In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful Quran Baby Story: The possible lies, hoax and

heresy
By Imam Luqman AbdurRaheem
As-salaam 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullaahi wa Barakaatuhu Islamic scholars are the guiding stars in every community where they are domiciled. As secular as Britain and America are, they have Islamic clerics, who make pronouncement on national issues, for the guidance of Muslims, anti-Islamic governments and general public. The role of scholars becomes even more crucial where people are willing, but are generally ignorant about their religion and its expectations on political and social-economic life. When people are not guided aright, they resort to common sense and spiritual permutations and summersaulting. The raging debates on plausibility or otherwise of a child holding Qurn at birth right from the placenta of his Christian mother has shown clearly the docility of our scholars in Nigeria in guiding the society aright by responding with fatwa. They must therefore wake up quickly from their intellectual slumber and leadership stupor in order to regain their honour and relevance in the society. Our clerics, whether traditionalists, purists or modernists must say the truth, even if Islamic interests and Muslims are going to be affected because of posterity and future backlash. I personally acknowledge and commend the role of Professor Ishaq Lakin Akintola, Shaykh AbdurRahman Ahmad, Shaykh Dhirullahi Shafii, Shaykh AbdurRahman Adangaba, Imam Abdullahi Shuaib, Imam AbdurRahman Sai and other spokespersons who represent progressive Muslims and who consistently speak for us on critical national issues, no matter whose oxes is being gored. Your resounding positions on hijab, demolished masajid and good governance et cetera are novel and commendable. On the current issue of the Qurn Boy, I am yet to read your views on this matter, unlike other non-religious contemporary national issues. Is the incident to the benefits of Islamic Ummah or not? Please talk from the perspective of Qurn and Sunnah, we want to hear and be educated. Allah warns: "O you who believe, fear Allah and keep your duty to Him and always speak the truth." Quran [33:69]. The Prophet (SAW) warned: "Whoever attributes to me something that I did not say, let him reserve his seat in the Hellfire (Hadith). Since this issue began, I have been inundated with series of comments and counter-comments from diverse people on the Facebook and personal email. It is now the talk of the moment, in offices, hamlets and bus-stops in Lagos. It has even assumed national colour, check the websites for confirmation by searching Qurn Boy in Nigeria. My wife told me, some people are advocating through the incident the notion of Syncretism. For those who do not know, syncretism is a posturing of merging all religions together, possibly for compromise or peaceful coexistence. It is now a style to say Christianity and Islam are the same; we are doing the same thing, but our mannerism of doing it is what differs. Their pedestrian argument is that if it is possible for an innocent boy from Christian parents, to be born in a church, but holding Qurn, then we are the same. This is kufru and insanity. The Qurn is clear on that. Allah warns the proponents of

