Human phenomenon in the light of the cognitive inimitability of the Holy Qur'an

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تاريخ التسجيل : 2010-06-18
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Post n°1

Human phenomenon in the light of the cognitive inimitability of the Holy Qur'an

Post by hossam Masri Tue Aug 03, 2010 7:26 am

By Dr. Jamal Nassar Hussein(*)

According to the human cognitive system, man is perhaps the most mysterious and inscrutable phenomenon in the universe. In spite of the attempts made by contemporary theoretical scientists to unravel its secrets, the human being is still a "mysterious phenomenon". This is reflected more clearly in the failure of this "science" to explain a very large number of its components since the knowledge structure of contemporary theoretical science tends to study such phenomena within a ready-made framework. For the human mind is unable to have an objective view of the different phenomena, whether observed or experienced. Therefore, theoretical science avoids dealing with most of the components of the “human phenomenon” as long as they do not correspond to the principles underlying its cognitive system.

Man is a very "mysterious creature", if not the most mysterious one. However, theoretical science cannot tackle this problem through its knowledge system because the latter discards any mysterious phenomenon that is incompatible with its own components, which, in turn, have been taken from reality and moulded in a mediocre way into the framework of this science, and have thus lost every link with their origin. Therefore, this framework is inappropriate for studying "mysterious phenomena" like the “human phenomenon”, which could not secure stability as part of the modern theoretical scientific structure. Why cannot man live in peace like other beings? Why do the human individuals live in such a misery if man were just an animal, distinguished only by his reasoning power, as contemporary theoretical scientists claim ? Is man really an animal as this "science" wants to make him believe? By contemplating his own world, man finds himself unable to believe that he was an animal in the origin. However, this inability has nothing to do with his feeling of mental supremacy over the other animals.

Man cannot believe his claimed animal origin since he is convinced that the two worlds, i.e. his own sad world, on the one hand, and the animals' world, on the other, are totally incompatible. Such a conviction may be achieved through a careful consideration of the two worlds, provided that the “human phenomenon” be objectively viewed as it is in reality, not as conceived by contemporary theoretical scientists. If man were really a mere animal, how then did the two worlds -the animal and the human- depart from each other? Before trying to answer this question, we should first make a distinction between theoretical science, on the one hand, and experimental science, on the other, and see what does each one say about man's origin as well as his present life. If contemporary experimental science can manifestly show that the origin of the “human phenomenon” goes back to an ancient era when man was identical with all other biological organisms, in creation as well as in evolution. Contemporary theoretical science, on the other hand, is completely unable to bring evidence to man's being nothing more than a rational animal. Through observation and laboratory tests, experimental science may convince us that man was an animal in the origin . But, theoretical science will never succeed in making us believe its idle talk about man's "animal evolution". Even if we suppose that man used to be an animal in the origin. We are by no means, today, able to assure that after such a long period of evolution, he still belongs to the fauna like any "other animal". In fact, contemporary theoretical science is exaggerating when it holds as truth the fact that, by virtue of his origin, man must be seen as a developed animal. Furthermore, if contemporary experimental science provided proofs for man's animal origin, it also had proven that the claim according to which modern man used to be an animal was completely unfounded. Established facts and empirical data confirm that man, after hundreds of millions of years have elapsed, can no longer be admitted, be it euphemistically, as an animal, or even a "rational animal".

The human world testifies that man is different from the animal in so many ways, for the "animal world" is not as sophisticated as the "human world", although contemporary theoretical science claims that they are the same. Thus there must be other factors involved beyond the alleged animal origin. Otherwise, how can we explain the clear-cut difference between animals and human beings? In fact, contemporary experimental science cannot but confirm that we should refrain from thinking unjustifiably that man now is nothing but an animal since he used to be so in the very beginning of his existence. Contemporary theoretical science, on the other hand, has, well, proven to be based on mere illusions since it was unable to conceive of other "interferences" which took place in the "process" of man's evolution, and therefore predetermined his present "biological uniqueness" as it has been argued by modern experimental science. Empirical facts show that there are other "origins" for the "human being" other than the animal origin claimed by "science" to be the one and single origin. However, these "origins" remain as obscure as the "human being" itself, if not that they are the reason behind man’s mysterious nature. Unfortunately, contemporary experimental science cannot help us define the nature of the supposed “other origins”.

