I Who gave the Quraan 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, "Quraan." Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): "The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Quraan . . ." [al-Baqarah 2:185] "Do they not then consider the Quraan carefully . . .?" [al-Nisaa 4:82] "So, when the Quraan 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 Allaahs 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 Quraan . . ." [al-Tawbah 9:111] "And this Quraan 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 Quraan 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 Quraan. And before this, you were among those who knew nothing about it (the Quraan)." [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 Quraan." [al-Hijr 15:87] "So when you want to recite the Quraan, seek refuge with Allaah from Shaytaan, the outcast (the cursed one)." [al-Nahl 16:98] "Verily, this Quraan guides to that which is most just . . ." [al -Israa 17:9] "And We send down from the Quraan that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe, and it
1

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 Quraan, they could not produce th e like thereof, even if they helped one another." [al-Israa 17:88] "And (it is) a Quraan 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 Quraan 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 Quraan 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 Quraan, and none but Allaah (Alone) knows their meanings]. These are the Verses of the Quraan, and (it is) a Book (that makes things) clear" [al-Naml 27:1] "And verily, you (O Muhammad) are receiving the Quraan from the One, All-Wise, All-Knowing." [al-Naml 27:6] "Verily, He Who has given you (O Muhammad) the Quraan will surely bring you back to the Maaad (place of return, either to Makkah or to Pradise after your death) . . ." [alQasas 28:85] "By the Quraan, full of wisdom" [Yaa-Seen 36:2] "And indeed, We have made the Quraan 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 Quraan)." [al-Waaqiah 56:77] "Had We sent down this Quraan 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 Quraan (aloud) in a slow, (pleasant tone and) style." [alMuzzammil 73:4] "Nay! This is a Glorious Quraan" [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 "Quraan" to the Book which He revealed to Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)? In Arabic, the word "Quran" 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 alSuyooti, 1/162-163).
2

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

II Is it true that there is no evidence of a Quraan 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 Quraan, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): Verily, We, it is We Who have sent down the Dhikr (i.e. the Quraan) and surely, We will guard it (from corruption). [al-Hijr 15:9] Moreover, the fact that the transmission of the Quraan 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 Quraan orally, with isnaads directly going back to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). One of the miracles of Allaahs protection of the Quraan 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 Quraan). 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 Quraan 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.
4

When we realize that the Quraan 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 Quraan in the seventh century? Moreover, there are several ancient manuscripts of the Quraan 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 Allaahs 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. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

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?

Praise be to Allaah. 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 Quraan and Sunnah, apart from one hadeeth which some scholars who are specialized in shareeah 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 earths 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.
7

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 Quraan 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.

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 And Allaah knows best. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

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

Praise be to Allaah. 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 alFataawa (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
10

of the week and their order in the manner that is known until now is a system that appeared long after them. The week (shavuah 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). And Allaah knows best. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

11

V Is there life on other planets or in other galaxies?

Praise be to Allaah. 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 Sasaah, in the story of al -Isra walMiraaj (the Prophets Night Journey and Ascent into heaven): Then the Much-Frequented
12

House (al-bayt al-mamoor) 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. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

13

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?

Praise be to Allaah. 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-Taaarud, 6/336, 337 Ibn al-Qayyim said in al-Sawaaiq 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.
14

Al-Fasl bayna al-Milal wal-Nahl, 2/243 And Allaah knows best.

Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

15

VII Were the recent earthquakes caused by a disturbance in the earths rotation and is the direction of rotation about to be reversed?

Praise be to Allaah. 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 Quraan 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-Araaf 7:187]

16

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 earths 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 earths rotation, it can slow it down, and if it is in the same direction, it can speed up the earths 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. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 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] And Allaah knows best. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

17

VIII Are sperm alive or do they have no soul?

Praise be to Allaah. 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-Rad 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 lil-Lajnah al-Daaimah, 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 Quraan (interpretation of the meaning):

18

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] And Allaah knows best.

Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid.

19

IX There are people who say that long ago man was a monkey and he evolved. Is this true? Is there any evidence?

Praise be to Allaah. This view is not correct, and the evidence for that is that Allaah has described in the Quraan 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. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): And indeed We created man (Adam) out of an extract of clay (water and earth) [al-Muminoon 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]
20

Then when it dried it became sounding clay like the clay of pottery. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 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 Quraan. As for the stages of creation which the progeny of Adam pass through, Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 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-Muminoon 23:12-14]

21

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] And Allaah knows best.

Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daaimah, 1/31.

22

X Did Allaah create man from clay or from something else that is not fully described in the Quraan?

Praise be to Allaah. 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 Quraan. Then the dust was combined with water to form clay, as the Lord of the Worlds says (interpretation of the meaning):

23

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-Anaam 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 hamain 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):

24

Al-hama means black, stinking mud. In the Quraan it says min hamain masnoon. And it says in Lisaan al-Arab (13/227): Masnoon means muntin (stinking), as in the verse min hamaain masnoon. Abu Amr said: this means altered and stinking. Abul-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-Ashari 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.

25

(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 alAlbaani 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 Quraan, 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 Quraan. 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 Quraan 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-Quraan, p. 204 And Allaah knows best. Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

27