syncretism, when they approach the Prophet to consider their syncretic proposal. Allah instructed: Say: O disbelievers! I worship not that which ye worship; Nor worship ye that which I worship. And I shall not worship that which ye worship. Nor will ye worship that which I worship. Unto you your religion and unto me my religion. Q109:1-6 To date, few scholars that summoned courage to speak on the development, technically goofed, because their conclusions are not far from the views held by general Muslims on the street of Lagos Island, Somolu or Akute. They said: this is indeed a miracle from God, End time is near! Allahu Akbar! Jalajallaluhu! I am proud to be a Muslim! Subhanallahi! The non-Muslim Doctor, Herbalists and a Muslim Doctor that spoke on the matter even performed better than our local clerics, who have been carried away by false and monetary euphoria of this fabricated myth. They made beautiful exclamations of Tahlil, Takbir and Tahmid without really subjecting the incident of the miracle boy to critical scrutiny as recommend by Allah in Q49:6. Suppose some mischievous elements conspired tomorrow (research has proved that, they are very good at that) claiming that they found a portable King James Version of the Bible in the hand of a baby born by Muslim parents in Iwo or Imota. Wont their own constituency shout Halleluyyah meje meje!, Ayo Nio o! Jesus seun o!!! What will be our reactions? How do we react to the news? I wish to preempt Muslims, they will chorus, impossible, Naa lie, etan ni joo o, dont mind them, 419 et cetera. While waiting to hear from our referred clerics, their usual well-informed jurisprudential verdicts and comments, I wish to sound a note of caution to Nigerians especially Muslims to be focused. I have my position before now, but reading the comments of Yusuf Este on similar issues in America and across the world, I became more convinced to provide the needed direction for Nigerian Muslims on the matter. See the article of Yusuf Estes below, but do not rush to read!!!!). Read mine first. Be warned and be enlightened that ALL over the world, Muslims have been fooled severally and are daily being inundated with several incredible, miraculous, fabulous, fantastic and exoteric stories in the name of miracles. The architects and peddlers of these miracles are mostly ignorant Muslims and some non-Muslims seeking cheap popularity and fame by converting to Islam through miracles orchestrated by them. The first group, the ignorant Muslims believe they are strengthening Islam or fulfilling their own contributions at a time when Islamic popularity is waning and organised Islamic propagations been have neglected. This is not the method of Islam and will never be. They think miracle stratagem, would lend credence to the genuineness of Islam. They have however forgotten and failed to realise that the Religion of Islam is ever credible and possesses impeccable credence from Allah, the day it was ordained. The greatest miracle is the Qurn. Sayyid Qutb (Rahimaullah), after his deep reflection on the massive treasures, glittering legacies and ingredients the world is losing by opposing the ideals of Islam, he had no option than to remark Islam: The Religion of the future, Islam, Dinu al-Mustaqbal. These valuables reflections have been documented in a book for our generation. Apart from the first book mentioned, the same author advised Muslims that successes are achieved through striving and focused activism not through miracles and exoteric pursuits. This is the positivist epistemological perspective of the

West that galvanise them to stardom and relevant. History has told us that, we owned empiricism, observational method and critical analysis of phenomenon. We used it and it brought us to relevance in Darul Hikmah in Baghdad Iraq, Cairo Egypt during the reign of Fatimid and Andalusia Spain during Tariq Bn Ziyad, but we abandoned empiricism and critical positivism. That explained our predicament today, all over the Muslim world. Rather than being objective and critically analysing our issues to solve problems, we retire to the temple of mysticism and metaphysics. Though it exists, but Allah has the key. Going back to Sayyid Qutb, he submitted that, Islam is based on the principle of striving and success is hinged on continuous exertion, not miracles. Miracles exist, but Allah uses it to strength his Prophets (peace be upon them) and followers of truth, when they have done their own bit of the bargain. It is not an abracadabra notion that many have today. This philosophy is encapsulated again as a book titled This Religion of Islam (Hadha Din). I recommend that Muslims read these two books, if available to reshape our worldviews about miracles and Islamic epistemological perspective on Ijtihad, critical factor to success and other emerging issues. Another dimension to the Qurn Boy, is that somebody may ask: Dont you belief in the signs of end time as enunciated and documented in books of Hadith? My answer is I believe. There would definitely be signs of end-time, but not certainly desecration of the purity and sanctity of the Glorious Qurn as being portrayed in the case of the Qurn Boy. What is the significance of the incident, especially when it is illogical and absurd to our belief about Qurn and its decorum? This shall discuss later using Socratic Method of inquiry. Even Dajjal was not described as destroying and desecrating the Book of Allah by putting it in pus of blood or placenta of a non-Muslim. Or was he? Let me ask: What does the Islam say about Atheists, Christians, and Jews? Are they pure or not? Can they bear credible revelation? Allah says: Verily, the unbelievers are najis [unclean] Q9:28. Any popular books on Fiqhu (Islamic Jurisprudence) will tell you that the following ten (10) things are considered essentially filthy (najis): Urine, Faeces, Semen, Dead body, Blood, Dog, Pig, Sweat of animals that eats najis things, Alcoholic beverages and Kafir. Interestingly, the boys state of impurity at birth falls within three categories of najis, namely Urine, Blood and Kufr. This is not fatwa, but critical academic logic to stir debates among us. He emerged from blood with Quran; the placenta of course contains element of urine/faeces and the mother is a Kafir. We may not like it, but the white man says: A doll, if you like say teddy bear, no matter how beautiful, is a false child. Kufaar (non-Muslims) are considered impure because their ideological worldviews are distorted and toxic; they eat, drink and live their lives without reference to halal or haram. They follow their whims and caprices with flagrant violation of principles of ethics, decency and decorum as defined by Allah. Who says the woman and her collaborators are not out to make fame and earn cheap popularity? Who says the runaway husband will not come back? The danger of their actions may come up later.

