PLAGIARISM AND THE END OF HUMAN HISTORY
PLAGIARISM AND THE END OF HUMAN HISTORY
Divine Laws or Scientific Laws
DOOMSDAY will bring human history to an end, marking the transition to the beginning of another. There are several indicative Hadith (words of the prophet) which predict many instances before Doomsday. Some have come to pass in present times. One such Hadith can be understood by an incident that was reported in some news publications under the headline, ‘American journalist suspended for plagiarism.’ The suspended Indo-American journalist was CNN host, Newsweek columnist, and editor-at-large of TIME magazine, Fareed Zakaria. He was suspended for a week in August 2012 by TIME and CNN while they investigated charges of plagiarism.
The entire history of modern technical development is nothing but a case of super-plagiarism.shadow
Plagiarism is the imitation and use of another’s language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions and representing them as one’s own work. It was alleged that the suspended journalist had copied several passages from an article published in the New Yorker magazine by historian Jill Lepore of Yale University. Copying someone’s idea without acknowledging the original author is a crime in the literary world.
Plagiarism can be taken to a higher level and looked at in a larger connotation. It goes beyond the simple act of an individual copying another’s work. There is a much larger plagiarism happening which none seem to be complaining about—the plagiarism of God’s creation by humans and claiming it as their original work. The predictions that have occurred are an admonition and warning to mankind that the Lord of the Universe will soon terminate human civilization for the acts of super-plagiarism humans have been practicing.
Not Acknowledging the Creator
Nature follows the divine laws ordained by its Creator. On reaching boiling temperature water transforms into steam, a source of energy that is put to various uses. Man did not invent steam; he only discovered this law of nature and used it to his advantage. Similarly, all technical developments (steam ships, cars, airplanes, photography, telecommunications etc.) were actually a case of discovering and applying the laws of nature. Human civilization used divine ideas, without duly acknowledging their Creator!
In fact, whenever a law of nature was discovered it was attributed to the scientist who discovered it. Newton discovered a law and it came to be known as the Newtonian law. Did these scientists create these laws? They merely discovered their existence in nature. Given this, it was mandatory for scientists to acknowledge that their discoveries were divine principles. They failed to do so, making the entire history of modern technical development a case of super-plagiarism.
These discoveries known as scientific laws are actually divine laws. To uncover the divine laws in nature and present them as our own scientific laws is without doubt super plagiarism. The American journalist had indulged in plagiarism in just one article; whereas the entire development of the modern human civilization is one of super plagiarism. One is individual plagiarism, the other is global plagiarism.
Man discovered the laws present in nature ushering in a civilization full of technological developments. But in doing so, he attributed these greatest of scientific feats to himself and did not acknowledge God’s blessings. shadow
Modern science discovered a world referred to as the ‘intelligent universe’. The notion of a mechanical model of universe—prevalent at the time of Newton—is no longer endorsed in scientific circles. The current model accepts that the universe has an intelligent design. (Refer to Fred Hoyle’s book, ‘The Intelligent Universe’). With intelligent design established, the existence of an Intelligent Designer was proved. The scientific fraternity came close to discovering God but failed to acknowledge Him. When a scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory made public a statement referring to ‘Intelligent Design’, he was sacked!
The Theory of Evolution, seeks to explain the phenomena of life without God. This is another act of plagiarism. A relevant verse of the Quran and a related Hadith are mentioned here:
The wonders of the Quran will not end; newer meanings will forever be discovered. (Mishkat) No just estimate have they made of God, as is due to Him. But on the Day of Resurrection the whole Earth will lie in His grasp, while heaven will be folded up in His right hand. Glory be to Him! Exalted is He above all that they associate with Him. ( 39: 67 )
The commentators have interpreted the above verse in the context of Polytheism. "No just estimates have they made of God" refers to shirk (associating others with God), an act of attributing to human beings what was to be attributed to God. This phenomenon is referred to as ‘humanism’ (transfer of credit from God to man), an extreme case of plagiarism.
Expulsion of Man from the Earth
This scientific plagiarism in the garb of development of civilization has been propagated across the world. No individual has challenged this or claimed that all modern developments have been possible because of the divine laws in nature. This truth has to be openly acknowledged.
The matter of denial of God has reached its limit. The time has come when the Lord will remove mankind from this Earth and establish a new world order.
This fate of the world had been predicted. God had announced symbolically that the responsibility for the earth given to man would be terminated and a new system would be enforced. Man seems to believe the world is his and shall live here forever. The Quranic verse quoted above unequivocally states that man has under-estimated the Creator and that he will be held accountable for this. This is explained in another verse of the Quran:
Those who misused their freedom and failed to acknowledge God’s beneficence would be called to account before their Lord.shadow
Do you imagine that We created you without any purpose and that you would not be brought back to Us? ( 23: 115 )
The phrase ‘brought back’ refers to accountability. The entire human civilization is guilty of not acknowledging God despite availing divine blessings. Such ingratitude will not be tolerated forever and the day of reckoning will come.
