A Brave and Daring Invitation to the Right Hand - 3

In this episode, I am going to delve into the meaning of the concept of the Right Hand, and explore a few related topics. Before starting, I would like to make an extended introduction to construct the big picture for the Right Hand.

Our motivation here is to explore the licit possibilities in the sexual realm according to Islam. By "licit possibilities", I am specifically talking about the relationship types between man and woman besides marriage. If you haven't done so, I strongly recommend you to read the two previous episodes, since without those, the comments here may lack the appropriate rationale.

In distinguishing marriage from prostitution, I had pointed at the presence of a definite time limit for the latter and its absence in the former. After this initial step, I had mentioned other social, economical and personal aspects that separate the two, and had presented them in a table. To make a better picture and to describe the problem more comprehensibly, I had included the mut'a and having a concubine to the list so that we could more easily differentiate between the licit and the illicit. Now, why are all these? Let me answer with a metaphor.

Wine is forbidden is Islam through clear, explicit verses of the Quran. In this context, if someone claims that "rum is not forbidden, because it is not mentioned in the Quran", we can easily disregard it by saying that it functions the same way, even if its name is different. On the other hand, if another person claims that all fruit juices are forbidden, because they are giving pleasure and are the source of wine, we know that this is going beyond the limits and that, in fact, such prohibition would certainly lead people to the illicit. So, coming back to the relationships between men and women involving sex, if we know what makes the licit licit and what makes the illicit illicit, we can then use this information to cope with the challenges of the modern life. And thus, we can live within the borders of the licit.

In this framework, my intention is to investigate the concept of slavery, which was not abolished but regulated by Islam, and extract from there criteria to formulate or verify new forms of relationships. If you are appalled by what has been described so far, I assure you that if you were in the shoes of someone who is in the sex work and unable to get out, you would be happy to see people out there who are trying to find out a way for people in situations like yours. Or, if you were a lady with children trying to withstand the challenges of life on your own but unable to find a stable path and peace of mind, you would be relieved to hear that a solution is possible. Or, if you were a male who is going through self-torture everyday in order to suppress his sexual desires and to avoid the forbidden, you could burst into tears of joy upon learning a relief in the Islamic sense. Or, if you were born into a family and community that doesn't promise much for your future and unable to secure your basic rights, you could find a glimpse of hope, if you could open a way for yourself in a licit manner. But, if you are someone who has no real problems in meeting your basic needs or in securing your basic rights, if you have a family or friends that provide a habitat for your flourishing, then you could think that the discussion here is outrageous and is perversion. In any event, I am going to pursue this study for the sake of God on behalf of all those in need of an Islamic solution to their conditions in this regard.

Now, let us put out the ultimate question we are trying to answer. Although prostitution is clearly forbidden by God, are there other possible licit avenues for sex work in context of Islam?

At this conjunction, let me remind that if something is present in the Quran, it has validity until the end of time. This premise is interpreted in two major different ways. For example, there are regulations for war in the Quran. If you happen to be in war, you apply those regulations, but it does not mean that Quran is ordering to wage war just for its own sake. Similarly, there are regulations regarding the slaves. For this, some scholars say that if you happen to have slaves, than those regulations apply. But, what is not mentioned in the Quran is how a person becomes a "slave"!  I emboldened this last word for a reason you'll see in a minute.

The second interpretation of things present in the Quran is that they are treated in terms of their functions. So, even if you are not in the exact same historical conditions, if you are surrounded by the same or similar functional context, then you can make use of the injunctions or guiding rules outlined in the Quran for the case similar to yours.

Historically, we know that if a tribe lost a war, their women and children became slaves in the hands of the victorious side. However, the structure built on top of "slaves" in the Quran is too big to be supported by "winning wars" only. That is, the picture drawn about and around slaves is bigger than that belongs to the case of war captives. Let me expound what I mean here.

