Extraterrestrial Intelligence: Amazing New Insights from Qur'an in the Light of its Own True Nature

"A very interesting, thorough and professional, and very convincing and mind-opening work with fresh ideas that can have large implications for the Qur'anic view of the universe as we know it."
---Arnold Mol
Author and CEO, DRS Thinktank, Leiden, The Netherlands

"Not only commendable but an enviable book too."
---Dr. M. Zaki Kirmani
Chairman, Centre for Studies on Science, India

"Indeed, the book is the result of a vast and careful study of the universe in the light of the marvelous Qur’anic statements."
---Dr. Saeed-al-Azami-al-Nadwi
Principal, Nadwa College, Lucknow, India

A book that has more in it then meets the eye. I don't think the cover gives it the justice it deserves. An amazing piece of writing that challenges our way of thinking full on. The very last paragraphs of chapter seven to me are the concept of evolution, and another part of the book about the calender months and lunar months challenged my way of thinking again. Altogether a book full of challenging concepts giving a fantastic insight into science and religion, and testing our knowledge and beliefs of the Qur'anic statements relating to our universe and beyond.

Backed and shelved,

Lisa

Hello Sayeedur, have had a read at your first chapter. This strikes me as a scholarly, readable and even professional piece of work, an excellent philosophical examination of a topic which fascinates us. Whenever many people think of books concerning extraterrestrials and where they might exist in the firmament, it is tempting to think of popular science fiction - little green men, ray guns and the like. But this was compelling in its arguments, a very learned approach to the topic that worked well for me. The evidence to be found in the sheer weight of numbers alone is enough of an argument for me - how could we be alone? Arthur C Clarke once wrote that there was a star in the sky for every single human being who ever lived, and that's not counting the untold planets in orbit around them. I don't believe for one minute that the universe is empty except for what goes on on this rock, and your inquiry into this helps sustain my conviction. As for God's presence - those mysteries are as deep as the universe itself, and while I am an agnostic I do believe that for everything there was a beginning and there had to be something which created all that we see and experience.

A terrific read, delighted to shelve

Pat Black
Snarl

This is a very original and interesting book, Sayeed. It is intellectually stimulating and really gets one's thoughts flowing along with your narrative, which is compulsive and excellent. Backed with pleasure - Phil Rowan (Weimar Vibes)

Sayeedur,
This is fascinating writing. I have read the Qu'ran cover to cover but I never thought of it as a scientific document. But you are obviously a scholar, so I found your interpretations very interesting. I have always been an advocate of science and religion. In the big picture science knows so little and anyone who claims it all just happened, something from nothing seems shortsighted. One only can guess why the Almighty who created such a vast universe cares about us humans on this tiny spec of dust, earth. However, I am glad he does. You are to be congratulated for your research and intuitiveness to write this book.
Steve Ward
Test Pilot's Daughter: Revenge

The second sentence in the book is clearly wrong; there were far more than a "handful" of planets plainly visible a century ago. I don't understand your explanation of the "seven skies" in the Qu'ran. Everything in the cosmos is measured in millions and billions; there is no "seven" of anything unless you are referring to the orbits of the seven other planets in our solar system (and accept the demotion of Pluto).

This is very interesting work.
I shall read more.
Best wishes, Barry
Little Krisna and the Bihar boys

Sayeedur, your first two chapters present an interesting and original view. This is a great, professional read that I am not qualified to nitpick.

Happy to back your work.

Joffrey (The Silver Spoon Effect)

This is a different than usual look at extraterrestial life (and life in general). At least for me. So I found it interesting. The kind of book you need to study as you read to appreaciate everything that's included in here. Backed. Burgio (Grain of Salt).

Hi Sayeedur, this book reminds me a little of Bill Bryon's "A short history of nearly everything" in it's style as you have made ideas which a lot of people find hard to get their heads around very accessible. I like the insight into to the Qur'an you give to those of us not familiar with it's ideologies and how you link these to the universe. This is a well researched, fine piece of writing and extremely interesting. On my shelf. Helena (A Load of Rubbish)

interesting premise. i'm going to make it based on the pitch and the first chapter. though i will read more soon. good luck with it

so fucking nice, every single thing your book touches on interests me, which is a very hard thing to do. writen perfectly. this one one of the rare books on this site that will stay on my watchlist so I can finish it even while its not on my shelf. you are backed bro!