For this reason, it is necessary to refer to the Holy Qur'an and contemplate its verses in order to unveil the truth about man's creation and evolution. The knowledge inimitability of the Holy Qur'an is clearly manifested in the story of man's creation. As we have mentioned before, contemporary experimental science, which can but acknowledge the facts stated in the Qur'an, -proving, therefore, that the Quran is an authentic, revealed Book -, opposes theoretical scientists' view according to which the “human phenomenon” resulted from an evolution taking place inside the animal world. Thus, this true science confirms that man is indeed a "mysterious phenomenon" which required the interference of "other origins" in order to achieve the present status. It can also demonstrate that these "origins" cannot stem from the animal world, as it is known today, and that they must be related to "other phenomena" which have nothing in common with that world. A careful consideration of these facts may make us acknowledge the vital importance of the Qur'an in contemporary life, for it is a source of Divine Truth which can be achieved only by keeping close to this Book's systematic norms, minutely described in its verses, showing the best way for worship. Otherwise, how could the Qur'an contain what man could have never discovered unless equipped with experimental science? The latter made it possible for us to confirm the existence of other "origins" for the human being other than the animal one claimed by contemporary theoretical science. Is this startling correspondence between the Qur'an and this "true science" not a proof that the Holy Book speaks today's language? Let us ponder on the story of man's creation as stated in different Qur'anic suras. First of all, the Qur'an clearly states a fact relating to the common origin of all animal creatures. Here, we should stress another fact relating to the single appellation of all these creatures. Let us then reflect on the following verses:

" Behold! In the creation of the heavens and the earth; in the alternation of the Night and the Day; in the sailing of the ships through the Ocean for the profit of mankind; in the rain which God sends down from the skies, and the life which He gives therewith to an earth that is dead; in the beasts of all kinds that He scatters through the earth; in the change of the winds, and the clouds which they trail like their slaves between the sky and the earth; (here) indeed are Signs for a people that are wise." Sura: Baqara (the Heifer), verse: 164.

"There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but (forms part of) communities like you. Nothing have We omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end." An'âm (Cattle): 38.

"There is no moving creature on earth but its sustenance dependeth on God: He knoweth the time and place of its definite abode and its temporary deposit: all is in a clear Record." Hud ( The Prophet Hud): 6.

"I put my trust in God, my Lord and your Lord! There is not a moving creature, but He hath grasp of its fore-lock. Verily, it is my Lord that is on a straight Path." Hud:56.

"And to God doth obeisance all that is in the heavens and on earth, whether moving (living) creatures or the angels: for none are arrogant (before their Lord)." Nahl (The Bee): 49.

"If God were to punish men for their wrong-doing, He would not leave, on the (earth), a single living creature: but He gives them respite for a stated Term: when their Term expires, they would not be able to delay (the punishment) for a single hour, just as they would not be able to anticipate it (for a single hour)." Nahl:61.

"And God has created every animal from water: of them there are some that creep on their bellies; some that walk on two legs; and some that walk on four. God creates what He wills; for verily God has power over all things." Nur (Light): 45.

"And when the Word is fulfilled against them (the unjust), We shall produce from the earth a beast to (face) them: he will speak to them, for that mankind did not believe with assurance in Our Signs." Naml (the Ants): 82.

"How many are the creatures that carry not their own sustenance? It is God Who feeds (both) them and you: for He hears and knows (all things)." 'Ankabut (the Spider): 60.