First of all, there are different words in the Quran in context of slaves, but they don't necessarily mean "war captive" in the literal sense. This fact enables us to question whether it is the function that is regulated, and not the mechanism of becoming a "slave". More clearly, although in the past, people performed certain functions as slaves as a result of losing a war, humanity can device other mechanisms by which the same functions are fulfilled in different contexts. In this context remember that there are thinkers who treat the modern urban life as a modern form of slavery, and it is true in many ways, but we don't shun our way of life even if it functions the same way as that of the slaves. Rather, we try our best to function in the licit domain. I had discussed and used the same approach in previous blogs, that is focusing on the function and not on the title, for other issues (who is Muslim, who is friend, who is male/female). Similarly, in terms of sex work, there might be a licit framework, and we can search for regulations in the Quran for the working conditions that could involve sex work!

As I mentioned above and in the previous episode, the concept of having concubines and their living conditions can help us in this regard. Before proceeding further, I would like to reformulate our problem statement in a way that is more comely to the modern mind and is more suitable for a productive research: Is it possible to establish an Islamic "home services" concept where men and women establish companionship for mutual benefits in both the short and the long term? In the rest of this article and in the coming episodes, God willing, I am going to explore this avenue. For this, first, we can look at the home services applications during the life time of Prophet Muhammad pbuh and the relevant Quranic verses. All of the verses and hadiths used in the following discussion are either presented at the end of this article or are referenced where they are mentioned. Keep in mind that we are going to try to extract the functional relationships in context of a female service provider. The same logic and method can be used for male service providers as well.

When we look at the life of the concubines during the 7th century, we see that they provide labor to their masters outside their houses, however when intimate services are considered, those are exclusively at home. You may think that making this observation is silly, but it is important to distinguish a service provider from a wife. That is, thanks to this distinction, we can say that a male master cannot hang out with his concubine and pass romantic time on a beach! Or he cannot meet with friends with the company of his concubine as a companion; the privilege of standing in the society as a couple solely belongs to a husband and wife, not a master and concubine. If the person is so desirous and loving towards his concubine that he wants to venture into the life at large with her, then he should marry her.

Bottom line, in our context where we are interested in licit companionship besides marriage, we see that it has to be confined to home.

Second, the expression used in the Quran for this kind of companionship is "those your right hand possesses" or "those under your right hand". We need to look at what is meant by this expression. In the translations or exegeses, this expression is simply used as a synonym for "slave". This is not completely wrong, but when we consider the fact that there are other words, too, in the Quran in context of slaves, we can justifiably ask why specifically this one is chosen in reference to the intimate relationship between man and woman.

Right hand is used for the inheritors of the paradise who receive their book of deeds on the judgment day from their right side (e.g. 17/71, 66/8). It is also used for Prophet Moses pbuh (20/17,69) and Prophet Abraham pbuh (37/93), when they were conducting actions to establish justice and truth. God, Himself, is also using the same metaphor for securing truth (69/45). Aside from these, "right side of the mountain" is referred to in the story of the Israelites (19/52, 20/80). How do you define the right side of a mountain? Based on the previous occurrences of the same expression and on the fact that that location was preferred by both Moses and the Israelites on their journeys, I am going to hold the opinion that it refers to the "rather habitable and cultivatable side of the mountain".

Therefore, if a person is under your right hand, you must be a secure ground for that person, where she can grow to become an independent individual both socially and economically. If a person is under your right hand, you must be the one ensuring a fair treatment as a human and securing their basic rights and freedoms. Note that we made these conclusions by looking at the use of  "right hand" in the Quran. Now let's see if these conclusions find correspondence in the practice of Prophet Muhammad pbuh and his companions.

Studying the events of the past, one must consider them in their own contexts and interpret them that way. So, when analyzing the conditions of the concubines in the 7th century Muslim world, we must keep in mind two things. One, a person becomes a slave mostly through losing a war; therefore, they are part of the enemy through the eyes of the master. Two, the state of the women in general was not that good among the Arabs of the time. Coming of Islam in this sense was a revolution, but still, social constructs persisted in the day to day interactions. So, originally being part of the enemy and belonging to the less-fortunate gender, the concubines had a rather bad start in their career. Nevertheless, the regulations in Islam made it possible for them to develop a close relationship in the society they moved into, and either themselves or their children became successful business people or scholars. Both of these conditions meant an upgrade in their living conditions. Therefore, we can comfortably say that the concept of Right Hand was at work among the first Muslims.

