!aginar" reatures# $hi h the" believe to have lived in the past# as /t a"siti%"a( )% &s./ *f su h ani!als ever reall" e5isted# there should be !illions and even billions of the! in nu!ber and variet". >ore i!portantl"# the re!ains of these strange reatures should be present in the fossil re ord. *n The 6ri+in of #pecies, 3ar$in e5plained8 *f !" theor" be true# nu!berless inter!ediate varieties# lin:ing !ost losel" all of the spe ies of the sa!e group together !ust assuredl" have e5isted.... ConseAuentl"# eviden e of their for!er e5isten e ould be found onl" a!ongst fossil re!ains.,/

,a wi"2s H%3es Shatte e1

?o$ever# although evolutionists have been !a:ing strenuous efforts to find fossils sin e the !iddle of the nineteenth entur" all over the $orld# no transitional for!s have "et been un overed. All of the fossils# ontrar" to the evolutionists= e5pe tations# sho$ that life appeared on 'arth all of a sudden and full".for!ed. 2ne fa!ous +ritish paleontologist# 3ere: P. Ager# ad!its this fa t# even though he is an evolutionist8 %he point e!erges that if $e e5a!ine the fossil re ord in detail# $hether at the level of orders or of spe ies# $e find V over and over again V not gradual evolution# but the sudden e5plosion of one group at the e5pense of another.,1 %his !eans that in the fossil re ord# all living spe ies suddenl" e!erge as full" for!ed# $ithout an" inter!ediate for!s in bet$een. %his is @ust the opposite of 3ar$in=s assu!ptions. Also# this is ver" strong eviden e that all living things are reated. %he onl" e5planation of a living spe ies e!erging suddenl" and o!plete in ever" detail $ithout an" evolutionar" an estor is that it $as reated. %his fa t is ad!itted also b" the $idel" :no$n evolutionist biologist 3ouglas Futu"!a8 Creation and evolution# bet$een the!# e5haust the possible e5planations for the origin of living things. 2rganis!s either appeared on the earth full" developed or the" did not. *f the" did not# the" !ust have developed fro! pre.e5isting spe ies b" so!e pro ess of !odifi ation. *f the" did appear in a full" developed

state# the" !ust indeed have been reated b" so!e o!nipotent intelligen e.,Fossils sho$ that living beings e!erged full" developed and in a perfe t state on the earth. %hat !eans that /the % i5i" %) s3e$ies,/ $%"t a # t% ,a wi"2s s!33%siti%", is "%t e4%(!ti%", b!t $ eati%".

The Ta(e %) H!&a" E4%(!ti%"

