Creation & Origins

(19) And the earth - We have spread it out wide, and placed on it mountains firm, and caused [life] of every kind to grow on it in a balanced manner,

(26) AND, INDEED, We have created man out of sounding clay, out of dark slime transmuted 24 -

And lo! Thy Sustainer said unto the angels: "Behold, I am about to create mortal man out of sounding clay, out of dark slime transmuted;

[Iblis] replied: "It is not for me to prostrate myself before mortal man whom Thou hast created out of sounding clay, out of dark slime transmuted!"

He creates man out of a [mere] drop of sperm: and lo! this same being shows himself endowed with the power to think and to argue!

And he has placed firm mountains on earth, lest it sway with you, and rivers and paths, so that you might find your way,

Those who lived before them did, too, devise many a blasphemy19- whereupon God visited with destruction all that they had ever built, [striking] at its very foundations, so that the roof fell in upon them from above 21 and suffering befell them without their having perceived whence it came.

And among the many objects of His creation, God has appointed for you [various] means of protection:96 thus, He has given you in the mountains places of shelter, and has endowed you with [the ability to make] garments to protect you from heat [and cold], as well as such garments as might protect you from your [mutual] violence. In this way does He bestow the full measure of His blessings on you, so that you might surrender yourselves unto Him.

And walk not on earth with haughty self-conceit: for, verily, thou canst never rend the earth asunder, nor canst thou ever grow as tall as the mountains!

AND LO! We said unto the angels, "Prostrate yourselves before Adam" - whereupon they all prostrated themselves, save Iblis. Said he: "Shall I prostrate myself before one whom Thou hast created out of clay?"

Can you, then, ever feel sure that He will not cause a tract of dry land to swallow you up, or let loose upon you a deadly stormwind, whereupon you would find none to be your protector?

And his friend answered him in the course of their argument: "Wilt thou blaspheme against Him who has created thee out of dust, and then out of a drop of sperm, and in the end has fashioned thee into a [complete] man?

and in time she conceived him, and then she withdrew with him to a far-off place.

AND THEY WILL ask thee about [what will happen to] the mountains [when this world comes to an end]. Say, then: "My Sustainer will scatter them far and wide,

(31} And [are they not aware that] We have set up firm mountains on earth, lest it sway with them, and [that] We have appointed thereon broad paths, so that they might find their way,

On that Day We shall roll up the skies as written scrolls are rolled up; [and] as We brought into being the first creation, so We shall bring it forth anew a promise which We have willed upon Ourselves: for, behold, We are able to do [all things]!

O MEN! If you are in doubt as to the [truth of] resurrection, [remember that,] verily, We have created [every one of] you out of dust, then out of a drop of sperm, then out of a germ-cell, then out of an embryonic lump complete (in itself] and yet incomplete, so that We might make [your origin] clear unto you. And whatever We will [to be born] We cause to rest in the [mothers'] wombs for a term set [by Us], and then We bring you forth as infants and [allow you to live] so that [some of] you might attain to maturity: for among you are such as are caused to die [in childhood], just as many a one of you is reduced in old age to a most abject state, ceasing to know anything of what he once knew so well. And [if, O man, thou art still in doubt as to resurrection, consider this:] thou canst see the earth dry and lifeless and [suddenly,] when We send down waters upon it, it stirs and swells and puts forth every kind of lovely plant!

Thus it is, because God [is almighty - the One who] makes the night grow longer by shortening the day, and makes the day grow longer by shortening the night; and because God is all-hearing, all-seeing.

NOW, INDEED, We create man out of the essence of clay,

and then We cause him to remain as a drop of sperm in [the womb's) firm keeping,

and then We create out of the drop of sperm a germ-cell, and then We create out of the germ-cell an embryonic lump, and then We create within the embryonic lump bones, and then We clothe the bones with flesh - and then We bring [all) this into being as a new creation:5 hallowed, therefore, is God, the best of artisans!

He who has created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in six aeons, and is established on the throne of His almightiness:46 the Most Gracious! Ask, then, about Him, [the] One who is [truly] aware.

Nay - who is it that has made the earth a fitting abode [for living things], and has caused running waters [to flow] in its midst, and has set upon it mountains firm, and has placed a barrier between the two great bodies of water? Could there be any divine power besides God? Nay, most of those [who think so] do not know [what they are saying]!

But they gave him the lie. Thereupon an earthquake overtook them: and then they lay lifeless, in their very homes, on the ground.

And among His wonders is this: He creates you out of dust - and then, lo! you become human beings ranging far and wide.

He [it is who] has created the skies without any supports that you could see, and has placed firm mountains upon the earth, lest it sway with you, and has caused all manner of living creatures to multiply thereon. And We send down water from the skies, and thus We cause every noble kind [of life] to grow on earth.

who makes most excellent everything that He creates. Thus, He begins the creation of man out of clay;

Verily, We did offer the trust [of reason and volition] to the heavens, and the earth, and the mountains:87 but they refused to bear it because they were afraid of it. Yet man took it up - for, verily, he has always been prone to be most wicked, most foolish.

Are they, then, not aware of how little of the sky and the earth lies open before them, and how much is hidden from them? - [or that,] if We so willed, We could cause the earth to swallow them, or cause fragments of the sky to fall down upon them? In all this, behold, there is a message indeed for every servant [of God] who is wont to turn unto Him [in repentance].

AND [thus], indeed, did We grace David with Our favour:10 "O you mountains! Sing with him the praise of God! And [likewise] you birds!" And We softened all sharpness in him,

And [remember:] God creates [every one of] you out of dust, then out of a drop of sperm; and then He fashions you into either of the two sexes. And no female conceives or gives birth unless it be with His knowledge; and none that is long-lived has his days lengthened - and neither is aught lessened of his days - unless it be thus laid down in [God's] decree: for, behold, all this is easy for God.

