The amazing description of iron in Qur'an

THE Qur'an disclosing some facts about iron unknown in the 7th century said: "And We sent down iron, in which is mighty power, as well as many benefits for mankind." (Qur'an, 57:25) Literal translation. Arabic 'Anzala' means to send down. (Al-Mawrid, A. Yusuf Ali)

It is said that iron is extracted from the depths of the earth then how is it that the Qur'an mentions it as having been 'sent down.'

The answer is as the Qur'an says that 'the heaven and earth were joined together as one united piece, then We parted them.' (Qur'an, 2l:30). In other verse the Qur'an said: "Then He rose over towards the heaven when it was smoke and said to it and to the earth: come both of you willingly or unwillingly. (Qur'an, 41:ll).

However, this Qur'anic statement was confirmed only in 19th century The scholars admitted that the earth was a gaseous mass, and had in it burning hot magma, after its separation it cooled down and condensed till it was enveloped in a hard layer of 10 to 15 miles of solid crust.

The original gaseous mass had in it all types of metals, like iron, gold, silver, copper and lead etc. Therefore, when the Qur'an spoke of Allah sending down the iron, it referred to the original nebula that contained all the materials.

When the earth cooled and condensed, these metals took their specific shapes along with other matters present in the gaseous mass. That is why these metals can be turned into liquid magma. The earth still contains in it burning hot liquid magma which comes out in an eruption of a volcano. The iron is most important among the metals. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said in an anthentic Hadith "Verily Allah has sent down four blessings from the sky: the iron, the fire, the water and the salt."

No doubt, all these things were the part of the gaseous mass when the heaven and the earth were joined together. Later, after its separation the earth with all its treasures came down, hence all these matters descended from the sky.

The Qur'an speaks of the benefits the man derives from the iron. Use of iron has all along been an inseparable part of our life. In houses, buildings, industrial machinery and in governing a country we use weapons made of iron. Only one thing remained undefined of which the Qur'an spoke: "We sent down iron in which is mighty or violent power."

During the period of the revelation of the Qur'an in the 7th century, weapons mainly consisted of swords, spears, arrows and armors. The people in those times could not comprehend the violent power of iron. In the 12th century when the cannon was invented the people became aware of its mighty power. But after the development of blast furnaces in the 19th century the use of iron shot up many fold. Machines, automobiles, ships, trains, rails, engines, industrial plants, pistols, revolvers, rifles, guns, cannons of very long range, armored cars, tanks, bombs, missiles, rockets and atomic reactors – all the dangerous weapons did prove the violent power of iron.

No doubt the Qur'an is the Book of Allah, which contains His Omniscient Knowledge. Whatever development the world may achieve, it shall never go beyond the Qur'anic knowledge as Allah said: "And We have sent down to you the Book (the Qur'an) as an exposition of everything." (Qur'an, 16:89)