Backed up by the Quranic verses and the practice of the Prophet Muhammad and His companions, we can confidently say that, if a similar home service concept is to be developed today, a person is not eligible to receive that service unless he is a verified Right Hand. Note that having that quality does not necessarily mean being rich, as the common prejudices say. In fact, in case of having concubines, being rich does not count that much, because relationship with them is the alternative available to those who cannot "afford" a marriage financially. Being the Right Hand rather means being a person who can provide stable and fertile grounds for the other person to flourish individually, socially, economically, intellectually, etc. All of these are related mostly to qualities in character and little to economical means.

A concubine who decides on her own that she has improved enough and is able stand alone in the society, can ask for terminating the relationship. Upon this request, the master has no choice but to accept the request in exchange of a financial sum or a fixed term of extra service. Once that amount is paid in full or that extra service is fulfilled, there are no more obligations towards each other on either side. This is similar to graduation from a school.

To provide a contrast, in case of prostitution, a woman enters this service and performs it with minimal or no social security. After years of such service, she gains nothing extra, and retires as an individual who is no more able to provide for herself and for her dependents. Therefore, prostitution separates from the case of concubines markedly, and is pure exploitation.

Returning to the concept of Right Hand, the qualifications for it automatically translate to the "fair treatment of the concubine". That is, although the concubine would provide home services, including sexual, as a job, the master is still responsible for providing fair employment conditions, including protecting the human honor.

In case of unfair treatment, e.g. beating, the master automatically loses his quality of being the Right Hand, and so becomes non-eligible to have a concubine. This means that the concubine is free of her master without any further obligations.

Our discussion and exploration of the concept of Right Hand is complete for the moment. After this, we need to look at the mechanism by which people can enter employment in the home services.

Some Quranic Verses on the Issue:

Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but [true] righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask [for help], and for freeing slaves (raqabah); [and who] establishes prayer and gives zakah; [those who] fulfill their promise when they promise; and [those who] are patient in poverty and hardship and during battle. Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are the righteous. (2/177)

O you who have believed, prescribed for you is legal retribution for those murdered - the free for the free, the slave for the slave (abd), and the female for the female. But whoever overlooks from his brother anything, then there should be a suitable follow-up and payment to him with good conduct. This is an alleviation from your Lord and a mercy. But whoever transgresses after that will have a painful punishment. (2/178)

And do not marry polytheistic women until they believe. And a believing slave woman (amat) is better than a polytheist, even though she might please you. And do not marry polytheistic men [to your women] until they believe. And a believing slave (abd) is better than a polytheist, even though he might please you. Those invite [you] to the Fire, but Allah invites to Paradise and to forgiveness, by His permission. And He makes clear His verses to the people that perhaps they may remember. (2/221)

And never is it for a believer to kill a believer except by mistake. And whoever kills a believer by mistake - then the freeing of a believing slave (raqabah) and a compensation payment presented to the deceased's family [is required] unless they give [up their right as] charity. But if the deceased was from a people at war with you and he was a believer - then [only] the freeing of a believing slave (raqabah) ; and if he was from a people with whom you have a treaty - then a compensation payment presented to his family and the freeing of a believing slave (raqabah) . And whoever does not find [one or cannot afford to buy one] - then [instead], a fast for two months consecutively, [seeking] acceptance of repentance from Allah . And Allah is ever Knowing and Wise. (4/92)

Allah will not impose blame upon you for what is meaningless in your oaths, but He will impose blame upon you for [breaking] what you intended of oaths. So its expiation is the feeding of ten needy people from the average of that which you feed your [own] families or clothing them or the freeing of a slave (raqabah). But whoever cannot find [or afford it] - then a fast of three days [is required]. That is the expiation for oaths when you have sworn. But guard your oaths. Thus does Allah make clear to you His verses that you may be grateful. (5/89)

