Was Man Created From Clay: An Islamic and Scientific Answer
Question. Today the age of high-tech is advancing, what could say about the first human being?
Or of being created of the dust?
Thanks to DNA science.
With molecular biology we can study and know DNA, Genes and everything concerning human creation. We can change and analyze genes and we know biological hereditaments. Is all of these scientific advances opposing The Holy Qur’an’s explanation of human’s creation with dust or clay?
Answer. Let’s explain and discuss each and every point in this query for clarification. The Holy Qur’an explains everything about origin of humankind: “And your Creator originated the creation of human beings from clay” (Qur’an Ch 32, V 7).
And again He said: “He created man of clay; then He made from him a species of drop of fluid”(Qur’an 23:12) & “…He created us from clay…” (Qur’an 30:20).
As mentioned in these Qur’anic verses and verses elsewhere, “creation” and “humanity” should be referred only to Adam, who is the first human. The subsequent generations, including all human beings, were created through physical, biological process. “then He made from him a species of drop of fluid…and then developed him…” (Qur’an Ch 23:12). It does not imply that, each and every individual should literally be made out from a piece of mud or clay. It is in this connection, which applies to the whole human kind that we believe that: We were created out of that.
Let's examine the following statement made by the learned scientific author “The human body is, fundamentally, no more than a sophisticated bag of dust.”
It might seem interesting that how can it be so easy as what stated, then are we supposed to believe of being formed as one lumpsum of a normal mud which is lying over the earth. Such an interpretation is quite superficial if not meaningless as; Mud contains no chemical compound or chemical substances or biological materials whatsoever. The human body in reality is a very complex biological system of cells and chemical elements.
The fact is Human beings’ bodies are made up of the following chemical elements: (i) Oxygen O2 (ii) Carbon C (iii) Hydrogen H2 (iv) Nitrogen N2 (v) Calcium Ca (vi) Phosphorus P. A 70kg (154 Ib) person includes for example, about 4.3 Kg of oxygen, 1.5 Kg of phosphorus etc.[ 3].
One also notices that the common elements of the body are present throughout the planet earth.
How would science support that we come from clay?
And how DNA affect in this explanation?
Let us put light on these facts in details. The human body is composed of natural earthly materials.
But this can be understood only when the term ‘Clay’.
Is correctly considered from the elemental view point. 'Clay' generally may comprise of certain chemical elements which form mineral clays, mainly hydrous aluminium silicates, (Al2O3 SiO2 H2O); clay could even contain varying quantities of chemical compounds based on metals such as Iron, magnesium etc. However the very building blocks of living organisms including our being are made up of the element and compounds readily found all over this earth.
E.g.: “From soil to the blood in our veins, the body’s chemical elements (O, C, H, N, Ca, P and a trace number of others), which are fundamental to human existence, are also basic constituent parts of rocks, water, and atmospheric air.” [4] The analysis of a human-body according to John Emsley in his book ‘The Elements,’3rd edition indicates 70 kg human being would consist of 4.3 kg of Oxygen, 1.35 kg of Carbon, 100 grams of P [5]. However, and important to specify that science does not have to either prove, support, conform or approve with the above religious text, just since all chemical elements forming the human bodies are abundantly present over and within the earth.
The science has never been, a tool for proving, confirming nor denying a divine supernatural act; namely Creation by Allah.
Science can analyze and describe a phenomena in its physical realm, it cannot define a religious definition or belief in the divine . It should not be so illogical or unreasonabe to take science as argument against the word of Allah; when the scientific explanation in itself demonstrates harmony with the Holy Qur'an at the spiritual/holistic level. All life starts with an elementary material from and of the earth. The food plants received from soil: the animals eat plants, the humans eat plants and animals -- all elements are ultimately sourced from the earth.
A part of every biological activity from animals and human beings return to the earth (decomposition and recycling).
When we die, our remains are to be reintegrated into the very earth that originally gave rise to humanity at a spiritual level… In fact if we must get technical regarding our bodily construction, DNA is the biological ‘factory-design plans,’ while atoms of Earth such as carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen are the building blocks. The scientific process, even to the present day, would not be able to construct life and even fully reassemble complete biological human cells. [6] The modern science of genes is related with biological structures of how each of living being reproduces in the way it looks now.
“In essence, we are all created out of the common building blocks of life-a particular sequence of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen, bound together in various arrangements. These are the materials from which we, too, are made up: by and large, the chemical elements that make up a human body are ubiquitous elements, occurring naturally all over the Earth.”[ 7].
As science describes the functional mechanics or the process how things and works; then religious scripture offers answer and details about the why and whereFrom questions in relation to our very start as human race; it means for one person at least, the answer provided by the Holy Quran may indeed be considered a miracle of scientific and religious accuracy to date.
It makes a profound sense and the knowledge given in the ancient scriptural word of Allah may only strengthen and confirm our sense of Wonder of the amazing Creation of Allah. Muslims, can feel that, scientific facts are complementing the divine narration rather than confronting it. We must appreciate that Science and Religion complement, reinforce and enrich the perspectives in which each subject understands Creation. For Muslims Science and Quran offer the framework by which all humankind understands His work – Our Allah .
All human race is a child of Mother Earth, of dirt and water. Earth holds an inexhaustible diversity of element and life.
It only suggests an elemental /material nature for the formation the very first human . And Science at the same time does agree the very earthly elements which constitute human bodies, and is present all over the planet including inside the earth. DNA which carries genes of the hereditary characteristics are in, themselves materials that are organic based and contain compounds that derived from earthly elements and also have a cycle of breaking down.
I hope that I can help clarifying the point through all explanation, you should believe that if the science in the modern day can help with explanation with regards to religion; all religions could provide their believers not to abandon the study for science that would offer more and more explanation in many issues in connection to it.This is only for Islamic knowledge informations not for hurting others.