Types of Cancer

Cancer is rare in teens. Certain diseases like breast cancer usually affect adult women - teen girls are unlikely to get this form of cancer. But there are some types that are more likely to occur in teens. Testicular cancer, for example, tends to affect younger guys rather than older men.
The types of cancers teens get have one thing in common: cells, the basic components or "building blocks" of the human body. Cancer occurs when cells develop abnormally and grow in an uncontrolled way. Read on to learn more about some types of cancer that teens may get, including warning signs and symptoms and how these cancers can be treated.
Osteosarcoma
Osteosarcoma (pronounced: os-tee-oh-sar-koh-muh) is the most common type of bone cancer. In teens, it can sometimes appear during their growth spurts. Osteosarcoma affects twice as many guys as girls and tends to show up in people who are taller than average. In most cases, there is no known cause for osteosarcoma.
The most common symptoms of osteosarcoma are pain and swelling in an arm or leg that is sometimes accompanied by a lump. Some people have more pain at night or when they exercise. Osteosarcoma is most often found in the bones around the knee but can occur in other bones as well. In some cases, a tumor can spread or metastasize to the lungs and other bones. (Metastasize is the word doctors use when cells from a tumor break away from the original cancer site and travel to a different tissue or organ.)
Treatment for osteosarcoma usually involves chemotherapy (medication that kills cancer cells) as well as surgery to remove the tumor. A doctor may perform limb-salvage surgery, where the bone that has cancer is removed and the limb (usually an arm or leg) is saved from amputation by filling the gap with a bone graft or special metal rod. In rare cases, a doctor may need to amputate (remove) part or all of the limb to fight the cancer.
Losing a limb can be devastating, especially for teens who are already dealing with body changes. Counseling and physical therapy (also called physical rehabilitation) can both be helpful in this situation. People who have amputations are usually fitted with a prosthesis (pronounced: prahs-thee-sus), or artificial limb. Most teens with a prosthesis are able to return to normal activities - even sports.
Most people develop side effects, such as hair loss, bleeding, infections, and heart or skin problems, from medicines used in chemotherapy treatment for osteosarcoma. Chemotherapy may also increase the person's risk of developing other cancers in the future. The good news is that most teens with osteosarcoma do recover.
Ewing's Sarcoma
Another type of cancer that affects the bone is Ewing's sarcoma. It is similar to osteosarcoma in that it also affects teens and young adults and is usually located in the leg or pelvis.
Most teens with Ewing's sarcoma receive chemotherapy as well as surgery. Some patients will also need radiation in addition to or instead of surgery to make sure that remaining cancer cells have been destroyed. Ewing's sarcoma generally responds well to chemotherapy and radiation.
Osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma share common risk factors and side effects from treatment. Chances for recovery depend upon where the tumor is located, its size, and whether it has spread. But both types of bone cancer respond well to treatment and are curable in many cases.
Leukemia
Leukemia is one of the most common childhood cancers. It occurs when large numbers of abnormal white blood cells called leukemic blasts fill the bone marrow and sometimes enter the bloodstream.
Because these abnormal blood cells are defective, they don't help protect the body against infection the way normal white blood cells do. And because they grow uncontrollably, they take over the bone marrow and interfere with the body's production of other important types of cells in the bloodstream, like red blood cells (which carry oxygen) and platelets (which help blood to clot).
Leukemia causes problems like bleeding, anemia (low numbers of red blood cells), bone pain, and infections. It can also spread to other places like the lymph nodes, liver, spleen, brain, and the testicles in males.
The types of leukemia most likely to occur in teens are acute lymphocytic (pronounced: lim-fuh-sih-tik) leukemia (ALL) and acute myelogenous (pronounced: my-uh-ladj-uh-nus) leukemia (AML).
Virtually all people with ALL and AML are treated with chemotherapy, and some also receive stem cell transplants, in which they are given new stem cells from another person. Bone marrow transplants are a common form of stem cell transplantation. Some people also receive radiation. The length of treatment and types of medicine given will vary depending on the type of leukemia.
The chances for a cure are very good with certain kinds of leukemia. With treatment, most patients with ALL and many patients with AML are free of the disease without recurrence.
Brain Tumors
Brain tumors are not common in teens.
Two of the most common forms are astrocytomas (pronounced: as-truh-sye-toe-muhz) and ependymomas (pronounced: ep-en-duh-moe-muhz). Astrocytomas are tumors of the brain that originate from cells in the brain called astrocytes. This type of tumor doesn't usually spread outside the brain and spinal cord and doesn't usually affect other organs. Ependymomas are tumors that usually begin in the lining of brain ventricles. The brain has four ventricles, or cavities, that are a pathway for cerebrospinal fluid, a liquid substance that cushions the brain and spine and protects them from trauma.
No one knows the exact cause of primary brain cancer. One possibility is that as the brain and spinal cord were forming, a problem with the cells occurred.
Treatments vary depending upon the type and location of the tumor. If it is possible to remove a tumor, surgery is usually performed, followed by radiation. Some patients receive chemotherapy as well.
The chance of surviving a brain tumor depends on its type, location, and treatment. But there is a very good chance that if the tumor can be removed and additional treatment is given, the cancer can be cured.
Lymphoma
Lymphoma refers to cancer that develops in the lymphatic system, which includes the lymph nodes, thymus, spleen, adenoids, tonsils, and bone marrow. The lymph system functions in the body by fighting off germs that cause infection and illness. Most teens with lymphoma have either Hodgkin's disease or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Hodgkin's disease usually occurs in adolescents and young adults. It can show up in lymph nodes in the neck, armpits, chest, or other places. The lymph nodes become enlarged but are usually not painful. Hodgkin's disease is identified by large, unusual cells called Reed-Sternberg cells that are detected under a microscope after a biopsy, a procedure in which a doctor removes a small tissue sample to examine it for cancer cells. Chemotherapy and often radiation are used to treat Hodgkin's disease.
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) is similar to leukemia (ALL) because both involve malignant lymphocytes (pronounced: lim-fuh-sytes), white blood cells found in lymph nodes, and because many of the symptoms of these diseases are the same. NHL is usually treated with chemotherapy.
Teens with Hodgkin's disease or NHL who have completed their treatment have an excellent chance for cure.
Other Cancers
Other cancers that teens may get - although they are generally rare - include testicular cancer and rhabdomyosarcomas.
Although testicular cancer is actually rare in teen guys, overall it is the most common cancer in males ages 15 to 35. Testicular cancer is almost always curable if it is caught and treated early. Guys should learn how to examine their testicles regularly to detect any abnormal lumps or bumps, which are usually the earliest sign of testicular cancer.
Rhabdomyosarcomas (pronounced: rab-doe-my-uh-sar-koe-muhz), or soft tissue sarcomas, are less common cancers that mostly occur in infants, kids, and teens. With these cancers, cancer cells grow in the soft tissues of the skeletal muscles (the body's muscles that a person controls for movement). Though these cancers can occur anywhere in the body, rhabdomyosarcomas most frequently happen within the muscles in the trunk, arms, or legs. The types of treatment used and chances for recovery depend upon where the rhabdomyosarcoma is located and whether the cancer has spread to other areas of the body.