- Brigadier Intekhab Hussain (Retd)
The human quest to reduce distances have always been instinctive. The invention of potter’s wheel to modern day ultrasonic machines is a manifestation of the same desire. Modern science is contemplating the concept of inventing devices whereby achieving a speed of light or more could be possible. The notion is just not an absurd imagination, we can find such concepts in fiction (visual or written). Human history could be tracked through two sources, an academic history preserved through ages by historians and anthropologists could be verbal or written, and theological version which is available in Holy Scriptures and supporting documents. Although we don’t find any such evidence in academic history however, in religious scriptures, we find many such examples in Old and New Testaments while Islamic religious book Quran elaborately and confidently narrates such events. Could it be possible being elaborated here forth?
Practicality of concept
2. The theory of Relativity has enabled us to contemplate travel at the speed of light however, it has few mind boggling pits as: –
a. Energy can surely travel at the speed of light but can it be transformed into the matter after the travel and vice versa?
b. If inter-transfer of matter and energy is possible, would it be practicable to push mater at the speed of light or mater is converted into energy before the commencement of such an experiment?
c. An object without life may travel at the speed of light and maintain physical characteristics at the destination however, would it be possible for living organisms?
d. If an object may be living or nonliving possibly pushed into light-year distances in universe from a platform i.e. earth, could it be possible to retrieve it without a transmitter or receiver at the destination?
Evidence of Possibility
3. Human desires to achieve terminal speed is not only for transportation and travelling around the Globe. Its fundamental objective is to dwell in universe, unfathomably large and diverse beyond our vision. The maximum speed achieved by a manmade object is more or less 5000 km/h. However, objects in our solar system are travelling at tremendous speed. The orbital speed of the Earth around the sun is 107000 km/h while pivotal rotation of Earth is approximately 1280 km/h. If earth can move at 1783 km/ second while maintaining its characteristics intact, probably even higher speeds could be attempted scientifically. Human role model has been birds while researching, evaluating and endeavoring flying which failed him to gain high speed. While observing nature, we find that round object move very fast if rotated, e.g. earth, UFOs even in manmade machines fundamental energy producing objects rotate to produce thrust and subsequent directional push through air like aircraft propellers and jet engines. All ammunitions fired for long distance and high speed are fired from riffled tubes and spun. Therefore. It can be safely stated that: –
a. Extraordinary speed for material objects can be achieved through rotation instead of thrust. However, thrust may be required for directional movement.
b. Shape of the object is observed to be important to move fast. Spherical or round object move fast while any other design confront relative resistance.
c. Rotatory movement can generate high speed but it needs compartment where carriage part/ crew is to be lodged.
4. Now, religious perspective of the subject is analyzed to determine the wholesome validity of the concept. Here forth only Semitic religions shall be referred being accepted divine and widely practiced around the globe. We start with the chronology of the religious history:-
a. Judaism. Although, Judaism does not offer an event throughout its history that some saint or blessed man ever traveled to skies or heavens yet time travel events are recorded and found in Holy Scriptures. Few are:-
(1) The Sefer Magen Avos (5:21) says that the time he was asleep, did not age him, despite that the world around him did age, as his former students and teachers had passed away
(2) The same Sefer mentioned above also says that when Moshe was on Har Sinai for 40 days and 40 nights, without food or drink, he says because Moshe was unaffected by time, as if time has stopped for him.
(3) Quran also validate the stay of Prophet Mosses on Sanai Mountain for forty days and night with companions, while another Prophet Ezra also slept for hundred years near Jerusalem.
b. Christianity. In Christianity, religious documents do speak of time travel. The incident of Prophet Ezra is mentioned in new testament while Prophet Jesus words are also recorded while disappearing into skies “only be gone a short time”.However, no such incident is quoted whereby somebody moved at exceptional speed amongst saints.
c. Islam. Islam, the last divine religion has validated the time and space related incidents of other two Semitic religions while few verses explicitly clues regarding the possibility of time travel. These are: –
(1)The holy ascension of Prophet of Islam is not only believed to be true but is a faith of all Muslims. It is believed that Prophet travelled from Mecca to Jerusalem, from Jerusalem ascended to the uppermost sky and returned in friction of time. It is mentioned in a chapter of Quran as” Holy is He Who carried His bondman by night from the sacred Mosque to the Aqsa Mosque (Aqsa) around which We have put blessings that We might show him Our grand signs. No doubt, He is the Hearing, the Seeing”. 17:1
(2) Avoiding religious debate and intra faith mistrusts, generally, it is believed that the holy book of Islam is the most authentic and preserved book. It is divine or no is not the focus of this study. Few of its verses are very mind blowing as regard time travel and possibility of corridors from earth to space as:-
(a) The angels and souls ascend towards Him. That chastisement on a day the measure of which is fiftythousand years. 70:3 . It means that souls and angle travel 438000000 hours equal to 24 hours.
(b) And assuredly, We made seven ways above you, and We are not heedless of creation. 23:17. Seven corridors exists between earth and skies.
(c) He said, ‘Get down, in you one is enemy of another and you are to stay in earth till a fixed time and there is provision for a time. 7:24. Another incident whereby Adam and Eve descended from sky to earth.
Epilogue
5. Now that physical and religious perspectives have been discussed, what could be possible conclusion are: –
a. Energy can travel at the speed of light but no mechanism or phenomena is yet known to transform this energy into material or vice versa.
b. Material objects can move fast but the extent to which they may move is yet not known however, it is known that earth is moving at the speed of 107000 km/h so this much speed can be attempted.
c. Round or spherical objects move faster than any other design. Earth, contemplated UFOs, all objects in normal life are evidences.
e. Rotation can generate higher speed then directional thrust with some fuel while longer distances can be traversed through the rotation with minimum energy.
f. It is yet not found that if an object is moved, at what speed it may transform into energy or energy into mater.
g. If movement in energy sate is attempted, how it could be retrieved at a destination without some gadgets
h. Seven corridors do exist between earth and space according to a religious viewpoint, irrespective of intra religious diversions, these could be tracked scientifically.
6. The development in science has proved many old religious beliefs true and authentic. For example, everything in the universe is moving, everything has been created from water, life started from a single cell etc. If the verse of holly Quran “And assuredly, We made seven ways above you, and We are not heedlessof creation. 23:17”, is accepted for scientific research, a human may find the corridors between earth and space to travel at terminal speed. The best place to start with could be Jerusalem from where Prophet of Islam is reported to climb into skies.
