Messenger Audio 44 (4-Mar-1983)

Person giving sermon (not Rashad) hard to understand - person is talking about Rashad and his findings.

(0:09) Today we have a topic, and I think that today is going to be about computers. (0:16) We're going to talk a little bit about the computer sphere, the third pipe we have, (0:20) and later the twin we'll see. (0:23) And it seems, actually, that everything today is being computerized. (0:28) We've certainly computerized here this master, (0:31) and probably the most computerized master in the world. (0:37) This, of course, is because of the work of Ishtar Suleiman, (0:42) and his discovery of the 19th code in the Qur'an to be a computer. (0:49) He continues to do new work with the computer, (0:52) and he's learning more things about the code in the Qur'an by means of the computer. (0:59) And we have some other people here in the master. (1:02) They're also starting to get involved with the computer. (1:05) There's Sister Iman, who's been doing an index of the English translation of the Qur'an. (1:14) She's been doing quite an undertaking herself in the last couple of years. (1:22) It's a very, very important task that she's doing. (1:27) Now, Gustav asked me to give this book, by the way, (1:32) because myself and Brother Rashid have been doing some work over at the University Computer Center (1:39) these last three or four months. (1:43) And what we've been doing is putting the Qur'an onto their computer, (1:47) onto the computer over there, (1:49) in order to reproduce the work that Dr. Craig has done. (1:56) And Brother Rashid, as many of you know, is a systems engineering student, (2:01) and he's very knowledgeable about the computers and what you can do with them. (2:06) And my role in the project is going to type the Arabic Qur'an onto the computer itself, (2:13) since I can read the Arabic text. (2:18) But Gustav's group wanted me to say a little bit about what we were doing and why. (2:22) And as Gustav and Dr. Mahul have repeated many times here, (2:30) the numeric code and what he's been revealed to us about it here in this lecture (2:36) is really on the tip of my spear. (2:41) And we've seen Dr. Craig come many times and show us some of the stuff that he's learned. (2:46) And also Dr. Mahul has additionally been able to show us (2:49) the connections between the code and the abject value, (2:53) the letter count value of many of the beautiful letters of God. (2:58) Now, when Brother Rashid and I started this project, (3:01) we had several ideas in mind, besides reproducing the work that Dr. Craig did. (3:08) But our first major project was just to get the entire Qur'an from the Arabic into the computer, (3:16) and system the computer to read. (3:20) And I expect that this may take us a couple of years. (3:24) And we certainly would appreciate any help from anybody else who can read the Arabic Qur'an (3:30) and participate to type in the Arabic Qur'an and get it out a little bit faster. (3:43) Because once we have an active file of the Qur'anic text on the computer, (3:48) in addition to reproducing the work of Dr. Craig, (3:52) which is very important in confirming anything scientifically, (3:56) it must be reproducible. (3:58) So this is an important value of doing this kind of work. (4:05) You'll also be able to use the file that's created in every text (4:10) to look through other literature or do statistical analysis (4:15) and the type of project that occurs with the kind of text that we have (4:19) and investigating some of the other possible relationships. (4:31) We hope perhaps one day that when this works is completed, (4:36) that this mosque here, in addition to having the Qur'an and the various books of Dr. Craig, (4:42) available for distribution, (4:43) we will also be able to have computer tapes or discs available (4:48) that other people can check out Dr. Khalifa's work (4:52) or do other investigations on their own or verify it against the original text (4:57) without having to go through all the painstaking and time-consuming work (5:01) of themselves printing and printing. (5:08) Now, Rashid has passed out here some printouts. (5:14) This is some of our initial work. (5:17) We've just really done only five surahs of the Qur'an. (5:23) These are printouts with the results from Surah 42 and Surah 50, (5:29) showing not only the count of the Ka, which is the important value of the Ka, (5:34) 42 has Haqq, meaning kindness and Ka. (5:38) That's my bonus information. (5:41) And 50 has Ka. (5:43) Surah 50 is the surah that has 57 Ka. (5:47) And