Carpe Diem #1381 Thunder and Lightning

Dear Haijin, visitors and travelers,

I have said it in earlier posts this month, but there are several similarities between the Quran and The Bible. One of those similarities is the story about the Creation. In the Quran and The Bible the creation stories are completly the same. What does that mean?
We all know that Islam is a young religion (7th century CE) and the story is the same as in the Bible. Of course we know that the Quran was reveealed to Muhammed the Prophet, but can Muhammed be the Prophet of the Christian God? Or is he really a prophet of Allah, I think we have to respect that idea, but I also think we can ask us these questions too.

Did Muhammed knew about the Bible? And was he just another interpreter of the Holy Bible? This could be an explanation of the similarities between the Quran and the Bible. Both holy books tell the story of the Creation.

The Beauty of Nature

 The following verses are from the Surah ar-Ra'd or thunder. Thunder and Lightning is the title of this episode and I have chosen that title, because thunder and lightning are energies "used" by God. Maybe He used it as He was creating the flood that re-created Earth (the story of Noah). The Quran mentions thunder and lightning as a kind of punishment for Earth and its inhabitants.

[...] "It is He who shows you the lightning, causing fear and hope. And He produces the heavy clouds. The thunder praises His glory, and so do the angels, in awe of Him. And He sends the thunderbolts, striking with them whomever He wills. Yet they argue about God, while He is Tremendous in might." [...] (Surah 13: 12-13)

A similar verse we find in the book of Exodus:

[...] "And all the people were watching the thunderings and the flames and the sound of the horn and the mountain smoking; and when they saw it, they kept far off, shaking with fear. And they said to Moses, To your words we will give ear, but let not the voice of God come to our ears, for fear death may come on us." [...](Exodus 20: 18-19)

In both examples we see that the voice of God is heard as thunder and lightning, and that's very similar to the Scandinavian idea of Thor, God of Thunder. Or in that wonderful Hindu book Mahabharata you can find several verses in the same tone with the same idea and emotion.

[...] "Even as he said this, the clouds above thundered and everyone knew that the god of the thunderbolt was coming, and trembled in fear.' [...] (Source: Mahabharata)

Raijin Shinto god of thunder (wooden sculpture)

The same idea is also mentioned in several Shinto scriptures. Often the Shinto god of thunder and lightning is named Raijin (His name is derived from the Japanese words rai ("thunder") and "god" or "kami" (shin). He is typically depicted as a demon-looking spirit beating drums to create thunder, usually with the symbol tomoe drawn on the drums. During a thunderstorm parents say to their children to hide their belly bottoms (navel), because the god of thunder will eat their belly bottom.

All wonderful ideas and thoughts I think, all can be a source for the Quran, but we have to respect the idea that the Quran was given to Muhammed by God.

frogs jump in -
the sound of rain far away
thunder and lightning

© Chèvrefeuille

The Beauty of Nature

Another one also from my archives:

rolling thunder
between green banks
clear waterfall

© Chèvrefeuille

And here is a new one, a tanka this time:

rolling thunder
my heart jumps of love
embracing her
she the one I love so dearly
cries in fear of lightning

© Chèvrefeuille

Well ... I hope you did like this episode and that it will inspire you to create haiku, tanka or other Japanese poetry form.

This episode is open for your submissions tonight at 7:00 PM (CET) and will remain open until March 11th at noon (CET). I will try to publish our new episode later on.