%he sub@e t !ost often brought up b" advo ates of the theor" of evolution is the sub@e t of the origin of !an. %he 3ar$inist lai! holds that !odern !an evolved fro! ape.li:e reatures. 3uring this alleged evolutionar" pro ess# $hi h is supposed to have started 4.0 !illion "ears ago# so!e Itransitional for!sI bet$een !odern !an and his an estors are supposed to have e5isted. A ording to this o!pletel" i!aginar" s enario# four basi I ategoriesI are listed8 1. Australopithe us 2. ?o!o habilis 3. ?o!o ere tus 4. ?o!o sapiens 'volutionists all !an=s so. alled first ape.li:e an estors Australopithecus, $hi h !eans ISouth Afri an ape.I %hese living beings are a tuall" nothing but an old ape spe ies that has be o!e e5tin t. '5tensive resear h done on various Australopithecus spe i!ens b" t$o $orld fa!ous anato!ists fro! 'ngland and the BSA# na!el"# 7ord Soll" ;u :er!an and Prof. Charles 25nard# sho$s that these apes belonged to an ordinar" ape spe ies that be a!e e5tin t and bore no rese!blan e to hu!ans.,, 'volutionists lassif" the ne5t stage of hu!an evolution as 7homo,7 that is I!an.I A ording to their lai!# the living beings in the Homo series are !ore developed than Australopithecus8 'volutionists devise a fan iful evolution s he!e b" arranging different fossils of these reatures in a parti ular order. %his s he!e is i!aginar" be ause it has never been proved that there is an evolutionar" relation bet$een these different lasses. 'rnst >a"r# one of the t$entieth entur"=s !ost i!portant evolutionists# ontends in his boo: 6ne *on+ Ar+ument that Iparti ularl" histori al MpuEElesN su h as the origin of life or of Homo sapiens# are e5tre!el" diffi ult and !a" even resist a final# satisf"ing e5planation.I100 +" outlining the lin: hain as Australopithecus : Homo ha%ilis : Homo erectus : Homo sapiens, evolutionists i!pl" that ea h of these spe ies is one another=s an estor. ?o$ever# re ent findings of paleoanthropologists have revealed that Australopithecus, Homo ha%ilis, and Homo erectus lived at different parts of the $orld at the sa!e ti!e.101 >oreover# a ertain seg!ent of hu!ans lassified as Homo erectus have lived up until ver" !odern ti!es. Homo sapiens neandarthalensis and Homo sapiens sapiens G!odern !anH o.e5isted in the sa!e region.102 %his situation apparentl" indi ates the invalidit" of the lai! that the" are an estors of one another. A paleontologist fro! ?arvard Bniversit"# Stephen (a" 4ould# e5plains this deadlo : of the theor" of evolution# although he is an evolutionist hi!self8 )hat has be o!e of our ladder if there are three oe5isting lineages of ho!inids GA. afri anus# the robust australopithe ines# and ?. habilisH# none learl" derived fro! anotherK >oreover# none of the three displa" an"

evolutionar" trends during their tenure on earth.103 Put briefl"# the s enario of hu!an evolution# $hi h is IupheldI $ith the help of various dra$ings of so!e Ihalf ape# half hu!anI reatures appearing in the !edia and ourse boo:s# that is# fran:l"# b" !eans of propaganda# is nothing but a tale $ith no s ientifi foundation. 7ord Soll" ;u :er!an# one of the !ost fa!ous and respe ted s ientists in the B.6.# $ho arried out resear h on this sub@e t for "ears and studied Australopithecus fossils for 10 "ears# finall" on luded# despite being an evolutionist hi!self# that there is# in fa t# no su h fa!il" tree bran hing out fro! ape.li:e reatures to !an. ;u :er!an also !ade an interesting Ispe tru! of s ien eI ranging fro! those he onsidered s ientifi to those he onsidered uns ientifi . A ording to ;u :er!an=s spe tru!# the !ost Is ientifi IDthat is# depending on on rete dataDfields of s ien e are he!istr" and ph"si s. After the! o!e the biologi al s ien es and then the so ial s ien es. At the far end of the spe tru!# $hi h is the part onsidered to be !ost Iuns ientifi #I are Ie5tra.sensor" per eptionID on epts su h as telepath" and si5th senseDand finall" Ihu!an evolution.I ;u :er!an e5plains his reasoning8 )e then !ove right off the register of ob@e tive truth into those fields of presu!ed biologi al s ien e# li:e e5trasensor" per eption or the interpretation of !an=s fossil histor"# $here to the faithful MevolutionistN an"thing is possible V and $here the ardent believer Min evolutionN is so!eti!es able to believe several ontradi tor" things at the sa!e ti!e.104 %he tale of hu!an evolution boils do$n to nothing but the pre@udi ed interpretations of so!e fossils unearthed b" ertain people# $ho blindl" adhere to their theor".