Zakah expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy and for those employed to collect [zakah] and for bringing hearts together [for Islam] and for freeing captives [or slaves] (raqabah) and for those in debt and for the cause of Allah and for the [stranded] traveler - an obligation [imposed] by Allah . And Allah is Knowing and Wise. (9/60)

And marry the unmarried among you and the righteous among your male slaves (abd) and female slaves (amat). If they should be poor, Allah will enrich them from His bounty, and Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing. (24/32)

And is this a favor of which you remind me - that you have enslaved (abd) the Children of Israel?" (26/22)

And those who pronounce thihar from their wives and then [wish to] go back on what they said - then [there must be] the freeing of a slave (raqabah) before they touch one another. That is what you are admonished thereby; and Allah is Acquainted with what you do. (58/3)

It is the freeing of a slave (raqabah) (90/13)

O Prophet, say to whoever is in your hands (aydiqum) of the captives (asra), "If Allah knows [any] good in your hearts, He will give you [something] better than what was taken from you, and He will forgive you; and Allah is Forgiving and Merciful." (8/70)

And if you fear that you will not deal justly with the orphan girls, then marry those that please you of [other] women, two or three or four. But if you fear that you will not be just, then [marry only] one or those your right hand (aymanukum) possesses. That is more suitable that you may not incline [to injustice]. (4/3)

And [also prohibited to you are all] married women except those your right hands (aymanukum) possess. [This is] the decree of Allah upon you. And lawful to you are [all others] beyond these, [provided] that you seek them [in marriage] with [gifts from] your property, desiring chastity, not unlawful sexual intercourse. So for whatever you enjoy [of marriage] from them, give them their due compensation as an obligation. And there is no blame upon you for what you mutually agree to beyond the obligation. Indeed, Allah is ever Knowing and Wise. (4/24)

And whoever among you cannot [find] the means to marry free, believing women, then [he may marry] from those whom your right hands (aymanukum) possess of believing slave girls. And Allah is most knowing about your faith. You [believers] are of one another. So marry them with the permission of their people and give them their due compensation according to what is acceptable. [They should be] chaste, neither [of] those who commit unlawful intercourse randomly nor those who take [secret] lovers. But once they are sheltered in marriage, if they should commit adultery, then for them is half the punishment for free [unmarried] women. This [allowance] is for him among you who fears sin, but to be patient is better for you. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. (4/25)

Worship Allah and associate nothing with Him, and to parents do good, and to relatives, orphans, the needy, the near neighbor, the neighbor farther away, the companion at your side, the traveler, and those whom your right hands (aymanukum) possess. Indeed, Allah does not like those who are self-deluding and boastful. (4/36)

Except from their wives or those their right hands (aymanuhum) possess, for indeed, they will not be blamed (23/6)

And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests and not expose their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers, their brothers' sons, their sisters' sons, their women, that which their right hands (aymanuhunne) possess, or those male attendants having no physical desire, or children who are not yet aware of the private aspects of women. And let them not stamp their feet to make known what they conceal of their adornment. And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed. (24/31)

But let them who find not [the means for] marriage abstain [from sexual relations] until Allah enriches them from His bounty. And those who seek a contract [for eventual emancipation] from among whom your right hands (aymanukum) possess - then make a contract with them if you know there is within them goodness and give them from the wealth of Allah which He has given you. And do not compel your slave girls to prostitution, if they desire chastity, to seek [thereby] the temporary interests of worldly life. And if someone should compel them, then indeed, Allah is [to them], after their compulsion, Forgiving and Merciful. (24/33)

He presents to you an example from yourselves. Do you have among those whom your right hands (aymanukum) possess any partners in what We have provided for you so that you are equal therein [and] would fear them as your fear of one another [within a partnership]? Thus do We detail the verses for a people who use reason. (30/28)

