Scientific Developments

God's Messenger also made many predictions concerning various scientific developments, some of which have already come true. Out of the many examples, I will cite only a few to illustrate his accuracy in this regard.

• As related by Bukhari, God's Messenger declared: "God did not send down an illness for which He did not send a cure." [44] This hadith, in addition to declaring that every illness is curable, is the most comprehensive statement encouraging medical research. In another Tradition, the Messenger states that "there is a cure for every illness." [45]

Another version tells us: "Do not neglect to treat your diseases, for God does not send a disease for which He does not also send a cure. The only exception is old age." [46] Humanity may discover a cure for every illness, but will never be able to stop our journey from the world of spirits to the material world and then on to either Paradise or Hell through the stations of embryo, infancy, childhood, youth, old age, the grave, and the Resurrection. The Prophet encourages us to learn how to cure illnesses, but also warns us not to neglect preparing for the next world.

God encourages us to pursue scientific knowledge by relating the miracles of earlier Prophets. This brings such matters to the scientists' attention and thereby shows the limits to their aspirations. By allowing Jesus the inimitable miracle of bringing the dead back to life, He points out that we can cure everything but death. The story of Moses' staff shows us that we can use inanimate things for various purposes, such as obtaining water from deep underground by using such simple things as a staff like a centrifuge. However, we will never cause a rock to bring forth abundant water by striking it with a staff, or to change a staff into a snake, both of which Moses did.

The Qur'an is Prophet Muhammad's greatest miracle, and marks the farthest limit in literary style and eloquence that humanity can attain. It also implies that writing and eloquence will have the greatest importance toward the end of time. The Prophets set examples and showed us the limits to which we may go in material as well as spiritual progress.

• The Messenger advised quarantine to contain outbreaks of contagious diseases: "If you hear that there is pestilence in a place, don't enter it; if pestilence breaks out where you are, don't leave it to escape the pestilence." [47] According to Ahmad ibn Hanbal, he also declared: "Keep away from the leper as you do from a lion." [48] In this hadith, God's Messenger advises us to protect ourselves against leprosy. Quarantine is again suggested here as a way to prevent the spread of leprosy.

• Imam Muslim narrates in his Sahih that God's Messenger declared: "If a dog licks your bowl, clean it seven times, first time with soil, and the other six with water." [49] This hadith contains the following medical principles related to bacteria:

- Dogs may carry microbes of certain diseases that can be passed to people. This fact was discovered recently by scientists.

- A dog's saliva and excrement may contain substances that can damage a person's health.

- At the time of the Prophet, disinfection and sterilization were unknown. Nevertheless, God's Messenger recommends that a bowl licked by a dog be cleaned with soil. Today we know that soil is a good antiseptic that contains such substances as tetracycline.

In another hadith concerning dogs, God's Messenger expresses a fundamental principle of ecology: "If dogs were not a separate community, I would order their killing." [50] This implies that every species is an indispensable element of ecological balance.

• As recorded by Sahih al-Tirmidhi and Sunan Abu Dawud, God's Messenger declares: "The blessings of food lie in washing hands before and after eating." [51] This hadith emphasizes the importance of cleanliness. As we use our hands, germs accumulate and can be removed only by washing them. In another hadith, he advises us to wash our hands after we wake up since "You do not know where your hands have moved while you sleep." [52] At that time, no one knew about microbes.

• As recorded in all six of the most authentic books of Tradition from as many as 40 Companions, God's Messenger established the principle of dental care: "If it didn't burden upon community excessively, I would command them to clean their teeth with miswak [a tooth stick] before each of the five daily prayers." [53] Dental hygiene is of great significance not just for our teeth, but for our entire body. God's Messenger followed this practice, and so we should do likewise.

• In relation to health and digestion, God's Messenger recommended: "In eating, apportion a third of your stomach to food, another third to water, and leave the last third empty. The bowl most distasteful to God is a full stomach." [54] In another similar hadith, he said: "What I fear concerning my community is a large stomach, oversleep, idleness, and the lack of certainty." [55]

All of the points mentioned here are either antecedent to or a result of the other. Those who are idle and heedless, who ignore self-control and self-criticism, are apt to become fat. This causes them to eat more food. A full stomach encourages more sleep, and the person begins to sleep for longer periods of time. Such people, now addicted to overeating and excessive sleeping, will never be able to acquire certainty and deep conviction in Islam. This is the case with most people today.

• Another Tradition concerning health is as follows: "Treat your eyes with kohl, for it nourishes the eyes and eyelashes." [56] Many medical authorities state that kohl does exactly that. Another substance, recommended by the Prophet and useful for health as an antibiotic and for its dermatological effect, is henna. [57] Henna is better and more effective as an antiseptic and sterilization agent than such substances as a tincture of iodine.

• Bukhari relates from Abu Hurayra that once God's Messenger said: "A black cumin seed contains a cure for every illness but death." [58] This hadith contains many truths related to therapy. A patient needs, particularly during convalescence, foods that are rich in proteins, calories, and vitamins, and that are easily digestible. Scientific investigations have recently shown that all these properties are found in black cumin.

• Bukhari relates from God's Messenger: "When a fly falls into your bowl, dip it completely in the food before taking it out. There is disease in one of the fly's wings, and cure in the other." [59] No one at that time knew that flies carry microbes. Moreover, when a fly drops into a bowl, it tries to hold one of its wings off the food so that it can take off again. Thus, it leaves bacteria on the food. But when it is submerged with a slight touch, the tiny bag on the other wing bursts and scatters the anti-bacteria to kill the germs already left. This is a very recent medical discovery.

• 'A'isha related that once a woman named Fatima bint Abu Khubash asked God's Messenger: "O God's Messenger, my blood does not stop. Should I abandon the prescribed prayers?" He replied: "No, you must not, for it is not menstrual blood but rather a haemorrhage." [60] Except by Prophethood, how could he have distinguished between a normal haemorrhage and menstrual blood? How could he have known that menstrual bleeding is a kind of haemorrhage?

• Tariq ibn Suwayd narrates: I used to suffer from an illness, and took alcohol as a remedy. When alcohol was banned, I asked God's Messenger whether I could continue using this remedy. He told me: "No, for it is not a remedy; rather, it is the disease itself." [61] Scientists now agree that even a single drop of alcohol is harmful to one's physical and spiritual health.

• God's Messenger proclaimed that ten things are intrinsically necessary for men and therefore ordered by Prophets. Circumcision is one of them. [62] Today, scientists admit that a man's foreskin is exposed and susceptible to infections, even cancer. Therefore, millions of people are circumcised in Europe and America.

We are convinced that the West will one day acknowledge the truth of Islam, and that the prediction made at the beginning of the twentieth century by Said Nursi will come true: "The Ottoman State is pregnant with a Western one, as the West is with an Islamic one. Both will give birth to what they are pregnant with." [60]

We have so far explained the truthfulness of Prophets, emphasizing the truthfulness of Prophet Muhammad. As mentioned several times, all predictions made by a Prophet eventually come true, for they never lie. They came to guide us to the Straight Path and to lead us to Paradise. Had they lied even once, they would have guided no one to the truth. However, their truthfulness, especially that of Prophet Muhammad, will be manifested as brightly as the sun in the Hereafter, where people will see everything clearly. In that place, all the tidings they gave about the next life, the Resurrection, the Place of Gathering, the Final Reckoning, the Bridge, Paradise, and Hell will be realized.