Te$h"%(%5# i" the E#e a"1 the Ea

Another sub@e t that re!ains unans$ered b" evolutionar" theor" is the e5 ellent Aualit" of per eption in the e"e and the ear. +efore passing on to the sub@e t of the e"e# let us briefl" ans$er the Auestion of ho$ $e see. 7ight ra"s o!ing fro! an ob@e t fall oppositel" on the e"e=s retina. ?ere# these light ra"s are trans!itted into ele tri signals b" ells and rea h a tin" spot at the ba : of the brain# the I enter of vision.I %hese ele tri signals are per eived in this enter as an i!age after a series of pro esses. )ith this te hni al ba :ground# let us do so!e thin:ing. %he brain is insulated fro! light. %hat !eans that its inside is o!pletel" dar:# and that no light rea hes the pla e $here it is lo ated. %hus# the I enter of visionI is never tou hed b" light and !a" even be the dar:est pla e "ou have ever :no$n. ?o$ever# "ou observe a lu!inous# bright $orld in this pit h dar:ness. %he i!age for!ed in the e"e is so sharp and distin t that even the te hnolog" of the t$entieth entur" has not been able to attain it. For instan e# loo: at the boo: "ou are reading# "our hands $ith $hi h "ou are holding it# and then lift "our head and loo: around "ou. ?ave "ou ever seen su h a sharp and distin t i!age as this one at an" other pla eK 'ven the !ost developed television s reen produ ed b" the greatest television produ er in the $orld annot provide su h a sharp i!age for "ou. %his is a three.di!ensional# olored# and e5tre!el" sharp i!age. For !ore than 100 "ears# thousands of engineers have been tr"ing to a hieve this sharpness. Fa tories#

huge pre!ises $ere established# !u h resear h has been done# plans and designs have been !ade for this purpose. Again# loo: at a %P s reen and the boo: "ou hold in "our hands. Fou $ill see that there is a big differen e in sharpness and distin tion. >oreover# the %P s reen sho$s "ou a t$o.di!ensional i!age# $hereas $ith "our e"es# "ou $at h a three.di!ensional perspe tive $ith depth. For !an" "ears# tens of thousands of engineers have tried to !a:e a three.di!ensional %P and a hieve the vision Aualit" of the e"e. Fes# the" have !ade a three.di!ensional television s"ste!# but it is not possible to $at h it $ithout putting on spe ial 3.3 glassesJ !oreover# it is onl" an artifi ial three.di!ension. %he ba :ground is !ore blurred# the foreground appears li:e a paper setting. Never has it been possible to produ e a sharp and distin t vision li:e that of the e"e. *n both the a!era and the television# there is a loss of i!age Aualit". 'volutionists lai! that the !e hanis! produ ing this sharp and distin t i!age has been for!ed b" han e. No$# if so!ebod" told "ou that the television in "our roo! $as for!ed as a result of han e# that all of its ato!s @ust happened to o!e together and !a:e up this devi e that produ es an i!age# $hat $ould "ou thin:K ?o$ an ato!s do $hat thousands of people annotK *f a devi e produ ing a !ore pri!itive i!age than the e"e ould not have been for!ed b" han e# then it is ver" evident that the e"e and the i!age seen b" the e"e ould not have been for!ed b" han e. %he sa!e situation applies to the ear. %he outer ear pi :s up the available sounds b" the auri le and dire ts the! to the !iddle ear# the !iddle ear trans!its the sound vibrations b" intensif"ing the!# and the inner ear sends these vibrations to the brain b" translating the! into ele tri signals. (ust as $ith the e"e# the a t of hearing finaliEes in the enter of hearing in the brain. %he situation in the e"e is also true for the ear. %hat is# the brain is insulated fro! sound @ust as it is fro! light. *t does not let an" sound in. %herefore# no !atter ho$ nois" is the outside# the inside of the brain is o!pletel" silent. Nevertheless# the sharpest sounds are per eived in the brain. *n "our o!pletel" silent brain# "ou listen to s"!phonies# and hear all of the noises in a ro$ded pla e. ?o$ever# $ere the sound level in "our brain $as !easured b" a pre ise devi e at that !o!ent# o!plete silen e $ould be found to be prevailing there. As is the ase $ith i!ager"# de ades of effort have been spent in tr"ing to generate and reprodu e sound that is faithful to the original. %he results of these efforts are sound re orders# high.fidelit" s"ste!s# and s"ste!s for sensing sound. 3espite all of this te hnolog" and the thousands of engineers and e5perts $ho have been $or:ing on this endeavor# no sound has "et been obtained that has the sa!e sharpness and larit" as the sound per eived b" the ear. %hin: of the highest.Aualit" hi.fi s"ste!s produ ed b" the largest o!pan" in the !usi industr". 'ven in these devi es# $hen sound is re orded so!e of it is lostJ or $hen "ou turn on a hi.fi "ou al$a"s hear a hissing sound before the !usi starts. ?o$ever# the sounds that are the produ ts of the hu!an bod"=s te hnolog" are e5tre!el" sharp and lear. A hu!an ear never per eives a sound a o!panied b" a hissing sound or $ith at!ospheri s as does a hi.fiJ rather# it per eives sound e5a tl" as it is# sharp and lear. %his is the $a" it has been sin e the reation of !an. So far# no !an.!ade visual or re ording apparatus has been as sensitive and su essful in per eiving sensor" data as are the e"e and the ear. ?o$ever# as far as seeing and hearing are on erned# a far greater truth lies be"ond all this.