Surah 42, which is twice as long, also has 57 Ka. (5:52) Now, this printout here will tell you the numerical value of every letter in each of those surahs. (5:59) In addition to any other letters that are visible by note to you, (6:05) there's a code up there at the top so you can interpret what the errors are like. (6:16) So this is an initial example of being able to read these things. (6:27) So I've got most of the cookbook today. (6:34) I want to talk more generally. (6:36) We don't want to have any new results. (6:40) More of the experience that we've had and some of the basis for this kind of thing. (6:45) The basis for the importance of the computer in relation to the Qur'an itself. (6:54) Now, as many of you know, at any time at all, with any kind of computer, even a pocket calculator, (7:02) working with the computer changes our habits of thinking. (7:07) The way we perceive the world around us, particularly mathematically, (7:11) and in terms of the logics that are used. (7:16) The effect of computers in every aspect of our lives seems to have become even more overwhelming in the last few years. (7:25) Well, we've got to stop and remember that God knew all about computers (7:29) even before the beginning of the world, (7:33) though he only released his knowledge to us living in the last part of the 20th century. (7:40) And the potential benefits we may get using computers also makes us vulnerable to potential misuse of them. (7:49) Indeed, God's gift to the humans of the computer places a heavy burden of responsibility on us (7:56) to use it for benefit and not for harm. (8:00) And what we witness today is a majority of people are overwhelmed and impressed by the powers of computers. (8:06) And many people are afraid of computers. (8:09) Many people seem to think they're almost God-like. (8:15) We must always remember that the computer is really no more than a piece of iron. (8:22) And we can look to Surah 57, Al-Hadid, which means iron. (8:27) In the famous verse there, verse 25, it tells us, (8:31) We have sent our messengers with clear revelations, and we have sent them the scripture in law, (8:37) to spread justice among the people. (8:40) We also sent down iron, wherein there is great force and power, as well as benefits for the people. (8:47) This, that God may distinguish those who support him and his messengers in good faith. (8:54) God is most powerful, almighty. (8:56) Now, we can take iron and this sword to refer not just to the smelting of a particular metal, (9:03) but to all kinds of technology. (9:05) And certainly, it fits the potentials of the computer, both for benefit and for harm. (9:14) Indeed, computers are one of God's supremely given blessings to the human being, (9:22) to be used or misused according to what is in the hearts of the people. (9:28) Now, God ordained that the computer would be the final scripture he would give us. (9:35) And because his plan was that 14 centuries later, (9:39) he was going to allow the people to discover how to make and use computers. (9:45) The computer would open up increasing knowledge of the marvels of God's creation, (9:52) let the people see and talk to each other all over the planet via the satellite, (9:58) or go to the moon, or learn more about the inner mysteries of the genes and the atoms. (10:04) All of these are only possible for us to do because of the computer. (10:08) The computer also allows us to wage nuclear war. (10:14) Now, we know all this new knowledge would overwhelm the people. (10:19) God knew that all this new knowledge would overwhelm the people (10:23) and even make people suppose that they had discovered the computer independently of God's will (10:29) and even forget God entirely. (10:32) God wanted to reassure the believers who would be living in such a fantastically new world (10:40) as opened by the computer and as we're seeing unveiled to us all around every day. (10:48) God wanted to let us know, us people who are living in the age of computers, (10:53) to clearly know that he fully controls the computers along with the rest of his creation. (10:59) Alhamdulillah. (11:03) Verse 6, surah 6, verse 101 tells us, (11:09) God is the designer of the heavens and earth and he created all things and he is fully aware of all things. (11:16) In surah 18, verse 7, he created everything on earth. (11:20) As a dormant, he ordered to test them, therewith, and distinguish the good doers. (11:26) This is exactly what surah 57 told us about the purpose of iron and technology. (11:34) And God put a coded message in the