FIRST SUPPLEMENT TO PREFACE

In this section we will explain the superiority of human beings over other creatures: all objects are similar with respect to their constitution, i.e., they are all made out of material and possess weight and volume. Human beings and animals are also equal to inanimate objects in this respect. But objects are differentiated from each other according to their specific attributes.

[Every object is made out of atoms. A speck of dust is a collection of millions of atoms. Some specific numbers of atoms combine together to form molecules. There are two types of objects, pure objects and mixtures. Objects which possess specific qualities are called pure objects. For example, copper wire or rain water are pure objects because they possess the same quality all the time, no matter where they are on earth. Their boiling and melting temperatures are known and they never change. Objects that do not possess specific qualities are called mixtures. Milk, wood, gasoline, sea water are mixtures. They may possess different qualities depending on the state they are in. They do not possess specific boiling and melting temperatures. For example, cow's milk is different from sheep's while the water of the Black Sea is different from the water of the Mediterranean Sea. The waters of the Black Sea are less salty than the water of the Mediterranean Sea.

Pure objects are also categorized in two ways. They are called elements if they cannot be divided further into other parts which have different characteristics. Gold, sulphur, iodine, and oxygen are elements. We know 105 elements today. Pure objects which can be divided into parts which have different characteristics are called composite objects. For example, sugar, rain water and alcohol are composite objects. If sugar is exposed to fire, it will decompose into carbon, water and some other parts. Furthermore, water can be divided into hydrogen and oxygen gases when it is exposed to electrical energy in a known manner. Today we know millions of composite objects. Composite objects are constructed by combining the atoms of two or more elements.

The same object can possess three states (i.e., solid, liquid and gaseous forms.) For example, water is in its solid state when it is frozen; liquid state when it is water; and gaseous state when it is vaporous. Gaseous state means it is like air and does not have a known volume or shape. Simple objects or elements are divided into three groups:

1. Real minerals (also called metals.)

2. Non-minerals (also called ametals.)

3. Half minerals.

There are seventy-eight real minerals. Seventy-seven of them are in solid form at room temperature. Only mercury is in liquid form at room temperature. Its boiling temperature is 357.3 degree Celsius and it becomes solid at -39.4 degree Celsius. When solid real minerals are pounded by a hammer, they take sheet-metal form. They do not separate into dust-like pieces. When atoms of metals combine with other atoms, they carry a positive electric charge. They cannot carry negative electric charges. Therefore, two metals cannot combine with each other because two metals which have positive charges do not attract each other. On the contrary, they repel each other.

There are seventeen ametals. One of them is in liquid form; five of them are in solid form and eleven of them are in gaseous form. When solid ametals are pounded by a hammer in a mortar, they take a dust-like form. They do not take sheet-metal form. Pure charcoal is an ametal and is called carbon in chemistry. When ametal atoms take the composite form by combining with others, they can either be in positively charged form or negatively charged form. Therefore, a few ametal atoms can combine together to form a molecule.

Composite objects are divided into two groups. Those which possess carbon and hydrogen atoms simultaneously in their constitution are called organic materials. They can burn and are formed in living beings. Recently, some of these materials were synthesized in laboratories and plants. Fat, sugar, acetone, quinine are some of the examples for organic substances. Objects which do not contain carbon and hydrogen simultaneously (namely hydrocarbons) in their constitution are called inorganic objects. They exist on the shell of the earth and in the sea in a dissolved form. Salt that is used in cooking, water, limestone, silica and sand are of this type.

All of these inanimate objects are mixed and combined in a special manner to form the basic building block of living cells. Cells are a living thing. Animal cells differ from plant cells but human cells are similar to animal cells. Living cells combine to form tissues while different kinds of tissues combine to form organs. Various organs combine together to form systems. The chain of cells-tissues-organs-systems as a whole combine together to form plants, animals, and the physical body of human beings.]

