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The Creation of Man as Mentioned in the Quran

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بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ

We are living in an era of information explosion in which data, news and knowledge of all kinds stream into our lives 24/7 via multiple media inlets, so much so that now it has become a challenge to pick and choose that input which we want to receive; which we deem relevant. Pregnancy, childbirth, infant care and parenting topics are no exception.

From detailed pregnancy books to 3D-animated videos; subscriptions that facilitate personalized, week-by-week email pregnancy updates, to extensive online obstetric resources and pediatric websites, an expectant mother nowadays is amply aware of every change that is going on inside her body, as it happens or even beforehand.

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The Quran revealed the process of the creation of man long before science gave every part of his anatomy, down to the inner contents of his individual cells, a unique name and pictorial description.

In fact, in the Quran, Allah described the chronological phases of fetal growth and development 14 centuries ago, long before any ultrasound machine existed:

وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ مِن سُلَالَةٍ مِّن طِينٍ

ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَاهُ نُطْفَةً فِي قَرَارٍ مَّكِينٍ

ثُمَّ خَلَقْنَا النُّطْفَةَ عَلَقَةً فَخَلَقْنَا الْعَلَقَةَ مُضْغَةً فَخَلَقْنَا الْمُضْغَةَ عِظَامًا فَكَسَوْنَا الْعِظَامَ لَحْمًا ثُمَّ أَنشَأْنَاهُ خَلْقًا آخَرَ فَتَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنُ الْخَالِقِينَ

Verily We created man from a product of wet earth; then placed him as a drop (of seed) in a safe lodging; then We fashioned the drop into a clot, then We fashioned the clot into a little lump, then We fashioned the little lump into bones, then clothed the bones with flesh, and then produced it another creation. So blessed be Allah, the Best of Creators!” [23:12-14]

هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُم مِّن تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ ثُمَّ مِنْ عَلَقَةٍ ثُمَّ يُخْرِجُكُمْ طِفْلًا ثُمَّ لِتَبْلُغُوا أَشُدَّكُمْ ثُمَّ لِتَكُونُوا شُيُوخًا وَمِنكُم مَّن يُتَوَفَّى مِن قَبْلُ وَلِتَبْلُغُوا أَجَلًا مُّسَمًّى وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ

It is He Who has created you from dust then from a sperm-drop, then from a leech-like clot; then does he get you out (into the light) as a child: then lets you (grow and) reach your age of full strength; then lets you become old,- though of you there are some who die before;- and lets you reach a term appointed; in order that you may learn wisdom.” [40:67]

According to Tafsir Ibn Kathir, this reference to man’s creation from “تُرَابٍ”, or dust, implies the origin of mankind viz. the creation of the first human being, Prophet Adam [عليه السلام], from dust: “[“And Allah did create you from dust, then from Nutfah”], means, He initiated the creation of your father Adam from dust, then He created his offspring from semen of worthless water.”

Modern science has, by now, explained the entire process of the creation of a human being, down to those minute, microscopic intricacies that were invisible to the human eye centuries ago.

Many times in the Quran, Allah draws our attention to the way we were created. It is interesting to remember though, that at the time when these verses were revealed, human beings had limited knowledge about the process of human birth, unlike now.

Why would Allah then invite us to ponder on the origin of our creation? The contexts in which He mentions our origins lead to some interesting observations. But first, lets analyze the word most oft-repeated in the Quran when Allah mentions man’s creation:

The “nutfah”

The root of this word is: نَطَفَ يَنطِفُ – natafa yantifu: “To flow gently, trickle, ooze, drop.”

The dictionary meaning of the word nutfah” is – “Drop of fluid; semen“.

النطفة: الماء الصافي، قَلَّ اَوْ كثرَ – “It is clear liquid, a little or a lot. From this it is used for ماء الرجل maa-ur rajul: The water (semen) of a man.”

ليلةٌ نَطوف is when it rains all night long.

Man is a disputer

Allah says in the Quran:

خَلَقَ الإِنسَانَ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ فَإِذَا هُوَ خَصِيمٌ مُّبِينٌ

He (Allah) has created man from a sperm-drop; and behold this same (man) becomes an open disputer!” [16:4]

أَوَلَمْ يَرَ الْإِنسَانُ أَنَّا خَلَقْنَاهُ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ فَإِذَا هُوَ خَصِيمٌ مُّبِينٌ

Does not man see that it is We Who created him from a sperm-drop? Yet behold! He (stands forth) as an open disputer!” [36:77]

The word خَصِيمٌ is derived from خَصمَ which means “he contended with in an altercation“, and the word الخِصَام means “the statements that a listener is made to hear, which may cause him to desist or refrain from his assertion, plea or claim“.

In another place in the Quran, Allah says about man: “وَهُوَ أَلَدُّ الْخِصَامِ” – “And he is the most rigid of opponents” [2:204], where this word الخِصَام is used again to describe man.

Question is, why does Allah mention the origin of man (the nutfah) along with the fact that man is an open disputer?

