Cloud Physics

From Wikipedia

Cloud condensation nuclei are necessary for cloud droplets formation. Scientists have coined in "modern times" metaphor "Cloud Seeds" for condensation nuclei. While studying mention of water, winds, clouds and rain in the  Divine Discourse what amazed rather puzzled me was the use of this word: . It stems from Root: ل ق ح, Classical Lexicons state:

It finds mention in Ayah: 15:22

We will try to understand why metaphor "semen of stallion" is used to refer to condensation nuclei but firstly about winds. Man did personify the winds, a natural force, as multiple gods and many cultures referred it as an expression of the supernatural. Grand Qur’ān initiated discourse about Winds by informing that it are part of physical realm for reflection by people of critical thinking:

: This is a Possessive Phrase. : It is a Verbal Noun, Form-II. Verbal Noun signifies act or state only. Its Root is: "ص ر ف". Basic perception infolded in it is that of turning, or sending, or putting, a thing away, or back, from its way, or course; shifting a thing from one state, or condition, to another. The meaning of circulation are pervasive and are made evident by Qur’ān itself, which is the best Lexicon for its own words.

Circulatory and shifting state is related in the Possessive Phrase to: a definite plural noun meaning  "the Winds". Superb choice of words in Qur’ān picturesquely portray physical realities with meticulous accuracy. More we read about system of winds, the more we realize importance and beauty in the choice of Verbal Noun: for describing the Winds. And this system operates: in spaces within the Sky, and within the Earth; and between both. It should be noted that singular "the Sky" is mentioned, not plural the Skies.

Winds are an element vital for human beings. : "Winds" is derived from Root: "ر و ح". Its basic perception and usage in different semantic fields can be translated quite closely by English word "vitality" signifying abundant physical energy, the ability of something to live and grow, or to continue existence; and in philosophy to vital principle-the non material force that distinguishes the non living from the living. Winds are the indicator-forerunner of  the Grace-Mercy of Allah the Exalted:

Cloud physics is too scientific and mind boggling for majority of people like me. Therefore, I will only point out information conveyed in the Qur’ān for the experts to benefit. Grand Qur’ān is the first that had given the Atlas of Clouds, dividing them in four classifications, and describing their visible to eye and inner features using picturesque metaphors. It is interesting that Winds are mentioned with formation of those Clouds which is named: a collective noun made from Root: س ح ب. The perception infolded in this Root is near synonym to English word "drag" in meanings and connotations. It is not used with other three types of Clouds named: , and: . [We will study, Allah the Exalted so willing, about four types of clouds in article "the Atlas of Clouds in Qur’ān"].

The process of descent of water [not using English word precipitation] initiates by an indicator-forerunner of expected Mercy, which is the continuous updrafts. Here, formation of cloud is not mentioned but as an already existing object of Verb: -"dragging-dragged cloud-masculine", qualified by: Adjective resembling participle, meaning densely compacted. Subject to and till such time the Winds felt it light in sustaining its weight, it was dragged towards a land characteristically dead to rejuvenate it. When this dragging came to an end? Obviously when the condition no more existed, i.e. the Winds no more felt it light to sustain its weight, and the Cloud has since reached the "Dead Land". What happened there? : Prefixed conjunction فَ  shows cause-reason and effect-consequence, and is used in Apodosis clauses. Since the weight had become no more light for the Winds to sustain, and the destination had also arrived,  thereby, Allah the Exalted descended water accompanying this cloud. This water was utilized for sprouting all sorts of vegetation.

The description of rainfall is picturesque. The dragging is up to a point above certain land. "When the drops become large enough so that the acceleration due to gravity is much larger than the acceleration due to drag, the drops can fall to the earth as precipitation" [Cloud Physics].

Grand Qur’ān is the "Manual of guidance" for Human beings from their Creator-Allah the Exalted. A Manual of top of line product contains not only Operational Instructions as how to utilize the Product, but also information about the environment wherein that product is to operate. Therefore, Man is informed that like this physical process of rejuvenating otherwise a dead land, his resurrection is also a scientific-physical reality for which he should remain mindful of accountability.

