Where did humans come from?
The Qur'an provides insights into the creation of humans, emphasizing that they were created by Allah from elements of the earth. For instance, it states, Verily We created man from a product of wet earth
23:12 and Did We not create you from a base fluid
77:20. These verses highlight the notion that human beings originated from the earth, specifically from clay or a mixture of clay and water.
Tafsir Ibn Kathir elaborates on this by explaining that Allah created Adam, the first human, from molded and baked clay. It mentions that Adam was made from a handful of soil gathered from various regions of the earth, which accounts for the diversity seen in human beings today, such as differences in skin color and character (Tafsir Ibn Kathir). This idea is also reiterated in a hadith where the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, Allah created Adam from a handful which He took from all over the earth
Sunan Abu Dawud 42:98.
In Shia tafsir, Majma al-Bayan explains that Eve was created from Adam, indicating a connection between the two. It notes that men are composed of water and clay, while women are derived from men, emphasizing the unity and interdependence of humanity.
In summary, both the Qur'an and the hadith provide a consistent account of human creation, emphasizing that Allah fashioned Adam from clay and created Eve from Adam, establishing the foundation for all humans.
Sources
-
23:12 · Al-Muminoon
23:12 · Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall
وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ مِن سُلَٰلَةٍۢ مِّن طِينٍۢ
Verily We created man from a product of wet earth;
-
77:20 · Al-Mursalaat
77:20 · Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall
أَلَمْ نَخْلُقكُّم مِّن مَّآءٍۢ مَّهِينٍۢ
Did We not create you from a base fluid
-
Tafsir Ibn Kathir on 77:20
Tafsir Ibn Kathir · 77:20
Allah the Exalted says: "Did We not destroy the former peoples?" This refers to those who denied the messengers and opposed what they were sent with. "Then We followed them up with later generations," meaning those who resembled them in disbelief and sin. Ibn Jarir explains this further in the following verse, "Thus We deal with the criminals. Woe, that Day, to the deniers!" indicating the severe punishment assigned for their rejection and crimes. Then Allah expresses a favor upon His creation and argues against those who deny resurrection by reminding them of their humble origin: "Did We not create you from a despised fluid?" meaning weak and insignificant compared to the power of the Creator, as previously mentioned in Surah Ya-Sin in the report of Busr ibn Juhash, where Allah said: "O son of Adam, how can you think you can defeat Me when I created you from such a thing?" "And placed him in a secure resting place," refers to the gathering of that fluid in the womb, which is a fixed and protected place designed to nurture and hold the fluid from man and woman safely. The phrase "for a known term" here signifies a specified duration, typically six or nine months, as the gestation period. Thus Allah concludes with "And determined it; and excellent are those who determine! Woe, that Day, to the deniers!" Then He says, "Did We not make the earth a container for the living and the dead?" Ibn Abbas said the word here means "We were a container." Mujahid explained that the dead are covered by the earth so nothing of them is visible, while Al-Sha'bi said the belly of the earth is for your dead and its back for the living. Mujahid and Qatadah gave similar interpretations. "And made within it lofty mountains," signifies the mountains that anchor the earth so it will not shake or become unstable. "And caused to gush forth therein water, sweet and drinkable," referring to pure water brought by the clouds or springs Allah created in the earth. Finally, the repeated woe, "Woe, that Day, to the deniers!" serves as a warning to those who contemplate these creations — clear proof of the greatness of their Creator — yet persist in their denial and disbelief.
-
Sunan Abu Dawud 42:98
Sunan Abu Dawud · Book 42, Hadith 98 · Narrated by Abu Musa al-Ashari
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Allah created Adam from a handful which He took from all of the earth, and the children of Adam came in proportion to the earth from which He took them: among them the red, the white, the black, and those in between, as well as the pleasant and the unpleasant.
Answers are generated and checked automatically; they may still be incomplete or imperfect. For religious rulings, consult a qualified scholar.
Ask your own question →