Man disputes about Allah; about religion; about being right. Sometimes, man goes on arguing even if he possesses little knowledge of what he is arguing about, just to prove himself to be right, or to be better, than his “opponent”.

This type of arguing and disputing is, usually, less about establishing the haqq and abolishing falsehood, and more about one-upping the adversary to come out looking better, or on the right path, as the definition of the word الخِصَام implies; also, to attempt to make the adversary clam up and desist from putting forth their claims or opinions.

Allah mentions how man was created from nothing but a microscopic sperm, which is not even visible, and yet he grows into a creature who argues about the very being that created Him from this miniscule little drop of fluid – he disputes about Allah, His attributes, or any other aspect of Islam, to avoid submitting to Him – the Creator who not just created him, but also gave him provision since day one to make him grow, acquire a physical form, then be blessed with sight, hearing, and intellect:

إِنَّا خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ أَمْشَاجٍ نَّبْتَلِيهِ فَجَعَلْنَاهُ سَمِيعًا بَصِيرًا

Verily We created Man from a drop of mingled sperm, in order to try him. So We gave him Hearing and Sight.” [76:2]

Man falls into disbelief and ingratitude

Another context in which Allah mentions the origin of man as being from the nutfah, is the fact that man falls into kufr, i.e. when he grows up, he starts to deny Allah’s blessings, or to belie His Prophets and their monotheistic message, or reject Allah’s commands, refusing obstinately to obey them. Kufr also constitutes the denial of the establishment of the Hour (الساعة).

In Surah Al-Kahf, a man who owned 2 luscious gardens was conversing with his pious companion and bragging about possessing more wealth and a larger family than him. He went on to say that “I do not think that this (wealth) will perish – ever. And I do not think the Hour will occur. And even if I should be brought back to my Lord, I will surely find better than this as a return.” [18:34-36]

His pious companion, who was a believer, responds by making him recall how Allah created him, saying:

قَالَ لَهُ صَاحِبُهُ وَهُوَ يُحَاوِرُهُ أَكَفَرْتَ بِالَّذِي خَلَقَكَ مِن تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ ثُمَّ سَوَّاكَ رَجُلًا

His companion said to him, in the course of the argument with him: “Do you deny Him Who created you out of dust, then out of a sperm-drop, then fashioned you into a man?”” [18:37]

In this context, Allah warns us through these verses of the Quran, not to fall into the same trap – that if we have been blessed with abundant wealth and a large family, we should not be fooled by this superfluous worldly benefits into denying the absolute reality of the imminence of the Hour (الساعة).

Heedlessness about the Akhirah makes one slowly slip down the slope of adherence to the commands of Deen, and disbelief starts to creep into our hearts like rust, chipping away our faith in Allah and in the Akhirah.

One of the ways suggested, in the above verse of the Quran, to keep ourselves humble before Allah and firmly grounded in the correct belief (aqeedah), is to remember our origin – our creation. How, once, we were nothing more than a tiny embryo, a single ovum fertilized by a single sperm (مِن نُّطْفَةٍ), from which Allah fashioned us into a complete, symmetrical, fair-looking human being (سَوَّاكَ) in our mothers’ wombs, having a body that contains innumerable anatomical systems (respiratory, nervous, digestive, cardio-, reproductive etc.) functioning together in perfect unison:

مِن نُّطْفَةٍ خَلَقَهُ فَقَدَّرَهُ

From a sperm-drop He had created him, and then moulds him in due proportions;” [80:19]

وَأَنَّهُ خَلَقَ الزَّوْجَيْنِ الذَّكَرَ وَالْأُنثَى – مِن نُّطْفَةٍ إِذَا تُمْنَى

That He did create in pairs,- male and female, from a seed when lodged (in its place);” [53:45-46]

The “miracle” of our creation enables us to recognize and remain in total awe of Allah’s limitless powers. That in turn allows us to submit to Him and to His message conveyed to us through His Prophets.

For surely, the Magnificent Creator who fashioned a complete living being out of a mere sperm drop, can resurrect that same human being hundreds of years after his death; after his total decomposition into nothingness.

Because for the One for whom the first, original creation was so easy, the resurrection will be even easier:

كَمَا بَدَأْنَا أَوَّلَ خَلْقٍ نُّعِيدُهُ وَعْدًا عَلَيْنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا فَاعِلِينَ

“…Even as We produced the first creation, so shall We produce a new one; a promise We have undertaken. Truly shall We fulfil it.” [21:104]

The “despicable” water

Another context in which Allah mentions the creation of man, is how he originates from a “lowly” water viz. human semen. Whilst the first human being was created and fashioned from dust, his progeny continued on earth via this water:

أَلَمْ نَخْلُقكُّم مِّن مَّاء مَّهِينٍ

Have We not created you from a fluid (held) despicable?” [77:20]

The place in the human anatomy from where this “despicable” water originates is also mentioned by Allah:

فَلْيَنظُرِ الْإِنسَانُ مِمَّ خُلِقَ – خُلِقَ مِن مَّاء دَافِقٍ – يَخْرُجُ مِن بَيْنِ الصُّلْبِ وَالتَّرَائِبِ

