science of thought and ethics (2)

I

Who gave the Qur’aan this name?

Praise to be Allaah,

You have answered your own question, as it were, because it is Allaah who gave His

Book this name, "Qur’aan."

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

"The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’aan . . ." [al-Baqarah 2:185] "Do

they not then consider the Qur’aan carefully . . .?" [al-Nisaa’ 4:82] "So, when the Qur’aan is

recited, listen to it, and be silent that you may receive mercy . . ." [al-A ‘raaf 7:204] "Verily,

Allaah has purchased of the believers their lives and their properties, for the price that their shall

be Paradise. They fight in Allaah’s Cause, so they kill (others) and are killed. It is a promise in

truth which is binding on Him in the Tawraat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel) and the

Qur’aan . . ." [al-Tawbah 9:111] "And this Qur’aan is not such as could ever be produced by

other than Alaah, but it is a confirmation of (the revelation) which was before it, and a full

explanation of the Book wherein there is no doubt from the Lord of the ‘Aalameen (mankind,

jinn and all that exists)" [Yunus 10:37] "Verily, We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’aan in

order that you might understand" [Yusuf 12:2] "We relate unto you [Muhammad] the best of

stories through Our Revelations unto you, of this Qur’aan. And before this, you were among

those who knew nothing about it (the Qur’aan)." [Yusuf 12:3]

"And indeed, We have bestowed upon you seven of al-Mathaani (the seven repeatedly

recited verses, i.e. Soorat al-Faatihah) and the Grand Qur’aan." [al-Hijr 15:87] "So when you

want to recite the Qur’aan, seek refuge with Allaah from Shaytaan, the outcast (the cursed one)."

[al-Nahl 16:98] "Verily, this Qur’aan guides to that which is most just . . ." [al-Israa’ 17:9] "And

We send down from the Qur’aan that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe, and it

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increases the zaalimoon (wrongdoers) nothing but loss." [al-Israa’ 17:82] "Say: ‘If mankind and

the jinns were together to produce the like of this Qur’aan, they could not produce the like

thereof, even if they helped one another.’" [al-Israa’ 17:88] "And (it is) a Qur’aan which We

have divided )into parts), in order that you might recite it to men at intervals. And We have

revealed it by stages." [al-Israa’ 17:106] "We have not sent down the Qur’aan unto you [O

Muhammad] to cause you distress" [Ta-Ha 20:2] "Then High above all be Allaah, the True King.

And be not in haste (O Muhammad) with the Qur’aan before its revelation is completed to you,

and say: ‘My Lord! Increase me in knowledge.’" [Ta-Ha 20:114] "Ta-Seen [These letters are one

of the miracles of the Qur’aan, and none but Allaah (Alone) knows their meanings]. These are

the Verses of the Qur’aan, and (it is) a Book (that makes things) clear" [al-Naml 27:1] "And

verily, you (O Muhammad) are receiving the Qur’aan from the One, All-Wise, All-Knowing."

[al-Naml 27:6] "Verily, He Who has given you (O Muhammad) the Qur’aan will surely bring

you back to the Ma’aad (place of return, either to Makkah or to Pradise after your death) . . ." [al-

Qasas 28:85] "By the Qur’aan, full of wisdom" [Yaa-Seen 36:2] "And indeed, We have made the

Qur’aan easy to understand and remember, then is there any that will remember (or receive

admonition)?" [al-Qamar 54:40] "That (this) is indeed an honourable recital (the Noble

Qur’aan)." [al-Waaqi’ah 56:77] "Had We sent down this Qur’aan on a mountain, you would

surely have seen it humbling itself and rending asunder by the fear of Allah . . ." [al-Hashr 59:21]

"or a little more; and recite the Qur’aan (aloud) in a slow, (pleasant tone and) style." [al-

Muzzammil 73:4] "Nay! This is a Glorious Qur’aan" [al-Burooj 85:21]

Can there be any doubt after reading all these aayaat that it is Allaah - and not Abu Bakr

(may Allaah be pleased with him) or anyone else - Who has given the name "Qur’aan" to the

Book which He revealed to Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)?

In Arabic, the word "Qur’an" comes from the word meaning al-qar’, which means

"gathering" and "putting things together." It is so called because it is a collection of all the siwar

(plural of surah). It was also suggested that it is so called because it combines the fruits of the

previously-revealed books, or because it combines all kinds of knowledge. (See al-Itqaan by al-

Suyooti, 1/162-163).

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Finally, we advise you to check what you read so that you do not get confused by

unreliable sources in books and magazines that may cause you to doubt the truth. May Allaah

bless you and us with beneficial knowledge and help us to perform righteous deeds.

Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

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II

Is it true that there is no evidence of a Qur’aan being written in the 7th century?

Praise be to Allaah.

This is a false and incorrect statement made by those who try to find faults with Islam so

as to put people off this religion. It is sufficient to know that Allaah has guaranteed to preserve

the Qur’aan, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, We, it is We Who have sent down the Dhikr (i.e. the Qur’aan) and surely, We

will guard it (from corruption).” [al-Hijr 15:9]

Moreover, the fact that the transmission of the Qur’aan by memory and in writing was

mutawaatir – narrated by groups to groups [to such an extent that so many people could not

conceivably have agreed upon a lie] – is well known to anyone who has the slightest

acquaintance with Islamic knowledge, especially knowledge of recitations and reciters.

There are still many people nowadays who have learned the Qur’aan orally, with isnaads

directly going back to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).

One of the miracles of Allaah’s protection of the Qur’aan is the fact that those who try to

tamper with it are always found out.

The point is, everything that was revealed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah

be upon him) was written down in front of him straight away, and some of the Sahaabah had

masaahif (written copies of the Qur’aan). After the death of the Prophet (peace and blessings of

Allaah be upon him), the first khaleefah, Abu Bakr al-Siddeeq (may Allaah be pleased with him)

gathered the Qur’aan in written and kept it. Then the third khaleefah, ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaan

(may Allaah be pleased with him) compiled it in mus-hafs that were based on the mus-haf

compiled by Abu Bakr, in addition to what had been memorized.

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When we realize that the Qur’aan was written down and compiled by the Sahaabah, and

‘Uthmaan sent copies of the Mus-haf during his reign to all the main centres of Islam, so that it

would be a reference for them, and there were no disputes concerning them, then how can we say

that there is no written trace of the Qur’aan in the seventh century? Moreover, there are several

ancient manuscripts of the Qur’aan in libraries and museums which bear visible testimony to the

fact that nothing has been changed in the Book of Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of the

meaning):

“And verily, it is an honourable well-fortified respected Book (because it is Allaah’s

Speech, and He has protected it from corruption). Falsehood cannot come to it from before it or

behind it, (it is) sent down by the All-Wise, Worthy of all praise (Allaah).” [Fussilat 41:41-42]

And Allaah knows best.


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III

What do Islam and Quran say about the big problem we have in the world so called

"global warming"? Does the science in Quran tell something about this?


The problem of global warming is regarded as one of the most serious environmental

problems of our time, concerning which experts have held many conferences and published

many articles about its dire consequences. These experts attribute this rise in temperature to the

accumulation of gases in the atmosphere that is caused by factories, power stations and car

emissions, which has led to a rise in air temperature and ocean temperature, which threatens to

melt the ice-caps and cause flooding of land, which is expected to change the features of some

countries completely and to change the climate of vast areas on earth.

We could not find anything about this in the Qur’aan and Sunnah, apart from one hadeeth

which some scholars who are specialized in sharee’ah and environmental sciences say has to do

with this topic, and some of the most prominent specialists in the world agreed with them, which

is that the Arabian Peninsula will again become meadows and rivers. They attribute that to a

complete change in the earth’s climate and the melting of the Arctic ice cap due to global

warming.

What we think is that Arabia becoming meadows and rivers again is something

concerning which there is no doubt, but we cannot be certain that it will happen because of the

melting of the ice cap, because that is known only to Allaah. But we mention this view because it

is relevant and because it has been said by some specialists, both Muslims and kaafirs.

The hadeeth is, it was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that

the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Hour will not 6

begin until the land of the Arabs once again becomes meadows and rivers.” Narrated by Muslim

(157). Meadows refers to spacious land with a great deal of vegetation.

1. Dr. Zaghloul al-Najjaar says:

This hadeeth is a scientific miracle that describes a natural fact that was not understood

by scientists until the late twentieth century, when it was proven by definitive evidence that the

Arabian Peninsula was meadows and rivers in ancient times. Climate studies have also indicated

that the arid desert is now on its way to becoming meadows and rivers again, because the earth

throughout its long history passes through climatic changes that take place gradually over long

periods of time, or they may be sudden and swift.

Climate studies indicate that we are coming into a new rainy period, the evidence of

which is the shift of the ice-cap in the northern hemisphere towards the south, and a noticeable

fall in winter temperatures.

The fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) referred to this ice

age in his hadeeth “until the land of the Arabs once again becomes meadows and rivers” is proof

of his Prophethood, and shows that he was always connected to divine revelation, and was taught

by the Creator of the heavens and the earth. End quote.

See: http://www.eqraa.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=3687

2. Shaykh ‘Abd al-Majeed al-Zandaani said:

Professor Alfred Kroner, one of the most famous geologists in the world, attended a

geological conference in the College of Earth Sciences in the King ‘Abd al-‘Azeez University. I

said to him: Do you have any proof that Arabia was once gardens and rivers? He said: Yes, this

is well known to us and it is a scientific fact. Geologists know this because if you dig in any area

you will find signs that tell you that this land used to be meadows and rivers. There is a lot of

evidence.

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I said to him: Do you have any evidence that Arabia will once again become meadows

and rivers?

He said: This is something real and proven. We geologists know it and measure it and

calculate it. We can say approximately when it will happen, and it is not far off, it is quite close.

I said: Why?

He said: Because we have studied the history of the earth in the past, and we have found

that it passes through many stages, one of which is the ice ages. What does ice age mean? It

means that a certain amount of sea water turns into ice and collects at the North Pole, then it

begins to shift towards the south, and when it shifts towards the south it covers whatever is

beneath it, and the climate on earth changes. Among the climatic changes is the change that takes

place in Arabia, where the weather becomes cold and Arabia becomes one of the lands which has

the most rain and rivers on earth.

I said: Can you confirm that for us?

He said: Yes, this is an undeniable fact.

I said to him: Listen, who told Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)

of that? This is all mentioned in a hadeeth that was narrated by Muslim; he (peace and blessings

of Allaah be upon him) said: “The Hour will not begin until the land of the Arabs once again

becomes meadows and rivers.” Who told Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon

him) that Arabia was once meadows and rivers? He thought, then he said: The Romans. I said to

him: And who told him that Arabia would once again become meadows and rivers? He thought

for a moment and said: The One Who is above! Then I said to him: Write it down. So he wrote in

his own hand: I am astonished at the scientific facts that I have seen in the Qur’aan and Sunnah,

which we could not prove until recently by modern scientific methods. This indicates that the

Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not attain this knowledge

except by revelation from above.

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By Allaah, I spent only two and a half hours with this German until he said all of that.

This giant among scientists wrote that and approved of it, which indicates that there is one

science, one truth, One God.

End quote from http://www.science4islam.com/index.aspx?act=da&id=133



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IV

If Allah SWT made everything in 6 days why do we have 7 days in a week?


Firstly, we cannot be certain about anything with regard of the division of the week into

seven days, or the time when this division began – was it before the creation of the heavens and

the earth, or was the creation of the heavens and the earth what led to this division? The reason

for that is that we have no clear evidence which states anything certain to that effect. But what is

indicated by a study of calendars and the customs and reports of different nations is that the

division of the week into seven days is connected to religion and taken from it, and that it has to

do with reports and rulings of religion.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Majmoo’ al-

Fataawa (7/95): Every nation that does not have a Book has no names for days of the week in

their languages, rather they have names for the day, the month and the year, because that may be

known on tangible and rational ways, so the nations gave them names, because expression

follows visualization. But the week was only known by hearing (reports). It was not known that

Allaah created the heavens and the earth and everything in between in six days then rose over the

Throne except by the words of the Prophets who were enjoined to gather together on one day of

the week to worship Allaah and remember the first week in which Allaah began to create the

universe. In Arabic and Hebrew and the languages of those who learned from them, there are

words for the days of the week, unlike the language of the Turks and others like them; there are

no words for the days of the week in their language because they did not know of that so they

have no words for it.

Dr. Jawaad ‘Ali says: The month is divided into four sections, and each section is a week

composed of seven days. The idea of this division is attributed to the Babylonians, but the days

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of the week and their order in the manner that is known until now is a system that appeared long

after them. The week (shavu’ah in Hebrew) is mentioned in the Torah, in the Book of Genesis.

Based on both the Jewish Sabbath and the story of creation, the week was organized along the

lines that are still prevalent today. End quote. Al-Mufassal fi Tareekh al-‘Arab qabl al-Islam

(16/96).



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V

Is there life on other planets or in other galaxies?


As for the seven heavens, they are populated by the angels, as Allaah says (interpretation

of the meaning):

“Nearly the heavens might be rent asunder from above them (by His Majesty), and the

angels glorify the praises of their Lord, and ask for forgiveness for those on the earth. Verily,

Allaah is the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful”

[al-Shoora 42:5]

“But if they are too proud (to do so), then there are those who are with your Lord (angels)

glorify Him night and day, and never are they tired”

[Fussilat 41:38]

Al-Tirmidhi (2312) narrated that Abu Dharr (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The

Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Verily I see what you

do not see and I hear what you do not hear. The heaven is creaking and it should creak, for there

is no space in it the width of four fingers but there is an angel there, prostrating to Allaah. By

Allaah, if you knew what I know, you would laugh little and weep much, and you would never

enjoy women in your beds, and you would go out in the streets, beseeching Allaah.” Classed as

hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.

In al-Saheehayn it is narrated from Maalik ibn Sa’sa’ah, in the story of al-Isra’ wa’l-

Mi’raaj (the Prophet’s Night Journey and Ascent into heaven): “ … Then the Much-Frequented

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House (al-bayt al-ma’moor) was raised up for me, and I said: ‘O Jibreel, what is this?’ He said:

‘This is the Much-Frequented House. Every day seventy thousand angels enter it and when they

depart from it, they never return to it.” Al-Bukhaari (3207) and Muslim (164).

This has to do with the heavens. As for the planets and other galaxies, our answer is to

say: Allaah knows best.


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VI

Is the earth in the first heaven (al-sama’ al-dunya) or beneath it, knowing that the

Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was taken up to the heavens

and ascending can only be from something lower to something higher?


The lowest heaven (al-sama’ al-dunya’) encompasses the earth and is high above it.

Wherever a person goes on earth, the heaven is above him.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said:

It is well known from a rational point of view that the air is above the earth, and the

heaven is above the earth. This was known before it was known that the heaven encompasses the

earth. Being above something does not necessarily mean encompassing, even though

encompassing does not contradict it. Hence the people knew that the heaven is above the earth,

and the clouds above the earth, before it ever occurred to them that it encompasses the earth.

Dar’ al-Ta’aarud, 6/336, 337

Ibn al-Qayyim said in al-Sawaa’iq al-Mursalah, 4/1308, that the view that the heaven

does not encompass the earth and is only above it, is a view that goes against scholarly consensus

and that which is indicated by reason and tangible evidence.

Ibn Hazm said:

Based on this evidence, the earth is a place that is beneath the heaven, hence the heaven

is above the earth and with regard to the son of Adam, his head points towards the heavens and

his feet towards the earth.

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Al-Fasl bayna al-Milal wa’l-Nahl, 2/243



15

VII

Were the recent earthquakes caused by a disturbance in the earth’s rotation and is

the direction of rotation about to be reversed?


What is attributed in this message to Dr Zaghlool al-Najjaar is not correct. The Doctor

himself had denied it when he was asked about it on the Minbar al-Jazeerah show discussing

Arab preparations to face disasters, on the al-Jazeerah satellite channel.

He replied: “By Allaah, my dear brother, this idea is completely and utterly baseless. It

seems that there are devils among mankind who want to spread some of these myths through me,

because they know how much the people love me by the grace of Allaah, so they will believe

these words.

Firstly: I repeat all the time that the Hereafter has laws which are completely different to

the laws of this world.

Secondly: The Hereafter, as the Qur’aan says, will come suddenly, as Allaah describes it

(interpretation of the meaning):

“Heavy is its burden through the heavens and the earth. It shall not come upon you except

all of a sudden”

[al-A’raaf 7:187]

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Thirdly: The mass of the earth is approximately six thousand billion million million tons.

Although they are powerful, these earthquakes cannot change the speed of the earth’s rotation or

slow it down.

Some people say – and this can be found on the internet and it is correct – that if the

explosion is in the opposite direction to the earth’s rotation, it can slow it down, and if it is in the

same direction, it can speed up the earth’s rotation around its axis. But in either case the

difference is no more than a millionth of a second. So how can it be said that this is one of the

major signs of the Hour? The major signs have been defined by our Prophet (peace and blessings

of Allaah be upon him) in precise detail, and there is no room for ijtihaad when the ahaadeeth of

the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) are so clear.” End quote.

The Doctor has also explained in other discussions the cause of these earthquakes from a

scientific point of view, as well as stating that they are a punishment for sin.


“And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned.

And He pardons much”

[al-Shoora 42:30]

“Evil (sins and disobedience to Allaah) has appeared on land and sea because of what the

hands of men have earned (by oppression and evil deeds), that He (Allaah) may make them taste

a part of that which they have done, in order that they may return (by repenting to Allaah, and

begging His Pardon)”

[al-Room 30:41]



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VIII

Are sperm alive or do they have no soul?


Both the sperm and the ovum are alive in a sense which, if they are free from defects,

prepares each of them to join with the other, if Allaah wills and decrees it to happen. When that

happens, if Allaah wills it, the embryo is formed and is also alive in a manner that suits it and

prepares it to grow and develop, moving through the known stages. When the soul is breathed

into it, it becomes alive in another sense, by the permission of Allaah, the Subtle One, the Aware.

No matter how a man tries, even if he is a highly-skilled doctor, he can never comprehend all the

secrets and stages of development of pregnancy. Allaah says (interpretation of the meanings):

“Allaah knows what every female bears, and by how much the wombs fall short (of their

time or number) or exceed. Everything with Him is in (due) proportion. All-Knower of the

unseen and the seen, the Most Great, the Most High.” [al-Ra’d 13:8-9]

“Verily, Allaah! With Him (Alone) is the knowledge of the Hour, He sends down the

rain, and knows that which is in the wombs…” [Luqmaan 31:34]

(Fataawa Islamiyyah li’l-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 488).

Life is of varying kinds, and each being is alive in a manner that suits it by the power of

Allaah. So plants are alive in a manner that suits them, sperm is alive in a manner that suits it,

and man is alive in a manner that suits him, and so on. Allaah is the Creator of all this, and He

has made water the basis of every living thing, as He says in the Qur’aan (interpretation of the

meaning):

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“Have not those who disbelieve known that the heavens and the earth were joined

together as one united piece, then We parted them? And We have made from water every living

thing. Will they not then believe?” [al-Anbiya’ 21:30]


Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid.

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IX

There are people who say that long ago man was a monkey and he evolved. Is this

true? Is there any evidence?


This view is not correct, and the evidence for that is that Allaah has described in the

Qur’aan the stages of the creation of Adam. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, the likeness of ‘Eesa (Jesus) before Allaah is the likeness of Adam. He created

him from dust, then (He) said to him: ‘Be!’ — and he was”

[Aal ‘Imraan 3:59]

This dust was moistened until it became sticky mud or clay that stuck to the hands.


“And indeed We created man (Adam) out of an extract of clay (water and earth)”

[al-Mu’minoon 23:12]

“Verily, We created them of a sticky clay”

[al-Saaffaat 37:12]

Then it became dried (sounding) clay of altered mud. Allaah says (interpretation of the

meaning):

“And indeed, We created man from dried (sounding) clay of altered mud”

[al-Hijr 15:26]

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Then when it dried it became sounding clay like the clay of pottery. Allaah says


“He created man (Adam) from sounding clay like the clay of pottery”

[al-Rahmaan 55:14]

Then Allaah moulded it into the form that He wanted and breathed into him (his) soul

created by Him. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“(Remember) when your Lord said to the angels: ‘Truly, I am going to create man from

clay’.

So when I have fashioned him and breathed into him (his) soul created by Me, then you

fall down prostrate to him”

[Saad 38:71-72]

These are the stages through which the creation of Adam passed according to the

Qur’aan. As for the stages of creation which the progeny of Adam pass through, Allaah says


“And indeed We created man (Adam) out of an extract of clay (water and earth).

Thereafter We made him (the offspring of Adam) as a Nutfah (mixed drops of the male

and female sexual discharge and lodged it) in a safe lodging (womb of the woman).

Then We made the Nutfah into a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood), then We made

the clot into a little lump of flesh, then We made out of that little lump of flesh bones, then We

clothed the bones with flesh, and then We brought it forth as another creation. So Blessed is

Allaah, the Best of creators”

[al-Mu’minoon 23:12-14]

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With regard to the wife of Adam – Hawwa’ (Eve) – Allaah tells us that He created her

from him, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam), and

from him (Adam) He created his wife [Hawwa (Eve)], and from them both He created many men

and women”

[al-Nisa’ 4:1]


Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 1/31.

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X

Did Allaah create man from clay or from something else that is not fully described

in the Qur’aan?


Firstly, Allaah created Adam (peace be upon him) from the earth i.e., from what it

contains. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Thereof (the earth) We created you, and into it We shall return you, and from it We shall

bring you out once again”

[Ta-Ha 20:55]

He created him from the dust of the earth, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, the likeness of ‘Eesa (Jesus) before Allaah is the likeness of Adam. He created

him from dust…”

[Aal ‘Imraan 3:59]

There are many similar verses in the Qur’aan.

Then the dust was combined with water to form clay, as the Lord of the Worlds says


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“He it is Who has created you from clay, and then has decreed a (stated) term (for you to

die). And there is with Him another determined term (for you to be resurrected)”

[al-An’aam 6:2]

There are also many similar verses.

This clay was sticky – or it was said, viscous – as it says in the verse (interpretation of the

meaning):

“Verily, We created them of a sticky clay”

[al-Saaffaat 37:11]

Ibn Manzoor said: the words laazib (sticky) comes from the root lazuba which has the

meaning of becoming sticky and solid.

Lisaan al-‘Arab, 1/738

Then this sticky clay became muntin (stinking). Allaah says (interpretation of the

meaning):

“And indeed, We created man from dried (sounding) clay of altered mud [min hama’in

masnoon]”

[al-Hijr 15:26]

Al-Raazi said:

Al-hama’ means black mud.

(Mukhtaar al-Sihaah, p. 64).

It says in Lisaan al-‘Arab (1/61):

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Al-hama’ means black, stinking mud. In the Qur’aan it says “min hama’in masnoon.”

And it says in Lisaan al-‘Arab (13/227):

“Masnoon means muntin (stinking), as in the verse ‘min hamaa’in masnoon.’ Abu ‘Amr

said: this means altered and stinking. Abu’l-Haytham said: sunna al-ma’, fa huwa masnoon, i.e.,

the water changed, so it was altered (masnoon).”

When this mud was mixed with sand, it became salsaal (dried clay).

Al-Raazi said:

Salsaal is hot mud mixed with sand, so it starts to clank or clatter when it dries. If it is

baked with fire it becomes fired clay or earthenware pottery.

Mukhtaar al-Sihaah, 1/154.

It says in Lisaan al-‘Arab (11/382):

Al-Salsaal min al-teen (clay made from mud) is that which has not been made into

pottery. Any mud or clay that dries is described as salla saleelan (rattling or clattering) … i.e., it

makes a noise like new pottery. Thus salsaal is likened to pottery, as in the verse,

“He created man (Adam) from sounding clay like the clay of pottery”

[al-Rahmaan 55:14 – interpretation of the meaning]

All of this is confirmed by the hadeeth of Abu Moosa al-Ash’ari who said: “I heard the

Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: ‘Allaah created Adam

from a handful that He gathered from the entire earth, so the sons of Adam come like the earth.

Some of them are red, some are white, some are black and some are in between. Some of them

are easy, some of them are difficult, some are evil and some are good.”

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(Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2955; Abu Dawood, 4693. Al-Tirmidhi said that this hadeeth is

hasan saheeh, and it was classed as saheeh by Ibn Hibbaan, 14/29; al-Haakim, 2/288; and al-

Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 3926).

This is how Adam was created: from the earth – i.e. from its dust – which was then mixed

with water to form mud, which then became black, stinking mud. And this dust was created from

the earth which is partly sand and when it is mixed it becomes sounding clay like the clay of

pottery.

Hence when Allaah describes the creation of Adam in the Qur’aan, in each case He

describes one of the stages through which his creation passed and through which the mud was

formed. So there is no contradiction in the verses of the Qur’aan.

Then after that the sons of Adam started to multiply and they were created through water

which is the sperm and fluids which are emitted by men and women, as is well known.

This is explained by the Qur’aan in the verses (interpretation of the meanings):

“And it is He Who has created man from water, and has appointed for him kindred by

blood, and kindred by marriage”

[al-Furqaan 25:54]

“Then He made his offspring from semen of despised water (male and female sexual

discharge)”

[al-Sajdah 32:8]

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

When the perfection, complete power, all-encompassing knowledge, ever-executed will

and utmost wisdom of the Lord decreed that His creation should be of materials of different

kinds, and that they should vary in their forms and attributes and natures, His wisdom decreed

that He should take a handful of dust from the earth, then mix it with water. So it became like 26

black stinking mud. Then the wind was sent upon it and it dried out, until it became clay like

pottery. Then it was given shape and limbs and faculties, and each part of it was given a shape

suited to its purpose.

Then he mentioned how people are created by means of intercourse and the emission of

semen.

Al-Tabaayun fi Aqsaam al-Qur’aan, p. 204



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