Remember in the Seerah, when Umar Bn Khattab (RA), as a Kafir, requested to read, the Qurn he was told to purify himself because it is sacred and pure. Umar (RA) said: "Let me see what you were reading, so that I may see what Muhammad [pbuh] has brought." Fatimah was satisfied with the assurance, but said: "O brother, you are unclean on account of your idolatry, none but the pure may touch it. So go and wash first." He did so, and took the page and read the opening verses of the Chapter Ta Ha until he reached: "Verily! I am Allah! La ilaha illa Ana (none has the right to be worshipped but I), so worship Me, and perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat) for My Remembrance. [Al- Qur'an 20:14]. Even those of you reading this article and my humble self, as believers, I pose the following questions: Without ablution, can we touch or read the Qurn? When we are defiled with semen, can we read or touch the Qurn? Can our women touch and read the Quran during their menstrual periods and when the blood from childbirth is still flowing? Islam detest impurity arising from menstrual flows and those of childbirth, because of these blood flows, our women earn total immunity from salat. But, here we are, buying and selling the story of a Qurn Boy, whose paternity is questionable; whose father abandoned the mother; the mother attempted to have him aborted, but was persuaded by a reverend that envisioned greatness in the boy; born in a white garment Church; he emerged from the blood (najis) and womb of Non-Muslim mother with doubtful antecedent, delivered by a non-Muslim nurse who by happenstance is also a non-Muslim. Incredible! What a coincidence? What an absurdity? Allah says: "None shall touch it (Quran) except the purified ones." Q56:79. Are these people purified? Could they be scheming? Are they acting films? Could they be fooling the Muslim communities? These are possibilities. Interestingly, the Nigerian Films websites report that: The mother, Mrs. Kikelomo Ilori, 32 year, a Cosmetologist by profession delivered the boy on Monday after she had carried the pregnancy for about 10 months. The single mother claimed she was abandoned by her husband who denied responsibility for the pregnancy and encouraged her to abort it. When I refused to abort the pregnancy, he deserted me, saying that is your own problem. Mrs. Ilori expressed surprise at the birth of the boy. She added that the nurse who delivered her of the baby was physically challenged, but went about it commendably. When my baby was delivered holding a Quran in his hand, the nurse said the Quran should be thrown away. But I insisted my mother must see it before any action could be taken, Kikelomo, who is a Christian, further explained. Corroborating the story, Senior Rev. Victoria Yetunde Dada said during the pregnancy, Kikelomo was always coming to her for prayers and counselling. I advised her not to abort the pregnancy because she might die in the process. Again, I told her the foetus was sent by God and will be great, Apostle Mother Dada told our correspondent. Controversy has continued to trail the seemingly spurious claim. Reacting, Medical Director of Bodet Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos, Dr. Bode Tawak said scientifically, it was not possible for a baby to be born holding a Quran. How big is the babys hand to hold the Quran? How big is the Quran? How did the Quran get into her mothers womb? I dont know how a Quran can get into a womb. But there are things you cant explain.

