Quran Talk

Dr. Daniel Peterson delivers a message to the 2017 FairMormon Conference. July 2017.

Dr. DANIEL PETERSON

A native of southern California, Daniel C. Peterson received a bachelor’s degree in Greek and philosophy from Brigham Young University (BYU) and, after several years of study in Jerusalem and Cairo, earned his Ph.D. in Near Eastern Languages and Cultures from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). Dr. Peterson is a professor of Islamic Studies and Arabic at BYU, where he has taught Arabic language and literature at all levels, Islamic philosophy, Islamic culture and civilization, Islamic religion, the Qur’an, the introductory and senior “capstone” courses for Middle Eastern Studies majors, and various other occasional specialized classes. He is the author of several books and numerous articles on Islamic and Latter-day Saint topics–including a biography entitled Muhammad: Prophet of God (Eerdmans, 2007)—and has lectured across the United States, in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, and at various Islamic universities in the Near East and Asia. He served in the Switzerland Zürich Mission (1972-1974), and, for approximately eight years, on the Gospel Doctrine writing committee for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He also presided for a time as the bishop of a singles ward adjacent to Utah Valley University. Dr. Peterson is married to the former Deborah Stephens, of Lakewood, Colorado, and they are the parents of three sons.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWVsaSy9HXg

The Privileged Planet, utilizing stunning computer animation, interviews with leading scientists, and spectacular images of Earth and the cosmos, explores a startling connection between our capacity to survive and our ability to observe and understand the universe. Is this correlation merely a coincidence? Or does it point to a deeper truth about purpose and intelligent design within the cosmos?

For example, the Earth is the only planet in the entire solar system that can experience a perfect solar eclipse. The proportions between the Earth, moon, and sun are perfect. Such that, the moon is 400x smaller, but also 400x closer to the earth than the sun.

While the effects of a solar eclipse are awe-inspiring the scientific significance is even greater. Because of a solar eclipse, we were able to confirm Einstein's theory of relativity in 1919, additionally, we were able to use light spectroscopy to determine the makeup of the sun as being predominately hydrogen and helium.

This finding allowed us to apply this to other stars in our universe. When this was done it confirmed that the galaxies that are farther away from the earth are also moving proportionally faster than the galaxies closer to us. When this was mapped and extrapolated it confirmed the big bang.

While we are not at the center of the universe, it does appear that we are perfectly positioned to observe the universe and appreciate the blessings we have in this cosmic lottery.

[21:30] Do the unbelievers not realize that the heaven and the earth used to be one solid mass that we exploded into existence? And from water we made all living things. Would they believe?

[6:52] And do not dismiss those who implore their Lord day and night, devoting themselves to Him alone. You are not responsible for their reckoning, nor are they responsible for your reckoning. If you dismiss them, you will be a transgressor.

The Quran's Common Denominator

[74:30] Over it is nineteen.

[74:31] We appointed angels to be guardians of Hell, and we assigned their number (19)

(1) to disturb the disbelievers,

(2) to convince the Christians and Jews (that this is a divine scripture),

(3) to strengthen the faith of the faithful,

(4) to remove all traces of doubt from the hearts of Christians, Jews, as well as the believers, and

(5) to expose those who harbor doubt in their hearts,

and the disbelievers; they will say, "What did GOD mean by this allegory?" GOD thus sends astray whomever He wills, and guides whomever He wills. None knows the soldiers of your Lord except He. This is a reminder for the people.

[74:32] Absolutely, (I swear) by the moon.

[74:33] And the night as it passes.

[74:34] And the morning as it shines. One of the Great Miracles

[74:35] This is one of the great miracles.

[74:36] A warning to the human race.

 To Be Protected From Satan

[23:97] Say, "My Lord, I seek refuge in You from the whispers of the devils.

[23:98] "And I seek refuge in You, my Lord, lest they come near me."