Sometimes the easiest way to improve a work is to cut unnecessary words. For instance, your first sentence can cut ‘undergone’, ‘sea’, ‘phenomenal’, ‘the realm of’ and ‘today’. I would also change a couple words. Thus we are left with, “Man’s outlook on the universe has changed due to advances in astronomy.” It says the same thing only far more smoothly.

I think this is a fascinating subject matter and is sure to have interested readers.

I think your English is pretty good, but still not at native level. You’ll want to work with either a native speaker or someone with native-level command of the language to polish your prose. And always remember that given two options to say something, if all else is equal take the shorter route.

I’m not a religious person and have very little knowledge of Islam, so I can’t comment on that, but I do have a decent knowledge of astronomy, and as far as I can tell you get your facts right. That’s important.

It might do to note a margin of error in some of the facts. For instance, the most cited number for stars in our Milky Way is 400 billion, but in reality no one knows for sure. Some still say 100 billion – an older figure – while another team recently announced that there were likely a trillion stars in the Milky Way. That’s a wide margin of error!

Anyway, I like the subject matter. I hope I have been able to give you some helpful pointers. Best of luck! Backed.

Yes, truly a thought-provoking and scientific book. I agree that man should show appreciation for what he has been given. It is only right to say thankyou for a gift. I wish you and your book every success. All the best, Sana

Sayeed I happily back your very interesting book for the amount of work you have put into this - very informative. and of course your English is so incredible that for a peson like who can hardly write proper English, this could be a school of English. Your information about the Galaxy an d the rest of the stars makes me wonder if you've any degree or studying in this subject. it is incredible. and you have been able to put your reader in light of what all these galxies , stars, sky and the earth mean. the limitations of science in studying of all the universe is what you want to connect them to the main subject of your book. i back it for its potencial and great promise. good luck

shah

Sayeed I applaud you for all the research and time you have put into your book which I found thought provoking and very interesting. We live in a universe that can surely only be made and designed by a mighty God. We have so much to learn and I thank you for sharing your knowledge.

I am backing your book.
Kind regards,
Manolya- Love in No-man's Land

Whatever I say could not match what has already been said. A very interesting and thought provoking book. I could not read all of it in the time I had, so I hope to be able to make time, and come back for another read, later.
I had to check what others said in their comments, I did not want to step on anybody's toes! Backed.
Norman. The Witch of Hambone Bk.3. And, Muddledydo.

BACKED

I get very little from comments about my own book, nowadays. Some people like it, some don't. Some people are too frightened to leave genuine feedback, while others seek to enforce their own style upon me. I want to get to the Ed's Desk to get professional comment. I would rather spend 30 quid than do all this reading and backing. I have got everything I want out of Authonomy community already. So I am backing your book so that you can reach the Ed's desk and get professional feedback, instead of the platitudes and devious backings that account for 80% of backing you receive. Only 20% of comments are genuine, and will add value to your work.

Now, who am I not to back you? I am not godlike. Your work might be flatly written, unoriginal or even down right bad. It could be wonderful. But in my experience, only you can be honest with yourself about your writing... and that is what matters.

So, I am backing you so you can reach the Ed's desk.


There you are.

BACKED
Hope you reciprocate.

Excellent, excellent, excellent! Many of the ideas in this book mirror my own and I am happy to see this in print. Hopefully it will gain more ground and will get published, so that everyone will have a chance to read this excellent book! Did I say it was excellent?

Well done Sayeedur! You pose questions that we would all like to have answers to and approach an intellectual subject in a very readable and accessible way! I am really enjoying reading this and am gonna back it right now! Good luck!
Simon

EXTRA TERRESTRIAL INTELLIGENCE.

