Forelock !

Tags:Allah the Almighty speaks of Abu Jahl (an inveterate enemy of Islam, who used to insult prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and his followers) :
“No Indeed; surely, if he gives not over, We shall seize him by the forelock, a lying, sinful forelock!” (96 : 15-16)

( كلا لئن لم ينته لنسفعًا بالناصية * ناصية كاذبة خاطئة) ( العلق :16 - 15)

Linguistic explanation:

Forelock means lock of hair at forehead.  in explanation of Allah’s verse: ‘We shall seize him by the forelock’, Al Faraa said; ‘it is the forehead that He (Allah) shall seize Abu Jahl  to drag him i.e., a sign of humiliation and disgrace.’

Commentators’ explanation:

Al Alousi said; “The forelock as described in the verse, indicates in the first place that this person is lying and sinful, and due to Abu Jahl’s obstinate lying and sins, every part of him is lying and sinning .”  Al Alousi also said; “The forelock is specifically mentioned here because the cursed Abu Jahl used to take good care of it by combing and perfuming, and because seizing the forelock is the utmost humiliation for any Arab…”

# Some Quran commentators say: “The aim is not a lying forelock.  But it is used metaphorically, not in the strict sense of the term, i.e., it is the forelock of a liar and sinful.  Since the forelock is the forehead, the description of lying refers to the possessor, as it could not be a place or source of lying.
# In his “Musnad”, Ahmed referred to the Prophet's Hadith which points out to the forelock.  It was narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said;
“O, my Lord I am Your slave and the son of Your slave and the son of Your bondmaid, my forelock is at Your Hands, … "  . This Hadith reveals that man’s fate is at Allah’s Hands, as well as man’s forelock, thus indicating, as the Verse above, that the forelock plays an important role in guiding and controlling man’s behaviour.
# So, what is the reason underlying the use of forelock? What is the hidden organ behind the forehead – that part which is responsible for the person’s character and which controls man’s behaviour and actions of truthfulness and lying, right and wrong, and which if subjugated, man’s behaviour can be controlled, as indicated in the book of  “Gray's anatomy  ” edited by Warwick & Williams.


Scientific facts:

 Man’s brain contains the following main lobes:  

1-     Frontal lobe.

2-     Occipital lobe.

3-     Temporal lobe.

4-     Parietal lobe. 

The brain with its different lobes

For each lobe, there is a functional role, which is at he same time complementary to the other body functions.   Having dissected the forehead, the frontal lobe was found to be the part lying behind.  The frontal lobe is characterized, apart from the animal counterpart, with the regions responsible for behaviour and speech being developed and distinct as per the anatomic and functional levels.

·        The Frontal lobe is a big lobe situated in front of the central groove, and contains five neurological centres that vary in location and position. These centres are: 

1-     Primary Motor Area that helps move the voluntary muscles of the left side of the body.

2-     Secondary Motor Area that helps move the voluntary muscles of the right side of the body.

3-     Frontal Eye Field that helps move eyes to the opposite sides compatibly.

4-     Motor Speech Area of Broca that coordinates movements among organs of speech, such as larynx, tongue and face.

5-     Pre-Frontal Cortex, which lies directly behind the forehead, represents the bigger part of the frontal lobe, and its function is responsible for forming the person’s character and also has an effect in determining the ability of taking initiative and judgment. 

·        Since the Prefrontal cortex lies directly behind the forehead and deep under the forelock, it directs some of man’s behaviour such as characteristics of truthfulness and lying, right and wrong, and distinguishes among each of these characteristics.

·        Electronic Studies of brain and electric studies of organ functions revealed that patients and animals subjected to damage of frontal lobes, often suffer a diminution of mental abilities. Any deficiency affecting the frontal lobe can change the natural behaviour of man that may reach to the extent of doing evil actions, and deterioration of the moral principles, the memory, and the ability to solve mental issues.

·        Frontal lobes of brain are considered the centre of the initiative of lying. All mental activities of lying are conducted therein and then transferred to messengers organs through the action of lying. The evil actions are also planned for in this lobe before being transferred to action organs.  The lobe is also responsible for wrong actions being a centre of direction and control, as indicated in Encyclopaedia Britannica.   

The miracle side:  

The miracle side in the above Quranic verse and the Honourable Hadith of the Prophet is that they refer very accurately to the frontal lobe, lying deep at man’s forelock, as being the centre of decision to control man’s actions of truthfulness, lying, right, wrong, balance or perversion.   This has been revealed by modern scientific studies in the second half of the 20^th century.

Another fact:
The brain is surrounded with three membranes, among which is the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF), which has the function of protection, feeding and cooling.

The brain swims in the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) and it is surrounded with 3 membranes

It has been found that the brain inside the skull weighs 50 gm, although the real weight is 1700 gm.  The physical principle states that the volume of the object immersed in fluid is equal to the volume of displaced fluid.  Therefore, it is of the Almighty Creator’s decree that we do not feel the brain weight, as it floats in the CSF, which originates from a special area in the brain called “the corogy plexus”, and rotates inside and comes out of another area such as the domestic water net.  This cycle occurs five times a day.  As Moslems do before prayer times, the brain get ablution 5 times a day ... !

We prostrate on the frontal lobe which has the centre of decision making.  When prostrating and worshipping Allah, the Moslem’s forelock is certified as truthful and right .

CLICK FOR NEXT PART