An Important Commandment*

[16:98] When you read the Quran, you shall seek refuge in GOD from Satan the rejected.

[16:99] He has no power over those who believe and trust in their Lord.

[16:100] His power is limited to those who choose him as their master; those who choose him as their god.

The Test Begins 

[7:12] He said, "What prevented you from prostrating when I ordered you?" He said, "I am better than he; You created me from fire, and created him from mud."

[7:13] He said, "Therefore, you must go down, for you are not to be arrogant here. Get out; you are debased."

[7:14] He said, "Grant me a respite, until the Day of Resurrection."

[7:15] He said, "You are granted a respite."

[7:16] He said, "Since You have willed that I go astray,* I will skulk for them on Your straight path.

[7:17] "I will come to them from before them, and from behind them, and from their right, and from their left, and You will find that most of them are unappreciative."

[7:18] He said, "Get out therefrom, despised and defeated. Those among them who follow you, I will fill Hell with you all.

[7:19] "As for you, Adam, dwell with your wife in Paradise, and eat therefrom as you please, but do not approach this one tree, lest you fall in sin."

[7:20] The devil whispered to them, in order to reveal their bodies, which were invisible to them. He said, "Your Lord did not forbid you from this tree, except to prevent you from becoming angels, and from attaining eternal existence."

[7:21] He swore to them, "I am giving you good advice."

[7:22] He thus duped them with lies. As soon as they tasted the tree, their bodies became visible to them, and they tried to cover themselves with the leaves of Paradise. Their Lord called upon them: "Did I not enjoin you from that tree, and warn you that the devil is your most ardent enemy?"

[7:23] They said, "Our Lord, we have wronged our souls, and unless You forgive us and have mercy on us, we will be losers."

[7:24] He said, "Go down as enemies of one another. On earth shall be your habitation and provision for awhile."

[7:25] He said, "On it you will live, on it you will die, and from it you will be brought out."

Humans Fail to Make a Firm Stand*

[20:115] We tested Adam in the past, but he forgot, and we found him indecisive.

[20:116] Recall that we said to the angels, "Fall prostrate before Adam." They fell prostrate, except Satan; he refused.

[20:117] We then said, "O Adam, this is an enemy of you and your wife. Do not let him evict you from Paradise, lest you become miserable.

[20:118] "You are guaranteed never to hunger therein, nor go unsheltered.

[20:119] "Nor will you thirst therein, nor suffer from any heat."

[20:120] But the devil whispered to him, saying, "O Adam, let me show you the tree of eternity and unending kingship."

[20:121] They ate from it, whereupon their bodies became visible to them, and they tried to cover themselves with the leaves of Paradise. Adam thus disobeyed his Lord, and fell.

[20:122] Subsequently, his Lord chose him, redeemed him, and guided him.

[20:123] He said, "Go down therefrom, all of you. You are enemies of one another. When guidance comes to you from Me, anyone who follows My guidance will not go astray, nor suffer any misery.

James 1:13-18

13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

God Protects the Believers From Sin

[12:23] The lady of the house where he lived tried to seduce him. She closed the doors and said, "I am all yours." He said, "May GOD protect me. He is my Lord, who gave me a good home.* The transgressors never succeed." Footnote [12:24] She almost succumbed to him, and he almost succumbed to her, if it were not that he saw a proof from his Lord. We thus diverted evil and sin away from him, for he was one of our devoted servants. 

Luke 22:40 On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.”

[74:38] Every soul is trapped by its sins.