T% Wh%& ,%es the +%"s$i%!s"ess That Sees a"1 Hea s withi" the - ai" -e(%"5L
)ho $at hes an alluring $orld in the brain# listens to s"!phonies and the t$ittering of birds# and s!ells the roseK %he sti!ulations o!ing fro! a person=s e"es# ears# and nose travel to the brain as ele tro. he!i al nerve i!pulses. *n biolog"# ph"siolog"# and bio he!istr" boo:s# "ou an find !an" details about ho$ this i!age for!s in the brain. ?o$ever# "ou $ill never o!e a ross the !ost i!portant fa t8 )ho per eives these ele tro. he!i al nerve i!pulses as i!ages# sounds# odors# and sensor" events in the brainK %here is a ons iousness in the brain that per eives all this $ithout feeling an" need for an e"e# an ear# and a nose. %o $ho! does this ons iousness belongK 2f ourse it does not belong to the nerves# the fat la"er# and neurons o!prising the brain. %his is $h" 3ar$inist.!aterialists# $ho believe that ever"thing is o!prised of !atter# annot ans$er these Auestions. For this ons iousness is the spirit reated b" 4od# $hi h needs neither the e"e to $at h the i!ages nor the ear to hear the sounds. Further!ore# it does not need the brain to thin:. 'ver"one $ho reads this e5pli it and s ientifi fa t should ponder on Al!ight" 4od# and fear and see: refuge in ?i!# for ?e sAueeEes the entire universe in a pit h.dar: pla e of a fe$ ubi enti!eters in a three. di!ensional# olored# shado$"# and lu!inous for!.

A Mate ia(ist Faith

%he infor!ation $e have presented so far sho$s us that the theor" of evolution is a in o!patible $ith s ientifi findings. %he theor"=s lai! regarding the origin of life is in onsistent $ith s ien e# the evolutionar" !e hanis!s it proposes have no evolutionar" po$er# and fossils de!onstrate that the reAuired inter!ediate for!s have never e5isted. So# it ertainl" follo$s that the theor" of evolution should be pushed aside as an uns ientifi idea. %his is ho$ !an" ideas# su h as the 'arth. entered universe !odel# have been ta:en out of the agenda of s ien e throughout histor". ?o$ever# the theor" of evolution is :ept on the agenda of s ien e. So!e people even tr" to represent riti is!s dire ted against it as an Iatta : on s ien e.I )h"K %he reason is that this theor" is an indispensable dog!ati belief for so!e ir les. %hese ir les are blindl" devoted to !aterialist philosoph" and adopt 3ar$inis! be ause it is the onl" !aterialist e5planation that an be put for$ard to e5plain the $or:ings of nature. *nterestingl" enough# the" also onfess this fa t fro! ti!e to ti!e. A $ell.:no$n geneti ist and an outspo:en evolutionist# &i hard C. 7e$ontin fro! ?arvard Bniversit"# onfesses that he is Ifirst and fore!ost a !aterialist and then a s ientistI8 *t is not that the !ethods and institutions of s ien e so!eho$ o!pel us a ept a !aterial e5planation of the pheno!enal $orld# but# on the ontrar"# that $e are for ed b" our a priori adheren e to !aterial auses to reate an apparatus of investigation and a set of on epts that produ e !aterial e5planations# no !atter ho$ ounter.intuitive# no !atter ho$ !"stif"ing to the uninitiated. >oreover# that !aterialis! is absolute# so $e annot allo$ a 3ivine Foot in the door.100