"He created the heavens without any pillars that ye can see; He set on the earth mountains standing firm, lest it should shake with you; and He scattered through it beasts of all kinds. We send down rain from the sky, and produce on the earth every kind of noble creature, in pairs." Lukman (the Wise): 10.

"If God were to punish men according to what they deserve, He would not leave on the back of the (earth) a single living creature: but He gives them respite for a stated Term: when their Term expires, verily God has in His sight all His servants." Fatir (The Originator of Creation): 45.

"And among His Signs is the creaion of the heavens and the earth, and the living creatures that He has scattered through them: and He has power to gather them together when He wills." Shura (Consultation): 29.

"And in the creation of yourselves and the fact that animals are scattered (through the earth), are Signs for those of assured Faith." Jathiya (Bowing the Knee): 4.

"For the worst of beasts in the sight of God are the deaf and the dumb, those who understand not." Anfal (the Spoils of War): 22.

"For the worst of beasts in the sight of God are those who reject Him: they will not believe." Anfal: 55.

"Seest thou not that to God bow down in worship all things that are in the heavens and on earth, the sun, the moon, the stars; the hills, the trees, the animals; and a great number among mankind? But a great number are (also) such as are fit for Punishment: and such as God shall disgrace, none can raise to honour: for God carries out all that He wills." Hajj (The Pilgrimage): 18.

"And so amongst men and crawling creatures and cattle, are they of various colours. Those truly fear God, among His Servants, who have knowledge: for God is exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving." Fatir: 28.

Speculating on the occurence of the two words "animal" (Dâbbah) and "animals" (Dawaab) in the verses above, it becomes very clear that the Holy Qur'an stated them to mean both mankind and the other "animal creatures", all sharing the quality of "moving" (Dabba) on earth. It is strange however that some people disapprove of the fact that man has the same origin as the animals. If God used the word "animals" for all living creatures He created, including man himself, and if He stated in His Book the details of man's creation from the same matter as the other animals, why does it seem strange then to hear that humans and animals are alike? In the Qur'an, God states that He created all the animals, in the heavens as well as on the earth, from a single matter which is water. Therefore, all animals have the same origin: "And God has created every animal from water: of them there are some that creep on their bellies; some that walk on two legs; and some that walk on four. God creates what He wills; for verily God has power over all things." Nur: 45. Such a "generalization" may seem somehow strange for those who have not contemplated the following verse before: "And among His 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 together when He wills." Shura: 29.

The verse stated above confirms the existence of an animal life in the heavens as on the earth. And this is one of the aspects of the knowledge inimitability of the Holy Qur'an . For up to now, man is still unable to definitely identify these "space biological creatures". Nevertheless, if it is God's will, man will sooner or later realize that these creatures are similar to the animals living on Earth. God also uncovered in the Qur'an another truth relating to all biological creatures. Let us carefully consider the following verse: "Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of Creation), before We clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?" Anbiyaa (the Prophets): 30. Thus every living creature , be it vegetable, animal or human, was made of water. This means that there is indeed a common origin for all living creatures, plants and animals alike, which is an undeniable Qur'anic truth. It also corresponds with the conclusions of scientific experimental studies confirming the common aquatic origin of all living creatures on eath. Now let us go back to mankind and meditate on the following verses in which God states that man was created from water: "It is He Who has created man from water: then He has established relationships of lineage and marriage: for thy Lord has power (over all things)." Furqan (The Criterion): 54. "And God has created every animal from water : of them there are some that creep on their bellies; some that walk on two legs; and some that walk on four. God creates what He wills; for verily God has power over all things." Nur: 45. "Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of Creation), before We clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?" Anbiyaa: 30. Considering carefully these verses, we learn that God chose water to be the matter from which He created man as well as the rest of living creatures.

"And God did create you from dust; then from a sperm-drop" Fatir: 11.

"Doth not man see that it is We Who created him from sperm? Yet behold! he (stands forth) as an open adversary!" Ya Sin (being Abbriviated Letters): 77.

