Various Scientific Topics

02/03/2026

1/Human Components: Research From the Quran

The creation of the human being in the Quran is described as a deliberate, multi-stage process initiated by God (Allah) using terrestrial elements. Unlike the creation of the Jinn, who were brought into being from “scorching fire” (nar al-samum), or the Angels, who were created from light (nur), the human being—specifically the first man, Adam—was fashioned from various states of earth and water before being animated by a divine spirit.

The Quranic Stages of Human Creation

The Quranic narrative of human origins does not describe a singular, instantaneous event but rather a transformation of matter through several distinct phases. These stages are often categorized by the specific terminology used in the Arabic text to describe the “earth” at different points of the creative process.

Stage 1. The Stage of Dust (Turab)

The foundational element of human creation is simple dust or soil. This represents the most basic, dry state of the earth.

Verse: إِنَّ مَثَلَ عِيسَىٰ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ ءَادَمَ‌ۖ خَلَقَهُ ۥ مِن تُرَابٍ۬ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ ۥ كُن فَيَكُونُ (٥٩)
Indeed, the example of Jesus to Allah is like that of Adam. He created Him from dust; then He said to him, “Be,” and he was. (Surah Ali ‘Imran 3:59)

Explanation: The Words خَلَقَهُ مِنْ تُرَابٍ establishes that the origin of the human body is the same as the earth itself. Scholars note that “turab” refers to the elemental components found in soil, which are also present in the human body.

Stage 2. The Stage of Water and Clay (Tiin)

When water is added to the dust, it becomes clay (tiin). The Quran further describes this as “sticky clay” (tin lazib), indicating a cohesive, malleable substance.

Verse: فَٱسۡتَفۡتِہِمۡ أَهُمۡ أَشَدُّ خَلۡقًا أَم مَّنۡ خَلَقۡنَآ‌ۚ إِنَّا خَلَقۡنَـٰهُم مِّن طِينٍ۬ لَّازِبِۭ (١١)
Then inquire of them, [O Muhammad], “Are they a stronger [or more difficult] creation or those [others] We have created?” Indeed, We created men from sticky clay. (Surah As-Saaffat 37:11)

Explanation: The words إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاهُمْ مِنْ طِينٍ لَازِبٍ represents the mixing of the dry elements with water to create a formable material. It highlights the transition from loose particles to a structured mass.

Stage 3. The Stage of Altered Dry Clay from Black Mud (Hama’in Masnun)

The clay then undergoes a process of aging or fermentation, becoming dark and “altered” in smell and texture.

Verse: وَلَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ مِن صَلۡصَـٰلٍ۬ مِّنۡ حَمَإٍ۬ مَّسۡنُونٍ۬ (٢٦)
And We did certainly create man out of clay from an altered black mud. (Surah Al-Hijr 15:26)

Explanation: Swalswal refers to the dry, ringing clay, Hama’ refers to black mud that has changed due to fermentation, and Masnun means it has been molded or shaped. This suggests that the physical form of the human was fashioned while the material was in this dark, malleable state.

This specific verse is crucial because it combines two of the stages mentioned above. The word Salsal (صَلْصَالٍ) refers to the dry, ringing clay. The word Hama’ (حَمَإٍ) refers to the black, fermented mud, and Masnun (مَسْنُونٍ) refers to it being “altered” or “molded.”

Classical commentators like Ibn Kathir explain that the “altered mud” was the raw material used to shape the form of Adam, and once that form dried and became “sounding clay,” the spirit was breathed into it. This verse serves to remind humans of their humble physical origins to prevent arrogance, while the subsequent verses regarding the prostration of the angels highlight the nobility granted to man through the divine spirit.

Stage 4. The Stage of Sounding Clay (Salsal)

As the molded figure dries, it becomes “sounding clay” (salsal). This is clay that is so dry and hard that it produces a ringing or clinking sound when struck, similar to pottery.

Verse: خَلَقَ الْإِنْسَانَ مِنْ صَلْصَالٍ كَالْفَخَّارِ

He created man from clay like [that of] pottery. (Surah Ar-Rahman 55:14)

Explanation: This is the “cooked” or “baked” state, Salsal indicates the completion of the physical vessel or “statue” of the human.