Now let man but think from what he is created. He is created from a drop emitted. Proceeding from between the backbone and the ribs.” [86:5-7]

Allah then goes on to exhort how, if He could create a human progeny from such a water that gushes forth from man’s own body, He is utterly and completely able to recreate man in the Akhirah, after his death and decomposition in this world/dunya:

إِنَّهُ عَلَى رَجْعِهِ لَقَادِرٌ

Surely He (Allah) is able to bring him back (to life)!” [86:8]

Allah mentions 3 other words in another place in the Quran where He mentions the “despicable” water – “طِين”,”نسل” and “سلالة”:

الَّذِي أَحْسَنَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ خَلَقَهُ وَبَدَأَ خَلْقَ الْإِنسَانِ مِن طِينٍ – ثُمَّ جَعَلَ نَسْلَهُ مِن سُلَالَةٍ مِّن مَّاء مَّهِينٍ

Who made all things good which He created, and He began the creation of man from clay; And made his progeny from a quintessence of the nature of a fluid despised.” [32:7-8]

The point that comes across is how Allah brought every one of us into this world from a mere drop of fluid – a fluid that is considered dirty, lowly and worthy of being washed off and discarded; which emanates from a part of the body that is also kept hidden and considered shameful; a part that excretes the filth (urine) from our bodies.

Furthermore, when a human baby comes into this world, it again does so through the same anatomical part of his mother’s body.

Allah reminds man again and again of his lowly and inferior origins, of his first and subsequent creation, in order to cull his arrogance and reinforce his belief in Allah’s absolute power of creation and resurrection.

Because as long as we keep reminding ourselves of how we were created, how we were born, and how we came into existence from nothing, to ultimately grow bigger and take the shape of a functioning human being from the merger of two tiny cells, we will perhaps be able to stop doubting how Allah will put us back together in the Akhirah when the Hour is established.

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Sadaf Farooqi is a postgraduate in Computer Science who has done the Taleem Al-Quran Course from Al-Huda International, Institute of Islamic Education for Women, in Karachi, Pakistan. 11 years on, she is now a homeschooling parent of three children, a blogger, published author and freelance writer. She has written articles regularly for Hiba Magazine, SISTERS Magazine and Saudi Gazette. Sadaf shares her life experiences and insights on her award-winning blog, Sadaf's Space, and intermittently teaches subjects such as Fiqh of Zakah, Aqeedah, Arabic Grammar, and Science of Hadith part-time at a local branch of Al-Huda. She has recently become a published author of a book titled 'Traversing the Highs and Lows of Muslim Marriage'. For most part, her Jihad bil Qalam involves juggling work around persistent power breakdowns and preventing six chubby little hands from her computer! Even though it may not seem so, most of her time is spent not in doing all this, but in what she loves most - reading.

77 Comments

77 Comments

  1. Hannah

    February 3, 2012 at 1:24 AM

    Love this masha’Allah. So informative and truly beneficial. The Qur’an is truly a miracle. Jazak Allah khayr for posting!

    • Chris

      April 1, 2016 at 12:40 PM

      The Romans wrote this in the 2 nd century in detail . ?

      • Adnan

        May 8, 2016 at 9:08 PM

        Brother Chris do you have any proof?

      • Maryam

        May 22, 2016 at 8:14 AM

        You trembling while you saying this lie. You will have to answer to the Almighty Allah on the day of judgement for lying.

      • Michael Angel

        August 30, 2016 at 4:39 AM

        If it is true then it would have been evident otherwise keep your ignorance to yourself.

      • Miah Muhammad Adel

        December 20, 2016 at 10:32 PM

        QA medical college dean accepted Islam from these description. If you are telling the truth, this dean would not refer to these amazing verses.

  2. Umm Sulaim

    February 3, 2012 at 2:17 AM

    The human anatomy is marvellous and whenever I ponder over it, I am left in awe of Allah.

    The complexity and delicate nature of the anatomy leads some persons to disbelieve in Allah’s Creation of man, as they rate Allah with human abilities; if humans cannot do it, no one can.

    Six years ago, I taught my students the creation of Adam; the class was very lively.

    Umm Sulaim

    • Ceci

      December 15, 2015 at 4:21 PM

      YAHWEH created everything, the lowly Mohamed borrowed his ideas of creation from his indoctrination into the Catholic faith when he was married at a young age to a wealthy catholic widow.

      • Adnan

        May 8, 2016 at 9:19 PM

        Ceci, First of all you need to show some respect and stop using the word lowly for Muhammad (P.B.U.H). Now let me clear one thing to you, Muhammad (P.B.U.H) is not a God. He is not the Creator. There is Only one creator and we Muslims use the name Allah for the creator. Muhammad (P.B.U.H) is the Messenger of Allah as was Moses (P.B.U.H).
        Do you have any proof that all that is mentioned in Quran about the creation of humans already exists in any of Catholic scriptures?

      • Maryam

        May 22, 2016 at 8:20 AM

        Ceci cela, why don’t you read and learn instead?