An object is Fractal when it has the property that the structure of its constituent parts reflect the structure of the whole and at various scales. The classic example would be a tree, where a branch of the tree held upright is as the whole tree, and even a leaf of a tree has in its veins a tree like branching structure. Thus a Fractal object is said to be self similar. Another property of Fractal objects is Nesting, i.e. the smaller constituents that make up the whole object and that reflect the structure of the whole object, are themselves contained within it. But then these smaller copies of the whole, themselves contain even smaller copies reflecting itself and the whole; and so on and so forth potentially ad infinitum. – Fractal.org

Benoit Mandelbrot - Hunting the Hidden Dimension Nova (2008)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbK92bRW2lQ

The Strange Similarity of Neuron and Galaxy Networks

http://nautil.us/issue/50/emergence/the-strange-similarity-of-neuron-and-galaxy-networks

Joe Rogan Podcast 

Episode 986 – Interview with Maynard James Keenan - lead singer from tool 

http://podcasts.joerogan.net/podcasts/maynard-james-keenan-2

[57:4] He is the One who created the heavens and the earth in six days,* then assumed all authority. He knows everything that enters into the earth, and everything that comes out of it, and everything that comes down from the sky, and everything that climbs into it. He is with you wherever you may be. GOD is Seer of everything you do.

Sura 44, Smoke (Al-Dukhãn)

[44:0] In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

[44:1] H. M.

[44:2] And this enlightening scripture.

[44:3] We have sent it down in a blessed night, for we are to warn.

[44:4] In it (the scripture), every matter of wisdom is clarified.

[44:5] It is a predetermined command from us that we send messengers.

[44:6] This is a mercy from your Lord. He is the Hearer, the Omniscient.

[44:7] Lord of the heavens and the earth, and everything between them. If only you could be certain!

[44:8] There is no other god beside Him. He controls life and death; your Lord and the Lord of your ancestors.

[44:9] Indeed, they are doubtful, heedless.

The Smoke: A Major Prophecy*

[44:10] Therefore, watch for the day when the sky brings a profound smoke.*

[44:11] It will envelop the people; this is a painful retribution.

[44:12] "Our Lord, relieve this retribution for us; we are believers."

God's Messenger of the Covenant*

[44:13] Now that it is too late, they remember! An enlightening messenger had come to them.*

[44:14] But they turned away from him, saying, "Well educated, but crazy!"

[44:15] We will relieve the retribution for awhile; you will soon revert.

 The Quran Must Be Translated

[26:198] If we revealed this to people who do not know Arabic. [26:199] And had him recite it (in Arabic), they could not possibly believe in it. [26:200] We thus render it (like a foreign language) in the hearts of the guilty. [26:201] Thus, they cannot believe in it; not until they see the painful retribution. [26:202] It will come to them suddenly, when they least expect it. [26:203] They will then say, "Can we have a respite?" [26:204] Did they not challenge our retribution? [26:205] As you see, we allowed them to enjoy for years. [26:206] Then the retribution came to them, just as promised. [26:207] Their vast resources did not help them in the least. [26:208] We never annihilate any community without sending warners. [26:209] Therefore, this is a reminder, for we are never unjust. 

False Messengers Incapable of Preaching the Worship of God ALONE*

[26:210] The devils can never reveal this. Footnote [26:211] They neither would, nor could. [26:212] For they are prevented from hearing. [26:213] Therefore, do not idolize beside GOD any other god, lest you incur the retribution.

God's Messenger of the Covenant*

[26:214] You shall preach to the people who are closest to you.  [26:215] And lower your wing for the believers who follow you. [26:216] If they disobey you, then say, "I disown what you do." [26:217] And put your trust in the Almighty, Most Merciful. [26:218] Who sees you when you meditate during the night. [26:219] And your frequent prostrations.

[13:40] Whether we show you what we promise them, or terminate your life before that, your sole mission is to deliver (the message). It is us who will call them to account.

[46:35] Therefore, be patient like the messengers before you who possessed strength and resorted to patience. Do not be in a hurry to see the retribution that will inevitably come to them. The day they see it, it will seem as if they lasted one hour of the day. This is a proclamation: Is it not the wicked who are consistently annihilated?

[34:46] Say, "I ask you to do one thing: Devote yourselves to GOD, in pairs or as individuals, then reflect. Your friend (Rashad) is not crazy. He is a manifest warner to you, just before the advent of a terrible retribution."