"Then We placed him as (a drop of) sperm in a place of rest, firmly fixed" Muminun (The Believers): 13.

"O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise each other)" Hujurat (the Inner Apartments): 13.

"And made his progeny from a quintessence of the nature of a fluid despised" Sajda (Adoration): 8.

"That He did create in pairs, male and female, from a seed when lodged (in its place)" Najm (the Star): 45-46.

"Was he not a drop of sperm emitted (in lowly form)? Then did he become a leech-like clot; then did (God) make and fashion (him) in due proportion. And of him He made two sexes, male and female" Qiyamat (the Resurrection): 37-39.

"Verily We created man from a drop of mingled sperm, in order to try him: so We gave him (the gifts) of Hearing and Sight" Insan (Man): 2.

"Have We not created you from a fluid (held) despicable? The which We placed in a place of rest, firmly fixed" Mursalat (Those Sent Forth): 20-21.

"Woe to man! What hath made him reject God? From what stuff hath He created him? From a sperm-drop: he hath created him, and then mouldeth him in due proportions" 'Abasa (He Frowned): 17-19.

"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" Tariq (The Night-Visitant): 5-7.

"Created man , out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood" 'Alaq (The Clot of Congealed Blood): 2.

"O mankind! reverence your Guardian Lord, Who created you from a single Person, created, of like nature, his mate, and from them twain scattered (like seeds) countless men and women" Nisaa (The Women): 1.

"Dost thou deny Him Who created thee out of dust, then out of a sperm-drop, then fashioned thee into a man?" Kahf (the Cave): 37.

"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" Ghafir (Forgiver): 67.

The "water" (maa) mentioned in the quoted verses as the matter from which man was created is not actually water in the chemical sense, i.e. H2O. It rather means man's seminal fluid. Thus this "water" is not prior to creation from clay which was in fact the first matter used to create man: "Man We did create from a quintessence (of clay); then We placed him as (a drop of) sperm in a place of rest, firmly fixed; then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then We made out of that lump bones and clothed the bones with flesh; then We developed out of it another creature. So blessed be God, the best to create!" Muminun (The Believers): 12-14.

In addition to stressing man' s "aquatic origin" as well as the "common aquatic origin" of all biological creatures, in the heavens as well as on the earth, the Holy Qur'an further states that God created man from dust and clay as clearly shown in the following verses:

"Among His Signs is this, that He created you from dust; and then, behold, ye are men scattered (far and wide)!" Rum (The Roman Empire): 20.

"And God did create you from dust; then from a sperm-drop; then He made you in pairs" Fatir: 11.

"The similitude of Jesus before God is as that of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him: "Be". And he was" Al 'Imran (The Family of 'Imran): 59.

"Dost thou deny Him Who created thee out of dust, then out of a sperm-drop, then fashioned thee into a man?" Kahf: 37.

"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" Ghafir: 67.

"Man We did create from a quintessence (of clay); then We placed him as (a drop of) sperm in a place of rest, firmly fixed; then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then We made out of that lump bones and clothed the bones with flesh; then We developed out of it another creature. So blessed be God, the best to create!" Muminun: 12-14.

"He Who has made everything which He has created Most Good: He began the creation of man with (nothing more than) clay, and made his progeny from a quintessence of the nature of a fluid despised: but He fashioned him in due proportion, and breathed into him something of His spirit. And He gave you (the faculties of) hearing and sight and feeling (and understanding): little thanks do ye give!" Sajda: 7-9.

"Just ask their opinion: are they the more difficult to create, or the (other) beings We have created? Them have We created out of a sticky clay!" Saffat (Those Ranged in Ranks): 11.

"He it is Who created you from clay, and then decreed a stated term (for you). And there is in His Presence another determined term" An'am (Cattle): 2.