      • ali

        June 5, 2016 at 9:25 AM

        it is lies what you say

      • Michael Angel

        August 30, 2016 at 4:49 AM

        I think you are marketing your religion, but you are failing to sell and from your abusive language, I can see that you are frustrated, so it is time for you to acknowledge the truth and with humility prostrate down to Allah, and something for your thought that Allah is mentioned in every religion, like Jesus in the cross, cried out “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?”

    • Ceci

      December 15, 2015 at 4:24 PM

      Only YAHWEH is the true creator . the lowly Mohamed borrowed his ideas of creation from his indoctrination into the Catholic faith when he was married at a young age to a wealthy catholic widow.

      • christina marrie madden

        January 2, 2016 at 12:30 PM

        Not to seem rude ceci but in the hebrew language of Aramaic actually refers to more then one god as ik that i have looked into this about the actual translation of the creation story myself in hebrew language of Aramaic at the beginning of time itself i found out it what totally different from what i was raised to believe in the bible we have here in the us and since no one helped a roman man translate the real creation story in the hebrew language of Aramaic he never had asked a rabi to assist him in translating the creation story he made up a version to one all powerful god instead of many gods like the Hebrew bible actually says Yahweh is only one of the creator’s but see in my religion i am now refers to his actual name as cronus or but we also worship his mother gaia the first off the creator’s was she little religions refer to her like my religion now and my native culture also refers to the mother earth as in the earth goddess in my religion and the pegan religion and the hindu religion the Buddhist religion and many more refer to her too as the real ruler of the earth itself he’s just one of her children himself

      • Haniya

        June 16, 2016 at 11:19 PM

        When we humans criticize or use abusive language for someone our inner self regrets it.
        So no need for anyone to tell u that u said wrong because u yourself know ..

        AT LEAST, be faithful to your OWN inner soul and respect your instincts!

      • Haniya

        June 16, 2016 at 11:20 PM

        My reply was for Cecci

  3. 'Uthmān

    February 3, 2012 at 1:26 PM

    People might be interested to read the following paper recently published by iERA. It undertakes a thorough re-examination of the Qur’anic description of the human embryo’s development in light of modern research in the field. It also seeks to dismantle the plagiarisation thesis put forward by many non-Muslims who seek to explain away the Qur’an’s description by claiming that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) copied from the works of Galen and Aristotle (wa na’udhubillah).

    http://www.iera.org.uk/downloads/Embryology_in_the_Quran_v1.1.pdf

    I say gone are the days when we can exclaim “Keith Moore!” at every given opportunity for Da’wah. Especially when he has apparently said that his views/comments have been misrepresented by Muslims.

    • Hop Sing

      August 26, 2014 at 3:16 PM

      Hmm, I don’t think the issue is plagiarism but rather that by the time of the Prophet of God, Muhammad, peace be upon him, the stages and mechanisms of human reproduction were fairly well known, well researched and well documented in the entirety of the Mediterranean Basin and the Near East. It wasn’t just the Hellenic scientific writers but many, many Persian and Arabic scholars too, who documented and publicly discussed such matters centuries before the Holy Quran was delivered. In that historical and cultural context, the accuracy and specificity of the Quran on such matters, while admirable intellectually, is hardly mystifying or inexplicable by means other than resorting to divine inspiration.

      Moreover, clearly Allah as the creator of all knew these things in the time of Moses and before just as surely as he did in the time of Muhammad. He could have disclosed this wisdom to man long prior to its discovery by pagans, but did not do so. This, in turn, fuels speculation as to the origin of the reproductive cycle description in the Quran as being a rote recordation of general scholarly knowledge at the time rather than anything novel or divinely sent. I think characterizing this as plagiarism misstates the actual scholarship and ignores some very obvious historical facts.

      • Aly Balagamwala

        August 27, 2014 at 9:01 AM

        the stages and mechanisms of human reproduction were fairly well known, well researched and well documented in the entirety of the Mediterranean Basin and the Near East. It wasn’t just the Hellenic scientific writers but many, many Persian and Arabic scholars too, who documented and publicly discussed such matters centuries before the Holy Quran was delivered

        Can you provide some citations to this statement? As my limited knowledge on his subject leads me to believe this was not known even in the Renaissance period.

        Aly
        *Comment above is posted in a personal capacity and may not reflect the official views of MuslimMatters or its staff*

      • rajugobor

        January 2, 2016 at 4:42 AM

        but the fundemental womens ovum or egg was left out due possibly to ignorance of this process…

      • alma

        July 11, 2016 at 5:17 AM

        while there was some limited knowledge during the era of Helenic time the people and scientists of this time and era have made many incorrect conclusion
        for example ,Aristotle or other close to him have made some wrong claims, thus one should think how did Prophet Muhammad know what to distinguish as the wright and the wrong information. If he copied these info as some claim how come he knew what to included and what to exclude in the Quran. hmmmm
        There were some other speculations with regards to human development but mostly wrong ones. So a person should ask him self a question how on earth did Prophet know what is the correct information to be used.