Dr. Tawak responded. He said while the incident cannot be explained medically, in Nigeria many mysterious things happen. A Kaduna-based medical practitioner, Dr. Munir Yusuf said from a medical point of view, it was not possible, but added that depending on the size of the Quran, it was possible metaphysically. He explained that if the Quran is small enough to pass through the diameter of the vagina, with the child, it is possible. In the same vein, a herbal medicine practitioner, Chief Dr. Bola Adegunloye believes nothing is impossible, but said too much importance must not be placed on the incident.(Available on http://www.nigeriafilms.com/news/17241/54/baby-boy-born-withquran-in-lagos-nigeria-more-pic.html). Reports from sundry sources and the one above indicate that the so-called small Quran was found in the hand of the baby right from the placenta, an impure substance mixed with filthy blood and contaminants. Has any Islamic cleric collected the Quran for inspection of leading clues? Have we read the content, to possibly look at the publisher, date of publication, and evaluate the verses of a genuine Qurn? Peddlers of falsehood are usually not patient nor pay critical attention to details especially the novices among liars and deceivers. The Qurn gave us template on critical thinking and investigative journalism, but we dont use it: Allah says: O ye who believe! If a wicked person comes to you with any news, ascertain the truth, lest ye harm people unwittingly and afterwards become full of repentance for what ye have done.Q49:6 Beyond the discourse I raised above. Every Muslim right from our childhood Madrasah knows that the placenta carries impurities and mixed with filths of water and blood. This explains why doctors ensure the children given birth to are thoroughly bath; even remnants of blood in a babys mouth are removed with pipes and medical gadget because of the dangerous contents. How come, the Glorious Quran, the Book of Allah, which was kept in Al-Lawh Al-Mahfuz (The highest gathering, guarded by Angels) for years, finds its way into dirty placenta of a non-Muslim woman? What is the lesson and logic? What benefit has that done to us? How that increased my faith or yours in Qurn? If the discovery of Qurn is true from the metaphysical context, as widely believed by many, then, it could also have been Vedas, Seven Book of Moses, Hammurabi Codes, Talmudic scroll or Dictionary? Why should the Qurn be desecrated by dirty placenta to prove greatness of boy with a runway father and mother questionable integrity, who had attempted abortion? When Allah, the Owner says that it is a pure book that should not be touched with impurity or filth. Could Allah have violated His own directives? At-Taharah meaning purity, and is an essential aspect of Islam. The Qur'an 9: 108 reads: Allah loves those who maintain purity. The Qur'an further stresses that: None shall touch it but those who are clean.*Quran 56:79+. I ask the second time, by Islamic verdict: Are these people starting with the mother that carried unwanted pregnancy, absconded father, the non-Muslim nurse, the Church where he was born pure? In the Book of Hadith, Abu Hurayrah (radhi allahu anhu) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said, what translated means, Allah, the Exalted, is Tayyib (Pure) and He only accepts that which is Tayyib. Allah has indeed Commanded the believers with what He has Commanded the