All the existing things in the material domain are classified in three groups: inanimate objects, plants, and animals. Among the animals, the human race is the most precious and honored species of all. Among the different species of every class, there is an order of superiority. In other words, one of the species is superior to others. The most superior species of a class shows similarities to the lowest species of a higher class. Moreover, most of their attributes will be identical. For example, coral looks similar to a stone which is an inanimate object but it multiplies and grows like living creatures. Date palms and fly-catcher (Dionaea muscicapa) act and sense like an animal. Some date palms are male and others are female. Male trees bend over toward the females. Unless some matter passes from the male date palm to the female, she cannot produce her fruits. Even though all the plants have reproductive means and fecundation takes place, it is more pronounced in date palms and looks like similar to what is in animals. Moreover, there is a white section on the top of the date palm that functions like the heart of the animal. If this white section is injured or is immersed under water for a while, the date palm dies. In one hadith, it is reported that Rasulullah, peace be upon him, said, "Pay respect to your aunt, date palm! Because, the first date palm was created from the clay that was left over from the clay of Adam, peace be upon him." This may be an indication from the prophet that this tree is the most supreme of the plant species.

The lowest species of the animal race is the sponge. They have a white color and live in the sea. They have conscious movements. There are thousands of primitive animals who live in the water. Among all creatures, there exists a better, more developed species over the primitive one. The order of superiority among them is explained in biology books. Every species has different feeding and self defense organs. For example, some of them have arrows to defend themselves, others have teeth, claws, horns or wings. Some of them depend on their speed and some others depend on cunning (fox). Every species with its peculiarities are protected. Numerous things that bewilder human mind are given to them as abilities for survival. For example, bees like expert engineers make octagonal honeycombs. If they were making their honeycomb in cylindrical shape, there would be an extra space between each honeycomb which would be a waste. There is no space waste in the shape of an octagonal prism. If it were in the shape of a rectangle, their volume and space would be smaller. The octagonal-shaped honeycomb is the most efficient object to work for the bees. Human beings can understand these things through education and analytical mind. Those who are not educated in these matters cannot understand and appreciate the intricate art demonstrated by these bees. Who instructed these bees? No doubt, Allahu ta'ala is inspiring them. These days, this inspiration is called inner drive!

If we consider animals having various levels of superiority to one another, then the most superior ones which are closest to human beings are horses, monkeys, elephants and parrots. Monkeys and elephants have intelligence levels which are not much below from many human beings. [Darwin, a geneticist, classified the various species of animals with respect to their superiorities to one another and noted monkeys were the most superior of all the species. Some of the enemies of Islam who pass themselves as progressive and enlightened men are in reality thick headed science fanatics who assert Darwin said animals mutated from one species to another through selective process until man evolved. They assert these types of absurdities to deny the creation of Adam, peace be upon him, from clay and to deceive the Muslim youth. In reality, Darwin never said that one animal species transforms to another. He did say there is an order of superiority in the creation of animals. He writes that the ones in the lower level of creation become a food-stock for the higher ones. This fact was observed and understood previously by Islamic scholars and was recorded in their books. For example, Ali bin Amrullah, may Allahu ta'ala be pleased with him, wrote in his book, the order of superiorities of animals with respect to each other. He was born centuries before Darwin (916) and died in 979 Hijri [1570 A.D.]. It is apparent that Darwin [1809-1890] read and culled his ideas from Islamic books.

Above the animals there exists the lowest levels of human beings. People who live in deserts, jungles are of this kind. The most superior human beings live in cities located between the 23-66 latitutes.]

Furthermore, there are differences among human beings with respect to material and moral standards, beyond and above the order of superiorities of creation. Some human beings put their efforts and intelligence in the advancement of technology, thereby inventing new tools and machinery. Others, in addition to technology, made progress in knowledge of reason and logic as well as science and technology. The highest human beings made progress in science and technology as well as in morals and ethics. They have reached the highest grade or level human beings can attain. This grade is called "the grade of approaching Allahu ta'ala and establishing closeness to Him." People who reach the highest grade strive to enlighten those who are in the lower lavels in order to raise them to higher levels. The highest of all of these people are the prophets, peace be upon them. They are honored by receiving messages and orders from Allahu ta'ala through the archangel Gabriel. The messages and orders which came through the archangel Gabriel are called revelation. The prophets showed human beings the way of progress and raised their level of humanity by conveying the received revelations to them. This path of progress shown by the prophets is called religion. The high grades which can be attained by human beings who make progress in religion are higher than the grades of the angels.

