Weather, A Divine Ordainment
(An Islamic Perspective)
Mohammed S. Uddin, MD, FACG, FACP
From an Islamic point of view, weather is one of the Five Decrees solely under Divine Control, far beyond men's knowledge and prediction. The Decree includes the Hour (Resurrection), the Weather (Rain), the Nature of the fetus in mother's womb, the Sustenance of an individual and his Place of death:
"Verily Allah, with Him (Alone) is the knowledge of the Hour, He sends down the rain, and knows that which is in the wombs. No person knows what he will earn tomorrow, and no person knows in what land he will die…" (Surah Luqman, 31:34)
Existence of human life, and in fact of all lives, is dependent on the condition of the environment we live in. Our environment, whether on land or water, is influenced by weather/climate, governed by atmospheric conditions.
From time immemorial, our predecessors perceived the crucial role of weather on our survival. They studied the direction of winds and water-currents to predict the prevailing weather and made it public knowledge through words of mouth and/or posting on stone; when there was no paper or printing machine available:
Throughout centuries attempts have been made to produce forecasts based on weather lore and personal observations. But the conclusions were unsubstantiated and remained illusive at times. Historically forecasts always include grades of possibility, probability or even "ifs":
The recorded history of meteorological evolution dates back to the time of Claudius Ptolemy of Alexandria, the renowned astronomer of the second century. He applied complex mathematical model to predict the relative position of the earth to sun, moon and other planets around the year, and concluded that their interactions can impact earth's atmosphere; therefore, can influence the weather; and he made the following statement that is factored into our calculation even today:
"When planets are in significant relationship to one another, they produce associated variations in the state of our atmosphere, which must be factored together with seasonal conditions and prevailing winds"
The ninth century Arab philosophers al-Battani and al-Khindi compiled new astronomical data and refined Ptolemy's method of weather forecasting. Their valuable data was assimilated in European universities from eleventh to thirteenth centuries for teaching and research purposes.
Subsequently, Brahe and Kelper, between 1593 and 1624, further refined the Arab model for better prediction. In doing so, they were able to describe the day's weather broadly as "Wind, rain and stormy weather", "variable winds" and conditions described as "fresh and fair": the phraseologies still used in modern forecasts.
The challenges in proper assessment of weather "beyond variables" is highlighted by the failure of predicting the accuracy even with the use of most sophisticated technological tools, as used by National Weather Service and other agencies.
In the twenty first century meteorologists study earth's atmosphere from different angles and use computer models to generate data for forecast. National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration's National Weather Service uses Doppler radar, Satellite data, Radiosondes, Automated Surface-Observing System, Super Computers, and Advance Weather Interactive Processing System to predict weather:
In a typical day, weather forecasts include "chances" of rain, showers, snow, and thunderstorms, and even these "chances" show variations. Thus, the numbers of prediction still remain clouded by chances and their variations. These uncertainties in predictions point to a process beyond human intelligence and technological grasp, and leave the philosophical minds wondering about the ultimate control of weather.
The Holy Qur'an was revealed in the seventh century. It provided wealth of information on water cycle, cloud, wind, earth's atmosphere, rain, storm and hailstorm, and laid the foundation of modern meteorology. However, this information was largely ignored by the then prevailing astronomical schools until the modern technological gazettes started to unveil the complexities that shrouded the astronomical numbers and uncover the hidden treasures of meteorology to the plain view of the seekers of knowledge.
From a philosophical point of view, one must realize that all creations are made for a purpose. Additionally, they are fashioned in due proportion to themselves and everything around them to complement the purpose of their creation. The natural phenomena, so called "acts of nature"- are also created in due proportion to serve certain purposes:
"He has created everything, and has measured it exactly according to its due measures." (Surah Al-Furqan, 25:2)
The solar system is a perfect example of that concept of proportion and purpose. The sun, and its planets and the satellites are created in proportion to work as a stable system - the sun to hold the planets in their orbit and to shine upon them, the earth to spin on its axis to create alteration of night and day providing time to rest and time to work, and the ocean to balance the solid mass of the earth and provide water to sustain life.