[11:8] And if we delay the retribution they have incurred—for we reserve it for a specific community—they say, "What is keeping Him?" In fact, once it comes to them, nothing can stop it, and their mocking will come back to haunt them.

God's Messengers Challenged

[17:90] They said, "We will not believe you unless you cause a spring to gush out of the ground. [17:91] "Or unless you own a garden of date palms and grapes, with rivers running through it. [17:92] "Or unless you cause masses from the sky, as you claimed, to fall on us. Or unless you bring GOD and the angels before our eyes.

[52:44] When they see masses falling from the sky, they will say, "Piled clouds!"

[34:2] He knows everything that goes into the earth, and everything that comes out of it, and everything that comes down from the sky, and everything that climbs into it. He is the Most Merciful, the Forgiving.

[34:9] Have they not seen all the things in front of them and behind them, in the heaven and the earth? If we willed, we could have caused the earth to swallow them, or caused masses to fall on them from the sky. This should be a sufficient proof for every obedient servant.

Daniel 2 – New International Version (NIV)

Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

2 In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his mind was troubled and he could not sleep. 2 So the king summoned the magicians,enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers[a] to tell him what he had dreamed. When they came in and stood before the king, 3 he said to them, “I have had a dream that troubles me and I want to know what it means.[b]”

4 Then the astrologers answered the king,[c] “May the king live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it.”

5 The king replied to the astrologers, “This is what I have firmly decided: If you do not tell me what my dream was and interpret it, I will have you cut into pieces and your houses turned into piles of rubble. 6 But if you tell me the dream and explain it, you will receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. So tell me the dream and interpret it for me.”

7 Once more they replied, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will interpret it.”

8 Then the king answered, “I am certain that you are trying to gain time, because you realize that this is what I have firmly decided: 9 If you do not tell me the dream, there is only one penalty for you. You have conspired to tell me misleading and wicked things, hoping the situation will change. So then, tell me the dream, and I will know that you can interpret it for me.”

10 The astrologers answered the king, “There is no one on earth who can do what the king asks! No king, however great and mighty, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or astrologer. 11 What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods, and they do not live among humans.”

12 This made the king so angry and furious that he ordered the execution of all the wise men of Babylon. 13 So the decree was issued to put the wise men to death, and men were sent to look for Daniel and his friends to put them to death.

14 When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, had gone out to put to death the wise men of Babylon, Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact. 15 He asked the king’s officer, “Why did the king issue such a harsh decree?” Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel. 16 At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him.

17 Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 18 He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven 20 and said: “Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. 21 He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. 22 He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him.23 I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king.”

Daniel Interprets the Dream

24 Then Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to execute the wise men of Babylon, and said to him, “Do not execute the wise men of Babylon. Take me to the king, and I will interpret his dream for him.”

25 Arioch took Daniel to the king at once and said, “I have found a man among the exiles from Judah who can tell the king what his dream means.”

26 The king asked Daniel (also called Belteshazzar), “Are you able to tell me what I saw in my dream and interpret it?”

27 Daniel replied, “No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, 28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. He has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in days to come.Your dream and the visions that passed through your mind as you were lying in bed are these:

29 “As Your Majesty was lying there, your mind turned to things to come, and the revealer of mysteries showed you what is going to happen. 30 As for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because I have greater wisdom than anyone else alive, but so that Your Majesty may know the interpretation and that you may understand what went through your mind.

31 “Your Majesty looked, and there before you stood a large statue—an enormous, dazzling statue, awesome in appearance. 32 The head of the statue was made of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay. 34 While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were all broken to pieces and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth.

36 “This was the dream, and now we will interpret it to the king. 37 Your Majesty, you are the king of kings. The God of heaven has given you dominion and power and might and glory; 38 in your hands he has placed all mankind and the beasts of the field and the birds in the sky. Wherever they live, he has made you ruler over them all. You are that head of gold.