Koran, his final scripture, (11:39) that could be found and appreciated only after the computer was invented. (11:44) In this way, God not only proves to us that he has preserved the written integrity of the Koran, (11:49) every word, every letter. (11:52) As has been discussed here many times, (11:54) he proves to us that he controls the computer, which was needed to make this discovery. (12:01) Now we should appreciate the exact timing by which the computer message was delivered. (12:09) Now if we look back at just the recent history of the computer itself, (12:13) in the 1940s and 1950s, the modern computer was just being developed. (12:19) And it was going from having some mechanical gears to all electronics. (12:25) First using the big old vacuum tubes and finally transistors. (12:31) Now these were called first and second generation computers (12:34) and only a few hundred or a few thousand could be made. (12:39) They were very expensive and they needed a room the size of a gymnasium to house them. (12:45) Then in the mid-1950s and early 60s, miniature circuits and microchips began to be developed. (12:54) These became the third generation computers. (12:57) Now these are the large ones that are used by universities and businesses. (13:01) And they process information thousands of times faster than the original computers. (13:07) This is the kind of computer that Ustadz Kalitza was using (13:11) when he first discovered the miracle in the Quran. (13:15) This is the kind of computer they have over here at the University Computer Center. (13:20) But the little computers, the ones you see back in the office, (13:24) the ones you see advertised on TV and in the magazines, (13:30) the computer scientists call these fourth generation computers. (13:33) And they represent the real computer revolution. (13:38) They've only been commercially available the last three or four years (13:44) and only in the last year or so at prices that very many people could afford. (13:50) Some now are only a hundred to three or four hundred dollars (13:53) and you just hook them up to a TV set. (13:57) Now we can notice that this timing coincides with the publication of Ustadz's translation of the Quran (14:05) and the proliferation of the information about the 19 codes in the Quran itself. (14:15) His book, The Computer Speaks, and his other books. (14:19) Now the mathematical miracle of the Quran, of course, (14:23) isn't only to be studied and appreciated by people who have access to big computers (14:29) in universities or IBM or such places. (14:33) It's to be appreciated by everyone. (14:41) And though we don't need a computer to appreciate the miracle of the Quran itself, (14:48) with or without knowledge of the codes, (14:51) the fact is that the computer is affecting so many people's lives. (14:58) And so the appreciation of the code through the computer is very important, I think. (15:07) Since God exactly timed the release of the computer miracle in the Quran, (15:12) he also planned the exact timing of the release of these many computers (15:17) and the availability to everyone. (15:20) He planned that beginning in the 1980s the computer was going to start becoming (15:24) as common as TVs and radios and cars. (15:28) I was hearing on the radio the other day about how some illegal manufacturers (15:34) over in Hong Kong and Singapore were illegally making mini computers (15:40) and putting famous names on them for black market sales (15:44) in Asia and Africa and the Middle East (15:48) at one-half to one-third the price of the real thing. (15:53) You know, we can't approve of such practices, (15:57) but it is a good illustration of just how proliferated the mini computers are becoming. (16:06) And it shows that mini computers are not just in big demand, (16:10) not just in the U.S. and Japan and Europe, (16:13) but all over the world, even the poorest countries. (16:17) So we can take it as a sign to appreciate even more how major a change (16:21) the computer is making in the lives of all the people in the world, (16:26) not just us in what we call the developed world. (16:30) And we can further recognize how God controls the computer (16:33) and why it was so important to put a computerized message in the Quran (16:38) when he put it in Muhammad's heart 1400 years ago. (16:43) Verse 102 of Surah 6 says, (16:46) Such is God your Lord. (16:48) There is no God except He, the Creator of all things. (16:52) Therefore you shall worship Him alone. (16:55) He is in full control of all things. (16:58) Therefore let us