O Prophet, indeed We have made lawful to you your wives to whom you have given their due compensation and those your right hand (yaminuke) possesses from what Allah has returned to you [of captives] and the daughters of your paternal uncles and the daughters of your paternal aunts and the daughters of your maternal uncles and the daughters of your maternal aunts who emigrated with you and a believing woman if she gives herself to the Prophet [and] if the Prophet wishes to marry her, [this is] only for you, excluding the [other] believers. We certainly know what We have made obligatory upon them concerning their wives and those their right hands possess, [but this is for you] in order that there will be upon you no discomfort. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful. (33/50)

Except from their wives or those their right hands possess (aymanuhum), for indeed, they are not to be blamed (70/30)

Some Hadiths on the Issue:

"The one who treats his slaves badly will not enter paradise." (Tirmidhi, 1946, grade: weak)

"He who has a slave-girl (jariyah) and educates and treats her nicely and then manumits and marries her, will get a double reward." (Bukhari, 2544,grade:sahih)

"Feed them from what you eat and clothe them from what you wear. Do not punish what Allah has created." (Al-Mufrad, 188, grade:sahih)

"The expiation for beating or slapping a slave on the face for something he has not done is to set him free." (Riyad as-Salihin, 18/1605)

"The expiation for someone who slaps his slave or beats him more than he deserves is to set him free." (Al-Mufrad, 177, grade:sahih)

"Ali reported that the last words of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, were:
"The prayer! The prayer! Fear Allah concerning your slaves (ma malakat aymanukum)!"" (Al-Mufrad, 158, grade:sahih)

Zadhan reported that Ibn Umar called his slave and he found the marks (of beating) upon his back. He said to him: "I have caused you pain. He said: No. But he (Ibn Umar) said: You are free. He then took hold of something from the earth and said: There is no reward for me even to the weight equal to it. I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: He who beats a slave without cognizable offence of his or slaps him (without any serious fault), then expiation for it is that he should set him free." (Muslim, 1657b, grade:sahih, similar content in the hadith at 1657a)

Quran's Scientific Content Under Question

It is curious that many atheists scrutinize their position whereas many believers are comfortable with not thinking!

"Had We sent down this Quran on a mountain, you would certainly have seen it falling down, splitting asunder because of the fear of Allah, and We set forth these parables to men that they may reflect." (59/21)

During these questionings, one of the things the atheists do is question the content of the divine books. For instance, they check whether the scientific content of these books, which claim to be the word of the creator of the universe, is correct. This is a logical move, since the creator must know the inner workings of things, and this knowledge must reflect itself in the communication sent by Him.

Quran, the last revelation by God and the only divine book that still preserves its original version, is also on the target of such efforts. As a result, it is claimed that the function of the mountains given in the Quran is not accurate according to the findings of the modern science of geology. In this blog, first, I would like to reflect on the issues surrounding this topic, and then, I would like to talk about whether there is such an inaccuracy.

First Climb:

Every book has its own genre. Some are scientific, some are novels, some are poems, etc. If you take a history book, it doesn't make sense to complain, saying "its content is subjective." Similarly, Quran is the address of the Lord of the heavens and the earth, and its purpose is not to teach science to people but to teach them the way of God. Therefore, it is not the proper approach to evaluate the whole of Quran based on the minor science-related content.

Second, every book has its own audience, and it must be understood by them. Although Quran is the final message of God until the end of time, its initial audience is the Arabic people in the 7th century. So, historically speaking, as long as the content of the Quran is understood and verified by the people of that time, even if they did not accept the ultimate invitation thereof, the content is acceptable. And that was the case, since the disbelievers at the time never refuted the Quran on grounds of fallacy. Nevertheless, by virtue of Quran's claim to be the guide for all humanity until the end of time, it must be understandable and acceptable by all times. That is why the objection of the modern atheists is a legitimate one.

Third point is that Quran presents itself as an "easy to understand book" (54/17). So, its content must not be clear only to some trained scholars but to the general reader with basic intellectual abilities and education. Therefore, the claim of some believers that "we should not talk about the content of the Quran, since we are not scholars" is lacking ground. However, at several places, Quran also emphasizes its Arabic language (e.g. 20/113). So, it is imperative to evaluate its content through the knowledge of the Arabic language, and not through its translations.