"And on the earth are signs for those who have Faith with certainty. And also, in your ownselves. Will you not see them (the signs). And in the heaven is your provision, and that which you are promised." (Surah Adh-Dhariyat, 51:20-22)
This principle of proportionality is observed in all objects on earth. Examples of this proportionality are: (1) Our musculoskeletal system, our weight and locomotion - a joint is created in proportion to its range of motion and in proportion to its weight-bearing capacity, (2) Earth's gravity keep us attached to the crust of the earth, so that we are neither swallowed by the Earth nor blown away from it:
The Universal Plan of Creation and its Management include creation of the Heavens and the Earth, the Sequence of night and day, creation of Ocean and the Buoyance of water, the creation of the cloud, and that of the air that envelops the earth:
Verily! In the creation of the heavens and the earth; and in the alternation of the night and the day; and in the sailing of the ships through the ocean for the profit of mankind; in the water (rain) which Allah sends down from the skies, and the life which He gives therewith to an earth that is dead; in the beasts of all kinds that He scatters through the earth; in the veering of the winds, and in the clouds which are held between the sky and the earth, …" (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:164)
The effect of natural phenomena on weather is observed both locally and globally. The source of cloud is water vapor from the ocean and the surface of the Earth; and, the driving force of clouds is the veering force of air masses. One of many functions of the air masses is to carry the mass of cloud to its destination:
"It is Allah Who sends forth the Winds, so that they raise up the Clouds, and We drive them to a land that is dead and revive the earth therewith…" (Surah Fatir, 35:9)
The earth is protected by its atmosphere, which has many layers. Uneven warming and cooling of the earth's surface by the sun affects this "air-jacket" and gives rise to differential air masses with warm or cold temperatures causing mass movements: warmer and lighter air mass with lower density moving upwards and expanding, while colder air with higher density, moving sideways and downwards subducting under the warmer air mass. This "veering" or change in the direction of flow of air masses is responsible for regional changes in weather:
In addition to the effect of local temperature and humidity, the earth's rotation on its axis plays a significant role with regard to movement of air masses. It produces a sheering or swerving effect, particularly on Polar and Maritime air masses. Due to the earth's approximately spherical shape, this force is greatest at the poles and weakest at the equator. The force, called the "Coriolis effect," causes the direction of winds and ocean currents to be deflected. In the Northern Hemisphere, wind and currents are deflected toward the right; and in the Southern Hemisphere, they are deflected to the left:
The source, size and weight of air masses vary. The "source regions" are tracts of ocean, desert or snow-covered plains. Therefore, the formation of differential air masses is most common in the tropics, subtropics, and high latitudes. The warm air mass, like one over the equator or desert, where solar radiation is at a maximum, can rise and spread over 16000km (10,000 miles) and achieve a height of 16km (10 miles), while a cold air mass near the pole, where solar radiation is at a minimum, can form a large mass over a length of time and remain close to the earth. The weight of an air column at sea level is 1kg per sq. centimeter or 760 mmHg per sq. inch of Earth surface.
Clouds are a mix of water droplets, minute ice crystals, dust particles and pollen. Blowing wind collects the evaporated water from the earth surface and the ocean surface, along with dust particles, pollen and other pollutants:
As the water vapor rises, it comes to the area of lower temperature and shrinks in volume, but increases in density. As it rises further to the area of even lower temperature, it condenses (precipitates) on surfaces of dust and pollen to form water droplets and minute ice crystals:
Patches of cloud are formed by the gradual accretion of water droplets. Once the water droplets in the cloud are heavy and exceed the bearing capacity of air, raindrops ensue. There are different types of clouds; of them, the cumulonimbus and cirrostratus are more likely to cause rain:
"It is Allah Who sends the winds, and they raise the clouds: then He spreads them in the sky as He wills, and breaks them into fragments, until you see rain-drops issue from the midst thereof!..." [Sûrah Al-Rûm, 30:48]
Most clouds form in the tropospheric layer of Earth's atmosphere at varying distances from Earth's surface: Low-level clouds appear at 6500 ft., mid-level at 20,000 ft., and high-level at 30,000 ft.; between the earth's surface and the visible blue sky, created by the scattering of the blue component of sun's white light spectrum by earth's atmosphere.
The weight and height of the cloud are amazing discoveries! The weight of the cloud is measured by its density based on number of water droplets per unit space. The cumulus cloud has a density of about 0.5 gram of water droplet per cubic meter. Therefore, 1 km3 (one cubic kilometer) will contain 500,000,000 grams of water droplets, or 1.1 million pounds or 551 tons of water droplets (1km3 is 1 billion cubic meters).
