The Creation of Moving Creatures

In this post I would like to bring to your attention the beginning stages of the creation of moving creatures. To do so, I will present three acceptable traditions. Following these traditions, I will attempt to paint one coherent picture of the initial stages of the creation process. Furthermore, I will highlight many significant points and issues that are found in these traditions. By doing so, I hope to provoke thoughts and engage your minds into seeing the process of creation from a naturalized perspective, which may be more in harmony with the contemporary scientific outlook. 

After you read this post, if you feel that the view that I have presented in this post is not justified or I have not painted a coherent picture, please leave a comment and let me know how my view is not justified. 

As always, please read and double-check the translation.  As you know, many of the terms used in these traditions may be interpreted or translated in different ways. However, I have consulted different sources, and I believe that the translation that is present in this post is justified. If you disagree, please do not hesitate to leave a comment and let me know. 

Since I am planning to mention many points, and since these traditions are relatively long, I will not put the Farsi translations in this post. Nonetheless, if you are interested in the Farsi translation of these traditions, message me and I will post them in the comment section.

Now, here are the traditions.            

Arabic Text:

 (1أَبُو عَلِيٍّ الْأَشْعَرِيُّ وَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع قَالَ: 
لَوْ عَلِمَ النَّاسُ كَيْفَ ابْتِدَاءُ الْخَلْقِ مَا اخْتَلَفَ اثْنَانِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ الْخَلْقَ قَالَ كُنْ مَاءً عَذْباً أَخْلُقْ مِنْكَ جَنَّتِي وَ أَهْلَ طَاعَتِي وَ كُنْ مِلْحاً أُجَاجاً أَخْلُقْ مِنْكَ نَارِي وَ أَهْلَ مَعْصِيَتِي ثُمَّ أَمَرَهُمَا فَامْتَزَجَا فَمِنْ ذَلِكَ صَارَ يَلِدُ الْمُؤْمِنُ الْكَافِرَ وَ الْكَافِرُ الْمُؤْمِنَ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ طِيناً مِنْ أَدِيمِ الْأَرْضِ فَعَرَكَهُ عَرْكاً شَدِيداً فَإِذَا هُمْ كَالذَّرِّ يَدِبُّونَ فَقَالَ لِأَصْحَابِ الْيَمِينِ إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ بِسَلَامٍ وَ قَالَ لِأَصْحَابِ الشِّمَالِ إِلَى النَّارِ وَ لَا أُبَالِي ثُمَّ أَمَرَ نَاراً فَأُسْعِرَتْ فَقَالَ لِأَصْحَابِ الشِّمَالِ ادْخُلُوهَا فَهَابُوهَا فَقَالَ لِأَصْحَابِ الْيَمِينِ ادْخُلُوهَا فَدَخَلُوهَا فَقَالَ‏ كُونِي بَرْداً وَ سَلاماً فَكَانَتْ بَرْداً وَ سَلَاماً فَقَالَ أَصْحَابُ الشِّمَالِ يَا رَبِّ أَقِلْنَا فَقَالَ قَدْ أَقَلْتُكُمْ فَادْخُلُوهَا فَذَهَبُوا فَهَابُوهَا فَثَمَّ ثَبَتَتِ الطَّاعَةُ وَ الْمَعْصِيَةُ- فَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُ هَؤُلَاءِ أَنْ يَكُونُوا مِنْ هَؤُلَاءِ وَ لَا هَؤُلَاءِ مِنْ هَؤُلَاءِ.

2) عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ أَنَّ رَجُلًا سَأَلَ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ جَلَّ وَ عَزَّ- وَ إِذْ أَخَذَ رَبُّكَ مِنْ بَنِي آدَمَ مِنْ ظُهُورِهِمْ‏ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ‏ وَ أَشْهَدَهُمْ عَلى‏ أَنْفُسِهِمْ أَ لَسْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ‏ قالُوا بَلى‏ (7:172)  إِلَى آخِرِ الْآيَةِ فَقَالَ وَ أَبُوهُ يَسْمَعُ ع 
حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ قَبَضَ قَبْضَةً مِنْ تُرَابِ التُّرْبَةِ الَّتِي خَلَقَ مِنْهَا آدَمَ ع فَصَبَّ عَلَيْهَا الْمَاءَ الْعَذْبَ الْفُرَاتَ‏ ثُمَّ تَرَكَهَا أَرْبَعِينَ صَبَاحاً ثُمَّ صَبَّ عَلَيْهَا الْمَاءَ الْمَالِحَ الْأُجَاجَ فَتَرَكَهَا أَرْبَعِينَ صَبَاحاً فَلَمَّا اخْتَمَرَتِ الطِّينَةُ أَخَذَهَا فَعَرَكَهَا عَرْكاً شَدِيداً فَخَرَجُوا كَالذَّرِّ مِنْ يَمِينِهِ وَ شِمَالِهِ وَ أَمَرَهُمْ جَمِيعاً أَنْ يَقَعُوا فِي النَّارِ فَدَخَلَ أَصْحَابُ الْيَمِينِ فَصَارَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ بَرْداً وَ سَلَاماً وَ أَبَى أَصْحَابُ الشِّمَالِ أَنْ يَدْخُلُوهَا.

3) عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ: 
إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَمَّا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ آدَمَ ع أَرْسَلَ الْمَاءَ عَلَى الطِّينِ ثُمَّ قَبَضَ قَبْضَةً فَعَرَكَهَا ثُمَّ فَرَّقَهَا فِرْقَتَيْنِ بِيَدِهِ ثُمَّ ذَرَأَهُمْ فَإِذَا هُمْ يَدِبُّونَ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ لَهُمْ نَاراً فَأَمَرَ أَهْلَ الشِّمَالِ أَنْ يَدْخُلُوهَا فَذَهَبُوا إِلَيْهَا فَهَابُوهَا فَلَمْ يَدْخُلُوهَا ثُمَّ أَمَرَ أَهْلَ الْيَمِينِ أَنْ يَدْخُلُوهَا فَذَهَبُوا فَدَخَلُوهَا فَأَمَرَ اللَّهُ جَلَّ وَ عَزَّ النَّارَ فَكَانَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ بَرْداً وَ سَلَاماً فَلَمَّا رَأَى ذَلِكَ أَهْلُ الشِّمَالِ قَالُوا رَبَّنَا أَقِلْنَا فَأَقَالَهُمْ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُمُ ادْخُلُوهَا فَذَهَبُوا فَقَامُوا عَلَيْهَا وَ لَمْ يَدْخُلُوهَا فَأَعَادَهُمْ طِيناً وَ خَلَقَ مِنْهَا آدَمَ ع وَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَلَنْ يَسْتَطِيعَ هَؤُلَاءِ أَنْ يَكُونُوا مِنْ هَؤُلَاءِ وَ لَا هَؤُلَاءِ أَنْ يَكُونُوا مِنْ هَؤُلَاءِ قَالَ فَيَرَوْنَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص أَوَّلُ مَنْ دَخَلَ تِلْكَ النَّارَ فَذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ جَلَّ وَ عَزَّ- قُلْ إِنْ كانَ لِلرَّحْمنِ وَلَدٌ فَأَنَا أَوَّلُ الْعابِدِين‏  (43:81)

English Translation:

1) Authentic (Saheeh)

Narrated by Abu Ali Al-Sha’eri and Mohamed Ibn Yehya from Mohamed Ibn Ismail from Ali Ibn Al-Hakam from Aban Ibn Osman from Zurara from Abu Ja’afar (peace be upon him) who said:

If people knew how creation came about, no two men would disagree. Allah the Most Exalted, before creating creatures said, “[let there] be fresh water that I may create my paradise and the people of obedience, and [let there] be salt water that I may create from it hell and the people of transgression.”

He then commanded them to merge and this is why is born [from] the believer disbeliever and [from] the disbeliever believer. 

He then took mud from the surface of the Earth [Adeem Al-Arz] and kneaded it powerfully and behold, they became as moving particles. He commanded those on the right, “to paradise” safely, and those on the left “to hell and I do not mind/care.” He then commanded the fire to burst into flames. He said to those on the left, “enter into it.” So, they feared [and didn’t enter]. He then commanded those on the right, “enter into it,” so, they entered. So, He said, “be thou cool and safe,” so it was cool and safe. Those on the left said, “O Lord ! safeguard us.” He said, “I have safeguarded you, so enter it. “They went but [again] feared it [and again did not enter]. Hence, obedience and transgression were established. Therefore, those [on the left] are unable to [or cannot] be of those [on the right] nor can those [on the right] be of those [on the left].

2) Good (Hasan)

Narrated by Ali Ibn Ibrahim from his father from Ibn Abu Omair from Ibn Othaina from Zurara. 

A man asked Abi Ja’afar, peace be upon him, about Allah’s verse: “When your Lord brought forth from the Children of Adam from their loins, their seeds and made them bear witness as to themselves (saying): ‘Am I not your Lord?’ They said: ‘Yes! We bear witness...’” (7:172) until the end of the verse. 