We read that the Winds are continuously sent as forerunner of good news of expected Mercy from the Grace of Allah the Exalted. What they do as forerunner?

Two words: have been translated by almost all translators as "fertilizing winds", or "fecundating winds". The translated words "fertilizing winds", or "fecundating winds" are adjectival phrases. But the fact is that the two Arabic words neither constitute an Adjectival Phrase nor a Possessive Phrase. Phrases in Arabic have such distinct and easy-to-see indicators that a person just familiar with Arabic instantly recognizes them. One word: in accusative case is plural feminine with prefixed definite article while the second word: is without prefixed article, thereby, they do not constitute Adjectival Phrase. The plural feminine word winds: is the direct Object of Verb. The is a complete sentence, comprising of Verb-Subject-Object.

: It is broken plural of abundance on measure: فَوَاعِلُ, active participle, in accusative case. Learned Grammarians, and books of Syntactic analysis-Parsing of sentences call it: حال which is translated in English as "Circumstantial Adverb". In Arabic, the term: حال signifies a component of verbal sentence that describes the state under which the verb is enacted. The governing agent for the حال is a verb and حال is actually considered one of the details of the verb.

Some general rules of حال include the following:

1-The حال will be in the accusative state and its governor will be a verb

2-The حال will usually be a participle;

3-The ذو الحال will usually be definite and the حال indefinite, as is the case here: definite.

4-The حال usually closely follows the ذو الحال

5-The حال can describe the state of the subject, the object, or even both and together حال and ذو الحال will form a phrasal structure.

The choice of this word as metaphor to describe the parcel the Winds are sent with; obviously from a point of departure to a point of destination, is exactly what aerosols-condensation nuclei are. Stallion mating with mare has the closest resemblance to "aerosol". It means:

It shows huge quantity of particles that are dispersed. Stallion is amongst the top ten mammals who have the largest sperm count [say nuclei] in a normal mating session to the extent of fifteen billions. In sperm count in normal mating session, the top position holder are Pig and Donkey. They are not mentioned, Pig is not included in the List of Mammals for Human Beings-eight Mammal families out of nine are mentioned as sent for Human Beings. Donkey is also metaphorically used for unintelligent person. We will read about Mammals in article "Classification of Animal Kingdom in Qur’ān".

Similarly a typical cloud results from trillions of water vapour molecules condensing onto millions of condensation nuclei. Perhaps the best hygroscopic nuclei are salt. Semen of stallion has a relatively high salt content which acts as an over stimulant to the sperm and causes their rapid exhaustion and death. The "parcel"- of nuclei is sent for attraction of feminine. Therefore, this Metaphor indicates that Vapour-droplets which get attracted, or it attracts them, have negative charge.

May I suggest to the Experts-scientists of Cloud Physics to study Reproductive System of Stallion about which the breeders usually say; "when pregnancy, followed by birth of a live foal, does occur, it is indeed a "miracle." They say this because there is a delicate time balance involved. This suggestion is because the Metaphors chosen in Qur’ān portray all physical-scientific realities in the pointed object and phenomenon meticulously resembling those that are inherent in the Word chosen as Metaphor. Qur’ān has choice-word: while narrating the Cloud Physics. Qur’ān was introduced to humanity in Arabian peninsula in 7th Century. Note the delicacies of this Metaphor and compare it with the Metaphor scientists have coined in "modern times"-"Cloud Seeds" for condensation nuclei.

