Bismika Alllahuma

La storia della creazione è situata nel primo libro di vecchio testamento, cioè. nei capitoli iniziali di genesi. La vecchia descrizione del testamento è quasi come uno storybook; quindi comincia con la storia della creazione come l'inizio della storia dell'umanità. Il Qur' dà una presentazione differente alla relativi idea e messaggio riguardo alla storia della creazione. La storia della creazione è situata in vari posti all'interno del Qur', quale Al-Baqarah in Sura', Sura' Come-Sajdah, Sura' Yassin e così via.

Il vecchio testamento collega la storia circa il dio che genera la terra e l'uomo in sei giorni (genesi, 1) e quel dio hanno preso un resto il settimo giorno (genesi, 1-3). Il Qur' inoltre accenna che la creazione avviene “in sei giorni„¹ ma non dice mai che il dio ha dovuto prendere un resto il settimo giorno. (Al-Sajdah: 4, Al-A' RAF: 54).

Il vecchio testamento si riferisce specificamente su che cosa il dio ha generato ogni giorno della creazione. Il primo giorno, il dio ha generato il cielo e la terra con luci ed ombre, che è accennato come il giorno e la notte. Ciò è accaduto persino prima che il dio generasse il sole e la luna! Il secondo giorno il dio ha generato il cielo e gli oceani. Il terzo giorno il dio ha dato la vita della terra. Allora, nei seguenti giorni il dio ha generato il sole e la luna, seguiti dai pesci e gli uccelli e gli animali, i rettili ed i bestiami selvaggi. Infine il dio ha generato l'uomo (genesi, 1). Questa sequenza della creazione certamente gli ha parecchi problemi scientifici con; brillare essendo il cliente della creazione delle piante prima della creazione del sole, che è contrario con che cosa conosciamo oggi circa la scienza.

Contrariamente alla bibbia, il Qur' non ha alcuna contraddizione con le scienze stabilite ed il senso umano comune. What appears to be a fundamental importance in the matter is that the Holy Qur’an does not mention specifically the sequence of Creation or the manner in how God created the world. In Sura’ Yassin, verse 33, we are told that God gave life to the earth that is dead, without mentioning on which day it had happened.

“A sign for them is the earth that is dead: We do give it life, and produce grain therefrom, of which ye do eat.” 36: 33

There is also absolutely fundamental data concerning the existence of an initial gaseous mass (dukhan) which is unique and whose elements, although at first fused together (ratq) subsequently became separated (fatq). This is expressed in Sura’ Fussilat:

“Then turned He to the heavens when it was smoke.” 41: 11

And the same is expressed in Sura’ al-Anbiya’:

“Do not the Unbelievers see that the heavens and the earth were joined together [as one unit of creation] before We clove them asunder?” 21: 30

All this is in perfect agreement with modern ideas on the existence of primary nebula and the process of secondary separation of elements that has formed the initial unique mass; this separation (known as the Big Bang) resulted in the formation of galaxies and then, when these divided, of stars from which the planets were to be born. All these information are distinguishable from the Biblical text with its successive phases that are totally unacceptable.²

Regarding the creation of Adam(P), the Old Testament informs us that God invited the angels to join Him in creating man. In fact God was quoted to have said:

“Let us make a man, someone like ourselves…” (Genesis, 1:26)

However, in the Qur’an God Almighty informed the angels that He would create man without asking for the angels’ approval to join him. And further, there is a conversation between God and His angels where the angels questioned why would God want to create man and He answered:

“I know what you do not know.” (Al-Baqarah: 30)

Furthermore, the Old Testament says that God made Adam(P) in His image or “like his Maker” (Genesis, 1:27). The Qur’an is in agreement with the Jewish and Christian views in this aspect (Qur’an, 15:29), but also stresses that Adam(P) was made from clay (Ar-Rahman: 14, Al-Hijr: 28). Only later in the Old Testament do we see that this is mentioned,

“God formed a man’s body from the dust of the ground.” (Genesis, 2:7)

The Qur’an and the Old Testament are similar in the case of God appointing Adam(P) as His representative on the earth. But the Qur’an has made clearer this statement than the Old Testament, moreso when God said to His angels that He wants to create a vicegerent (khalifah) on the earth (Al-Baqarah: 30, Genesis, 1:26). This status did not change even when Adam(P) committed a misdeed, repented and was forgiven for it. (Qur’an, 2:37). Man is not “fallen” from the Qur’anic perspective and hence there is no need to “save” or ransom him. In the Christian view however, Adam’s(P) misdeed is the basis for the doctrine of Original Sin, the beginning of mankind’s fall into a state of sin, a flowing from faith in a salvic drama that happened in the past.³

In conclusion, the Old Testament contains a collection of literary works produced over the centuries by unknown authors who had considerable influence in the actual composition of the text. The Qur’anic Revelation has a history that is in total contrast to the Bible and was preserved both orally and in writing during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad(P) himself. Therefore the Qur’an does not pose any problem of authenticity as a Revelation from God Almighty and this is why its story of the Creation remains consistent with modern scientific knowledge.

And only God knows best.

1. We must point out here that modern commentators stress the interpretation of ‘ayyam, one translation of which is “days”, as meaning ‘long periods’ or ‘ages’ rather than a period of twenty-four hour days. [back]
2. It should be interesting to note that the Qur’an was right in stating that it is the “Unbelievers” who will first observe this phenomenon, as the astronomers who were involved in the observation of universe were made up of atheists, Jews and Christians. [back]
3. See Isma’il Raji al-Faruqi, Al Tawhid: Its Implications for Thought and Life (IIIT:1992), pp. 70-74 [back]