    • Jack

      July 2, 2016 at 6:50 PM

      God and Allah are inventions of men in order to quell the unruly humans of the time for fear of losing control of them. Of all the animals on earth, man is the worst animal in existence. Where we come from and how we were created is simply unknown to us at this time. Religions of the world may mean well but their stories are becoming more and more baseless. Unfortunately these same religions provide devicive forces thus throwing us humans against one another. Let’s at least help one another, we are really all the same except for our ideologies. Let’s all become humanistic instead and let go the old medieval religions pretending to know all that there is.

      • alma

        July 11, 2016 at 5:18 AM

        try just once to put your head on the floor and call upon the one who created us all
        give it some time and see what you feel you have to be honest though

      • Michael Angel

        August 30, 2016 at 5:44 AM

        I think you are confined in a narrow view and you have a religion which is to deviate others to follow you. You have mentioned, that man is the worst animal in existence, but I think you are convinced by your own prejudice , if you look closely you will see that majority of the human race are good, it is the few handful of people cause turmoil’s in the world, like Hitler, one man caused all that calamity. The good thing about human is the architecture of the brain, which is composed with excellence and formed with enriched intelligent information. A precision engineering that generates realism in perfection of the surrounding ideas in any one time, it apprehends the reality in true definition. Our mind complements the defined perfection of ideas which is around us and to understand, it gives meaning in our existence because without our perceptions the ideas are futile and every idea reveals meaning with logical information and has principles of life and we can also excel with knowledge and transcends towards the superlative knowledge. You should ask now who produced this beautiful design, this abstract mechanism that creates perception cannot exist by itself, surely there is a contriver.

  4. Khan

    February 4, 2012 at 9:16 AM

    jazakAllaahu khairan sister, for this beneficial reminder.

  5. ummmanar

    February 4, 2012 at 9:30 AM

    mashallah beautiful post and amazing,jazkallhukhir

  6. Aziza

    February 4, 2012 at 1:33 PM

    MashaAllah beautiful, JazakAllah Khair for this crucial reminder dear sister.
    I love the way this article made me feel so….small. So humble and so totally and utterly dependent on Allah. Reflecting on our lowly origins is definitely something that we all must do to get ourselves back on track.

  7. Umm

    February 4, 2012 at 7:43 PM

    loved the article
    jazakillahukhairan

  8. Saleha

    February 4, 2012 at 11:39 PM

    We often overlook how much can be learned from Quranic sources. Islam encompasses several paradigms that benefit mankind in guidance and righteousness, as well as in scientific knowledge and the progression of human physiology.

    I like how this article links the stages of human development from within the fetus, to being ridden with psychological emotions such as disbelief and ingratitude. We need only to re-trace our steps to find our point of origin. This way we can better ourselves in the eyes of Allah swt.

    JazakAllahu-Khair for the article!

  9. osams

    February 7, 2012 at 2:42 AM

    Mashallah a great reminder, but I have to admit I thought the article was going to also address the origin of Homo sapiens in the biological sense….  maybe in the future inshallah

    • Jjwhite2000

      February 7, 2012 at 12:43 PM

      • osams

        February 10, 2012 at 6:18 PM

        jazakallahu khair.  I agree with the answer as it relates to evolution in geeral, but it still did not fully address my question…  From the Quran one can surmise that Adam and Eve descended physically from heaven, so was there introduction to the biosphere something that could be classified as the proliferation of an invasive species which wiped out other hominids via competition?  Or did they come down in a form which we would now call proto-human?      

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  12. yahman

    December 6, 2012 at 1:43 AM

    Al salam alikum,
    I am a confused Muslim, I need someone to help me understand. why does god say we created man, instead of saying I created man? who is we? why does god say man instead of saying human? what about women? aren’t women created from a drop of sperm just like men?

    • Ahmad Ali

      October 17, 2013 at 8:00 PM

      Walaikum Assalam brother. there is no need to be confused. The Quran in arabic mentions the creation of ” الْإِنسَانَ ” transliterated as “Insaan” which means “human/s”.. the translator actually means “mankind” when he says “man” as that is the way it is usually is meant. and same is the case with “we”. As Quran mentions it clearly in Surah Al’Ikhlaas:

      بِسۡمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحۡمٰنِ الرَّحِیۡمِ
      قُلۡ هُوَ اللّٰہُ اَحَدٌ
      اَللّٰہُ الصَّمَدُ
      لَمۡ یَلِدۡۙ وَ لَمۡ یُوۡلَدۡ
      وَ لَمۡ یَکُنۡ لَّهّ کُفُوًا اَحَدٌ

      “Say: He is Allah, the One and Only; Allah, the eternally Besought of all! He neither begets nor is born. And there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him.”

      the translation can never be accurate as the arabic itself, as arabic is a very complex language. it is impossible to fully understand arabic by merely the translation, You have to look for different translations and interpretations of the sentence or even just a word..
      May ALLAH bless you brother
      Assalam Alaikum..