39 “After you, another kingdom will arise, inferior to yours. Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule over the whole earth. 40 Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron—for iron breaks and smashes everything—and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all the others. 41 Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the strength of iron in it, even as you saw iron mixed with clay. 42 As the toes were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle. 43 And just as you saw the iron mixed with baked clay, so the people will be a mixture and will not remain united, any more than iron mixes with clay.

44 “In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. 45 This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands—a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces.

“The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future. The dream is true and its interpretation is trustworthy.”

46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell prostrate before Daniel and paid him honor and ordered that an offering and incense be presented to him. 47 The king said to Daniel, “Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you were able to reveal this mystery.”

Revelations Chapter 9  

9 The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss. 2 When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss. 3 And out of the smoke locusts came down on the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth. 4 They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5 They were not allowed to kill them but only to torture them for five months. And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes. 6 During those days people will seek death but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them.

7 The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On their heads they wore something like crowns of gold, and their faces resembled human faces. 8 Their hair was like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth. 9 They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle. 10 They had tails with stingers, like scorpions, and in their tails they had power to torment people for five months. 11 They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greek is Apollyon (that is, Destroyer).

Blessings in Disguise 

[7:94] Whenever we sent a prophet to any community, we afflicted its people with adversity and hardship, that they may implore. [7:95] Then we substituted peace and prosperity in place of that hardship. But alas, they turned heedless and said, "It was our parents who experienced that hardship before prosperity." Consequently, we punished them suddenly when they least expected.

Sebastian Junger: Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging 

"The last time the United States experienced this kind of unity was— briefly— after the terrorist attacks of September 11. There were no rampage shootings for the next two years. The effect was particularly pronounced in New York City, where rates of violent crime, suicide, and psychiatric disturbances dropped immediately. In many countries, antisocial behavior is known to decline during wartime. New York’s suicide rate dropped by around 20 percent in the six months following the attacks, the murder rate dropped by 40 percent, and pharmacists saw no increase in the number of first-time patients filling prescriptions for antianxiety and antidepressant medication. Furthermore, veterans who were being treated for PTSD at the VA experienced a significant drop in their symptoms in the months after the September 11 attacks. One way to determine what is missing in day-to-day American life may be to examine what behaviors spontaneously arise when that life is disrupted." 

Submitters Persepective March 1990 page 3 - Prophecy of The Smoke

http://www.masjidtucson.org/publications/books/sp/1990/mar/page3.html

Appendix 25 - End of the Worldhttp://www.masjidtucson.org/quran/appendices/appendix25.html

http://www.masjidtucson.org/quran/appendices/appendix25.html

Apophis 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/99942_Apophis

2.7% that it would hit Earth on April 13, 2029. Additional observations provided improved predictions that eliminated the possibility of an impact on Earth or the Moon in 2029. However, until 2006, a possibility remained that during the 2029 close encounter with Earth, Apophis would pass through a gravitational keyhole, a small region no more than about 965 kilometres (600 miles) wide,[8][9] that would set up a future impact exactly seven years later, on April 13, 2036. 

[2:61] Recall that you said, "O Moses, we can no longer tolerate one kind of food. Call upon your Lord to produce for us such earthly crops as beans, cucumbers, garlic, lentils, and onions." He said, "Do you wish to substitute that which is inferior for that which is good? Go down to Egypt, where you can find what you asked for." They have incurred condemnation, humiliation, and disgrace, and brought upon themselves wrath from GOD. This is because they rejected GOD's revelations, and killed the prophets unjustly. This is because they disobeyed and transgressed.

[17:11] The human being often prays for something that may hurt him, thinking that he is praying for something good. The human being is impatient. [17:12] We rendered the night and the day two signs. We made the night dark, and the day lighted, that you may seek provisions from your Lord therein. This also establishes for you a timing system, and the means of calculation. We thus explain everything in detail.