The rank of prophethood has four degrees. The first one is the degree of "Nabi." Prophets at this level are not given divinely revealed laws and commandments (Shari'at) but they implement the prevailing divine laws (Shari'ats). The second degree is the degree of "Rasul." Prophets of this degree are given new Divine Laws and commandments which are appropriate for the changing times. The third degree is the degree of "Ulul'azm" prophets. Prophets at this level come at a new epoch when times are desperate, the prevailing given divine law is forgotten and people are in dire need of a new revelation. Prophets of this degree are Adam, Noah (Nuh), Abraham (Ibrahim), Moses (Musa), Jesus (Isa), and Muhammad, peace be upon them. The fourth one is the degree of "Seal of the Prophets" or the final prophet (Hatam al-Anbiya). This highest degree is spared only for Hadrat Muhammad, peace be upon him. With the Divine address, "If it was not you, if it was not you, I would not have created anything!" He was honored and praised and this proves that the degrees of human beings are higher than the degrees of angels.

Degrees of human beings are exactly at the middle of the creation, i.e., angels, human beings and animals. One who follows the commandments of Islam progresses and becomes higher than the angels. The one who is deceived by his own soul and corrupt friends and separated from Islam sinks to the lower levels. Because, as we have communicated earlier, the spirit is incorporeal and the physical body is made up of matters which are substantially different in specific construction. Human beings are similar to angels with respect to their spirit and similar to animals with respect to construction of their physical bodies. Those who strengthen their spirit become higher than the angels. Because, while their physical body draws them away from angels and pulls them toward the animals, they resist this draw and temptation. Therefore, they make progress. Angels do not have a construction which draws them to the animalhood. Their goodness comes from the attribute of angelhood which they are created with.

People who choose to strengthen the physical body thus strengthen the soul sink lower levels than the animals. Allahu ta'ala pointed out the evil nature of these types of persons in the 178th verse of the chapter of "A'raf", and 44th verse of the chapter of "Furqan" of the Qur'an. "Moreover, they are lower than the animals." Because, animals neither have intellect nor a spirit like angels. Therefore, their draw for appetite would not be a guilt. Human beings are given the light of wisdom. If they prefer to follow the desires of their soul, they become deviated and lowly beings.

Mixtures, that is what the sons of Adam,

Made up from Angelhood and animalhood.

One who follows his angel,

Becomes higher than his angel.

Those who become animal natured,

Become lower than all creatures!

The necessities of life such as air, food, water, clothing, shelter and mates are all created readily for the survival of the animals.

[Among these necessities, the most immediate one is the air. They can't survive more than a few minutes without it. They will die right away. If air was something which could be found by searching, they could not live long enough to find it. Something that is this much of necessity is created by Allahu ta'ala abundantly everywhere so they could fill their lungs instinctively and naturally. Water is not as immediate a necessity as air for their survival. Human beings and animals can survive without it for a period long enough to search for it. Thus, it becomes necessary for them to strive to find it. Since animals do not have wisdom and do not cooperate with each other, they neither prepare food nor clothing for themselves, nor do they cook their food. Consequently, they either eat grass or carcass. They keep warm through their feathers, down and hair. Tools of survival are created for them as part of their bodies. Therefore; they do not need each other.

Human beings have to think about all those things and strive to obtain them. Unless they grind seed, harvest it and make bread out of it, they cannot satisfy their hunger. Unless they spin thread, weave and tailor, they cannot clothe themselves. Furthermore, they have to develop their intelligence, learn scientific knowledge and establish industries and utilize technology in order to protect themselves. Every animal possesses a superior quality above others. Human beings are given in their construction all those superior qualities. They must work hard and use their intelligence and wisdom to bring out these hidden superior qualities given to them. They hold the keys to the happiness or disaster, depending on the use of their will power for good or evil. If they use their intelligence and wisdom to find the path of happiness and strive on this path, the innate hidden goodness will become apparent and will cause them to make progress toward sublimity, rise from horizon to horizon and become co-mingled with angels to reach the consent and love of Allahu ta'ala. Alternately, if they follow the desires of their soul, they will stay as they were created, in the lower levels of animals. And, their fortune will turn around and they will sink to the level lower than animals and finally go to hell.

Human beings are created with two capabilities. They need a master to teach them to recognize their innate capacity and strive to strengthen this in order to rise high and make progress. Some children are taught easily by advice, soft talk and gifts while others are taught by harsh treatment and punishment. The master has to be good and understand the nature of the child and treat him accordingly, either by soft or harsh talk in order to raise him properly. Unless there is a competent master, the child cannot gain knowledge and morals to make progress. The master who provides knowledge and morals saves the child from calamities and makes him a happy person.]