It was in September 1963 that I happened to have the debate on the point, ‘’whether it was the word of God” with Anne Marie Schimmel in the Punjab University Lahore who denied the divine original of the Quran and claimed that the Quran was not the word of God but was the word of the Prophet of Islam, because it had mistaken in it. That the Quran contained “Chapter on atomic Science”, and modern Baconian atomism, and attributed the causes to the consequent appearance of atomic bomb and atomic radiations, termed by the Quran as atomic hell and that if the causes given by the Quran were removed, possibility of the atomic hell and the atomic war would automatically vanish, was an argument irrefutable? In favor of the divine original of the Quran, for, who other than God knew the atomic science and the atomic phenomenon, centuries ago, when the Quran came into being. The honorable Lady realized the force of the argument and retreated in my twenty fifth year, in 1942, the year in which Enrico Fermi had successfully established the fission chain reaction a fact about which I was utterly ignorant at that time, In the result of a vision, I started my study, without a teacher or a College, working for my livelihood at the same time. The torturous ordeal of studying continued day in day out for forty years, that is to the year 1982. During these years I studied, four languages, namely, Urdu, Persian, Arabic and English and their literatures, and the scriptures, the old and the New Testaments, and the Quran, and philosophies and certain branches of various sciences, e.g. Physics, Chemistry, Radio-biology etc. and Histories. The toil and labour defies human imagination. All these decades I toiled in the field of knowledge perpetually like a man possessed. No doubt God had bestowed upon me a wonderful memory. Indeed unbelievably wonderful. I still remember an incident when I was but a schooling baby. And when after many years mentioned the incident, my mother said, “How can you remember that you were but a schooling child then. You must have heard it from someone”. I have Previously alluded to a vision that preceded my intellectual struggle but let it be known that the values of my works does not dependent on the vision but is entirely dependent on the scientific facts and realities concerned.
I kept my study as if I was dragged on the path by some spiritual power. It was in 1962 that one day while studying the Quran, I happened to discover the point atomic science, atomism and the atomic bomb. I continued the research on the Subject and studied the books on Physics. In September 1963, I was harnessed into a debate with Anne Mare Schimmel, on a subject that I used the point of atomic science contained by the Quran very successfully. But let it be known, that all that went between us during the debate was very elementary Quite, naïve, and short. It is with a view to bring the subject to some sort of completeness, that I am writing these pages after the finish of the actual debate with the Lady.
In 1964, Sir Stephen Runnciman, the English historian of Byzantine Empire delivered lecture in the Punjab University Lahore, and I sent a lengthy letter about the atomic future of mankind to Lord Russell by Sir Stephen Runnciman. The reply of Lord Russell, was as follows:-
I have read your letter with much interest. And my answer is as follows:-
{Since Adam and Eve ate the apple man has never abstained from any folly, whatever he could do and the end is atomic hell.}
Was Lord Russell amiss in his surmise? No. Judging from the apparent circumstances, certainly not. And if I had not had hope of mankind’ s survival from the atomic annihilation, which I had found in the Quran I would have followed Lord Russell’s course, and having assumed reticence on the topic, would have saved myself from all that misery, torture and labour after the receipt of Lord Russell’s letter in 1964. I, however, did not mention my discovery in the Quran in my continued letter to Lord Russell do not remember why. It is a point to think about.
I continued my labour in the field of knowledge, both ancient and modern till in the year 1972, a storm of the knowledge burst upon my mind, and within ten years, as a result of heart-breaking labour I wrote fourteen volumes on the subject of Quran’s. Hotama that is the atomic hell, in English language.
Equal number I wrote in Urdu. But Alas! No sooner did I complete these volumes in 1982 than developed ear trouble, and certain other maladies, which still in the end of 1994 have not left me. My brain is affected. Vocabulary has been dwindled, writing power has suffered. That which I am writing now in these pages, bears little comparison to that which I have written in these manuscripts, God, however, is great. My heart weeps because I think that which I have written is the only and the sure means of saving this world from the dreadful end in the flames of atomic hell. It is a living miracle of the Quran which I have shown. Not all the atomists of the world together can produce a description of the atomic phenomenon like that which the Quran has produced in a dozen words, and have elucidated the causes of the appearance of the atomic hell, in about seventeen words. Alas again that the stalwarts like Einstein, and Russell have died. They no doubt would have confessed their motility of the work that wonder which the Quran has worth. No doubt the distance between the human and divine intellect can be clearly seen in this case and let also be known that the basic causes of the appearance of the atomic hell which the Quran has given namely, slander, backbiting, engrossment in the accumulation of wealth, and a belief that the wealth will render them immortal, that will continue eternally have not been recorded by any of the modern philosophers or wise men.