turn to God and ask Him for guidance and forgiveness. (17:20) Alhamdulillah. (17:27) In the second part of my Qibla today, (17:32) I want to talk a little bit about my personal experience (17:35) while I was working on the computer typing in the Surahs. (17:40) Not only did it make me appreciate the enormity of the task that Dr. Khalifa did (17:45) over the years that he worked on the computer miracles, (17:52) and especially since when he started out he had no idea what he was looking for. (17:58) It also makes me really appreciate (18:03) how impossible it would be for someone (18:08) to deliberately put this 19th code in the Quran (18:13) to human design. (18:15) Especially people who didn't even have computers to keep track (18:19) of all their words and letters and where they placed everything. (18:24) Now I had an Arabic class over at the university (18:27) and one year it taught me how to read the alphabet. (18:31) It taught me a little vocabulary and some basic grammar. (18:35) But unlike Dr. Khalifa, (18:38) I don't really understand the Arabic. (18:40) So when I'm typing it, (18:42) basically all I'm doing is typing in letters. (18:48) Sometimes I'm not even sure where a word begins. (18:53) But as I've been typing it, (18:56) I do read the Arabic text. (19:00) And I get used to words and patterns (19:03) and I compare it with the English text (19:05) which is there in my Quran beside it. (19:07) So I am learning more vocabulary as I go along. (19:15) Even with only partly understanding the Arabic, (19:18) sometimes I really get choked up (19:20) just in the sense of it's totally different than reading the translation. (19:26) Sometimes I'll be typing along (19:28) and just typing in letters (19:29) and just reading words without thinking about it. (19:32) And it's something that will kind of jump at me. (19:34) And I'll start wondering what's being said here (19:37) and then I'll go and look at the English text. (19:40) And it's kind of a strange experience. (19:47) Even without understanding the actual meanings of many of the words, (19:52) I became to recognize many of them (19:54) just because they are repeated over and over. (19:57) And as I type, I was constantly struck by the odd sensation (20:01) of patterns and things going on that I really can't articulate. (20:07) It seemed to me not only are there rhythms (20:10) when we hear the Quran in sight, (20:14) but there are patterns in the letters themselves. (20:19) And because of this experience, (20:22) I am more convinced not only that the choices of words (20:26) and spelling in the Quran are designed to accommodate the 19 code, (20:30) but every word and every letter is chosen and placed (20:35) exactly for a specific purpose. (20:39) Now, when I read the Quran, (20:42) I'm reminded of patterns and rules of logic (20:46) which I learned in computer programming. (20:49) Well, I can't offer you any specific evidence for this statement. (20:56) I will only offer you some of the thoughts that I've had. (21:00) That leads me to make this kind of statement. (21:05) We're all aware that the Quran is written in an unusual style, (21:11) unlike any other book. (21:14) It's almost the first thing that everyone notices (21:16) when they're reading the Quran for the first time. (21:19) We find a few verses talking about one subject, (21:22) and then suddenly the next verse seems to be talking about (21:25) some entirely different subject. (21:26) We find ourselves jumping to verses in other sources (21:30) scattered all over the Quran to continue learning (21:32) additional information on a specific subject. (21:37) This is not the style of an ordinary book (21:39) of literature, philosophy, or poetry, (21:42) where the writer keeps the subject's development (21:44) following a linear sequence of logic. (21:48) It is very much the style of a complex computer program. (21:56) Which sends the computer jumping around (21:59) to different sets of instructions (22:00) and other parts of the program from back and forth. (22:04) In order for the computer to keep track (22:06) of where it should go for the next step, (22:08) the program uses numbers and specific names as addresses (22:12) so the computer will not get lost. (22:15) Now, when we're reading the Quran, (22:17) we sometimes find the same verse numbers (22:20) in different suras are talking about the same subject. (22:23) And it reminds me of this aspect of the computer program. (22:28) But I must remind you that this is only a speculation, (22:31) and I have no consistent rule to offer