Messengers, He said, O ye Messengers! Eat of at-Tayyibat (all things pure), and do righteous deeds. *23:51+ and, O you who believe! Eat of the lawful things that We have provided you*2:172+. Then he (the Prophet (SAW) mentioned a man, who has been traveling for such a long time, that his hair has become messed up and he has become covered in dust and who is raising his hand towards heaven (and praying), O my Lord! O my Lord!, while his food is from Haram (impermissible source), his drink is from Haram, his clothes are from Haram and he was fed (and grew up) from Haraam therefore, how can his pleas be accepted? [Related by Muslim]. On the strength of the foregoing discourse, I have several doubts about story of the Qurn Boy and the myth tactically woven around him. Prophets of Allah and Saints across the ages have noble birth and parents of noble character. The boy in question has been elevated to the level of Saint, Waliyu, but my knowledge of Fiqhu-Seerah, excused him from that club of Awliyyah Allah. My last question before resigning is: Why is the small Quran not soaked with blood or water from the filthy placenta? Do you know by the story that another prophet has arrived with a small Quran? Do you know that his mothers house has suddenly become a rendezvous, another Mecca? Soonest the boy will start rendering his revelation. An unexamined story proves to be spurious in the final analysis. Remember that that Socrates, the father of Western philosophy died teaching ethics and asking questions, a principle that is encapsulated as Socratic Method of inquiry. He left the world condemned to death, saying The unexamined life is not worth living. Sayyid Qutb also died questioning the prevailing ethics of his time. Reading the story of the Qurn boy, the more you read, the more flaws you see. There is definitely a fifth columnist is involved in the own arrangement. For my young MSSN brothers & sisters, the story is not a credit to Islam at all, but a desecration of the Book of Allah, Allahu alam. Imam Luqman AbdurRaheem writes from De Montfort University, Leicester, United Kingdom. Emails are: lukman.raimi@email.dmu.ac.uk, luq_man2001@yahoo.com Now read the article of Yusuf Estes. "Miracles" or Misguidance? by Sheik Yusuf Estes Read the true story of "Lies On a Pumpkin?" Bismillah Rahman This was written by Sheik Yusuf Estes while he was in Cairo, Egypt in July of 2001. Raheem

Al Hamdulilah Rabbil Alameen Was salat was salam ala Rasool al Kareem Maa ba'd: Salam Alaykum Wa Rahmatulah: Something just happened to cause me to sit down and tell a story that I have kept to myself for a long time. This is really a BIG TEST (ibtala') for me to write about this subject. What I'm about to tell you is

strange and I know some of you are going to think "Ol Sheik Yusuf finally went off to 'Goofee Land'." There is something that I am going to share with you and mention in reference to this subject that I have kept quiet about since leaving being a preacher to come to Islam. I don't blame you if you laugh. At at least read this, but please, dear reader pay attention to the warning coming up... How could Sheik Yusuf ever endorse 'miracles' or 'karamat'? After all, who is the one that has been attacking the brothers and sisters (hopefully in a kind a respectful manner) regarding putting the fake pictures on the Internet and the stories of weird occurrences in nature which people claim bring them to believe in Allah? Me. I am the very same person who only two years ago went on record as debunking the "Shahadah in the Forest" picture and the "Tree in Ruku'ah Facing Qiblah" picture, and the "Fish with Allahu Akbar on His Side" picture, as well as many others. This goes back to my days of debunking the old fairy tales and lies in the Christian church which we heard from infancy onward. We were told in that if you look down from above on the back of a burro (small donkey) you will see a brown stripe running from his neck to his tail and across his front shoulder is another brown line which forms a 'cross'. Well sure enough some burros do have this type of marking. If you get up high over the donkey and look down and use your imagination a little you will see a brown line intersecting another brown line to form a 'x' or a 'cross' right across his shoulders. So what? Well we were told that before Jesus was born, no donkeys ever had this. (What is the evidence for such a statement?). Then the story begins: A donkey carried Mary to Bethlehem while she was pregnant with Jesus and was present in the manager when Jesus was born. (Again, any proof?). A donkey carried Jesus into the city on Palm Sunday (this is in all the gospels in the Bible). So, for all his carrying of Jesus, the donkey gets to carry the 'cross' on his back as an honor for his service. So we should all wear a cross with honor and pride. And now today, how many would be happy to wear a cross hanging from their ears, nose, eyebrows, tummy, and tattoo a cross in places which I won't mention? My reason for being against these types of so called 'miracles' is that it has no basis in true belief. I lived all over Texas and Mexico for over 50 years and watched so much superstition over these same types of things that it made me sick of it all. People would claim that they had a tree which would "cry" at Easter time or a statue of the Virgin Mary would "weep" tears. One case a few years back in San Antonio, I recall a window in the front of a home which would show some kind of "crucifixion" or something at a certain time of the night. People would come from all over