In the Pamphlet which Bertrand Russell had sent to me, in which his surmise was given in the words, {{Since Adam and Eve ate the apple man has never abstained from any folly whatever he could do and the end is atomic hell}} The follies that were alluded to and were described therein in caricatures, were mutual tyranny of human beings, and the wars that were always waged. Obviously the sight of Russell who had the reputation of being the greatest philosopher of his times, could not penetrate. The basic causes and Russell never pointed to the real cause, that is the man\s engrossment complete in the accumulation of wealth, and man’s belief in the continued eternity of this wealth, Nay, he rather recommended the scientific materialistic progress for the sake of accumulating the wealth which was a symbol of the facilities provided by the modern materialistic progress. Not only Russell but his entire contemporary community of the scientists and philosophers held the similar, views. In their appeal to mankind, regarding the atomic destruction Russell, Einstein and Several other imminent scientists said, {{forget your quarrels, if you forget your quarrels that the progress of science has for you a paradise awaiting. If on the other hand, you do not forget your quarrels, and are engaged in a war that is the atomic war, then it means that annihilations of life on earth}}. Many years however elapsed since this appeal was made to mankind. But the mankind has not forgotten its quarrels. Rather the quarrels are every moment increased and intensified. Surely the appeal so great an assembly of universal celebrities, was not based on a real ground. It had flaws. It had not touched the real cause. The cause that actually was the cause of the wars and which not Russell but the Holy Quran had depicted with clarity and vehemence. Here again the difference between the human and the divine intelligence. The human intelligence has not been able to penetrate the natural obstacles, while the some obstacles have not proved strong enough to stop the divine intelligence from penetrating to the basic truth. It is hard for any human being in these days to speak against this material scientific progress and the facilities provided by it. The entire mankind is entangled in this net which at present at least it appears impossible for anyone to break through. Russell or no Russell. No man on earth today can think of the end of this universal materialistic system of the progress of science, and every one at present is engaged in utmost endeavour to advance in the field of material progress, without the least consideration of the life after death. Yet let it be noted, that because this modern system of scientific materialism is an extremity, and it does not stand on proper footing, and it is one-sided and it cannot go on eternally, but just as Russell has surmised the end of this system in atomic annihilation, there is no doubt about that, except indeed , if the word of the Quran prevails, and the causes of the appearance of the atomic hell as are stated by the Quran are removed, and the danger of atomic destruction of mankind evaporates automatically, and the mankind escapes the atomic catastrophe not only in this present transient world, but also is saved from the eternal atomic hell that is Hotama in the next eternal world. Nor is the hope of the Muslims who think that if they master the modern scientific progress, they can make it go parallel along with their religious life, and thus avoid the hazards of this system. Islam allows it they think. Not only allows it but appreciates and commends it. That which the people of modern Europe have achieved in the field of science in the form of material progress is in exact accordance with the dictates of Islam and Quran. The Western Christians they think have failed to carry the modern system along with their religious dictates, and have forsaken their religion for their material system, but the Muslims, they think will be able to achieve that end, and the world will become a paradise in accordance with the dictates and commands of Islam. I wish it were true. The analysis of the question reveals against their view. The nature of this modern system is thus that it will gradually occupy the mind of man completely and will expel the religion from man’s mind like the traditional camel of the Bedouin that had gradually expelled his master. The Bedouin from the tent in the cold season of severe winter will the Muslims await to see the result of their experiment. May be that stage will not come. And even if they find the occasion of making the experiment, that of making the modern system of scientific progress go along with their religion, indeed under religious control the facts foretell their Muslims complete failure culminating in complete occupation of their time and their mind by the affairs of material progress and the ultimate disappearance of the signs of faith and religion. They will then find themselves encomposed by the hazards of the atomic bomb explosions, or even more painful afflictions of nuclear radiations. But who will read to them the words of the Quran:-
"Woe unto every backbiter, defamer who heapeth up riches and prepareth the same (for the time to come). He thinketh that his riches will render him immortal (that is his riches will remain with him forever). By no means, he shall surely be cast into Al-Hotama (the crushing fire). And what shall cause thee to understand what Al-Hotama is? (That is how crushingly terrible this fire is? And how incomprehensibly complex is its phenomenon?). (It is) the kindled fire of Allah (God), which leapeth up onto the hearts. Verily it is a fire closed in on them in outstretched columns". (The Quran Chapter 104-Al-Homaza).
Read this little Chapter. Philosophically it covers the entire field of modern Baconian atomism, and scientifically it covers the entire nuclear phenomenon. And happens to be the only guidance in the world today that leads this world out of the nuclear hell and this modern materialism which is the mother of the Nuclear Hell.
And if these words of the Quran were read to them, how the prisoners would break through the walls of the atomic prison. Nothing could be done when the die has been cast.