He [The Imam] said, and his father was listening, “my father told me that Allah the Most Exalted took a handful of Earthly soil/dust, from which He created Adam. He poured upon it sweet palatable [al-Forat] water and left it for 40 bright periods. He then poured upon it salty bitter water and left it for 40 bright periods. When the mud became soaked He kneaded it powerfully. Thus, particles emerged from its right and left. He commanded them all to fall into the fire. Those on the right entered it and it was coolness and peace upon them, whereas those on the left refused to enter.”

3) Good (Hasan)

Narrated by Ali Ibn Ibrahim from his father from Ahmed Ibn Mohamed Ibn Abu Nasr from Aban Ibn Osman from Mohamed Ibn Ali Al-Halabi from Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him) who said: 

“When Allah the Most exalted willed to create Adam (peace be upon him) He sent water upon the clay, took a handful and kneaded it, then separated it into two divisions with His hand, scattered them and they became moving. He raised a fire for them and commanded those on the left to enter it. They went towards it but feared it and did not enter it. Then He commanded those on the right to enter it and so they entered it. Allah the Most Exalted commanded the fire to be cool and safe for them. Upon seeing this, those on the left said, “Our Lord, spare/safeguard us.” [and] so He spared/safeguarded them and said to them “enter into it.” They approached it and [again they] did not enter. He returned them [all] to clay from which he created Adam.

Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him) then said: “Those [on the one side] are unable to be the same as those [on the other side], nor could those [on the other side] be as those [on the opposite side].”

 

He [the Imam] said, “believe that the messenger of Allah was the first to enter the fire according to the verse by The Almighty: ‘Say (O Muhammad): If the Beneficent One hath a son, I would have been the first among the worshippers.’ (43:81)”

From the aforementioned traditions, it can be seen that the following thirteen steps, in order, were taken in creating moving creatures, including humans.

            First: Water (palatable and bitter) was created before the creatures. 

            Second: Dust or soil was taken/chosen from/on Earth.

            Third: Water was sent/poured upon the taken/chosen land.

            Fourth: Sweet, palatable water was poured on the clay, and left for 40 bright periods.

            Fifth: Salty, bitter water was poured on the clay, and left for 40 bright periods.

            Sixth: The soaked clay was kneaded, brewed or rubbed together harshly and powerfully.

            Seventh: Moving particles or creatures were scattered to the right and left of the rubbed soaked clay. 

            Eighth: Fire was created and lit.

            Ninth: The creatures or moving particles were commanded to enter the fire.

           Tenth: Those on the right obeyed, went into the fire, and the fire was cooled for them. Those on the left, feared and refused to go. Then those on the left, after seeing the safety of those on the right, asked to be spared or safeguarded. So, they were and were again commanded to enter the fire. However, they refused to enter the fire the second time around as well.

           Eleventh: Obedience (following the law [something positive]) and transgression (not following the law [something negative]) was established. 

            Twelfth: The moving particles or creatures were returned to clay. 

            Thirteenth: Finally, from that clay, Adam was created.

In the following section of this post, I would like to highlight many significant and fascinating points that could be seen in these traditions.

• Water was created prior to the creation of any creatures. In the Holy Quran God says:
• “Allah has created every moving creature from water...” (24:45)
• “... And We have made from water every living thing...” (21:30)
• “And it is He Who has created mankind from water...” (25:54)

• Based on the first tradition, God’s paradise or garden was created following the creation of water. In other words, He created sweet, palatable water first, and from that water He created His paradise or garden. Similarly, He created salty, bitter water first and from that water He created His hell.

o   Clearly, Paradise and Hell are physical and material places and not merely spiritual.

o   The word “Jannat” is interchangeably used to mean either “Garden” or “Paradise.” Naturally, water is required and is necessary for a garden to grow or created.

• Based on the first and second tradition, the dust or clay that was taken to be used was taken from the surface of Earth.  The usage of the phrases “أَدِيمِ الْأَرْضِ” and “تُرَابِ التُّرْبَةِ” when assessed together point to Earth. On the same note, in the third tradition, it is stated, “أَرْسَلَ الْمَاءَ عَلَى الطِّينِ” or “water was sent upon clay.” If we take all of these three phrases together, we could paint a natural picture. Water was sent to Earth to soak the soil prior to the creation of creatures. This water could have come in the form of rain.

• In addition to the sending of the Messengers, the term “أَرْسَلَ” has been used in the Quran to denote the sending of some other natural phenomena, such as “winds” (25:48), “birds” (105:3) and “a punishment from sky” (7:162).

• Following the actions of the moving particles on each side, obedience and disobedience was established. If we take these moving particles (“ذَّرِّ يَدِبُّونَ”) to be all living creatures and not just mankind, then we cannot speak of sinfulness and faithfulness in this context. Thus, obedience and disobedience need to be understood in a wider context. One general way to understand obedience and disobedience could be linked to natural laws; being in harmony with natural laws, or being out of harmony with natural laws.