  13. usmi

    January 11, 2013 at 7:29 AM

    brother yahman, i am sending mine e mail id pls contact me on face book or yahoo id, in sha allah we will argue on this important topic,

  14. Zito Miah

    January 27, 2013 at 5:23 PM

    New post: Embryology in the Quran-correlation studies http://islampapers.com/2012/03/16/moore/

  15. Ahmad Ali

    October 17, 2013 at 8:02 PM

    Yes, how can I be of service?

  16. Halima

    March 26, 2015 at 2:49 PM

    Salam alaikom,Allah bless you my sister, such an enriching article that portrays again the magnificy and beauty of the Quran and Islam.
    I am a student and I have a debate about the following topic: “Are humans descended from apes?”. I am against as any Muslim but it ‘s an exam and my opponents(who are for) are american students and will blow me with refutation and I am afraid I lose the debate .Can you please advise me or give me some strong pertinent arguments because the only argument I CAN FIND is religious.The teacher always tells us : “you should know your opponents arguments “. That ‘s true but they will have more strong arguments starting from Darwin’s theory to whatever fact.I am therefore very sad because once they provoke me using sarcasm , I tend to be affected. Would you mind
    guide me over this topic so that I can at least peacefully pass this debate.
    Thank you so much and please all my apologies if I disturbed you. Anyway, I appreciate your help. Salam

  17. zizu6

    April 11, 2015 at 9:13 AM

    Great article. I just want to emphasise on the mentioning of the word “clay”. Allah has told us that he has made us from clay which is a mixture of water and the earths crust. Nutritionist and Bio Chemists now agree that the human body will not function in its optimum level if it is deficient in one or more of the 92 mineral elements found in the ocean (around 65% of the elements) and earths crust ( around 35% of elements). I need to do more research on this but it just shows you the Miracle that is the Quran gives you the key to open up so many doors. God bless you all.

  18. Kamal abi bakr

    May 9, 2015 at 5:05 PM

    Jazakillahu khair,sister

  19. Sobiabhatti

    May 18, 2015 at 7:10 AM

    I was reading about shakhseyat ki taqmeel and there for I was researching on this question that who am I? and Wht is our origin ? So I have opened this site and I have got too much information from here .

  20. SALLEH

    June 26, 2015 at 9:55 PM

    فَلْيَنظُرِ الْإِنسَانُ مِمَّ خُلِقَ – خُلِقَ مِن مَّاء دَافِقٍ – يَخْرُجُ مِن بَيْنِ الصُّلْبِ وَالتَّرَائِبِ

    “Now let man but think from what he is created. He is created from a drop emitted. Proceeding from between the backbone and the ribs.” [86:5-7]

    What is a misleading information that Allah wants man to think?

  21. Ahmedmurshe

    August 28, 2015 at 10:01 AM

    Masha allah jizakumulaahul khayr

  22. Zaapini

    September 21, 2015 at 8:34 PM

    Masha Allaah Thanks for the article. For me I think there will always be a controversy surrounding how Adam was created and the creation of his offspring. I believe in what the Quran informs me about my creation and so do other Muslims. We should always continue to educate and equip ourselves with the admonitions from the Quran. We have more verses in the glorious Quran about how human should live and contribute towards the development and harmonization of issues in his community. We have to read the Quran, Arabic and or the English translated version as many as we can to protect and preserve our faith against Satan and our fellows who are burnt on denigrating Islam. Islam stand for peace, tolerance, humbleness and humility.

    • Sabastian Anthony

      September 21, 2015 at 9:43 PM

      Dear Brother,

      I can’t agree with you more. One hundred percent in agreement with what you said and your interpretation of the verse/s.

      Allahumdillah

  23. Zaapini

    September 21, 2015 at 9:07 PM

    @Halima
    Salam alaikom,Allah bless you my sister, such an enriching article that portrays again the magnificy and beauty of the Quran and Islam.
    I am a student and I have a debate about the following topic: “Are humans descended from apes?”. I am against as any Muslim but it ‘s an exam and my opponents(who are for) are american students and will blow me with refutation and I am afraid I lose the debate .Can you please advise me or give me some strong pertinent arguments because the only argument I CAN FIND is religious.

    I am sure by now your debate will be over. Sorry there was no comment to help you take a decision. You cannot win a debate of that nature in a non religious class. It was about the theory of evolution. In my high school I enjoyed the topic much especially the theory of natural selection and survival of the fittest. I answered these in my examinations. But that is not to say I believed in the arguments of Charles Darwin. Certainly, human stature, size and longevity (age) is diminishing right from Adam to this present generation. But as to how these changes happened overtime we are not told in the Quran. Islam does not allow us to speculate or make assumptions on creation. Devine order are facts and needed to be discussed with caution and not just how I see it.

  24. Sam

    February 1, 2016 at 2:35 PM

    This is so silly, arrogant ignorance is so annoying. Do you even read when you write something. Its a mess. Were you made out of clay or a drop of sperm which flows from a rib cage to a backbone?? (this in itself enough reason to raise an eyebrow). Do you know that Koran writes exactly what Golen, Greek doctor wrote many years before it was written in the Koran. His works have been translated and Mohammad was aware of that work very well, since he seems to have used similar phrases to describe his creationism theory or maybe people who wrote the Koran later added like that. Also there is not a single scientific claim in the Koran, which is reliable or not utterly ridiculous. Like the Sun will never catch the Moon, hello solar eclipse?? Oooops! Or that the sun sets in a muddy puddle, yeah right, tell that to a five year old get a good laugh. Or that salty and sweet water don’t mix, hello God should have know why, there is an obvious reason, not a miracle. Or going back to creationism theory – 4 stages of embryo development, Koran claims first a blood clot, not true, humans are never a blood clot, miscarriages are but not the embryo, 2. God sends his angels to give a baby sex after 40 days of its conception, sorry God the sex of the baby is determined the second that egg is inseminated its either 2 X chromosomes for a girl or Y and X for a boy. God almighty should know these things right.

    • Afnan

      June 3, 2016 at 2:41 PM

      No they didn’t .
      And then just show your proofs.
      We have shown ours.

    • Salman

      December 12, 2016 at 3:13 PM

      Dear, the very first verses of Quran says that Jebrael came to Mohammad (P.B.U.H) and asked him to “Read”, but his reply was “I am not literate”, so probably he would not have read the literature of that Greek doctor (if there is any). Another important thing is that the sperms are created in testicles. Right? What is its position? Isn’t that testicles, in the cross-section of body, exist between the ribs and the backbone? Now, solar eclipse…does it mean that moon has traveled all the way to sun and has caught it?? Its simply in the way of light of sun, not at the sun. Now about that sun setting in muddy water, the verse has used, if you read it more clearly and carefully, the word of “It appeared to”, so, the sun appeared to be setting in muddy water to Zulqarnain. For your objection that blood clot is not in the stages of embryo development, answer is simple. Quran does not use the word “blood”, no single word means blood clot in the verses. Now an important thing about XX and XY for defining gender. It is scientifically proven that an XY not necessarily means a man and same is the case for XX. If you still have any doubts about what Quran says is wrong then do study it well and ponder upon it. And, if you really think that you are right then provide us with evidence. In fact, I want you to explain me the scientific reason for not mixing of sweet and salty water.?

  25. Pingback: Best Islamic Education To a Child Imparting from very Childhood

  26. Menna el Gindy

    March 25, 2016 at 8:39 AM

    it’s really informative and clear. it really helped me with my work it was very direct and easily understood as it makes The Qur’an even more beautiful than it really is

  27. van

    April 1, 2016 at 2:19 PM

    As a Christian in seminary, who lived with wonderful Muslims on 4 continents, and attended mosque (Salat Jumma, Raka’at), and who has studied the Qu’ran for 26-years–I apologize for the ignorant statements I saw by someone misusing God’s Hebrew name to insult the Prophet. Please know there are many Christians who love, respect and appreciate the Islamic faith and great Muslim people (our family, friends and good neighbors). It is very un-Christian to disrespect, misjudge and insult others, especially those who love the same one true God.
    – Van

  28. JUNAID ANSARI

    April 13, 2016 at 1:58 AM

    those who contradict of QURAN doesnt know that they are refusing and neglecting JESSUS p.b.u.h bcoz he has proclaimed in the BIBLE thaty Muhammad S>A>W will come after me and then he will be only person to be follow completely.He will show you the truth….
    Prophet MUhammaAD PBUH HAS showed you all the real truth…
    i just dont know that what u people think and do…
    your senses has been sealed actually and you all dont know what to do….
    when evrythings is cleared to all of us…
    Quran is for evryone wheather he is living saudi arabia,in england and so on….
    read your BIBLE first what it says….LOLZ

  29. Fatimat Bint

    April 20, 2016 at 5:00 AM

    Maa sha Allah, may Allah S.W.T increase us in knowledge.

  30. Clitusmark

    May 23, 2016 at 7:14 AM

    Ahmed Ali has a very good question “we” who is this we and I find the same thing in the Bible let “us make man ” Genesis 1:26 and 11:7 who are this we and us that this books are talking about?
    If an atheists believe in the same thing that you guys are arguing over then wat is the difference ?
    As Islam are after giving people what they want or what they need? is that why you hold on anything that you think people will like.Tell people what is religious the idea of following what the world offer is wrong
    After the creation of human and any other animal God said be fruitful multiply and fill the earth not a gain him creating human being read the book of Genesis 1:1- if Koran does not provide
    It that blessings that enables every living creature to reproduce.

  31. Louis

    June 1, 2016 at 3:29 PM

    I understand that creation in the Quran applies to each individual human being (and presumably individuals of other species too), not just the creation of the species as a whole. Except that the dust or clay stage only applies to the first humans, and is skipped when Allah creates new specimens. Now I have a very concrete question : What are the start and end points of the process of individual creation? Does it start when the sperm fertilises the egg and a zygote is formed? Or does creation start with the formation of the egg and sperm cells? Does creation end with birth, or before that, or when the child reaches adulthood? Or does the creation of a single human being end with her death?

  32. Solomon David

    June 7, 2016 at 4:00 PM

    It’s so nonsensical to portray the koran as a science book. I am not surprised if Mohamed or Koran relates sperm with birth. It is not ground breaking. It doesn’t need deep thought. Any ignorant person, specially someone who lives near a farm and observes the mechanics of reproduction on a daily basis can speculate on the subject and arrive at a more or less similar result. Ancient Greeks (Hippocrates for example) and Romans centuries before Islam wrote on the subject in a much more accurate detail. They even speculated the dominant characteristics of of either of the parents would show in the child. This was proved by Gregor Mendel thousands of years later. Read History, or even a simple google will show what is said here is not original. Even if it is original it doesn’t seem so imaginative to me to warrant it as a word of god. One sentence from the works of Archimedes and Aristarchus thousands of years before contains more information on the nature of the world than the entire koran.

  33. Mohammad Riyazudeen

    June 18, 2016 at 10:00 AM

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XOD2KXXzsjM
    christian brothers and sisters plz watch this Link

  34. usman

    July 21, 2016 at 9:19 PM

    respected messers, salaam

    i read the above page (article) and there is a verse of quran you have mentioned above which says “Have We not created you from a fluid (held) despicable?” [77:20]. sir i want to let you know, (it may be someone else’s mistake not yours but,) that despicable means contemptible or worth hatered or detestable or disgusting. Allah never told us human being that he (Allah) created us from a detestable or disgusting liquid. The right word that should be used here is disdained not despicable. i’m sure that the mistake would be someone else’s not yours.

    Thankyou

  35. big taz

    September 7, 2016 at 12:22 PM

    isn’t it strange that allah did not know about women eggs? also it is NOT the fluid that creates but the sperms carried in the fluid so its not correct at all. the quran is not the word of an all knowing god at all its hamheads imagination and knowledge of the campfire stories he heard whilst travelling

  36. Zack Nikki

    September 8, 2016 at 3:57 AM

    The Truth?
    Truth oh Truth.
    Hmmmm…
    Who is even close to you on this platform.
    She says this and he says that. They also have their own versions.

    Let Judgement come and may mankind know you oh Truth.
    Until then…
    “I AM THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE, NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT THROUGH ME”.
    That is a serious statement for an individual to make.
    Mohammed (peace be unto his name) or Jesus.
    If there is a God i pray thee, may you please show yourself to those of us on this platform.

  37. megan

    September 29, 2016 at 9:00 AM

    THE GOD OF THE BIBLE WHO CALLS HIMSELF “IAM WHO “I AM” IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT FROM THE SO CALLED ALLAH. WHY DON’T YOU JUST LEAVE IT AT THAT? CAN’T ALLAH AS A DIFFERENT GOD STAND ALONE WITH HIS PROPHET MUHAMED? AFTERALL THERE ARE MANY GODS HERE UNDER THE SUN. YAHWEH IS YAHWEH AND ALLAH IS ALLAH.

  38. Nur

    October 5, 2016 at 12:24 PM

    May one day, His hidayah comes to guide all of you. At this moment, let’s just respect each other beliefs and religion. I’m muslim and I love peace, harmony :)

    • JABI

      October 18, 2016 at 2:27 AM

      NICE BRO IT IS THE PARTICULAR MATTER OF SINGLE WORLD SO NICE BRO

  39. Ashik

    October 18, 2016 at 3:53 AM

    Like this article…jaxakallah hayr

  40. Naveed

    December 7, 2016 at 1:15 PM

    A Muslim knows what is true and doesn’t needs to give reason to prove his religion …Allah sent many prophets down on earth and many of the generations didn’t believed on them n told then lairs and then Allah vanished them with the sound of a single bast n whole generation was viper down.

  41. Abdul Rasaq bin Badmus

    December 11, 2016 at 2:57 PM

    wow i love this

  42. agharta

    April 1, 2017 at 10:50 AM

    It is interesting that Allah did not know the creation of a man requires sperm and an eggs. This is not a dispute. It is fact.

  43. Aghora

    May 6, 2017 at 2:59 PM

    But it doesn’t answer why he created us…

  44. Salaam

    February 19, 2020 at 2:57 AM

    Created from black mud حماءٍ

  45. The questioner

    August 14, 2023 at 4:59 PM

    Can someone explain the verse where the Qur’an says humans come from sperm which originates from between your back bone and ribs???? That’s clearly not true so how can this be the word of God?

    Now let man but think from what he is created. He is created from a drop emitted. Proceeding from between the backbone and the ribs.” [86:5-7]

    • Wael Abdelgawad

      November 29, 2023 at 3:33 PM

      Testes and ovaries are formed in the abdomen of the fetus during the first weeks of pregnancy, before descending to their permanent place in the pelvis. Both are sustained by arteries originating between the backbone and the ribcage. So this is yet a further proof of the miraculous nature of the Quran, because back in those times, everyone would have known that the sperm came from the testicles, and would have no knowledge beyond that.

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