All these things and many more had been foretold by the Prophet of Islam, peace be upon him in his prophecies but every happening has some cause behind it. When the volcano was being prepared, those who slept will have to rise in distress at the approach of molten stone. No matter how much endeavors is made to find a compromise between the Quran and this modern science guided materialistic culture, no justification could be found in any such compromise, or reconciliation . Time is the best judge, and will prove the facts correctly. At present, though, there is not one individual to be found in the world population of five thousand millions, who would say anything against this modern materialistic culture of scientific progress what will you call it if not a wonder.
Acute might be the necessity of the Muslim people for the modern material progress just like every other nation of world in these days. A country that would in these days decide to withdraw from the universal race of materialism would be trodden under the feet of the rushing participants of the race in their blinding zeal. A country that would decide to renounce the modern material progress, would certainly be attacked and occupied by some or the other advanced nation. This modern science guided materialism and rational civilization which is based on Bacon’s philosophy of modern atomism which he called the philosophy of fruit, is something like a religion, and indeed is a religion to the people of Europe who first adopted it. Their zeal in this adoption and its universal propagation throughout the world, and their personal sincerity to it has been just like the zeal and sincerity of the followers of religions in the past times. They also were enthusiastic to convert other peoples, and were sincere to their own religion. But a strange fact to observe is, that whereas all the great religions of the world, despite all the efforts of their followers, could succeed in occupying but a part of the world, for example, Hindu Mutt, Buddhism, Christianity and Islam occupied but a part of the world, this modern science-guided materialistic civilization, has succeeded in occupying the entire world from end to end. Christian world, Islamic world, Hindu world, and Budhists world have one and all adopted it. The entire world, from West to east and from north to South is in the grip of this modern cult. No doubt great is the ability, sincerity and honesty and toil, labour and sacrifice of the western people who have undertaken to propagate this new cult. No doubt admirable is their business, honesty. And no doubt strong and straight are the rules of this rational science-guided, and devoid of superstition culture, but, alas, the example is that of a sailing ship containing the entire population of the world, including every community, Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and all everything within this ship is quite correct, but it is sailing towards a miles deep contact not of water but of fire, there to be thrown down along with its inmates and consumed. That this materialistic culture should prevail all over the world, is a fact which could be regarded as a sign that warrants a thought very deep and through indeed. If you would understand the reason thereof, you would jump several feet high in your chair, and become mad just as the pilot who had cast the atomic bomb on Hiroshima had become.
The Muslims say, this material scientific progress is just in compliance with the intent and purpose of the Quran. They quote as proof the signs which exhort the believers to which the works of God, e.g. there are signs in the heavens and earth for those who believe etc. and also the signs of the Quran which allude to the subjugations of all that which is in universe for the service of man. And they ignore the actual purpose of such signs according to the Quran. Quran means the certainty of God’s sovereignty by providing God’s works, and desires the human being to be thankful by pointing out the boon of God by his subjugating his creation to the Service of human being.
This modern scientific progress of materialism as it is with its peculiar and particular material, anti-religious, and ultimately destructive characteristics, could never have been allowed by the Quran and Islam, for if Islam never was a religion to allow materialism. To allow the needs of man and to allow this modern materialism are not the same thing. The Muslims will gain sufficient knowledge they certainly will know this modern materialism and will dread it and will flee from it as if it were a radioactive snake. And until and unless they gain such understanding they will plods on the course, and will keep on chasing this acceptive illusion of modern materialism, as the defence necessity, and as the giver material facilities.
It is not the Muslims that are the victims of such illusions regarding this modern materialism. The Christian community having opposed this modern materialism from its beginning, fighting and losing battle after battle at last have surrendered and today when they reach the moon they plant the Americans Banner on the moon as the conquest of Christianity. Hindus of India, the followers of a strictly anti-materialism cult, called Maya, used to say in the days when the English ruled India, that the Germans have learned all their science from the Vedas that is the Hindus divine scriptures, and when in 1974 the Hindus Detonated their first nuclear device in Rajasthan, the message which to Delhi capital was sent to mark the success read as, “The Buddha is smiling”, No. doubt the Buddha would have wept at such a news. If the first maker of the atomic bomb, Oppenheimer would weep, how a man like Buddha would smile at the birth of the nuclear monster, the destroyer of life, religion, hope, joy and peace. And if Buddha smiled, his smile must have been of scorn, hatred and contempt. Alas for mankind. I write these things and wonder. Of five thousand million population of mankind on this earth today. There was not one who would think or speak against this modern progress. The only one, who speaks, cries, yells, and weeps against it, is me. Does it make sense?
