Gradual Creation and All-at-Once Creation
The following four points need to be considered before talking about any creation:
- Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu) is the Creator of everything :“Allah is the Creator of every thing and He has charge over every thing” (Quran 39: 62).
- Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu) is able to do all things: "Blessed is He in Whose Hand is the dominion, and He is Able to do all things" (Quran 67: 1).
- Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu) creates what He wills: "To Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth; He creates what he wills ..." (Quran 42; 49).
- Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu) does not need time to create what He wills because when He decrees a matter He only says to it "Be" and it is: “The Originator of the heavens and the earth. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it Be and it is” (Quran 2: 117).
Gradual Creation:
When we talk about any attribute or action of Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu) the rule is that nothing is like unto Him: "... There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing" (Quran 42: 11). It was already stated on this page that when He decrees a matter He only says to it "Be" and it is. The gradual creation was mentioned in the Quran in terms of: (1) the heavens and earth in six creation days (periods), (2) Adam (peace be upon him) in stages (dust, soft clay, sounding clay, and soul in a human body), and (3) the human beings in embryonic stages (Nutfa, Alaqa, Mudgha, bones, and flesh, ... etc.) during the months of pregnancy. Muslims believe that there is a great wisdom in all of the actions of Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu). Some Muslim scholars explained some of the wisdom behind creating things gradually such as the creation of the heavens and earth in six days (creation periods):
1. To teach mankind deliberation in their affairs. This is because if the One Who can create the entire universe all-at-once just by saying “Be” created them in six days, then it is more appropriate for mankind to do things in a very deliberate manner.
2. To indicate wisdom by creating things in deliberation, because creating a thing all-at-once indicates the power of Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu).
When people know the steps involved in a creation process they can employ this knowledge to improve their lives. For example the human being is created in stages during the months of pregnancy. However, if people see that a human being is created instantaneously all-at-once with no embryonic stages involved in its creation then no one will be able to understand the mechanisms and causes of birth defects. Thus, thanks be to Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu), because the creation of a human embryo is a gradual process, which takes time (months) during which physicians are able to observe, study, and understand birth defects and even in some cases to intervene and treat certain disorders and diseases.
All-at-Once Creation:
When Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu) decrees a matter He only says to it "Be" and it is: “The Originator of the heavens and the earth. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it Be and it is” (Quran 2: 117). Creating a thing all-at-once shows the power of Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu) and that He is able to do all things and creates what He wills in the way He wills. In the Quran, we read about this all-at-once creation:
- The creation of the wife of Adam (peace be upon him). She was created from one of the ribs of Adam and no stages were mentioned about this creation process.
- The re-creation of all mankind all-at-once on the Day of Judgement: "And the Horn will be blown, and whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth will fall dead except whom Allah wills. Then it will be blown again, and at once they will be standing, looking on" (Quran 39: 68). The bodies of all people who lived on earth and died and became bones and dust will be re-created all-at-once by Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu) on the Day of Judgement.
Change in Creation
Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu) mentions in the Quran that He creates changes in the creation. Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu) states that He increases in the creation of certain creatures: “All the praises and thanks be to Allah, the (only) Originator of the heavens and the earth, Who made the angels messengers with wings, two or three or four. He increases in creation what He wills. Verily, Allah is Able to do all things” (Quran 35: 1). Also, Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu) mentions that He increases some people in stature: “Do you wonder that there has come to you a Reminder (and an advice) from your Lord through a man from amongst you to warn you? And remember that He made you successors after the people of Nuh (Noah) and increased you amply in stature. So remember the graces (bestowed upon you) from Allah so that you may be successful" (Quran 7: 69). The Prophet Muhammad (Salla Allahu alay-hi wa-sallam), in an authentic saying [2], stated that Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu) created Adam (peace be upon him) as the tallest man; since then, the body height of the human beings decreased over time: “Allah created Adam, making him 60 cubits tall. When He created him, He said to him, "Go and greet that group of angels, and listen to their reply, for it will be your greeting (salutation) and the greeting (salutations of your offspring." So, Adam said (to the angels), As-Salamu Alaikum (i.e. Peace be upon you). The angels said, "As-salamu Alaika wa Rahmatu-l-lahi" (i.e. Peace and Allah's Mercy be upon you). Thus the angels added to Adam's salutation the expression, 'Wa Rahmatu-l-lahi,' Any person who will enter Paradise will resemble Adam (in appearance and figure). People have been decreasing in stature since Adam's creation.” It can be said that Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu) created the genetic makeup of Adam (peace be upon him) as the first human genome and created mechanisms for changes to occur in this genome over time (from generation to generation). This aspect can be seen clearly in gene diversity among people, which was mentioned in the Quran when Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu) talked about the differences in the skin color of people, which solely came from only one man (Adam peace be upon him): “And among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the difference of your languages and colors. Verily, in that are indeed signs for men of sound knowledge” (Quran 30: 22). So, from one man Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu) created many variants of the human body traits. This is seen today in the human populations worldwide: “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 and fear Allah through Whom you demand your mutual (rights), and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship). Surely, Allah is Ever an All-Watcher over you” (Quran 4: 1). Moreover, the conditions and factors causing the changes in creation as well as the laws regulating and governing each change are also created by Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu). Another good example on the changes in the human population as mentioned in the Quran is seen in the declining of the lifespan of people over time. Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu) mentioned in the Quran that the age of the Prophet Noah (peace be upon him) was 950 years: “We (once) sent Noah to his people, and he tarried among them a thousand years less fifty: but the Deluge overwhelmed them while they (persisted in) sin” (Quran 29: 14). When we compare the lifespan of a human being today, which is about 100 years, to 950 years we find a major change over time.
The Quran tells that people can make changes in the creation of certain animals. The Quran mentions in one verse that Satan asks human beings to go astray from the path of Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu) and cut the ears of cattle: “And surely I will lead them astray, and surely I will arouse desires in them, and surely I will command them and they will cut the cattle' ears, and surely I will command them and they will change Allah's creation. Whoso chooses Satan for a patron instead of Allah is verily a loser and his loss is manifest” (Quran 4: 119). Today, with the advancements in science, humans can make far greater and deeper changes in living things at the genetic level. In short, according to the Quran, Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu) creates living and nonliving things and also He creates changes in them (in their creation). Moreover, Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu) gave mankind abilities to make changes in the creation of some living things. As a result humans can positively benefit from these abilities to make useful changes. Biotechnology is a good example of the positive utilization of the ability of making changes in the creation of some living things. However, the ability to make changes in creation does not give mankind the role of the Creator. In other words, people who make changes in some living things through biotechnology or any other method are not creators rather they are modifiers of what has been created by Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu). When human beings make changes in the creation of living things they basically make such changes based on their knowledge of the natural laws, which are also created by Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu). The only true creation is done by Allah (Jalla Jalaluhu) Who originated things from the nothingness and created Adam (peace be upon him) from dust.
References
[1] Qur’an. Available online: http://quran.com/
[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari. Available online: https://sunnah.com/bukhari/60/1
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