Sayeed,

Before even beginning to read your book, I found it refreshing to find an author who is brave enough to pursue for two decades, the never ending questions which must surely be the most tantalisingly difficult for man to answer, and yet which will continue to provide scope for the most exciting research. For surely we mere "humans" cannot assume that in this gigantic universe we are the only ones to possess not only life but intelligence.

Not only are you a scientist. You are also a writer of no mean accomplishments. From a literary point of view, your prose is a delight to read. Such perfect syntax can only make reading this book easy. The resulting smooth flow leads the eye on and on so that there is never a point where you might feel you would stop. Even without the fascinating subject matter, you have your readers hooked.

I wish I had this book on paper. I would take it to bed with me tonight.

Backed with admiration.

With best wishes, and good luck,

Sheila (Pinpoint)

I think this is written well and there are some sound ideas within the pages.
This is written in a professional and engaging manner.
Though it is intellectual and chalked full of information it is still accessible to other readers.
Backed
T.L TYson-Seeking ELeanor

A book that has more in it then meets the eye. I don't think the cover gives it the justice it deserves. An amazing piece of writing that challenges our way of thinking full on. The very last paragraphs of chapter seven to me are the concept of evolution, and another part of the book about the calender months and lunar months challenged my way of thinking again. Altogether a book full of challenging concepts giving a fantastic insight into science and religion, and testing our knowledge and beliefs of the Qur'anic statements relating to our universe and beyond.

Backed and shelved,

Lisa

Dear Sayeed Rahman,

Thank you for sharing your writings with us. Sixty stars for every person alive? I like that idea, and I want my galactic inheritance now, please. In truth, my father was an astronomer, and the amazing thing about astronomy is that it’s like a shift in consciousness. You peer into space and realize how small we are on this mote of a planet. It puts our own problems in perspective and allows us to not get so upset. I guess astronomy is like meditation with the help of a lens.

Best wishes,
Alan Marling

This is very interesting! I would love to sit down and read it - preferably not while on a computer, because I don't do my best thinking here. Nevertheless, I found myself enthralled in the questions you pose and the information you present.

The only comment I have is to watch out for phrases and words which are too "conversational" to be in a professional-type book:
"All of them are the members of our own Galaxy," - "All of them" is a very conversational, low-key phrase, but not very professional.
"...carrying 200-odd earths too have so far been discovered in our immediate vicinity spanning around an area of just 250 light years..." the "around" here takes the punch out of the sentence and makes it sound less professional. Find the most direct way to say something, and that would resolve much of the problem.

Shelved.
Andrea
The Key of Kilenya

Sayeed, I think you did right to post this on authonomy and let a wider audience than just academics read it. The title alone is enough to fascinate and your writing style engaging. Shelved. Lynn

As I hoped, fascinating, though obviously it takes a lot of concentration to really take in the message.
Noticed a typo in the pitch: or it enjoys -> or does it enjoy.
Good luck with this Sayeed. You could open many minds if people get to read it. Backed.
Cheers,
Simon

Sayeedur, I am deeply impressed with your scholarship and erudition. My main question is this: who is your intended readership with this? At the moment it is so very dense that I suspect your audience would be pretty limited. However I can quite see that you don't want to 'dumb down' the text in any way. I find the subject matter fascinating, truly fascinating but I find it quite hard to follow and I don't think it's just that I am unfamiliar with the Qur'an in any depth.
I think this is the hardest task of all - making this kind of book accessible (assuming that's your aim).
Not entirely sure I can think of anyone who totally pulls it off. Russell Stannard with The God Experiment does reasonably well. Matthew Fox and Rupert Sheldrake take a very different approach with The Physics of Angels (though maybe a cheat doing a Q&A).
I am intrigued by your book and your ideas and I am happy to back you with this.
Jane
WALKER

I can tell a lot of work went into this! Makes the reader think and question.

Backed

Jill

As I previously stated, this is very deep and a book I would have to savour slowly over a period of time. It's definitely not for the "faint of heart". As one who strongly believes in creation as opposed to evolution--although definitely not in six literal days-- I would have much in common with you. I believe that each creative day was a very long period of time fitting into the scientific data that we have. I would never give up my belief that Jesus is the SON of God (not God himself) and was sent here as a ransom, but because of the professional writing here and the wonderful research you have done, I am putting it on my shelf.