John Bunyan, a sincere Christian wrote his “Pilgrim’s Progress” but the approaching materialism prevailed. John Milton writes “Paradise Lost and Paradise regained. These were the last two arrows shot from the quiver of Christianity, but the Christian west instead of reverting to the teachings of Jesus Christ in order to regain the lost paradise, took this course of materialism and in an endeavour to change this world into a paradise, changed it into a braying, blazing hell.
The Christian church struggled against the wave of materialism. But the contestants proved too strong and prevailed. In our times Jonathan Schell of New York Times wrote a wonderful book “The Fate of earth” about the Nuclear Devastation. A movement appeared in the world for some time and everything was forgotten. Churchmen and doctors in Europe and America started a movement against the nuclear bomb for some time and then everything became quiet. It is difficult for the world to forsake the material facilities, and other advantages of materialism. The world is in the prison of materialism just like the fish in the net, being dragged helplessly. The world, that is mankind, animals, and plants are all being dragged towards the atomic hell that is the nuclear hell. O God, O God, O God of the worlds, when the human beings will realize the dreadful hazards of the nuclear fire, that emanate directly from the materialism. Save God, Save your creatures from the painful and shameful tortures of the nuclear hell of this present transient life, and of the Hotama of the next eternal life in heavens, for they who deserved punishment in the nuclear hell of this present world, will also find lying eternal Hotama (atomic hell) in wait for them in the next eternal world.
Great no doubt are the hazards of this modern materialism, both apparent and clandestine and no less dangerous was the plan of Anne Marie Schimmel against the Muslims. Here basic object was to create doubt about the Quran in the minds of the Muslims. She counted the mistakes in the Quran, and said, to commit mistakes was human, and lord never errs. The Quran therefore because it had mistaken in it, could not be the world of God, but was rather the work of someone human, and who could that human be other than Mohammad, the Prophet of Islam, (Peace be upon him). There could not have been a plot more dangerous for the community of the Muslims then the one that was preferred by the Madam. She would enumerated the mistakes of the Quran before a gathering of the Muslim Ulema, and then move to another gathering of the Muslim Ulema repeating the same mistakes of the Quran. Obviously the Muslim Ulema could not challenge these mistakes on the spot even if they knew the English language which the madam spoke in her lecture .But the Muslim Ulema are ignorant of the English tongue. But the news that the Quran had mistaken would spread everywhere and then severe conflicts would ensure between those who believed that the Quran had mistaken, and those who opposed this view. The conflict would gradually spread all over the world. Resulting in complete destruction of the Muslim’s faith in the Quran, and consequently the destruction of Islam. Thus so small an effort on the past of Anne Marie Schimmel would have resulted in so devastating results for the Muslims that are great lovers of the western knowledge and modern materialism. My success against the madam was because I avoided the course of challenging the mistakes, and it was by the grace of Almighty Allah, that the point of Hotama that is the atomic hell occurred to me. The Hotama was discovered to me a year or so previously in 1962. I did cast it upon the Madam as the proof of Quran’s divine original, for 1380 years ago none in the entire world, not to speak of Arabs knew anything about the nuclear fire. And indeed it did work on the Madam. She returned to Pakistan in 1973 ten years after the debate ( she might have come earlier but I do not know) and thereafter would frequently visit Pakistan, and ultimately in 1986, I read in the papers that the Madam had declared here Islam in Islamabad, in a function arranged by Daira whose Secretary General was and still is Ghazanfar Mehdi. There the Madam made here will that she should be buried near the tomb of Abdul Latif Bhatai in Sind. And I have heard that the Deputy Commissioner of that district has prepared an enclosure wherein is erected the stone bearing the world’s Ex Anne Marie Schimmel. I had received an inviting card to attend the ceremony of Madam’s declaration of Islam, for the Secretary General knew about the debate in Lahore. But I was too busy with my own work and there were certain other inward reasons, that I did not attend the function, and read only in the new papers all the proceedings. Now let it be known clearly that there are no mistakes in the Quran. That which Anne Marie Schimmel spoke, was shear nonsense. But hours were required to refute every mistake which was obviously not feasible and had the plans if God had not led me to the scene, to frustrate it. Succeeded. It would have brought about a universal ruin of the Muslims faith in the Quran. This little fire so easily kindled would have developed quickly into a blazing hell to consume faith of Muslims. Marie Schimmel, however was lucky to receive the right answerer and she sensed the reason in the answer and she returned, and thereafter during here frequent visits to Pakistan, she never repeated her views about the Quran. She rather read her articles nearly yearly on the anniversary of the famous Islamic poet and philosopher Iqbal and translated the poetry of Abdul Latif Bhitai and the Kafis of Sultan Bahu into German. No doubt Schemmel is a remarkable scholar, and has spent all her life in literary pursuit. Thus she is a Devoted Scholar.