Surah an-Naml, 40
The Invention of Television
Television transmissions take place by electromagnetic waves travelling at the speed of light reaching our homes. Television waves are so fast that live transmissions from many kilometers away can be made almost instantaneously.
Television transmissions take place by electromagnetic waves travelling at the speed of light reaching our homes. Television waves are so fast that live transmissions from many kilometers away can be made almost instantaneously. Surat an-Naml of the Qur'an describes how the Prophet Solomon (as) had the throne of a queen in a far-distant country brought to him instantaneously in a miraculous manner, in a manner reminiscent of the above technology:
قَالَ ٱلَّذِى عِندَهُۥ عِلْمٌۭ مِّنَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ أَنَا۠ ءَاتِيكَ بِهِۦ قَبْلَ أَن يَرْتَدَّ إِلَيْكَ طَرْفُكَ ۚ فَلَمَّا رَءَاهُ مُسْتَقِرًّا عِندَهُۥ قَالَ هَٰذَا مِن فَضْلِ رَبِّى لِيَبْلُوَنِىٓ ءَأَشْكُرُ أَمْ أَكْفُرُ ۖ وَمَن شَكَرَ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِۦ ۖ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ رَبِّى غَنِىٌّۭ كَرِيمٌۭ ٤٠
He who possessed knowledge of the Book said, 'I will bring it to you before your glance returns to you.' And when he saw it standing firmly in his presence, he said, 'This is part of my Lord's favor to test me to see if I will give thanks or show ingratitude...
When reading this verse, the ideas of teleportation or image transmission —television—immediately spring to mind. Some letters in Surat an-Naml, in which this phenomenon is described, come together in a mysterious manner to comprise the word "television."
وَلَوْ أَنَّمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مِن شَجَرَةٍ أَقْلَٰمٌۭ وَٱلْبَحْرُ يَمُدُّهُۥ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ سَبْعَةُ أَبْحُرٍۢ مَّا نَفِدَتْ كَلِمَٰتُ ٱللَّهِ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌۭ ٢٧
If all the trees on earth were pens and all the sea, with seven more seas besides, was ink Allah's words still would not run dry. Allah is Almighty, All-Wise.