filling the street and jamming the front yard and falling on their knees praying and crying. People were claiming to be 'healed' of sicknesses and cancer, etc. It was in the newspapers and made quite a sensation -- for a while. But then, after a while the light thing stopped, things went back to usual and people went back to their routine lives of lying, cheating, stealing, adultery, drugs, violence. Then there is the story that Jimmy Swaggart related in the debate between he and Ahmad Deedat back over 10 years ago in Louisiana. (By the way, I personally hate these debates and I only do dialogs with the Christian preachers to offer better understandings of Islam -- and by the way, we do give a number of Shahadahs at these events. Sometimes even to the leaders of the church). Anyway, at the end of the debate Jimmy Swaggart did a real sneaky trick used by preachers all the time to try to 'prove their point.' He told a story without any proof or reference whatever. He said: "You know, Mr. Deedat, I had a dream the other night. And in that dream, I believe that I heard the voice of God. I think that was God talking to me. And if it was God talking to me, he was telling me; 'You go tell Mr. Deedat and all his Mozlems (I hate the way Jimmy Swaggart says 'Mozlems') You go tell Mr. Deedat and all his Mozlems friends that Jesus loves him and Jesus loves them too. And if they'll just come to him in the precious name of Jesus, why, he'll accept them and love them and he'll forgive them." (This is as close as I remember the actual video tape) Then Swaggart went on to tell a another story: He said that he had heard about someone in Europe or England that was thinking about becoming a Muslim. But he goes on to tell us that: "This person was had a friend who was very ill and dying in the hospital. So he though he would test if Islam was right. And so he prayed in the 'name of Mohammed' for them to get well, but the person didn't get well. So he prayed in the 'Precious Name of Jesus' and the person got well and was cured of the sickness. And on this statement he based his conclusion for the debate: "Is the Bible the Word of God?" And by the way, when I was a prison chaplain in Texas, I found that the ministries in the prisons there are using the same video tape of Ahmad Deedat and Jimmy Swaggart to call people to 'Jesus.' They all conclude as Mr. Swaggart did, that the only thing that matters is if you get what you want from your prayers. To believe that someone or something has power with Allah or in place of Allah or a connection with Allah is 'shirk' (making partners with Allah, may Allah save us from this). Allah says that He does not forgive that anyone set up partners with Him in worship, but anything less than that He can forgive. This is perhaps the biggest test of all. It is not so much that a person believe that there is Allah. After all, every religion out there claims to believe in God of some kind. Every religion teaches to pray to their gods. Some teach that there is only one god, and that they have pray to god through some other god or

some 'icon' which represents or reminds them of god, or it acts as an intercessor between them and god. And some of these prayers to their 'gods' are answered. After all, if they didn't get what they wanted at least once in a while they would not continue to believe in their false gods would they? But who is really the One the ultimately answers their prayers? Who really gives them what they ask for? Who gives them life? Who heals them? Who provides for them? Who is the Only One do all Praise? -- Of course, it is only Almighty Allah. The point of the matter is to see how they treat and respect Allah. The real test is: Will we worship Allah, alone, on His terms, conditions and follow His commandments? That process is called: ISLAM (Surrender, Submission, Obedience, Purity of Intention, Peace) My point is that these kinds of things seem to me to be more of a test of character than a proof of God's existence. Only those who already believe would come out and get excited. The non-believers just stand back and watch "those crazy fools making idiots of themselves." I have seen people claim miracles in the "Name of the Father"; and in the "Precious Name of Jesus"; and in the "Name of the Holy Spirit." So, now what I am about to say... well, just read it for yourself and judge. [Written in Cairo, Egypt in July 2001] NOTE and a word of CAUTION: The story you are about to read it 100% true and I am one of several of the witnesses. Today, inshallah, I plan to film and photograph the specimen about to be described, and begin serious investigation into the background and history of how this has come about. [Since then we have filmed and photographed the specimen. Pictures are available on request at: sheikyusuf@aol.com CAUTION: However, there are two things that I want to stress to you: * This could be some kind of artificially induced growth on the surface or a reaction to a chemical which was artificially induced (in other words someone may have designed this with a process we have not discovered yet). * Even if it is absolutely, positively without manufactured stimulation, it is not to be used to call people to Islam. It would only be considered a source of increased belief for those who are already believers in Islam. Presently I am in Cairo Egypt, preparing for a visit to a rural area where a strange event just took place. About two days ago, the brother of Ahmad Mousa, my host here in Cairo, was visiting a farm about an hour's drive out of Cairo and he found something very weird. He says that twenty days prior a farmer pulled a gourd shaped pumpkin out of the ground that was facing a different direction than the others, in a strange way. It appeared to have a strange formation of Arabic style letters written across its length. So he obtained it and brought for his brother (my friend Ahmad) to investigate. Subsequently, Ahmad brought it to me a few nights ago. We were with Dr. Fatih Algayreb standing at the