It is now a proven fact that significant concentrations of these aerosols exist in air masses that had travelled many hundreds of miles over land. Therefore, consideration of the importance of these particles is not limited to clouds over oceanic areas. However, the source of airborne salt particles is the sea. Interestingly, Grand Qur’ān has not restricted the departing point of winds uplifting the parcel of: -condensation nuclei to any single location on land and sea. Let us now see pictures of these winds how they collect and carry upwards trillions and trillions of nuclei-seeds:

 : Active participle: Definite; feminine; plural; genitive; [ذَرْوٌ Verbal noun]. These are those feminine who perform winnowing, raising and dispersing, or making a thing to fly in the air as the farmers used to winnow the wheat. Verbal Noun: Indefinite; accusative cognate adverb that signifies the manner and multitude in which the action takes place. Having done this job they become: ; conjunction particleفَ  describes the sequence and is cause and effect indicative. Active Participle denotes those feminine who uplift and carry upon their selves: a weight. Having individually uplifted the weight these feminine Active Participles "sail" comfortably in smooth manner. Eventually, they are the distributors of commanded affair-rain.

: Winds are the indicators-forerunner of pleasing news of expected Grace of Him the Exalted. They are sent upwards with parcels of: -condensation nuclei. In-between process that will result in the arrival of expected grant of Grace is not mentioned here, instead indicated by use of Cause and Effect, and consequent signifying conjunction Particle " فَ " in subsequent information:

• Thereby, Our Majesty dropped a variable quantity of water from the Sky,

-Updrafts were sent in the Sky and the end result is descent of: an indefinite noun signifying variable quantity of water. The result of all happenings is that Allah the Exalted has processed it in such manner and delicate time balancing that it is made a source of drink having been saved and stored in Earth from where it had escaped as vapor. This fact is emphasized in update on this subject:

We have earlier noted that: are mentioned in Qur’ān only in relation to Clouds which is named: "middle-dragging cloud" and its description is:  "subjected to manageability".

The first characteristic or definition of Cloud is that it is a visible mass and attains densely compacted characteristic. The Winds: having lifted to destination [condensation level] the parcel: , the Cloud is originated to appear as visible mass. The job is done and invisibles have joined to become a new visible entity. Delicate time adjustments were made and "Miracle" has happened. الله أكبر-الله أكبر. Once a cloud [having masculine gender] is originated, further process is described:

: Verb: Imperfect; third person; plural; masculine; Mood: Indicative; [Form-IV]; Subject pronoun hidden, referring to Allah the Exalted; مصدر-إِزْجَاءٌ Verbal Noun. It signifies urging someone to gently collect and raise; or become gently extended. Lane Lexicons describes this Verb " مُزْجًى  , applied to a horse [or other beast], That is driven, or urged on, (يزجى, [i. e. يُزْجَى,]) in his pace, by little and little".

The next happening; which is different from preceding activity; and occurs after a time gap as signified by preference of conjunction Particle: is described by Verbal sentence: . The Verb is Form-II from Verbal Noun تَالِيفٌ and Root "ء ل ف". It denotes to cause things to merge into a single body. Lane's Lexicon describes this Verbal Noun: " تَأْلِيفٌ is The putting many things into such a state that one name becomes applicable to them, whether there be to some of the parts a relation to others by precedence and sequence, or not:" This process keeps on going over a period of time as is indicated by the Mood of Verb. Next that happens is:

: It is a Noun denoting  a thing  with one part put upon another. Lane's Lexicon describes, "a thing was, or became heaped, or piled, up, or together, or accumulated; i. e., collected together, (S, K, TA,) one part upon [or overlying] another."

An important information about Rain-drops is that they keep "exiting-getting out" from an "atmosphere-location" which is: . It is a prepositional Phrase coupled with Possessive Phrase relating to the Verb. Preposition denotes beginning point related to place. In Possessive Phrase the suffixed singular masculine Pronoun refers back to masculine collective Noun: . The location is: . It denotes spaces in between a clustery object with qualification of being relatively small, depressed, or fissure like. Grand Qur’ān has explained its meanings by informing that the fissure like spaces of the Earth have water flow channels [ref 27:61]. It further indicates that such location is not sort of "no man land" but is a friendly territory of same object.