Best regards with this,
Betty K "The Huguenot's Destiny"

"A very interesting, thorough and professional, and very convincing and mind-opening work with fresh ideas that can have large implications for the Qur'anic view of the universe as we know it."
---Arnold Mol
Author and CEO, DRS Thinktank, Leiden, The Netherlands

"Not only commendable but an enviable book too."
---Dr. M. Zaki Kirmani
Chairman, Centre for Studies on Science, India

"Indeed, the book is the result of a vast and careful study of the universe in the light of the marvelous Qur’anic statements."
---Dr. Saeed-al-Azami-al-Nadwi
Principal, Nadwa College, Lucknow, India

Hi Sayeedur,

Obviously this is a subject close to my heart, as you will see from my book ( Alpha One - The Jump Pilot) and I have to confess that some of the more technical aspects of astronomy have passed me by, at least when it comes to the rationalisation of distances etc involved in my story! But that is poetic licence and for the purpose of my book and many others it works.

Your book however, approaches space from a very different angle and whilst mine is techically incorrect, it is
clear that you know your subject very well. I do not profess to understand the teachings of the Qu'ran and so much if waht you say in the first chpater relating to theology and space passes me by. I did though find myself enthralled by your arguements and want to read on.

I have already backed this, so this is just say that this is a fantastic read and I wish you the very best of luck with this.

Chris

Wow, Sayeed, your book is a feat of mind-bending exegesis! I admit, I'm not the brightest bulb in the room. I've been surrounded by Christian and Jewish writings on the Bible and Torah all my life, but I still need to read theological treatises several times, and slowly, before I can "see" what the writer is talking about. Simply fascinating stuff you've got here. Glad to give you a spin on my shelf.

Cheers--
Gev

Can you please hurry up and get this book published because I want to buy it!

Fascinating insight.

Shelved with pleasure.

Bob (Auctoratus).

Fascinating stuff! You might want to split some of your paragraphs but other than that this is a riveting read and I.m happy to back it.

After reading a chapter, I see this is a very well thought of and involved book.
I haven't read the Qur'an so am in no position to say too much with the out takes from the book, but it does appear to be an extremely polished addition to this subject matter (extra terrestrials)

Good luck, so much research deserves much acclaim.

Hello Sayeedur, have had a read at your first chapter. This strikes me as a scholarly, readable and even professional piece of work, an excellent philosophical examination of a topic which fascinates us. Whenever many people think of books concerning extraterrestrials and where they might exist in the firmament, it is tempting to think of popular science fiction - little green men, ray guns and the like. But this was compelling in its arguments, a very learned approach to the topic that worked well for me. The evidence to be found in the sheer weight of numbers alone is enough of an argument for me - how could we be alone? Arthur C Clarke once wrote that there was a star in the sky for every single human being who ever lived, and that's not counting the untold planets in orbit around them. I don't believe for one minute that the universe is empty except for what goes on on this rock, and your inquiry into this helps sustain my conviction. As for God's presence - those mysteries are as deep as the universe itself, and while I am an agnostic I do believe that for everything there was a beginning and there had to be something which created all that we see and experience.

A terrific read, delighted to shelve

Pat Black
Snarl

Hi Sayeed, I'm struggling with this. Hard to say how much of the struggle is to do with the science, the religion or the difficulty of the text itself. When in doubt, I tend to cheat and look to see what others have said before me. I really can't agree with the many who are enthusing here, although I do have some empathy with John Booth's positive view. However, overall I have to come down in the same camp as Anthony Saunders et al. However, I wish you well and it's clear there is an audience for works such as this. Perhaps a major edit would help broaden that audience. Good luck! Anne

Compelling pitch. The questions make the reader think.

Even though I'm not into scifi, this is something I would enjoy reading.

On my shelf.

Joanna

Quite remarkable and informative in a way not often found on here. Backed.

Sayeedur - the amount of research is well worth the backing. Well done! CW

A very insightful and intelligent read. Quite clearly a highly researched object of your passion and enthusiasm. It's great to have people who still want to understand and study what goes beyond our own little world, especially at a time when being self centered and stupid seems to be the norm. Best of luck with it.