Fourth, the fact that something is not readily understandable in its fullest extent or seemingly incorrect does not mean that it is ultimately incorrect. For example, the expansion of the heavens (51/47), the oval shape of the earth and the escape of the hydrogen gas from the polar regions of the atmosphere (13/41) have been mentioned in the Quran, and they became literally "correct" only in the twentieth century. So, until then, the disbelievers could claim that the space is stationary (which was the governing scientific view of those times!), and that the claim of the Quran, therefore, is wrong. So, the proper approach in such cases is to take time and search for the truth God is conveying us.

"Verily, Allah is not ashamed to set forth a parable even of a mosquito or whatever beyond it (greater or smaller). And as for those who believe, they know that it is the Truth from their Lord, but as for those who disbelieve, they say: "What did Allah intend by this parable?" By it He misleads many, and many He guides thereby. And He misleads thereby only the transgressors." (2/26)

Quran's scientific content has become a focus of the believers especially with the advent of science and technology in the last two centuries. Suffering a dramatic demise, the Muslims needed a source of power to keep their faiths and hopes, and they found it in the book of God. "Although we are not perfect, the book of God is perfect, and we are its adherents; even if we are losing here at the moment, we are going to prosper in the afterlife", they could say Accompanying this notion were the explicit or implicit scientific facts embedded in the verses of the Quran. These facts even helped some non-Muslims enter Islam. Nevertheless, it must be kept in mind that the believers have faith in the Quran, not because of its scientific content but, because it is the message and guidance from the Lord of the heavens and the earth and everything in between (3/138, 20/6). Even if there was no scientific content, this fact is the real basis for the believers' attachment to the Quran.

One can do a similar psychological scrutiny to the case of the atheists in this matter. Of course not all of them is the same, and there probably are those who are objective in their thinking and analysis. However, there are, at the same time, those who have given their decision about the Quran before giving it a fair read and analysis. That is, when they are reading or evaluating its content, their intention is to find mistakes and inaccuracies; and so, if they are deliberately trying not to understand or misunderstand, human brain is the ultimate tool for it, and they have it.

On the other hand, it must be discomforting for an atheist to "not be able to disprove a scientific allusion" that was made 14 centuries ago, when no such knowledge was available. Still, that scientific or scientific-looking content and its accuracy/inaccuracy is not what really drives the atheist mind. And atheism is not just about science anyway! For a longer and more balanced approach on this matter, I suggest that you read this blog series about atheism (part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5).

Second Climb:

Now let's go to the real matter, that is the apparent discrepancy between the Quranic description and the scientific findings. Before anything else, let's see the relevant verses.

And the earth - We have spread it and cast therein firmly set mountains (rawasiya) and caused to grow therein [something] of every well-balanced thing.(15/19)

And He has cast into the earth firmly set mountains (rawasiya), lest it shift with you, and [made] rivers and roads, that you may be guided,(16/15)

And We placed within the earth firmly set mountains (rawasiya), lest it should shift with them, and We made therein [mountain] passes [as] roads that they might be guided.(21/31)

He created the heavens without pillars that you see and has cast into the earth firmly set mountains (rawasiya), lest it should shift with you, and dispersed therein from every creature. And We sent down rain from the sky and made grow therein [plants] of every noble kind.(31/10)

Have We not made the earth a resting place (mihaada)?And the mountains (jibaal) as stakes (awtaada) ?(78/6-7)

He extracted from it its water and its pasture, And the mountains (jibaal) He set firmly (arsaaha) (79/31-32)

Here, I especially included the original Arabic of certain words, since they are going to be helpful in our analysis. As you see, except the last two, all verses above say rawasiya which literally means something firm. You can think that this could be a synonym for the mountains, but no, because there are many other verses where the word "mountain" is used explicitly (e.g. 2/260, 7/74, 7/143, 11/42-43, 15/82, 16/81, 17/37, 18/47). You have to keep in mind that any usage in the Quran is not mere accident or for the sake of art. Rather, every word is deliberate. So, regarding the verses with the word "rawasiya", it can be said that God has stabilized the earth's surface using firm things (not mountains!). Those firm things are studied by the scientists and are presented in the relevant literature for the interested. It is curious that in all of these verses, these firm things are said to be "in" the earth, not "on" the earth (fil ardi rawaasiya).