It is thus evident that: -Cloud continues to live while the moment "drops-water" become heavier for winds to sustain its burden, they themselves say good bye to Cloud and get out of its territory to join their original "feminine companion", the Earth. And the sterile-cracked-compacted and sadly still Earth welcomes it by showing "excitement, thrill with freshness and swelling" [Ref 22:05]. What a romanticism in Cloud Physics, more lucid than Romantic legends! Had Goethe, Percy Shelley [a scientist and poet-The Cloud-Percy Shelley] and William Wordsworth ("I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" [Daffodils]) knew exact nature of "romanticism in Cloud Physics", they would have left much fascinating poetry on Clouds.

The vertical layering is an independent and different processes taking place after a lapse of time when coalescence has already happened. Cloud Physics, calling it Dynamic Phase hypothesis, says; "The second critical point in the formation of clouds is their dependence on updrafts. As particles group together to form water droplets, they will quickly be pulled down to earth by the force of gravity. The droplets would quickly dissipate and the cloud will never form. However, if warm air interacts with cold air, an updraft can form. Warm air is less dense than colder air, so the warm air rises. The air traveling upward buffers the falling droplets and can keep them in the air much longer than they would otherwise stay. In addition, the air cools as it rises, so any moisture in the updraft will then condense into liquid form, adding to the amount of water available for precipitation."**

Are we studying a book recited and written in Arabian peninsula in 7th century, which seems as if it were given in 21st century? Grand Qur’ān is the unique Book. It sometimes make us feel as if we are living in Mecca and Madina of early 7th century, and at others it takes us in and beyond 21st century. The experts suggest that one of the criteria a book has to meet to earn title of a great book is that "The book has to speak from an important original setting. But a great book is one that is not trapped in its original setting. It has to be written in a way that constitutes it a living experience for readers today." Do we have an heart to deny the greatness of Book after reading its discourse on Cloud Physics?

Further information about Cloud Physics in relation to the Winds is in this update:

The succinctness in Qur’ān is at par excellence. It treats its reader as intelligent serious reader that helps economy in words. Commonsense tells that someone is sent to a designated destination. And that the sent one carries a parcel for delivery. We are already told that Winds are sent upwards with a parcel of condensation nuclei. Having reached the destination what they do there is told:

: This is a Verbal Sentence in sequence Verb-Subject-Object preceded by Cause and Effect indicative conjunction Particle, which shows that the following action happens once the preceding action has reached its culmination. : It is Imperfect feminine Verb in Indicative Mood of Form-IV from مصدر اِثَارَةٌ Verbal Noun; hidden subject refers back to "the Winds".  Its Root is "ث و ر". Basic perception and meanings infolded are that of causing erethism, excitement, arousing, or thrill. And this is perhaps the prerequisite for anything new to surface in physical realm. This state is caused by the sent Winds raising, surfacing a new entity "a cloud". After this entity has come in existence, thereat He the Exalted spreads-expands-extends it out or forth within the Sky in whatever manner it is desired. Moreover, He the Exalted makes it: fragmented, segmented.

The Miscellany of Grand Qur’ān is composed of two types of Unitary Verbal Passages. First type are those which are termed as "the Mother of the Book" signifying as being the basic purpose and essence of the Book. These Passages, described by Passive Participle with adjectival specification of "permanently erected fixtures" caused to contain the established and firm commands, directions, injunctions, decision, decrees, universal writ and established facts and history, are a subset of [him]-the Book. In addition, the other subset of Unitary Verbal Passages constituting Miscellany of the Book are Active Participles, that which perform act of mirroring invisible realities and facts through metaphorical presentations. However, Qur’ān is not a book of science in literal sense. Nevertheless, it portrays such physical realities which will keep getting exposed to human eye whereby it will seem exactly as were verbally mirrored in verbal passages. Cloud Physics, when finds mention with relation to sent Winds for the last time, its scientific process is again equated to resurrection:

Further information about the Winds and their role in everyday life of human beings is:

We will read in the Book next time, Allah the Exalted so willing, information about Winds given by the use of singular and plural words made from the same Root :" ر و ح" and other types of Winds by picturesque Metaphors and their physical properties and features.