Published on Feb 05 2010 by Kavi Rehan, Walsall

Dear Sir,

I write in response to Mr Rationalist of Rushall (21^st January). It is true that religion is often used as an excuse for evil by various extremists- as the media is only too keen to portray.

Fanatical clerics and those trying to stir hatred against Muslims often quote de-contextualized passages to serve their own political and selfish desires to sway the un-educated Muslims or un-informed public.  This causes further intolerance leading to extremism in fanatics and divisions in a society who are ignorant of the true teachings of Islam.

Furthermore, early Muslims were at the forefront of developments in medicine, astronomy, engineering, mathematics, chemistry, map making and exploration. In recent times, a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community (the Renaissance movement in Islam), Professor Abdus Salaam, received the Nobel Prize for his ground breaking work in theoretical physics.

Scientific advancements have not deposed God from anywhere. Quite the contrary, many of the greatest discoveries of the twentieth century have established God more firmly in the intellectual discourse.

Regarding the Big Bang Theory, over 1400 years ago the Quran revealed: “Do not the unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were a closed-up mass, then We cloved them asunder. And We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?” (21:31)      

It is significant that this verse is specifically addressed to non-believers, implying perhaps, that the unveiling of the secret mentioned in this verse would be made by the non-believers, a sign for them of the truth of the Quran.