The height of the cloud varies depending on location and type of cloud. Generally, the height is between 10,000 feet for cumulus cloud, to 60,000 feet for cirrocumulus (more than twice the height of Mount Everest at 29,035 feet). Thus, the mountainous cloud can extend to the lower part of the stratosphere that begins at nine miles (or 47,520 feet above earth's surface), and has a temperature of -30 C or 26.60 F. The hail starts to form at the highest points of these mountainous clouds:
"See you not that Allah moves the clouds gently, then joins them together, then makes them into a heap of layers? - Then you see rain issues forth from their midst. And He sends down from the sky mountain masses (of clouds) wherein is hail…the vivid flash of His lightning well-nigh blinds the sight." (Surah An-Nur, 24:43)
During a storm the current of air moves these particles around. The upward and sideward moving molecules collide, and that creates static electricity: the negatively charged electrons from the upward-moving molecules of water are transferred to downward moving heavier molecules, and they themselves become positively charged, while the downward moving molecules become negatively charged. The result is that the top of the storm cloud is positively charged and the bottom of the storm cloud is more negatively charged. Thus, a mass of cloud is bipolar.
Lightning results from the meeting of the negatively charged electrons from the bottom of the cloud with the positively charged electron from the surface of the earth or anything projecting upwards, a tree, telephone pole or a house:
"It is He Who shows you the lightning, by way both of fear (of electrocution) and of hope (of rain). And it is He Who brings up the clouds, heavy with (fertilizing) rain! It is thunder that glorifies and praises Him, and so do the angels, with awe. He sends the thunder-bolts…" (Surah Ar-Ra'd, 13:12,13)
Thunder is the loud sound that follows lightning. Lightning heats the air around it to incredible temperatures—as hot as 54,000 °F (30,000 °C), in a fraction of a second. That's five times hotter than the surface of the Sun! The heated air expands explosively, creating a shockwave as the surrounding air is rapidly compressed. The air then contracts rapidly as it cools. This creates an initial CRACK sound, followed by rumbles as the column of air continues to vibrate. Lightning precedes thunder. We hear thunder after we see the lightning, because the speed of light is much faster than the speed of sound.
Storm results from the massive clash of two large air masses with different densities, pressures and expanding forces. The warm air mass tends to expand and rise, while a cold air mass tends to have low expanding pressure and settles lower. Air flows from high-pressure zone to low-pressure zone, and in doing so, at some critical level they will clash and result in a storm.
Hail is formed from ice crystals. Ice crystals are caught in the updraft of air and moved up to the upper part of the cloud where it grows in size through wet and supercooled water droplets. It starts to fall when it is too heavy to stay in the updraft and continues to grow in size as it falls through miles before it hits the ground. The size of the hail can vary from ¼ inch to 4.5 inch:
On a regular day, weather forecast prepares us for safety and warns us against heavy rain, lightning, storm and hailstorm, but it cannot prevent the consequences of material loss and that of life. It is a force, once ensued, cannot be prevented even with nuclear intervention.
Disastrous weather is a creation of mankind, much away from a natural phenomenon. It is the result of what we do to Earth's atmosphere: both in land and sea:
"Evil has appeared on land and sea because of what the hands of men have earned, that He (Allah) may make them taste a part of that which they have done, in order that they may return (to the obedience of Allah." (Surah Ar-Rum, 30:41)
The cause of these disasters is global warming which in turn is the result of industrial assaults leading to excessive emission of water vapor, C02, methane, nitrous oxide and sulfur oxide, causing damage to the ozone layer and exposing the earth surface to solar radiation.
Global warming also causes melting of ice caps leading to rising of sea levels, threatens with storms and cyclone, costal erosions and damage to coral reef. This is compounded by excessive deforestation leading to accumulation of CO2 and greenhouse effect causing global warming leading to drought and wildfire in some place and excessive rain, flooding and mudslide in other places.
It is predicted that by the end of twenty first century, at the present rate of emission of CO2 and other gases, the global temperature could rise by 3-40 C and affect the Earth's climate to a new pattern of extreme drought and rainfall, and may affect food production, among other unexpected consequences.
Present climate change and disasters are only a warning sign. Unless global agreements address these issues, we are subjecting ourselves and future generations to the risk of drastic weather change and its consequences:
"And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned.
And He pardons much." (Surah Ash-Shura, 42:30)
The world body should have the goal: "Protect the environment and Prevent the disaster".
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