you. (22:36) So I only submit it to you as a further area (22:39) for possible investigation. (22:42) Now, another character of the Arabic Quran (22:46) that strikes me, comparing it with the rules (22:49) of the computer program, (22:51) is the very specific use of words. (22:55) In our Quranic studies, (22:57) Istaiz Khalifa and Dr. Mahmoud (22:59) have often drawn our attention (23:04) to the precise use of words in verses (23:06) when we're discussing and comparing them (23:09) to the same usages and restatements of points (23:13) in verses elsewhere in the Quran. (23:16) Now, in computer programming, (23:17) when we want to communicate to the computer (23:20) a specific instruction or piece of information, (23:24) it is absolutely essential that we use precise words. (23:29) Anytime that same instruction or piece of data is repeated, (23:33) we must use the same precise words. (23:36) It's called the address. (23:39) If we don't, the computer doesn't know (23:41) what we're talking about. (23:43) For example, the electric company (23:45) might use a computer card (23:48) with a bunch of holes in it (23:49) to process our electric bill. (23:52) Now, one set of holes in that computer card (23:57) tells the computer the customer number. (23:59) Now, every customer has a different number. (24:02) So the program has to tell the computer (24:05) that we're still talking about the same thing. (24:09) And it calls that set of holes (24:10) wherever the number is (24:13) as a customer number. (24:16) When we find something similar in the Quran, (24:20) when we take the word, for example, ayat, (24:23) which can be translated as sign, miracle, (24:26) marvel, verse, and revelation, (24:30) and the various other translations that we see (24:33) in the Biblical translations too, (24:38) it's translated by these various words (24:41) depending on the context in which it is used. (24:46) And even though there are other possible words (24:49) in the Arabic that could be used, (24:51) the Quran always sticks with the word ayat (24:53) for uses consistent. (24:56) Whether the ayat we're talking about (24:58) is the parting of the sea from Moses, (25:00) or the creation, (25:04) the pattern of the sun and the moon (25:07) around each other, (25:10) the signs that Moses showed to Pharaoh, (25:17) the letters in the suras are called ayat, (25:21) the verses that were sent down were called ayat, (25:25) the sending of the rain to go to the crops (25:28) was called ayat. (25:32) Now, there's many, many examples. (25:38) Now, they're all named ayat (25:41) so that we can understand that all these different signs (25:44) and miracles are for one purpose. (25:47) They're proof of God's power over everything. (25:50) Surah 6, verse 105, (25:53) Thus do we bury the signs, the ayat, (25:56) to let them realize you have learned, (25:59) and we explain the signs to the people who have knowledge. (26:06) Well, I hope I haven't been too long and confusing in this. (26:11) Certainly my own experience of working on the computer (26:14) makes me appreciate even more the miracles (26:18) that have been told in the Quran (26:19) and how complex and difficult Dr. Kaliqa's own work was. (26:25) And really, you couldn't have discovered it by intention, I don't think. (26:31) And it makes me appreciate even more (26:34) just how extraordinary and inexhaustible the Quran itself is. (26:39) It becomes really attempting to go far afield (26:42) in exploring the technical structure of the Quran, (26:46) how many letters and words there are, (26:48) and the choice of words, the arrangement of verses, (26:51) and suras, and much, much more. (26:54) But really, the important thing in the end (26:57) is what was important in the first place, (26:59) is to believe and worship God. (27:02) And we should strive to understand (27:04) what the words of the Quran say, (27:07) telling us how to worship God (27:10) and how the believer should treat one another. (27:14) All this elaboration and mathematical detail (27:17) may occupy our minds like a great puzzle, (27:20) but if this is the nature of our minds, (27:22) it's the way God designed them. (27:24) Still, in the end, what we are learning (27:27) is nothing more than we bore witness to (27:31) at a creation. (27:34) There is no God but God, (27:36) so let us worship God alone and work righteousness. (29:19) Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim (29:22) Alhamdulillah (29:43) Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim (30:00) Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim