THE STORY OF MAN'S CREATION FROM AN ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE
Jumat Mubarak to Muslims around the Globe
The story of creation elicits heated debates between theology and science, science sides with the Darwin’s theory of evolution whilst theology sticks firm with creation by God. Theist generally agree God was responsible for creation but do the stories of creation align within all theistic faith? The answer sadly is no, every sides has a story or two to tell, this op-ed will focus on the “creation of man from an Islamic perspective).
Islam originally known as Mohammedanism, is the faith of Muslims with an estimated 1.2 billion followers worldwide and rising chiefly due to uncontrolled birth-rates, 2 distinct sect Sunni and Shiite, core belief hinges on submission to Allah and wholly trusting and mimicking prophet Mohammed. Like Christianity, Islam also believes in the concept of Divine Creation of the universe and all that is therein by Allah, Islam wholeheartedly rejects any concept of macro-evolution as postulated by Charles Darwin.
There are conflicting statements of the creation of man as laid out in the Quran, I use the word conflicting because the Quran claims there are no contradictions or discrepancies in it according to Sura 4:82 “Do they not think carefully about the Quran? had it been from any other than God, they would surely have found ‘much’ discrepancy therein. However when the Quran is put to strict test it not only fails it falters and fumbles, there are 6 key verses detailing the creation of man, each verse will be clearly spelt out and explained.
1) Sura 3:47 She said, "My Lord, how will I have a child when no man has touched me?" [The angel] said, "Such is Allah; He creates what He wills. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, 'Be,' and it is.
This passage is a backdrop to the supernatural birth of Jesus, when Angel Gabriel came to Mary and told her of the supernatural conception and she asked how the angel replied with the above verse. Basically this verse posit that God creates using the WORD(He decrees and say BE and it is).
2) Sura 15:26 And We did certainly create man out of clay from an altered black mud.
32:7 Who perfected everything which He created and began the creation of man from clay.
This passage is generally talking of several things with regards to humans, some aspects of creation(life, constellations, winds etc), and the fall of Iblis(satan). This passage clearly states man was made of clay this ties in directly with the Judeo-Christian concept of man's creation, the We there refers to God and whomever Mohammad believes constitutes the We even when we know Islam rejects the doctrine of the Trinity but God is still represented several times in the Quran with the plural pronoun WE.
3) Sura 24:45 Allah has created every [living] creature from water. And of them are those that move on their bellies, and of them are those that walk on two legs, and of them are those that walk on four. Allah creates what He wills. Indeed, Allah is over all things competent.
Sura 25:54 And it is He who has created from water a human being and made him [a relative by] lineage and marriage. And ever is your Lord competent [concerning creation].
If any passage in the quran specifically refer to creation on a generic level Sura 24 does it perfectly and Sura 25 confirms it by explicitly stating that man was created from water.
4) Sura 30:20 And of His signs is that He created you from dust; then, suddenly you were human beings dispersing [throughout the earth].
This Sura was talking about the defeat of the Romans and the reason for the defeat, it talked about how God is sovereign and powerful originating the creation of the universe, it goes on explaining judgment and eventual acceptance or rejection to paradise and finally it tells us man was created from dust.
5) Sura 71: 14-18
71:14 While He has created you in stages?
71:15 Do you not consider how Allah has created seven heavens in layers
71:16 And made the moon therein a [reflected] light and made the sun a burning lamp?
71:17 And Allah has caused you to grow from the earth a [progressive] growth.
The following verses from the Sura posit that man was created in stages( is this a fetus to adulthood stage or some gradual building of man like a house or is this some Darwinism?) and man grew from the earth how that is possible I seem not to understand not like man is a tree or some plant.
6) Sura 96:1-2
96:1 Recite in the name of your Lord who created -
96:2 Created man from a clinging substance(blood clot).
Man is created from a blot clot or clinging substance according to Sura 96 whose title coincidentally bears the same name.
7) Sura 16:4 He created man from a sperm-drop; then at once, he is a clear adversary.
36:77 Does man not consider that We created him from a [mere] sperm-drop - then at once he is a clear adversary?
Both Sura's affirm that man was created from sperm-drops.
Having considered the six(6) instances of creation of man, the following observations are noted
Man was created by the Word of God.
Man was created from Clay.
Man was created from Water.
Man was created from Dust.
Man was created in Stages and came from the Earth
Man was created from Blood Clot.
Man was created from sperm-drops.
How do we reconcile these seemly irreconcilable and very contradictory claims, as expected the Quran comes to rescue in Sura 23:12-14
23:12 And certainly did We create man from an extract of clay.
23:13 Then We placed him as a sperm-drop in a firm lodging.
23:14 Then We made the sperm-drop into a clinging clot, and We made the clot into a lump [of flesh], and We made [from] the lump, bones, and We covered the bones with flesh; then We developed him into another creation. So blessed is Allah, the best of creators.
Another verse reads thus Sura 22:5
22:5 O People, if you should be in doubt about the Resurrection, then [consider that] indeed, We created you from dust, then from a sperm-drop, then from a clinging clot, and then from a lump of flesh, formed and unformed - that We may show you. And We settle in the wombs whom We will for a specified term, then We bring you out as a child, and then [We develop you] that you may reach your [time of] maturity. And among you is he who is taken in [early] death, and among you is he who is returned to the most decrepit [old] age so that he knows, after [once having] knowledge, nothing. And you see the earth barren, but when We send down upon it rain, it quivers and swells and grows [something] of every beautiful kind.
This claims tallies nicely with some Neo-evolutionary theory using various stages of development culminating in the creation of man akin to the postulation of Sura 71:14 but we have a problem here, it doesn't account for the Word of Allah, dust and water. This raises several questions.
- if Sura 30:20 claimed that man's creation was sudden how can Sura 71&23 claim it was done in stages?
- is the Quran self-contradictory because it was written by men and not Allah verbally revealing the Quran as commonly believed?
- Is Allah confused about the materials used in creating man or is Allah simply not responsible for creating man?
- How is it possible that only Iblis(Satan) is consistent with the creation story? Every time Iblis is mentioned we see man was made of clay and had the breath of life from Allah.
- Call me a conspiracy theorist but I have to ask did Uthman change Allah's revelation? Caliph Uthman was responsible for compiling the Quran as we know it today, several versions or copies were burnt.
In defense of the above apparent conflicts or contradictions, Muslims apologists twist the issue and claim Allah revealed the process of reproduction, what they fail to mention is that the concept was already known prior to prophet Mohammed coming into the foray with revelations.
In conclusion I implore devout well learned Muslims to help me understand if these verse contradict each other or these verses mean different things. The Quran claims to be both clear and non-contradictory in light of these please use the Quran to prove Allah was not confused. Better still consult
Sura 10:94
So if you are in doubt, [O Muhammad], about that which We have revealed to you, then ask those who have been reading the Scripture before you. The truth has certainly come to you from your Lord, so never be among the doubters.
The Quran affirms and suggests that in case of confusion and or doubt, Mohammed should consult the Holy Bible, if Mohammed the perfect Muslim was advised to do so, then who are ordinary Muslims to refuse that express commandment from Allah?
Additional Reading: Sura 80:19; 76:2; 53:43-48(sperm), 18:37(Dust-Sperm-Man), 32:8-9; 21:30(water), Sura 17:61(clay).
Quick Note: These revelations were years apart and are in no way connected.
The Quran used here is the dependable SAHIH INTERNATIONAL.
2016 ©GrandMaester the PolitikalProphet™
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