Humans not alone in universe: We have company

An event with profound implications for us humans is rapidly unfolding, but much of the world is oblivious of it.

In June this year, intelligence agencies of the United States (US) will brief Congress on encounters with extraterrestrial space craft the country’s military has had in the past several decades. Evidence that we humans are not alone in the universe has been mounting, and the arguments are very convincing.

Earth, our home planet, orbits our local star, the Sun, at a distance which allows for liquid water to exist and for temperatures to be just right for life to thrive.

Astronomers tell us that there are more stars in the visible universe than there are grains of sand on all the beaches and in all the deserts of the world, and that most of them have planetary systems.

It is, therefore, inconceivable that it is just our planet alone which has the right conditions for life to exist.

Bigger question

The much bigger question is whether there is intelligent life on other planets where some form of advanced civilisations could have developed.

Scientists believe there are, and have been making attempts since the 1960s to contact such alien civilisations by searching for radio signals.

Humans have also sent messages into outer space announcing our presence, though some think this was an ill-advised and reckless move.

Evidence supporting the existence of extraterrestrial intelligence is compelling and now irrefutable. The closest we have come yet to an official acknowledgment of the existence of aliens was the release in April 2020 by the Pentagon of three videos showing US navy pilots’ encounter with what the Pentagon describes as Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) or Anomalous Aerial Vehicles (AAVs) also known in popular discourse as Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs).

They are also usually referred to as Flying Saucers; so called because they appear in the form of two inverted pie plates with a segmented dome on top.

Videos

In the videos released by the Pentagon, the objects are seen zooming across the sky at speeds that far surpass the capabilities of any human-made craft, outmanoeuvring the most advanced warplanes in this world, and conducting manoeuvres that cannot be explained by current laws of physics.

These UFOs are able to penetrate the most restricted airspace and military installations in the world, especially nuclear weapons sites. And they do this with abundant ease and impunity.

Of major concern to world leaders is whether the intentions of these extraterrestrials are peaceful or confrontational.

Many UFO researchers think that the extraterrestrials see us humans as an intelligent, but savage species, and that they need to save us from our self-destructive impulses.

We may also be to them what our wild life is to conservationists; and probably for the same reasons.

Concept

The mother of all questions, however, is whether these visiting extraterrestrials have any concept of God.

Atheists are already revelling in the idea that the existence of God will be confirmed as redundant after our encounter with the extraterrestrials.

Such atheists should not be in a hurry. They will be surprised to learn that God already told us about 1,400 years ago that we humans are not alone in this universe. I refer here to the Holy Qur'an, chapter 42 verse 29 where we read: “And among His (Allah’s) Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the living creatures that He has scattered through them: and He has power to gather them when He wills.”

We are even told of beings who are accountable for their deeds. This translates as intelligent beings.

In chapter 19, verses 93-96, the Holy Qur'an says: “Not one of the beings in the heavens and the earth but must come to (Allah) Most Gracious as a servant.
He does take an account of them (all),