| rt --> | | | | Countless air bubbles formed by the foaming in |
| Rain is indeed one of the most important factors | | | | the oceans continuously burst and cause water |
| for the permanence of life on earth. It is a | | | | particles to be ejected towards the sky. These |
| prerequisite for the continuation of activity in a | | | | particles, which are rich in salt, are then carried |
| region. Rain, which carries great importance for all | | | | away by winds and move upwards in the |
| living things, including human beings, is mentioned in | | | | atmosphere. These particles, which are called |
| various verses of the Qur'an, where substantial | | | | aerosols, form clouds by collecting around |
| information is given about the formation of rain, | | | | themselves the water vapor, which again ascends |
| its proportion and effects. This information, which | | | | from the seas, as tiny drops by a mechanism |
| never could have been known by the people of | | | | called "water trap" |
| the time, shows us that the Qur'an is the word of | | | | 2ND STAGE: " ...and they raise the Clouds: then |
| God. | | | | does He spread them in the sky as He wills, and |
| Now, let us examine the information given in the | | | | break them into fragments..." |
| Qur'an about rain. | | | | The clouds form from the water vapor that |
| The Proportion of Rain | | | | condenses around the salt crystals or the dust |
| In the eleventh verse of Surat az-Zukhruf, rain is | | | | particles in the air. Because the water drops in |
| defined as water sent down in "due measure". | | | | these are very small (with a diameter between |
| The verse is as follows: | | | | 0.01 and 0.02 mm), the clouds are suspended in |
| He sends down (from time to time) water from | | | | the air and they spread in the sky. Thus the sky |
| the sky in due measure, and We raise to life | | | | is covered with clouds. |
| therewith a land that is dead. Even so will you be | | | | 3RD STAGE: "...until you see rain-drops issue from |
| raised (from the dead). (Surat az-Zukhruf, 11) | | | | the midst thereof." |
| This "measure" mentioned in the verse has to do | | | | Water particles that surround salt crystals and |
| with a couple of characteristics of rain. First of all, | | | | dust particles thicken and form rain drops. So, the |
| the amount of rain that falls on the earth is | | | | drops, which become heavier than air, depart |
| always the same. It is estimated, that in one | | | | from the clouds, and start to fall on the ground |
| second, 16 million tones of water evaporate from | | | | as rain. |
| the earth. This number is equal to the amount of | | | | Every stage in the formation of rain is told in the |
| water that drops on the earth in one second. This | | | | verses of the Qur'an. Furthermore, these stages |
| means that water continuously circulates in a | | | | are explained in the right sequence. Just as with |
| balanced cycle according to a "measure". | | | | many other natural phenomena in the world, it is |
| Another measure related with rain is about its | | | | again the Qur'an that provides the most correct |
| falling speed. The minimum altitude of rain clouds is | | | | explanation about this phenomenon as well, and |
| 1,200 meters. When dropped from this height, an | | | | more, that has announced these facts to people |
| object having the same weight and size as a rain | | | | centuries before they were discovered by |
| drop, would continuously accelerate and fall on the | | | | science |
| ground with a speed of 558 km/h. Certainly, any | | | | Life Given to a Dead Land |
| object that hits the ground with that speed would | | | | In the Qur'an, many verses call our attention to a |
| cause great damage. If rain happened to fall in the | | | | particular function of rain, which is "giving life to a |
| same way, all harvested lands would be | | | | dead land": |
| destroyed, residential areas, houses, and cars | | | | We send down pure water from the sky. That |
| would be damaged, and people would not be able | | | | with it We may give life to a dead land, and slake |
| to walk around without taking extra precautions. | | | | the thirst of many beings We have created, |
| What is more, these calculations are made just | | | | beasts as well as humans. (Surat al-Furqan, 48- |
| for clouds at a height of 1,200 meters; there are | | | | 49) |
| also rain clouds at altitudes of 10,000 meters. A | | | | In addition to furnishing the earth with water, |
| rain drop falling from such a height could normally | | | | which is an inevitable need of living beings, rain |
| reach a very destructive speed. | | | | also has a fertilization effect. |
| But this is not how it works; no matter from | | | | Rain drops that reach the clouds after being |
| what height they fall, the average speed of rain | | | | evaporated from the seas, contain certain |
| drops is only 8-10 km/h when they reach the | | | | substances "that will give life" to a dead land. |
| ground. The reason for this is the special form | | | | These "life-giving" drops are called "surface tension |
| they take. This special form increases the friction | | | | drops". Surface tension drops form on the top |
| effect of the atmosphere and prevents | | | | level of the sea surface which is called the "micro |
| acceleration when the rain drops reach a certain | | | | layer" by biologists. In this layer, which is thinner |
| speed "limit". (Today parachutes are designed by | | | | than one tenth of a millimeter, there are many |
| using this technique.) | | | | organic leftovers caused by the pollution of |
| This is not all about the "measures" of rain. For | | | | microscopic algae and zooplankton. Some of these |
| instance, in the atmospheric layers where it starts | | | | leftovers select and collect within themselves |
| to rain, the temperature may fall as low as 400 C | | | | some elements which are very rare in sea water, |
| below zero. Despite this, rain drops never turn | | | | such as phosphorus, magnesium, potassium and |
| into ice particles. (This would certainly mean a fatal | | | | some heavy metals like copper, zinc, cobalt and |
| threat to the living things on the earth.) The | | | | lead. These "fertilizer"-laden drops are lifted up into |
| reason is that the water in the atmosphere is | | | | the sky by the winds and after a while they drop |
| pure water. As is well-known, pure water hardly | | | | on the ground inside the rain drops. Seeds and |
| freezes even at very low temperatures. | | | | plants on the earth find numerous metallic salts |
| The Formation of Rain | | | | and elements essential for their growth here in |
| How rain forms remained a great mystery for | | | | these rain drops. This event is revealed in another |
| people for a long time. Only after weather radar | | | | verse of the Qur'an: |
| was invented, was it possible to discover the | | | | And We send down from the sky rain laden with |
| stages by which rain is formed. | | | | blessing, and We produce therewith gardens and |
| The formation of rain takes place in three stages. | | | | grain for harvests. (Surah Qaf, 9) |
| First, the "raw material" of rain rises up into the | | | | Salts that fall with rain are small examples of |
| air. Later clouds are formed. Finally, rain drops | | | | certain elements (calcium, magnesium, potassium, |
| appear. | | | | etc.) used for increasing fertility. The heavy |
| These stages are clearly defined in the Qur'an | | | | metals found in these types of aerosols are other |
| centuries ago where precise information is given | | | | elements that increase fertility in the development |
| about the formation of rain: | | | | and production of plants. |
| It is God Who sends the Winds, and they raise | | | | A barren land can be furnished with all the |
| the Clouds: then does He spread them in the sky | | | | essential elements for plants in a 100-year period |
| as He wills, and break them into fragments, until | | | | just with these fertilizers dropped with the rain. |
| you see rain-drops issue from the midst thereof: | | | | Forests also develop and are fed with the help of |
| then when He has made them reach such of his | | | | these sea-based aerosols. In this way, 150 million |
| servants as He wills, behold, they do rejoice! | | | | tons of fertilizer falls on the total land surface |
| (Surat ar-Room, 48) | | | | every year. If there were no natural fertilization |
| Now, let us look at the three stages mentioned in | | | | like this, there would be very little vegetation on |
| the verse; | | | | the earth, and the ecological balance would be |
| 1ST STAGE: "It is God Who sends the winds..." | | | | impaired. |