The above verse metaphorically describes this event, when God will encompass the entire galaxy on one side and the universe on the other. Man has achieved great progress, developed a civilization and taken credit for everything, without acknowledging God. A time shall come when God will take away the charge of Earth from man. On that day, God Himself will assume all charge. The Prophet Muhammad, while explaining a verse of the Quran said:
On the Day of Resurrection God will hold the whole earth and fold the heaven with His right hand and say, 'I am the King: where are the kings of the earth? (Tafseer Ibn Kathir)
The Prophet's companions who heard this explanation noticed that the Prophet Muhammad was so shaken up with awe for God that it looked like he was going to fall down.
Heading Towards the End of History
Earth’s life support system is fast depleting and scientists predict that we are heading towards our end. Renowned physicist and cosmologist Stephen Hawking is reported to have said that man should abandon Earth or face extinction. These dire statements support the veracity of Quranic prediction, imploring man to reflect before doom strikes, a time when we shall be held accountable.
The entire human civilization is guilty of not acknowledging God despite availing of divine blessings.
Plagiarism is a common malady that plagues the literary world. Fareed Zakaria’s case came into limelight because it involved a renowned journalist. A struggling journalist would not have made the news. Man must reflect and realize that modern civilization itself is a grave case of plagiarism and God shall make man account for it.
Given this, man must do two things. Firstly must lead an introspective life and correct his course, to earn his pardon on the day of reckoning. Secondly he must disseminate God’s message worldwide to all mankind.
Sadly, prosperity and the attending materialistic culture has made people transgressors. Why would God let this world so full of insensitive people and transgressors, continue? According to a Hadith (words of the prophet), one of the signs of Doomsday approaching would be the disappearance of honesty from society. (Al Bukhari). This Hadith is a proof of Prophet Muhammad’s prophet hood, because it was a prediction whose truth would be established after a period of 1400 years.
The End of Life-support System
The earth is a unique planet in the vast Universe. It provides in abundance everything that is required to support life. This has enabled human beings to inhabit it and develop civilizations. But the Quran says that a time will come when the earth will lose all its greenery and vegetation and become an arid waste.
Recent scientific research has established that due to the effects of global warming, the life-support system on the earth has been impaired to dangerous levels.shadow
Recent scientific research has established that global warming has damaged the life-support system on earth to dangerous levels. Scientists have repeatedly warned that man’s existence on Earth will be difficult. The renowned scientist Stephen Hawking has acknowledged this warning and advised mankind to colonise space, although he and all other scientists know that this is impractical.
Global warming—a result of increase in carbon dioxide in the earth’s atmosphere is causing rapid melting of the polar ice caps, mountain glaciers and land based snow cover. This has caused the level of water in the seas to rise. The Arctic region with its ice cover and treeless permafrost plays a very important role in maintaining the climatic balance on the Earth. But over the last quarter of the 20th century, the effects of global warming have been the strongest in the Arctic with the continuing retreat of glaciers, permafrost and sea ice.
Climate scientists forecast that within the next 10 years, Arctic summers could be ice-free with all Arctic glaciers having melted and disappeared into the oceans. This would result in dangerous consequences soon rendering the Earth unsuitable for human habitation.
Conclusion
This world is approaching its end. Despite enjoying the benefits of modern civilization by drawing on divine blessings, man has failed to acknowledge God. This act of plagiarism is so great that it is not worthy of being forgiven!
God has decided that man must be removed from Earth for this crime. This is gradually becoming evident through the disintegrating life support system.
The first verse of the Quran is: All Praise is due to God, the Lord of the Universe. ( 1: 2 )
Man must lead an alert and introspective life and correct his course so that on the day when He is called to account before God, he is pardoned.
The above verse makes us conscious of the fact that, the Creator must be thanked and acknowledged for creating everything to make life comfortable. To do this Man has to reflect about the universe and the events of the world around him.
According to the creation plan this world being a selection ground, those who fulfil the criterion of not misusing their freedom would be selected to inhabit the world of God eternally. One other verse of the Quran reminds man of this fact.
It is for the like of this that all should strive. ( 37: 61 )
Each of us has to mend our ways and convey the divine message to others. These two aspects cannot be under estimated. We need to undertake self-evaluation to know how we spend our time, energy and money. According to the words of the Prophet:
Weigh yourself before you are weighed. (Tirmidhi)
It is advisable for us to evaluate ourselves before we die because the evaluation of the angels would be unforgiving. Pray that God grants us the ability to traverse on the straight path, forgive us and inhabit us in His eternal world of Paradise! o
Dual World
When one raises oneself to a level where material things become secondary; and inner meanings become of prime importance, then one is a spiritual person.