How can we conceive such a "water-clay composition" from which man was created? Here lies another aspect of the knowledge inimitability of the Holy Qur'an which states some chronological details defining the beginning of man's creation as well as the evolution towards the "completion of creation". For man's creation did not take place overnight. To be completed, this creation which comprises a beginning, an evolution and an ascension, required millions of years. And this has also been confirmed by contemporary experimental scientists. In fact, by defining creation from water as a beginning for man's "creation course", the Holy Qur'an states an undeniable fact. Man was first created from water and then from clay since God had created water before clay. The first existed millions of years before the second, and even was the only source of its creation. And this is the reason behind the "aquatic origin" of the "clay-made" man. However, there is no contradiction between man's creation from clay and the fact that God created every living creature out of water. For it is the living matter of this clay which was first created from water. Yet, clay -or "dust" in other Qur'anic verses- is not the same clay or dust as chemically defined. Let us ponder over the following verse: "He Who has made everything which He has created Most Good: He began the creation of man with (nothing more than) clay" Sajda:7.

The clay stated in the verse above does not mean the inorganic one, chemically defined as being composed of lifeless elements. Similarly, the dust mentioned in other verses is a living one too. For both the clay or the dust from which man was created are vibrant with life. If we examine an entity of clay or dust, we will discover that it is full of life because it contains millions of micro-creatures that cannot be seen by the naked eye. Therefore, the "living dust" and "living clay" as stated in the Qur'an and confirmed by actual fact, are both created from water which is the origin of all living creatures. Thus when talking about the dust from which man was created, the Qur'an is in fact refering to a "real dust", vibrant with life.In the same way, the clay meant by Qur'anic verses is a "real clay", acquiring its existence thanks to the millions of micro-creatures living inside it. The clay stated in the Qur'an is the "biological clay", not the inorganic "chemical" one. However, such a distinction may lead some people to think that the water which the Qur'an states as the origin of life, is also a "real water" acquiring its existence from the millions of micro-creatures it contains. Nevertheless, the following verse shows that such a claim is unfounded: "He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six days and His Throne was over the Waters" Hud: 7. Water here is as old as the formation of the universe, and therefore contains no living creatures yet.

These series of facts displayed by the Qur'an should make contemporary experimental scientists at least begin to consider it very carefully with the conviction that this Holy Book which contains such precious information, must really be divine. Otherwise, how could a man from the seventh century discover such facts? How could he confirm that man was first created from water and then from dust?

In any case, there is no contradiction between man's creation from "dust" and from "water" as we learnt by pondering over the verses of the Holy Qur'an. It is a journey in time starting from the creation of man from water through the stage of creation from clay. But are these all the facts relating to man's creation that we can learn from the Qur'an? Let us contemplate the following verse: "Man We did create from a quintessence (of clay); then We placed him as (a drop of) sperm in a place of rest, firmly fixed; then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then We made out of that lump bones and clothed the bones with flesh; then We developed out of it another creature.So blessed be God, the best to create!" Muminun: 12-14. What does "We developed out of it another creature" mean? By following the different stages of man's creation, as stated in detail by this verse, beginning by the creation from clay through clothing the bones with flesh, we may wonder about God's developing man into another creature. We know that this course of creation is sufficient for achieving man's present biological state. So why such a development into another creature? In fact, all animals must undergo this creation course to achieve the final stage of creation except for man. In order to achieve the final stage, the course human beings must go through requires more than just these phases which make the creation of the other animals complete. And here again appears another aspect of the Qur'an's inimitability in terms of knowledge by the statement of other "interferences" interrupting the course of man's creation. Furthermore, these interferences have been confirmed by contemporary experimental scientists because even if we accept the definition given by theoretical science to man's origin, this leaves however many questions unanswered. If such "interferences" did not occur at all, man would not have been in his present state.