%hese are e5pli it state!ents that 3ar$inis! is a dog!a :ept alive @ust for the sa:e of adheren e to !aterialis!. %his dog!a !aintains that there is no being save !atter. %herefore# it argues that inani!ate# un ons ious !atter reated life. *t insists that !illions of different living spe ies Ge.g.# birds# fish# giraffes# tigers# inse ts# trees# flo$ers# $hales# and hu!an beingsH originated as a result of the intera tions bet$een !atter su h as pouring rain# lightning flashes# and so on# out of inani!ate !atter. %his is a pre ept ontrar" both to reason and s ien e. Fet 3ar$inists ontinue to defend it @ust so as Inot to allo$ a 3ivine Foot in the door.I An"one $ho does not loo: at the origin of living beings $ith a !aterialist pre@udi e $ill see this evident truth8 All living beings are $or:s of a Creator# )ho is All.Po$erful# All.)ise# and All.6no$ing. %his Creator is 4od# )ho reated the $hole universe fro! non.e5isten e# designed it in the !ost perfe t for!# and fashioned all living beings.

The The% # %) E4%(!ti%" is the M%st .%te"t S3e(( i" the W% (1

An"one free of pre@udi e and the influen e of an" parti ular ideolog"# $ho uses onl" his or her reason and logi # $ill learl" understand that belief in the theor" of evolution# $hi h brings to !ind the superstitions of so ieties $ith no :no$ledge of s ien e or iviliEation# is Auite i!possible. As e5plained above# those $ho believe in the theor" of evolution thin: that a fe$ ato!s and !ole ules thro$n into a huge vat ould produ e thin:ing# reasoning professors and universit" studentsJ su h s ientists as 'instein and 4alileoJ su h artists as ?u!phre" +ogart# Fran: Sinatra and 7u iano PavarottiJ as $ell as antelopes# le!on trees# and arnations. >oreover# as the s ientists and professors $ho believe in this nonsense are edu ated people# it is Auite @ustifiable to spea: of this theor" as Ithe !ost potent spell in histor".I Never before has an" other belief or idea so ta:en a$a" peoples= po$ers of reason# refused to allo$ the! to thin: intelligentl" and logi all" and hidden the truth fro! the! as if the" had been blindfolded. %his is an even $orse and unbelievable blindness than the 'g"ptians $orshipping the Sun 4od &a# tote! $orship in so!e parts of Afri a# the people of Saba $orshipping the Sun# the tribe of Prophet Abraha! Gpea e be upon hi!H $orshipping idols the" had !ade $ith their o$n hands# or the people of the Prophet >oses Gpea e be upon hi!H $orshipping the 4olden Calf. *n fa t# 4od has pointed to this la : of reason in the <ur=an. *n !an" verse# ?e reveals in !an" verses that so!e peoples= !inds $ill be losed and that the" $ill be po$erless to see the truth. So!e of these verses are as follo$s8 As )% th%se wh% 1% "%t be(ie4e, it &a6es "% 1i))e e"$e t% the& whethe #%! wa " the& % 1% "%t wa " the&, the# wi(( "%t be(ie4e. 0%1 has sea(e1 !3 thei hea ts a"1 hea i"5 a"1 %4e thei e#es is a b(i"1)%(1. The# wi(( ha4e a te ib(e 3!"ish&e"t. 78! 2a", 2: G'J: ; The# ha4e hea ts with whi$h the# 1% "%t !"1e sta"1. The# ha4e e#es with whi$h the# 1% "%t see. The# ha4e ea s with whi$h the# 1% "%t hea . S!$h 3e%3(e a e (i6e $att(e. N%, the# a e e4e" )! the ast a#I The# a e the !"awa e. 78! 2a", J: 9J<: E4e" i) We %3e"e1 !3 t% the& a 1%% i"t% hea4e", a"1 the# s3e"t the 1a# as$e"1i"5 th %!5h it, the# w%!(1 %"(# sa#: /O! e#esi5ht is be)!11(e1I O athe we ha4e bee" 3!t !"1e a s3e((I/ 78! 2a", 9B: 9C'9B: )ords annot e5press @ust ho$ astonishing it is that this spell should hold su h a $ide o!!unit" in thrall#