Looking at the last two where the word mountain (jibaal) is used literally, we are told that they have been made firm (arsaaha)! If something is made firm, that means that it was not firm in the beginning! Today, two major mechanisms by which mountains form are known as the motion of the tectonic plates along the fractures and the buckling of the plates. Both of these mechanisms use the weak spots to relieve the stress accumulated in the earth's crust, and those weak spots grow to become mountains over long periods of time. But the Quran implies that the weak spots were later made stronger; is that really the case? Yes, because as the mountain forms and grows above the surface, its increasing mass presses on the underlying layers, which makes them stronger in the face of internal forces pushing them. Furthermore, in case of an earthquake, change of direction of a vibration reduces its strength. So, as the mountains grow, the vibrations traveling in the crust must go through a bigger change direction, which again refers to "being made stronger" as the mountains grow.

Keep in mind that there are other occasions throughout the Quran, where other words are translated as mountains, but actually have different meanings. One of such cases is discussed in a previous blog, revealing the tectonic plates.

In the end, I am going to reiterate and emphasize two things. One, in understanding the Quran, referring to the Arabic original words is crucial, especially in case of controversial issues. Two, the appropriate attitude for believers towards the Quran is submitting to it. In that submission, it is important to keep in mind that they are submitting to the Quran, not to humans who are claiming to explain or scrutinize it.

Prophet Cycle

People who have been in touch with God are honored with the title "best of the humankind". Their life stories, as much as available, are presented as examples to the attention of the new generations. If you look at those stories, you see some commonalities, which are also visible in the lives of other historical leaders. Loss of or being away from the father, longing for solitude in early life and looking after animals, not sufficing with what's readily available to the eye and an eagerness to discover a bigger picture are among these properties. The commonalities also extend to their social lives and to what befalls them after the beginning of their leadership or mission. Standing with the poor against the oppressing status quo is an indispensable one among those common social aspects. In this blog, in order to highlight one of the things that make a prophet, I would like to share a fictitious story.

Nicolas was an ordinary man among his people. He had a small and happy family with a son, a daughter and a dog. His wife, Bonnie, was a homemaker, and was an excellent cook. As Nicolas earned the daily food of the family, Bonnie made sure that their humble house would serve to them no less than a palace would for a royal family. The children attended their schools and helped their parents for the house chores. In the remaining time, they played with their friends, and climbed the trees or the mountains, or had fun at the seaside. But above all, cave exploration was an adventure they enjoyed regularly without telling their parents.

In fact, Gwen and Dan would hide their cave explorations from their friends, too. It was their secret hidden from everybody in the town, because the caves were considered holy, and were not to be entered by anyone other than the recluse erudite who would show up exclusively for the special days of the year. Every time they went to a cave, it was actually a meeting with the erudite. Together, the three explored the depths of the earth, and listened to the voice of the nature as it told the mysteries of existence and what this meant for the humans.

The erudite was once a sincere friend of Gwen and Dan's father, Nicolas. After he started calling people to good manners and truthfulness, things changed. Things changed, because Nicolas was a good friend of another man, too: the chief of the town, who was at the same time a significant business partner. "So what?" you may ask. Well, as it usually happens, the chief had some not-so-correct affairs, and they were known to Nicolas, but he would keep them secret. In return, the chief and Nicolas would conduct businesses, which provided a stable income and a descent life to their families.