But what made of man another creature completely different from the other animals? To find an answer to this question, let us speculate upon the following Qur'anic verses: "Behold! thy Lord said to the angels: 'I am about to create man, from sounding clay from mud moulded into shape; when I have fashioned him ( in due proportion) and breathed into him of My spirit, fall ye down in obeisance unto him'" Hijr (The Rocky Tract): 28-29. "Behold, thy Lord said to the angels: 'I am about to create man from clay: when I have fashioned him (in due proportion) and breathed into him of My spirit, fall ye down in obeisance unto him'" Sad (being one of the Abbreviated Letters): 71-72. "He Who has made everything which He has created Most Good: He began the creation of man with (nothing more than) clay, and made his progeny from a quintessence of the nature of a fluid despised: but He fashioned him in due proportion, and breathed into him something of His spirit. And He gave you (the faculties of) hearing and sight and feeling (and understanding): little thanks do ye give!" Sajda: 7-9. God's "breathing into Adam of His spirit" and "developing out of it another creature" are in fact two aspects of the same thing, i.e. God's "direct intervention" in the course of man's creation in order to complete the remaining phases which are similar to those relating to the creation of other animals. However, before starting to inquire about the meaning of the completion of man's creation, beginning with God's breathing life into him (from His own spirit) before directly interfering in the process of his creation, it is necessary to emphasize this total correspondence between the Holy Qur'an and contemporary experimental science as far as the question of man's creation and evolution is concerned. If this true science confirmed the existence of "other origins" for the human being, beside its animal origin -as defined by contemporary theoretical science-, the Holy Qur'an showed us a stage of man's creation which required God's direct intervention to develop him into another creature by breathing into him of His own spirit.

Now what about this "spirit" which God breathed into Adam/Man as stated in the Qur'an: "Man We did create from a quintessence (of clay); then We placed him as (a drop of) sperm in a place of rest, firmly fixed; then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then We made out of that lump bones and clothed the bones with flesh; then We developed out of it another creature. So blessed be God, the best to create!" Muminun: 12-14.

By contemplating the verses of the Holy Qur'an, we will not find a single reference to the function of the spirit. However, it is largely believed that the spirit is the essential factor for maintaining the human body on life. According to this fanciful claim, man can no longer survive after the spirit leaves his body. But the Qur'an has been very clear in this respect, for it did not mention anything that may support the claim. The role to be carried out by spirit in the human body cannot, in any case, be the one stated above since the Qur'an does not define it , and as long as the human body -as the Qur'an also states- is alive without any spiritual mediator. Let us once more cogitate about the following verse: "Man We did create from a quintessence (of clay); then We placed him as (a drop of) sperm in a place of rest, firmly fixed; then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then We made out of that lump bones and clothed the bones with flesh; then We developed out of it another creature. So blessed be God, the best to create!" Muminun: 12-14.

Does not this verse, by stating the differnt stages of man's creation, clearly show that the claim according to which man's spirit would be the reason behind the survival of his body is completely unfounded? Is the sperm-drop a living creature or a lifeless matter? What is a blood clot if not a living creature? Is it possible that the embryo could be lifeless? What are bones if not an organic matter? Throughout all the stages of his creation, man was alive even before being developed into another creature through the direct intervention of God to breathe into him of His own spirit. Therefore, how can the spirit be the reason behind the human body's life if the latter was alive even before it was breathed into it? In fact, people exaggerated a lot by attributing this quality to spirit. For God breathed spirit into the human body to play a role which remained unrevealed even in the Qur'an which confirmed, on the other hand, that the human body was alive even before God breathed into it of His spirit. This may seem however somehow strange. For how can we explain the reason behind the existence of spirit in man's body? How does death occur if not by the fact that the spirit leaves the body? It seems that we are fond of searching for explanations and interpretations even if this may transgress the knowledge limits defined by God. Why should we not simply admit the fact that our knowledge is very limited?