IS MAN, then, not aware that it is We who create him out of a [mere] drop of sperm - whereupon, lo! he shows himself endowed with the power to think and to argue?

AND NOW ask those [who deny the truth] to enlighten thee: Were they more difficult to create than all those [untold marvels] that We have created? - for, behold, them have We created out of [mere] clay commingled with water!'

[and for this,] behold, We caused the mountains to join him in extolling Our limitless glory at eventide and at sunrise,

[For,] ~ thy Sustainer said unto the angels: "Behold, I am about to create a human being out of clay;

Answered [Iblis): "I am better than he: Thou hast created me out of fire, whereas him Thou hast created out of clay."

He has created you [all] out of one living entity, and out of it fashioned its mate; and he has bestowed upon you four kinds of cattle of either sex; [and] He creates you in your mothers' wombs, one act of creation after another, in threefold depths of darkness. Thus is God, your Sustainer: unto Him belongs all dominion: there is no deity save Him: how, then, can you lose sight of the truth?

It is He who creates you out of dust, and then out of a drop of sperm, and then out of a germ-cell; and then He brings you forth as children; and then [He ordains] that you reach maturity, and then, that you grow old - though some of you [He causes to] die earlier -: and [all this He ordains] so that you might reach a term set [by Him), and that you might [learn to] use your reason.

SAY: "Would you indeed deny Him who has created the earth in two aeons? And do you claim that there is any power that could rival Him, the Sustainer of all the worlds?"

For He [it is who, after creating the earth,] placed firm mountains on it, [towering] above its surface, and bestowed [so many] blessings on it, and equitably apportioned its means of subsistence to all who would seek it: [and all this He created] in four aeons.

And among His signs are the ships that sail like [floating] mountains through the seas:

WAIT, THEN, for the Day when the skies shall bring forth a pall of smoke which will make obvious [the approach of the Last Hour],

Indeed, God has shown the truth in His Apostle's true vision:38 most certainly shall you enter the Inviolable House of Worship, if God so wills, in full security, with your heads shaved or your hair cut short, without any fear: for He has (always] known that which you yourselves could not know. And He has ordained [for you], besides this, a victory soon to come.

O men! Behold, We have created you all out of a male and a female, and have made you into nations and tribes, so that you might come to know one another. Verily, the noblest of you in the sight of God is the one who is most deeply conscious of Him. Behold, God is all-knowing, all-aware.

And the earth - We have spread it wide, and set upon it mountains firm, and caused it to bring forth plants of all beauteous kinds,

and [who knows that] We have indeed created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them in six aeons, and [that] no weariness could ever touch Us.

on the Day when the earth is riven asunder all around them as they hasten forth [towards God's judgment]: that gathering will be easy for Us [to encompass].

AND ON EARTH there are signs [of God's existence, visible] to all who are endowed with inner certainty,

And the earth have We spread out wide - and how well have We ordered it!

As for those who avoid the [truly] grave sins and shameful deeds even though they may sometimes stumble - behold, thy Sustainer is abounding in forgiveness. He is fully aware of you when He brings you into being out of dust, and when you are still hidden in your mothers' wombs: do not, then, consider yourselves pure - [for] He knows best as to who is conscious of Him.

out of a [mere] drop of sperm as it is poured forth,

He has created man out of sounding clay, like pottery,

And when the sky is rent asunder and becomes red like [burning] oil. -

He it is who has created the heavens and the earth in six aeons, and is established on the throne of His almightiness. He knows all that enters the earth, and all that comes out of it, as well as all that descends from the skies, and all that ascends to them. And He is with you wherever you may be; and God sees all that you do.

He makes the night grow longer by shortening the day, and makes the day grow longer by shortening the night; and He has full knowledge of what is in the hearts [of men].

Indeed, [even aforetime] did We send forth Our apostles with all evidence of [this] truth; and through them We bestowed revelation from on high, and [thus gave you] a balance [wherewith to weigh right and wrong], so that men might behave with equity; and We bestowed [upon you] from on high [the ability to make use of] iron, in which there is awesome power as well as [a source of] benefits for man:42 and [all this was given to you] so that God might mark out those who would stand up for him and His Apostle, even though He [Himself] is beyond the reach of human perception. Verily, God is powerful, almighty!

Can you ever feel secure that He who is in heaven will not cause the earth to swallow you up when, lo and behold, it begins to quake?

Now as for the Thamud - they were destroyed by a violent upheaval [of the earth];

and the sky will be rent asunder for, frail will it have become on that Day - ;

seeing that He has created [every one of] you in successive stages?

and [then] He will bring you forth [from it] in resurrection.

[the Day] on which the skies shall be rent asunder, [and] His promise [of resurrection] fulfilled?

Was he not once a [mere] drop of sperm that had been spilt,

Verily, it is We who have created man out of a drop of sperm intermingled, so that We might try him [in his later life]: and therefore We made him a being endowed with hearing and sight.

and when the sky is rent asunder,

and have We not set on it proud, firm mountains, and given you sweet water to drink?

HAVE WE NOT made the earth a resting-place [for you],

and the mountains [its] pegs?

And after that, the earth: wide has He spread its expanse,

and has made the mountains firm:

Out of a drop of sperm He creates him, and thereupon determines his nature,

and when the mountains are made to vanish,

WHEN THE SKY is cleft asunder,

WHEN THE SKY is split asunder,

he has been created out of a seminal fluid

And at the mountains, how firmly they are reared?

and the earth and all its expanse!

and Mount Sinai,

created man out of a germ-cell!

WHEN THE EARTH quakes with her [last] mighty quaking,