Posted by Amir on 5/15/2009, 11:43 am, in reply to "Re: Why the Koran doesn't contain "Miracles.""
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Let us now come to the scientific part of the incident.
Firstly, Allah says that the companions tarried inside the cave for more than 300 years. Momins never doubt He could keep them alive that long. But they must certainly be curious about the means. God points out in verse 18: “And even though they were asleep thou wouldst have deemed them awake ...”. Continuing the verse God explains the reason for this illusion of wakefulness: “..... and we caused them to turn over to the right and to the left, ...”. It is also possible, as Yusuf Ali suggests, that their eyes were open as it happens partially to many of us in sleep. Such a phenomenon of suspended animation is certainly known to happen in nature. Scientists call it hibernation.
When we sleep everyday we go through five or six cycles consisting of shallow, medium and deep states called alpha, beta and gamma phases. Deeper the sleep, lower are the frequencies and intensity of heartbeat, respiration and blood pressure. Still deeper state occurs under hypnosis but the subconscious becomes well ‘awake’ and becomes accessible for two-way communication. A far deeper ‘superconscious’ state is realised in the practice of yoga in which respiration is very shallow and its frequency falls to just about one per minute, heartbeat decreasing correspondingly. Not merely the subconscious, but the soul itself is claimed to become awake in yogi state. Investigative research is being carried out extensively all over the world on the physiology, psychology and psychosomatic therapeutic value of yoga.
Hibernation - Nature’s Solution
Let us come back to hibernation. Many forms of life are found even in the northernmost reaches of earth, including the poles (so also around the South Pole for that matter). In winter the entire region turns into a vast icescape - not to speak of the permafrost. Birds migrate to southern hemisphere to escape the cold. Some animals move over to warmer southern parts. But some others, both vegetarians and non-vegetarians stay. How do they manage food? They do not. No leaves, grains, fruits or roots are available for themselves or their usual prey which themselves are totally absent. No fish is accessible. But Almighty has certainly made an excellent arrangement for keeping them alive!
As bitter winter creeps in creatures like polar bear, certain species of squirrels, rabbits, etc. seek resting places where they roll up like a ball and go into hibernation, that is motionless sleep for 4 or 5 months. Their respiration and heartbeat become far too shallow and slow to notice. This greatly lowers the energy demand. The minimal energy consumed is derived from the reserve of their body fat. Hibernation lasts till the return of spring, when they wake back in a bony-skinny shape.
Yogis demonstrate weeks of death like feat, barely breathing, with absolutely no intake of food or water. Spiritual masters are known to have been in trance for months in a ‘frozen’ state with absolutely no movements or food. We readily accept the phenomena of hibernation, yogi state and spiritual trance. It should not therefore be difficult at all to believe in a far superior, God-induced inert state of the companions of the Cave extending over a few centuries in a strange condition bordering between life and death!
Prolonging Lifespan
Scientific research is afoot to induce hibernation in human beings. If it succeeds there will be a big breakthrough in space exploration. A large number of specialists in the various requisite disciplines can then be taken in space missions to other planets requiring many months to complete. The experts can be put into hibernation during the journey times, woken up whenever their tasks are due and reverted when over. This strategy will minimise demand on food, water, air and other provisions significantly. As a consequence, sizes and complexity of facilities, spacecraft and fuel storage will all come down, making the missions feasible at all on the first hand.
In 21st Century cosmonauts may be bound to planets of other stars, or even to galaxies. The mission durations may be in decades, even centuries or millennia! Then they have to tackle not only the problem of room discussed above but also the lifespan of travellers. The answer may well lie in hibernation in which the metabolism will slow down along with life functions of respiration, heartbeat, etc. So will be, it is believed, the ageing process. In other words, lifespan of cosmonauts can be increased through hibernation.
It is quite understandable that the life of the companions of the Cave was prolonged by a similar or even a far superior process. They were still young when they woke up. However, it appears that they went back to sleep after a few hours and then died, as God willed.
Prolongation Quite Practical
We saw that natural hibernation keeps animals alive. But does it prolong life, even if it be suspended animation, as scientists wish to have in the case of cosmonauts? Will they be as nearly young when woken up as they were before going to sleep? The law may not permit experiments in hibernation on humans to settle the issues. But there is ample practical evidence in confirmation of the point, at least on other forms of life.
Man has modified fertilisation process. He has now under his control the time of fertilisation of human and animal offspring. He hybridises livestock. For these ends human and animals spermatozoa and ova are kept immobile by freezing to very low temperatures as long as required, even years. Then they are defreezed and ‘brought back to life’ and then used for fertilisation in the womb or in vitro. This well established commonplace practice lends credence to prolongation of the sleepers’ life.
Whenever someone criticise the Quran in the view of proofs and good arguments i do not mind it.In fact it helps strenghtened my faith and that of my brothers and sisters.If u have find other unclear verses please bring them forth and we'll discuss it.
To answer your question whether this is scientifically acceptable well there is nothing to suggest the contrary.In fact science is trying to use hibernation which means it is something possible from a scientific point of view.
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