The Holy Qur'an drew man's attention to the necessity not to forget this fact by emphasizing that the spirit is a divine affair, the mystery of which man is unable to unravel. Let us recall the following verse: "They ask thee concerning the Spirit (of inspiration). Say: 'The Spirit (cometh) by command of my Lord: of knowlegge it is only a little that is communicated to you, (O men!)'" Al Israa (The Nocturnal Journey): 85. The spirit "cometh by command of my Lord", something which we have already discovered by contemplating the verses of the Qur'an stating that God breathed of His spirit into Adam: "Behold! thy Lord said to the angels: 'I am about to create man, from sounding clay from mud moulded into shape; when I have fashioned him (in due proportion) and breathed into him of My spirit, fall ye down in obeisance unto him'" Hijr: 28-29."Behold, thy Lord said to the angels: 'I am about to create man from clay: when I have fashioned him (in due proportion) and breathed into him of My spirit, fall ye down in obeisance unto him'" Sad: 71-72."He Who has made everything which He has created Most Good: He began the creation of man with (nothing more than) clay, and made his progeny from a quintessence of the nature of a fluid despised: but He fashioned him in due proportion, and breathed into him something of His spirit. And He gave you (the faculties of) hearing and sight and feeling (and understanding): little thanks do ye give!" Sajda: 7-9. The spirit is a divine affair far from man's reach since God wanted it to be so, as it is of His own spirit ("of My spirit"). Should we not then stop transgressing the limits determined by God: "These are the limits ordained by God; so do not transgress them, if any do transgress the limits ordained by God, such persons wrong (themselves as well as others)" Baqara: 229.

The Qur'an showed the unfoundedness of many books attributing the human body' life to the human spirit. In fact, since the very beginning of mythology, man believed that there was "another being" inside his body, which he thought was responsible for his death if it leaves the body. For this reason, man could not but identify this "unseen being" with what came in the divine missions about the existence of "something else" unseen which God breathed into it from His own spirit. Thus people began to believe that the spirit is the essence of the human body's life. Truly, this belief has nothing to do with religious facts since it goes back to very ancient times when man was still unable to make the right interpretations of the phenomena of the universe, just as he stands helpless today in front of such phenomena that call for rational interpretations instead of the mythical beliefs of the past. But the human mind cannot admit its inability to go deeper into the world of truth without seeking help inside this world itself. By turning away from truth, it is no wonder that such an inability turns into inaccurate statements about the various unseen phenomena which man thought himself able to investigate and unravel. Otherwise, how did he dare attribute to the spirit what the Holy Qur'an never mentioned. Man was even so insolent as to violate the sanctity of the Divine Being through different kinds of polytheism, although God is the most unseen Being in the universe. Thus why should we be surprised to see man trying to explain the presence of the spirit in his body since he must always look for rational answers to everything, including the divine phenomena.

However, the Holy Qur'an liberated us from many illusions including the belief that the spirit is the essence of the human body. The latter was created alive even before another creature was made out of it by God's breathing into it some of His spirit. The Holy Qur'an showed it very clearly when stressing the fact that water is the "origin" of every living creature: "Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together (as one unit of Creation), before We clove them asunder? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?" Anbiyaa:30. Life, which God created from water, does not require the intervention of spirit. God made from water every living creature including mankind. Thus man does not need the intermediation of spirit to acquire life. But if we persist in trying to discover its role, we should then carefully reconsider the following Qur'anic verse: "They ask thee concerning the Spirit (of inspiration). Say: 'The Spirit (cometh) by command of my Lord: of knowledge it is only a little that is communicated to you, (O men!)'" Al Israa: 85.

Now that we have witnessed the Qur'an's illuminating role which may enable us to look at the phenomena of the universe with Faith in God and allow us to reach the truth, let us go back to the human being's process of creation from "several origins" of which contemporary theoretical science discovered only one, namely man's animal origin. So what did the Holy Book say about man's multiple origins in addition to the fact that God "developed out of it another creature"? Let us then ponder over the following verses:

"We said:'O Adam! dwell thou and thy wife in the Garden; and eat of the bountiful things therein as (where and when) ye will; but approach not this tree, or ye run into harm and transgression'. Then did Satan make them slip from the (Garden), and get them out of the state (of felicity) in which they had been. We said: 'Get ye down, all (ye people), with enmity between yourselves. On earth will be your dwelling-place and your means of livelihood for a time'" Baqara:35-36.

