Light upon light

Peace be upon you.

Let’s bend our mind this time. The title was meant to bend our brain. Or is it not enough? What is light? If I say light is the sustenance of life, would you agree? I think everyone would agree. The strongest point to support this is simple enough – that we all need the sun that emits its light as a form of energy. Will we be alive if the sun dies? I’m not someone who is educationally qualified to talk about this ( I’m bad in physics and all) and my know-how things is too superficial. I just watched a movie called Sunshine about men in the future trying to detonate nuclear bomb into the sun in order to prevent it from dying. Well, it’s a nice movie afterall, though it’s depressing a bit.

Well, song of the day – should be related to the light as well. So I dedicate the song Fix You by Coldplay since there is the lines “ …lights will guide you home…and ignite your bones..”. Well, enough of that.

Light

Let’s refresh the rusted knowledge that we learn in elementary and junior high. What is light? What are the properties of light? To think about it, light is a waveform precious wonder of universe that we can’t touch. It is not a matter, but it really matter in our lives. Confusing?  Let’s go back to the basic science. Matter is defined as something that we can hold and touch, composed of small building blocks of atoms( or even smaller). But light is even more fundamental but yet, we can’t touch. But without it, we can’t even see. In a complete darkness, trust me, we cannot see. What we see now is just certain sort wavelength of light that is reflected into our retina. Then, being processed and integrated in our brain and we perceive it as something that we see. Huh, maybe I’ll write next time about another wonder of the world, which is the retina. 

“Without light, there would be no sight.”

Speed of light

Well, fairly everyone knows this. How far lights can travel in a second? The answer is 299 792 458 metres per second. That is freaking fast. Human claim that we can’t travel faster than this, but is it really true? Don’t know. 

E = mc²

Well, since  c itself is a very large number, the c² is definitely very large. The square of the speed of light.  People call it the most popular equation in the world. Yeah, it is – I suppose. 

Light as energy

Photosynthesis. It’s a unique process. As it name suggest, it is a process that use light to produce something. Well, it is known to human that this process played a remarkable cycle that sustains life. 

Reflection and refraction

Mirage – I encountered this term during my secondary shool. Well physic was not really my favourite things but this mirage thingy amaze me.  You think it’s there, but it’s not. It is caused by the refraction of light. As light travel in different material, the speed changes accordingly causing change in direction. A mirage is an optical phenomenon that creates the illusion of water and results from the refraction of light through a non-uniform medium.

That light

There is one chapter in the Qur’an entitled Light ( Arabic :Noor) where all the things about light is discussed here. When I read it, I questioned why the chapter is called “Light” and as I reading it, I understand why. As the title suggest, it is really about the light. 

“Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The example of His light is like a niche within which is a lamp, the lamp is within glass, the glass as if it were a pearly [white] star lit from [the oil of] a blessed olive tree, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil would almost glow even if untouched by fire. Light upon light. Allah guides to His light whom He wills. And Allah presents examples for the people, and Allah is Knowing of all things.”

Qur’an (The Light) 24:35

Well, it is so distressing to me that I only come to realize that there is more to the story to the things that we learned in school. Why can’t I integrated this and critically think about it, that time? But I can’t go back in time. Physics is awesome- making us understand more about the universe -so as mathematic, chemistry and biology. Not to mention in the field of history where it is occupied with a lot of things to be leant. We are now too subspecialist in our own field and we take things that happened around us for granted. Looking at our universe behaves and regulates – it totally takes my breath away. It is so amazing. Well, writing this makes me wanting to be a school student again and learn everything passionately in deeper understanding.

"If the sea were ink for [writing] the words of my Lord, the sea would be exhausted before the words of my Lord were exhausted, even if We brought the like of it as a supplement."

Qur’an (The Cave) 18:109

Human are too proud with the piece of knowledge that they’ve got. Yet, we have our limit. Let’s get back to our creator. Human called it science but it is actually the way God is showing His signs.

Then why didn’t you ponder?

Then why didn’t you see? Why don’t you think?

Don’t you observe?

Those kinds of remarks or phrase were repeated many times in the book and it is the book that repeatedly questions the reader, build up people curiosity over time. And the book is called the Qur’an. Till then, may His light guide us, always. All praises to Allah for constantly brings lights to our life. And again, without light, there would be no sight.

Goodbye. Peace be to all.