Andrew

Hello, Sayeed.
First of all, I'd sincerely like to apologize for returning the read so late. Your book is amazing, makes a person think, really think. Even after the last page has been turned, the book keeps revolving around your head. And since I have a personal interest in the topic - my first draft has aliens in it - it really kept me hooked.

Great effort.

Cheers,
Shriya
Vanished Vivacity

I met an engineer from Nasa who had built the electrical systems for the missions to mars. I asked him if he thought alien life was possible. His reply was that it was impossible for there NOT to be aliens.

I must say, this really makes me think. The combining of the Qu'ran with modern science is a brilliant stroke, showing us that religion and science need not be antagonistic. And your knowledge of both is quite impressive. Shelved.

I would once have claimed to be a scientist. However, I only tackled the first chapter in this book and I found the infinite vastness of the space around us to be as graphically and clearly described as I have ever come across. I now know that in the scheme of things I am right to feel less significant than an atom.
To explain this vastness as painstakingly won by science and then to marry that with the teachings in the Quar'an concerning other worlds, I find an extraordinarily ambitious undertaking.
I have always believed in extra terrestial life, simply because of probability. I think this book was a giant undertaking, it shows scholarship, it is well written and I have no hesitation in backing it.

Notes:
By talking about a specific exegesis of a text such as the Quran this way, it reads like the author is trying to lend proof to faith. What is the value of faith if god is provable?

Certainly the likes of Drosin and many before him(Ivan Niklayevitsh Panin,etc), have sought ways to imbue text with mystical attributions...and some have sold a great many books using it. To that end I say: go for it! and what fun!

I suppose part of me questions why any god would bother hiding/communicating with its creation in such a cryptic fashion.

Certainly more people are talking about the potential for a multi-verse - but there has been no "gaining ground", no evidence whatsoever...just mathematical speculation really. To speak of it as if it were going to be proven or somehow a soon-to-be proven truth...is a little misleading.

But as to how the author's novel here is written, and thinking of it as fiction, I think it an okay job of avoiding the extreme kook. It reads well researched and if I were one to believe that somehow science and religion should meld I think I'd v much enjoy whats been done here...although it could use a bit of spice...there's a ton of "and here it says this and here it says that" without much room to breathe.

But please forgive...I can see by reading this, that the author is v passionate about the topic and I wish the best of luck.
-=Bradley

The problem with trying to relate religious teachings with scientific theories and discoveries is the different foundations on which religion and science are built. That is not to suggest that a beneficial relationship between them cannot be achieved but, as with history (my field, although I also have a science degree), it all comes down to interpretation, although both science and history try to use quantifiable evidence. Religion by its very nature is concerned with faith. There is fundamental difference between religious teaching and scientific theory.

I cannot comment on whether your thesis stands up to scrutiny because I have no knowledge of the Qur'an. However, the question of whether you construct realistic arguments can be judged by the way in which you approach the issues you raise with the evidence you cite. Here, of course, we have a slight difficulty because your citations of the Qur'an are in English and, hence, a translation from the original which raises further questions of interpretation. You construct your arguments well, however.

The biggest problem is in the clarity of the text and this raises the issue of your target audience. Is it academic? Or is it the general population who may have no scientific understanding? I presume it is the latter. To my mind, the language you use is too complex and your sentences too convoluted. In this regard, I was especially struck by the opening sentences. These were not only too complicated, containing too many ideas in each sentence, but their complexity has led to slightly mangled grammar.

There is no question that you know your subject and that you take on the issues raised in your thesis with energy and enthusiasm but my feeling is that the style of the writing is too complicated. Were I your editor on this, I would recommend shorter, simplified sentences. While academics are accustomed to complexity, the laity are not.