:eep people fro! the truth# and not be bro:en for 100 "ears. *t is understandable that one or a fe$ people !ight believe in i!possible s enarios and lai!s full of stupidit" and illogi alit". ?o$ever# I!agi I is the onl" possible e5planation for people fro! all over the $orld believing that un ons ious and lifeless ato!s suddenl" de ided to o!e together and for! a universe that fun tions $ith a fla$less s"ste! of organiEation# dis ipline# reason# and ons iousnessJ a planet na!ed 'arth $ith all of its features so perfe tl" suited to lifeJ and living things full of ountless o!ple5 s"ste!s. *n fa t# the <ur=an relates the in ident of Prophet >oses and Pharaoh to sho$ that so!e people $ho support atheisti philosophies a tuall" influen e others b" !agi . )hen Pharaoh $as told about the true religion# he told Prophet >oses to !eet $ith his o$n !agi ians. )hen >oses did so# he told the! to de!onstrate their abilities first. %he verses ontinue8 He sai1: /Y%! th %w./ A"1 whe" the# th ew, the# $ast a s3e(( %" the 3e%3(e2s e#es a"1 $a!se1 the& t% )ee( 5 eat )ea %) the&. The# 3 %1!$e1 a" eDt e&e(# 3%we )!( &a5i$. 78! 2a", J: 99G: As $e have seen# Pharaoh=s !agi ians $ere able to de eive ever"one# apart fro! >oses and those $ho believed in hi!. ?o$ever# his eviden e bro:e the spell# or Is$allo$ed up $hat the" had forged#I as the verse puts it. We e4ea(e1 t% M%ses, /Th %w 1%w" #%! sta))./ A"1 it i&&e1iate(# swa((%we1 !3 what the# ha1 )% 5e1. S% the T !th t%%6 3(a$e a"1 what the# 1i1 was sh%w" t% be )a(se. 78! 2a", J: 99J'99<: As $e an see# $hen people realiEed that a spell had been ast upon the! and that $hat the" sa$ $as @ust an illusion# Pharaoh=s !agi ians lost all redibilit". *n the present da" too# unless those $ho# under the influen e of a si!ilar spell# believe in these ridi ulous lai!s under their s ientifi disguise and spend their lives defending the!# abandon their superstitious beliefs# the" also $ill be hu!iliated $hen the full truth e!erges and the spell is bro:en. *n fa t# >al ol! >uggeridge# an atheist philosopher and supporter of evolution# ad!itted he $as $orried b" @ust that prospe t8 I &#se() a& $%"4i"$e1 that the the% # %) e4%(!ti%", es3e$ia((# the eDte"t t% whi$h it2s bee" a33(ie1, wi(( be %"e %) the 5 eat M%6es i" the hist% # b%%6s i" the )!t! e. Posterit" $ill !arvel that so ver" fli!s" and dubious an h"pothesis ould be a epted $ith the in redible redulit" that it has.10/ %hat future is not far off8 2n the ontrar"# people $ill soon see that I han eI is not a deit"# and $ill loo: ba : on the theor" of evolution as the $orst de eit and the !ost terrible spell in the $orld. %hat spell is alread" rapidl" beginning to be lifted fro! the shoulders of people all over the $orld. >an" people $ho see its true fa e are $ondering $ith a!aEe!ent ho$ the" ould ever have been ta:en in b" it. The# sai1, /0(% # be t% Y%!I We ha4e "% 6"%w(e15e eD$e3t what Y%! ha4e ta!5ht !s. Y%! a e the A(('N"%wi"5, the A(('Wise./ 78! 2a", 2: 32:

NOTES
1. A5t;el# +atW# NufXsu ve NXfuEu ?WEla Artan Ksla!YW 6onuKu"or G%he )est is %al:ing About *sla!# &ising both in Population and *nfluen eH# April 1# 1,,, 2. Patri : 4l"nn# God: The Evidence, the Reconciliation of Faith and Reason in a Postsecular World GCalifornia8 Pri!a Publishing# 1,,1H# 1,.20# 03. 3. +r" e Christensen# in a revie$ of 4erald ShroederYs boo: The Hidden Face of God# Z+oo:list#[ >ar h 10# 2001. 4. 4eorge PolitEer# Principes Fondamentaux de Philosophie GParis8 'ditions So iales# 1,04H# -4. 0. S. (a:i# osmos and reator GChi ago8 &egner" 4ate$a"# 1,-0H# 04 /. ?enr" >argenau and &o" Abraha! Pargesse# osmos, "ios, Theos G7a Salle *78 2pen Court Publishing# 1,,2#H 241. 1. (ohn >addo5# [3o$n $ith the +ig +ang#[ Nature# vol. 340 G1,-,H8 31-. -. ?. P. 7ipson# ZA Ph"si ist 7oo:s at 'volution#[ Ph$sics "ulletin# vol. 13- G1,-0H8 13-. ,. Paul 3avies# The osmic "lueprint G7ondon8 Penguin +oo:s# 1,-1H# 203. 10. ). Press# ZA Pla e for %eleolog"K[ Nature# vol. 320 G1,-/H8 310. 11. 4eorge 4reenstein# The #$m%iotic !niverse GNe$ For:8 )illia! >orro$# 1,--H# 21. 12. ?ugh &oss# The reator and the osmos: Ho) the *atest #cientific (iscoveries of the entur$ Reveal God GColorado Springs8 Navipress# 1,,0H# 123. 13. >i hael 3enton# Nature<s (estin$: Ho) the *a)s of "iolo+$ Reveal Purpose in the !niverse GNe$ For:8 %he Free Press# 1,,-H# 14. 14. Paul 3avies and (ohn 4ribbin# The 0atter 0$th GNe$ For:8 Si!on \ S huster# 1,,2H# 10. 10. As Auoted in 4erald S hroeder# The Hidden Face of God GNe$ For:8 %ou hstone# 2001H# 1. 1/. *bid.# -. 11. *bid.# -. 1-. *bid.# 2-. 1,. *bid.# 5i. 20. *bid.# 4-. 21. *bid.# 5ii. 22. Charles 3ar$in# The 6ri+in of #pecies: A Facsimile of the First Edition G?arvard Bniversit" Press# 1,/4H# 1-4. 23. Charles 3ar$in# *ife and *etter of harles (ar)in# vol. 28 Fro! Charles 3ar$in to (. 3o ?oo:er# >ar h 2,# 1-/3 24. Z?o"le on 'volution#[ Nature# vol. 2,4 G12 Nove!ber 1,-1H8 100. 20. 'd$in &. )alla e *P# ZPs" hiatr" and &eligion8 A 3ialogue#[ in Ps$choanal$sis and Reli+ion# eds. (oseph ?. S!ith and Susan A. ?andel!an G+alti!ore8 (ohn ?op:ins Bniversit" Press# 1,,0H# 1000. 2/. 4l"nn# God: The Evidence# /0./1. 21. *bid.# /,. 2-. *bid.# 1-.

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