The Air & Divine Unity From the Thirteenth Word of the Risale-i Nur

Readings …The air … is a place of maximum manifestation of the Divine will and command; either there would have to be present on a minute scale in each of its molecules, in each waft of wind, each breath, and in the tiny amount air expended with the word HE, the innumerable different exchanges, centers, receivers and transmitters of all the telephones, telegraphs and radios in the world, so that each could perform those innumerable acts at the same time; Or else, each particle of each molecule of air exhaled with HE, and indeed of the element air, would have to possess abilities and personalities to the number of all the different telephone users, telegraphers, and those who speak on the radio, and know all their different languages, and broadcast them to the other particles at the same time. For such a situation is actually apparent, and every bit of air possesses that ability.

Readings If attributed to the All-Glorious Maker, however, the air together with all its particles becomes a soldier under His command. With its Creator’s permission and through His power, and through being connected to its Creator and relying on Him, and through the manifestation of its Maker’s Power, in an instant with the speed of lightning, and with the ease of uttering the word HE and the movement of the air in waves, its innumerable universal duties are performed as easily as an orderly, single duty of a single particle. That is to say, the air becomes a page for the endless, wonderful, and orderly writings of the Pen of Power, and its particles become the nibs of the pen, and their duties the points inscribed by it. The air functions as easily as the movement of a single particle.

Bediuzzaman’s point  When ‘sound’ is emitted, sound waves (vibrations) travel via a medium – in this case, the air  These vibrations are transmitted faultlessly, without confusion, from molecule to molecule, eventually reaching our ears  The air performs this task at the same time as transmitting sound waves from innumerable other sources, and performing various other functions as well

Bediuzzaman’s point  How do inanimate, lifeless molecules of air, lacking power, will or intelligence, work together so faultlessly to perform this wondrous task?  It’s clear that each molecule of air works under the command of a Single Commander, Who has the Power, Will and Knowledge to cause these phenomena  The transmission of ‘sounds’ thus points to Divine Unity (Tawhid – the ‘Oneness’ of Allah)

Opponent’s Response  What might an opponent of this view say?  “Physics does not say that molecules of air need to be intelligent, powerful actors  In fact, molecules of air are just passive transmitters of sound waves. With ‘sound’, a vibration is created by a sound source, and this just causes each molecule in a medium (like the air) to vibrate in the same way, culminating in our hearing the sound  There is no mystery to how this occurs. The laws of mechanics explain it, together with other laws”

Problems with opposing view  What does the opponent take for granted?  In short: Motion  Our opponent’s view here takes it as a given that fundamental motions occur, and acts as if these explain the problem away  Since the motions of particles that occur in the transmission of ‘sound’ are a type of mechanical energy, at heart, this motion is described by electromagnetism

Problems with opposing view  Electromagnetism involves the motion of photons (photon are the ‘exchange particle’ between electrons, the so-called ‘carrier’ of the force)  So at heart, the vibrations of molecules that we perceive as sound, are driven by the motions of photons  Whilst the lay person is probably unaware of it, this motion is without explanation (as is the motion or exchange of the other ‘force carriers’)

Problems with opposing view  Thus, as it stands, we have no physical explanation for this motion. We have only a partial description of what we believe occurs  But what we observe stands in need of explanation. Recall our earlier reading about the wondrous task the air seems to perform  We agree that molecules of air are just passive recipients, but so are the fundamental ‘laws’. We come full circle – the mystery remains…

Problems with opposing view  Every photon and electron involved in the electromagnetic force always behave the same way – that’s why its called a law of physics in the first place  Thus we have two problems: Why does this motion occur, and why does it occur how it does (i.e. with perfect regularity/order etc)?  Either each photon, and each electron, has the will, power and knowledge to act in the required way at all times…

Problems with opposing view  Or each is under the command of a Single Commander  Are there other options? Chance is not even worth talking about. What about ‘necessity’?  Necessity: Remember that the naturalist said the molecules act due to necessity (i.e. they are forced to act as they do)

Problems with opposing view  But the thing doing the forcing was meant to be the electromagnetic force and as we have seen, this ‘force’ fails to explain anything  So does some other material thing ‘force the force’? If so, what is it? Recall the failure of M theory to predict a unique set of ‘laws’…  Ultimately, matter cannot be relied on to explain matter, or its motions, since matter is ‘contingent’. (And recall the problem with an infinite regress of contingent material explanations…)

Just the tip of the iceberg  Bediuzzaman said that he’s only considering the issue from a material perspective. What about the immaterial problem?  Sound is sound, yet the motions of molecules or of particles is not sound. The two things are ontologically distinct  Sound is rather an immaterial thing that can only be heard by an immaterial entity – and strictly speaking, sounds are never seen, they are heard  So how can motion be identical with sound?

Just the tip of the iceberg  Thus we have a philosophy of mind issue. Same goes for vision, touch, smell and every other thing perceived…  Also, recall from one of our earlier sessions: If fundamental motion cannot be explained naturalistically, then nothing that occurs in the universe can be explained naturalistically  Thus: ‘Occasionalism’- Nothing occurs without Allah directly causing it. Contrast with deistic/semi deistic views