Hi read your first chapter.
I don't think mixing religion with science will be very popular with either intellectuals nor with the average person in the street.
The point about the existance of aliens is time. Too much two-dimentional thinking suggests to us that if only we could communicate with some extraterrestial race life would change. It is all bunkum.
The earth has a timeline of billions oy years. Life on earth occupies a tiny fragment of that. For us to coincide with another form of life elsewhere is an infinitely small chance. If there is life near enough for us to reach it, the chance of it being there tiemwise is so small as to be negligible.
Pseudo science mixed with religion does not help, it deludes.
Not my genre of course but a little thought about string theory and the influence of time upon reality might be a better way to make your point.

Hello,

I backed you first because I am an amateur astronomer, and a fan of Omar Khayyam, and second, because I believe any serious non-fiction effort on this site should be backed.

Having said that, I must agree with the good people below regarding your paragraphs and some sentences. A careful edit would make this very interesting and important effort more readable and as such, more accessible to the lay person. I suggest you read some Carl Sagan or Richard Dawkins, the former for his popular science and the latter for his delivery of very demanding and challenging themes.

Best regards and good luck for this work,

Heikki

Sayeed, I don't know what your target market is for this. If you hope for mass-market appeal (I'm assuming you are, otherwise Authonomy is probably not the right place for it), the writing needs to be lightened up somewhat. It's very dense at the moment, and I had to read several sentences two or three times to get the meaning. (And I had to look up 'exegete'!). You might want to look at Bill Bryson's 'Short History of Nearly Everything' for ideas on how to make complex subjects comprehensible to non-academics.

Your premise is fascinating, and your research seems to be meticulous. Shelved.

It's times like this that I wish I was more academic. You have asked me to read this but I am really not sure whether I'm qualified to comment on it. However what I can see is this is an intelligent and considered piece of work. I do think your pitch might be improved by splitting it into two or three spaced paragraphs. In a 'lump' it does not make for an easy read and it is the pitch that readers will happen upon first.
That you offer the reader theories that stimulate thought on such an fascinating subject can only be to your merit. For that reason I am happy to shelve. Margaret.

Dear Sayeedur,

My usual proviso - these are subjective comments from an as yet unpublished author.

Thanks for bringing my attention to this. I have read the Qur'an, albeit in German, and it's very interesting how you fit astronomy and the holy texts together.

To make this more accessible, however, I believe you need to edit this extensively. Some of the sentences are too long, as are some of the paragraphs. Go back to it and try to turn it into less of a scietific treatise and more of a book for all. I believe you can do this without losing any of the message you wish to get across.

Good luck with this.

R

Extraterrestrial Intelligence...

I do think you've got a great concept here: the idea of exploring the Qur'an and showing how it supports the idea of extraterrestrial intelligence. That's your hook, and it's a good one, IMHO. Although you do mention this in your sub-title, the idea doesn't come across clearly enough in your pitches.

When I read c.1, I became convinced, perhaps mistakenly, that English may not be your first language and that this might be part of the reason I find your writing awkward and 'bumpy' in many places. Your command of the English language is excellent, but not perfect: subtle things like the use of the word 'the' (you use it in some places where we would omit it), and some prepositions that don't feel quite right. I hope I'm not offending you by being so honest...especially if I'm wrong! (I've been wrong before and will be again.)

If your intended audience is the academic world, then this style of writing and presenting your material might be more than fine. However, if you wish to reach a broader audience, I think you should spend a lot of time smoothing out the writing, and using modern metaphors and examples to liven up the tone. Shorter paragraphs would help, as well.

I think this is an important piece of work, despite my reservations, however. It deserves a wide audience. Please keep at it.

Cheers,
Sheryl

Extraterrestrial Intelligence...

Sayeed, I'm here because you asked me to read. Keep in mind that I'm really interested in the idea of extraterrestrial intelligence because I find it difficult to believe that we're the only sentient beings in the universe.

However, I must be honest. If I were to read your pitches on the jacket cover of your book, I wouldn't read any further. Why? Because there are so many awkward sentences in your pitches and the overall tone is way too academic (but not in the good sense of academic, unfortunately.)

To give you an idea of the kind of non-fiction writing I enjoy, take a look at Richard Dawkins--he makes difficult concepts accessible to Everyman (mind you, that's his job!)

However, since you asked me for a read, I will read on...