• Another more general way to understand the notions of obedience and disobedience would be in terms of positive and negative charges or polarity. Considering the context, it is easy to notice that two opposite poles cannot become one another. Positive remains positive, negative remains negative. They are simply unable to be like one another.

o   The notion of positive and negative charges prevails in all of our scientific knowledge. Our universe functions based on the interaction of positive and negative charges; For example: ions, protons, electrons, and etc.

o   Our bodies, our brains, our world and our universe (based on what we now know) can only be understood through the interaction of positive and negative charges.

·     There are simply too many examples to name, but I am certain that those of you who study physical and natural sciences can easily think of many examples on your own, where positive and negative charges play major roles in physical laws and regularities.

o   If we do accept his position, regarding the positive and negative charges, then we can also realize why those particles “on the left” did not go to fire even the second time around, after they noticed how God safeguarded those “on the right.” They didn’t go towards the fire, they “feared it,” for the same reason that the two negative poles of two different magnets cannot be attracted to one another.  

·         If we take fire to be negatively charged, and if we take “those on the left” to be negatively charged, then, naturally, they cannot be attracted towards one another.

§  These traditions are directly in agreement with the following Quranic verse. “And HE it is Who has caused the two seas to flow, this palatable and sweet, and that salt and bitter; and between them HE has placed a barrier and an insurmountable partition” (25:53)

o   In this verse, it is clear that these two seas or types of water cannot become like one another. Neither the saltwater could overtake the freshwater nor could the freshwater overtake the saltwater. However, when freshwater meets saltwater, brackish water is formed, which is neither saltwater nor freshwater.

o   If we are all created from these two types of water, then perhaps by learning about the science behind these two types of waters, we can also learn something about our own inner nature. Initially, one may not readily notice the connection between the science of ocean physics and the science of human nature. However, upon further contemplation, similarities begin to appear in one’s mind, which could in turn help one to understand human nature better. The following is a short article, which briefly speaks about what happens when the two types of water meet.

Where the Rivers Meet the Sea

 

§  Another quite interesting link, which may help is the following: 

 

Earth’s Beginnings: The Origins of Life

• Another point to notice in these traditions is that when God commands the creatures to move towards the fire, the tradition does not specify that these moving creatures were human. The term “يَدِبُّونَ” denotes moving things, and not moving mankind. In verse (24:45) the term “دَابَّةٍ” is used for moving creatures, and verse 24:45 specifically speaks about different types of moving creatures and not just humans.

• On the same note, in verse (33:72) God offers “The Trust” or “الْأَمَانَةَ” to the heavens, Earth and the mountains, all of which are moving yet non-living creatures. It is said that they refused to accept the offer, thus, showing a decision being made. Therefore, the moving particles that are mentioned in these traditions do not necessarily need to be living creatures the way we understand living to be.

At this point, a few questions come to mind, which I would like to put on the table in order for us to have them in the back of our minds, as we continue to do our religious and scientific studies.

  

1) Can it be the case that Adam, along with other moving creatures, was created on Earth?

• If so, then could these traditions be used as supporting evidence to help us be at ease regarding the science of human evolution?  

2) Can it be the case that the paradise or the garden, in which Adam was created, is or was a place on Earth?

• When we read about the paradise in the hereafter, we learn that deception and evil cannot and do not exist there. However, in the paradise that Adam was created, the devil deceived him into disobeying God’s command.

• Where could the first garden (Jannah) on Earth be located?

• Perhaps somewhere in the Fertile Crescent? Right by the Euphrates (Al-Forat) River?

                        Fertile Crescent

 3) Can we say that Adam was evolved on Earth, following millions of years of evolution, near the river Euphrates and dwelled in a paradise [a garden] on Earth?

o   According to the Old Testament, the Garden of Eden is located on Earth very near Euphrates or within the Fertile Crescent.

                        Garden of Eden

4) Could it be that the saltwater used was from the Mediterranean Sea and the freshwater used was from Euphrates [Al-Forat]?  

o   Could the first creation have begun somewhere between the Mediterranean Sea and the Euphrates?

There are many more questions that could be asked, and this area of research is certainly open for exploration.

At this point, I best conclude this post.

If you have any comments or questions, please do let me know. Keep in mind that in this post I am not attempting to reject or ascertain any specific view. Rather I hope to have provoked some thoughts and curiosity in order to encourage us to see if we could re-examine our views and see whether we could naturalize some of them.

Source:

Al-Kafi, Volume 2, Pages 6-7, Tradition #1, #2, #3