"O Adam! dwell thou and thy wife in the Garden, and enjoy (its good things) as ye wish: but approach not this tree, or ye run into harm and transgression. Then began Satan to whisper suggestions to them, bringing openly before their minds all their shame. That was hidden from them (before): he said:

'Your Lord only forbade you this tree, lest ye should become angels or such beings as live forever'. And he swore to them both, that he was their sincere adviser. So by deceit he brought about their fall: when they tasted of the tree, their shame became manifest to them, and they began to sew together the leaves of the Garden over their bodies. And their Lord called unto them: 'Did I not forbid you that tree, and tell you that Satan was an avowed enemy unto you?' They said: 'Our Lord! we have wronged our own souls: if Thou forgive us not and bestow not upon us Thy Mercy, we shall certainly be lost'. (God) said: 'Get ye down, with enmity between yourselves. On earth will be your dwelling-place and your means of livelihood, for a time'". A'raf (The Heights): 19-24.

"When We said to the angels, 'Prostrate yourselves to Adam', they prostrated themselves, but not Iblis: he refused. Then We said: 'O Adam! Verily, this is an enemy to thee and thy wife: so let him not get you both out of the Garden, so that thou art landed in misery. 'There is therein (enough provision) for thee not to go hungry nor to go naked, nor to suffer from thirst, nor from the sun's heat'. But Satan whispered evil to him: he said, 'O Adam! Shall I lead thee to The Tree of Eternity and to a kingdom that never decays?' In the result, they both ate of the tree, and so their nakedness appeared to them: they began to sew together, for their covering, leaves from the Garden: Thus did Adam disobey his Lord, and allow himself to be seduced. But his Lord chose him (for His Grace): He turned to him, and gave him guidance. He said: 'Get ye down, both of you, all together, from the Garden, with enmity one to another: but if, as is sure, there comes to you guidance from Me, whosoever follows My guidance, will not lose his way, nor fall into misery. But whosoever turns away from My Message, verily for him is a life narrowed down, and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Judgment'" Ta Ha (Mystic Letters, T. H.): 116-124.

By pondering on the content of these verses, we learn that the act of eating from the forbidden tree was behind man's suffering.Therefore, eating from the tree is "another origin" contributing to the formulation of the human being as we know him today associated with an everlasting problem. And this "other origin" is the only reason behind this problem from which man continues to suffer. Let us then contemplate the following verses: "Then did Satan make them slip from the (Garden), and get them out of the state (of felicity) in which they had been. We said: 'Get ye down, all (ye people), with enmity between yourselves. On earth will be your dwelling-place and your means of livelihood for a time", "(God) said: 'Get ye down, with enmity between yourselves. On earth will be your dwelling-place and your means of livelihood, for a time'", "He said: 'Get ye down, both of you, all together, from the Garden, with enmity one to another: but if, as is sure, there comes to you guidance from Me, whosoever follows My guidance, will not lose his way, nor fall into misery. But whosoever turns away from My Message, verily for him is a life narrowed down, and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Judgment'".

By this journey throughout the Qur'an, we have discovered some aspects of its knowledge inimitability which goes beyond time since the Holy Book belongs to the elevated world of truth. The latter is completely different from the real world where mysterious phenomena, like that of man's origin, remain out of reach because of mankind's limited knowledge. We also learned that only the Qur'an has the answer to this question, which It relates to the origin of all living creatures, but stresses the fact that other elements contributed to completing the creation of the human being.

Islam in all languages of the world الإسلام بكل لغات العالم

عدد الزوار

Human phenomenon in the light of the cognitive inimitability of the Holy Qur'an

Human phenomenon in the light of the cognitive inimitability of the Holy Qur'an

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