trunk of Ahamd's car wondering we would see. As we stood there at the back of his car staring down under the street lamp at the huge vegetation on top of his trunk of his car, I froze. If I had not seen it with my own eyes and held it in my own hands, I would not have believed it. An elongated pumpkin about the size of a very large football had wart like bumps standing out in relief "raised letters" in Arabic, very clearly spelling: 'Bismillah Ar Rahman' (In the Name of Allah, The Most Merciful). It appeared to be in the old Kuftic script (original Arabic style no longer popular). Then over the center of it were the words: 'Ar Raheem' I was so shocked that I almost dropped it when I realized what it said. What can I say? I held it. I touched it. I felt it over and over. It was real. At least it was a 'real pumpkin.' - But was the writing really a 'miracle?" Maybe not...

[This is a REAL Pumpkin - But is the Arabic writing FAKE?] To the right of the words 'Ar Raheem' was a black formation which appeared that if it had been left to grow, the word 'Mohammed' verily likely would have been displayed right along with it. So, now the question is: "What if it had been proven to be a natural phenomenon? What if it was real?" Then what would that mean? Thanks only to Allah that He guided all of us to think and consider the most important points of Tawheed of Islam (monotheism). Dr. Fatih Al Ghareeb and our beloved brother Ahmad Mousa were not fooled by this trick on a pumpkin. Not at all. They immediately were suspicious and together we all began investigating this subject. Sheik Mahdi from Al Azhar University was called in and he made a television program with us on Today Islam in which he confirmed that although these types of things appear from time to time, they are not the signs that prove to the believers the existance of Allah. Upon closer examination the truth began to come to light. If you could look at all the other miracles from

Allah which He has clearly explained in His Book the Holy Quran, and still need a pumpkin with warts to decide if it is all real, then your faith wasn't much to start with. Don't we see bigger miracles than this everyday? Who created all of the things which we take for granted everyday? Where did we come from? How is the universe in such a splendid order? Where did the heavens and earth come from? Who sends down the rain? Who grows up a pumpkin from a mere seed? Al Rahman -- (The Merciful) These are the true "miracles" and "signs" of Allah. Let us ask a few logical questions here about so-called 'miracles': How would it be if you found a giant watermelon tomorrow and it had seeds in it spelling out "Jesus is King of the Jews" in Latin? Would you want to be a Christian? And would you stop eating the 'sacred melon'? Or what if you discover a rock with "Michael Jackson" spelled in Hindi language? Would you become a Michael Jackson fan or a Hindu? (or both?) Or how about a pizza that the cheese toppings spell out "IslamTomorrow.com" ?? (I like this one...). This would all certainly be most strange and bizarre, but would it cause anyone to change their belief? No. It would only increase the faith of the believers and increase the disbelief of the disbelievers. Now, let us take a closer look at this so called "Miracle."

Notice the exact drawing on the pumpkin.