The good manners were actually good, but not the ones proclaimed by the erudite. According to the prevailing custom, they meant that the poor or the socially less reputable people should serve and respect the rich and the elite of the town. The good manners meant that if the rich people committed an injustice, it was to be "understood and forgiven", but if a poor person committed a similar act, this was to be punished "for the sake of the integrity of the society". And the erudite had a problem with those "good manners". He spoke for the less fortunate, he raised his voice against the oppression of the poor by the rich. He emphasized the evilness of lying and the virtue of honesty. As would anyone would do, he first shared his opinions with his close friend Nicolas.

Nicolas saw the big picture described by his friend. Whenever they got together, he listened to him, and said "you are right, my friend; you truly are." For these words, the erudite thought that his friend was supporting him. Having close relationship with the chief of the town, Nicolas could help the erudite invite the chief to the right path. Upon hearing this idea, Nicolas suddenly became distanced and sensitive to anything about this "right path". Although he continued his friendship, he only passively shared the good things of the life and dreamed of the good of the future. The only things he would criticize would be the limitations of the reality.

Speaking of reality, Nicolas knew very well what it meant. Reality was that the society was corrupt. If he sided with the erudite openly, he would be outcast, and he would not be able to fare the good life of his anymore. He would lose his social contacts, his business would collapse. This was the truth. If there was another truth, it was that his and his family's survival demanded conformity to the interests of the rich, not opposing with them. Nicolas knew these truths, because he once had listened to the chief speak about the call of the erudite, and that was not a nice talk. The real truth was, in fact, the erudite had to shut his mouth to avoid a violent response, as required by the "good manners" of the town.

As the situation was aggravating, Nicolas wanted to warn his friend. After all, they were friends. During a visit, He told, "Look! Yes, the society is corrupt, but there are facts. You cannot ignore everything. Sure, the chief has immoral businesses. Yes, he is a liar sometimes. But the system is corrupt. What can you do just by yourself? What can I do other than being a good man at home and being the man wanted by the system outside? The best we can do is earn our living and let go of anything else."

To these, the erudite replied calmly, but resentfully: "You want me to shut down my heart? You want me to override my reason and fair judgment? I am inviting you to the path of the prophets, and you are inviting me to abandon the prophets."

After this talk, the corrupt system of the town did not tolerate the utterance of the real good manners for too long. Soon, the system asked people to stay away from the erudite, and people obeyed the system. Why wouldn't they? Anyone seen with him would have to suffer the same fate, too. So, although their hearts screamed of pain in doing so, the people of the town shunned the enemy of the system.

In the beginning, the erudite did not care about this situation much, but with time, compulsory solitude weighed heavy on him, and he cried to the faces of those who were once his acquaintances: "you are blaming the system for all this, but who or what is the system? The system is you. You are the instruments of evil. You are taking parts in this evil."

Upon hearing these words, people defended themselves, Nicolas included: "you are causing conflict in our town. You actually are hiding your real intention to become the leader. You are a hypocrite."

Heartbroken in the deepest sense, the erudite left the town to live in the rocky area overseeing the houses. With him gone, things settled down in the system. Everything went back to normal. That is the rich and the influential people oppressed the poor and the lay public, and the oppressed normalized the situation as a blessing, since they had their daily food taken care of, thanks to the auspices of the rulers.

Nevertheless, as months passed, the inhabitants of the town realized that they needed someone to conduct their affairs in religious celebrations. So, a group of envoys was sent to see the erudite. Upon consulting with the erudite, they agreed that he would descend to the town on the days of the celebrations, and otherwise would not interfere with what was going on. To the public, it was announced that the erudite had actually become ecstatic with his spiritual experiences, and so could be forgiven for what happened. So, he was going to take part in the celebrations much like a maestro, but still was to be avoided.

Thanks to these few brief visits, the youngsters of the town came to learn about the past; of course the version favored and promoted by the rulers of the town. Gwen and Dan were two individuals who were eager to explore the mysterious. So, they wanted to find and meet this outcast erudite. That's how their visits to the caves began. And it didn't take too long for them to learn the close friendship between their father and the mysterious man, along with the real version of the past. In one sense, it was relieving to discover that they were actually continuing a friendship that was already out there. In the other sense, however, they feared getting caught by their father or by someone else...