Stage 5. The Infusion of the Spirit (Ruh)

The final stage is the transition from a physical object to a living being. God breathes His spirit into the fashioned clay, granting it life, consciousness, and intellect.

Verse: فَإِذَا سَوَّيْتُهُ وَنَفَخْتُ فِيهِ مِنْ رُوحِي

And when I have proportioned him and breathed into him of My [created] soul, then fall down to him in prostration.”(Surah Al-Hijr 15:29)

Explanation: This is the metaphysical component. The human is not just “cooked dust”; it is a composite of the lowest material (mud) and the highest honor (the Divine Spirit).

Physical Component: Derived from the earth in various states (Dust تُرَابٍ۬ + Water) $\to$ Sticky Clay طِينٍ۬ لَّازِبِۭ $\to$ Altered Fermented Mud حَمَإٍ۬ مَّسۡنُونٍ۬ $\to$ Dried Clayصَلْصَالٍ.
Spiritual Component: The Ruh (Spirit), which is a unique creation of God that provides the human with “uprightness,” intellect, and the capacity for worship.

The Quranic view explicitly refutes a purely materialistic origin. While the body returns to the earth (dust), the spirit is what defines the “humanity” of the individual and allows for the metaphysical connection between the creator and the created.

In Islamic theology and classical Arabic linguistics, the creation of the first human, Adam, is described as a multi-stage process involving the transformation of earthly materials. Based on the Quranic text and the commentaries of authoritative scholars, your understanding is largely correct: the “altered mud” (or fermented mud) represents an intermediate stage between the initial mixing of sticky clay and the final drying into a sounding, pottery-like substance.

Summary

The process of Adam’s creation is described through several distinct linguistic and physical phases in the Quran and classical exegesis. These stages reflect a progression from raw earth to a sophisticated, shaped form ready to receive the divine spirit.

1. The Initial Material: Dust and Water

The process began with Turab (dust or soil). According to the Encyclopedia of the Qur’an, this represents the humble origin of man from the earth’s surface. This dust was gathered from various parts of the earth, which explains the diversity in human skin colors and temperaments. When this dust was mixed with water, it became Tin (clay).

2. Sticky Clay (Tin Lazib)

As water saturated the dust, it reached a state described as Tin Lazib. In his classical dictionary Lisan al-Arab (Arabic Dictionary) defines lazib as something that becomes “sticky, solid, and cohesive.” At this stage, the material is pliable and can be molded, but it has not yet undergone chemical or structural changes.

3. Altered, Fermented Mud (Hama’in Masnoon)

This is the stage you referred to as being “between” the sticky and dry phases. After the clay was formed, it was left to sit. The Quran uses the term Hama’in Masnoon to describe this state.

Hama’: Refers to black, dark mud.
Masnoon: This word has two primary meanings in classical Arabic: “altered” (in smell or consistency) and “poured into a shape.”

Scholars like Al-Razi explain that because the mud was left for a period, its color changed to black and it developed a distinct odor, similar to fermentation. This represents a “chemical” transition where the raw clay begins to take on a specific, “altered” character. It is indeed the intermediate phase where the material is no longer just wet soil but is becoming a structured “mud” that has been aged.

4. Dried, Sounding Clay (Salsal)

The final physical stage before the breathing of the soul is Salsal. This is clay that has dried to the point that it produces a sound (clinking or rattling) when struck. The Quran compares it to al-fakhkhar (baked pottery). At this point, the “fermented mud” has lost its moisture and odor, becoming a hard, resonant shell.

To make this explanation as simple as possible, imagine a potter making a vase:

The Mix: You take dry dirt (Dust) and add water.
The Dough: It becomes a wet, Sticky Clay that you can shape with your hands.
The Aging: You leave that shaped mud to sit for a long time. It turns dark and starts to smell because it is “aging” or “fermenting” (Altered Mud). This is exactly where you placed it: after it was sticky but before it was hard.
The Drying: Finally, the sun or air dries it out completely. It becomes so hard that if you tap it with your finger, it rings like a ceramic pot (Dried Clay).

Once this “pottery” shape was perfected, the Divine Spirit was breathed into it, and it became a living human being.

2/AFTER THE BIG BANG

سُوۡرَةُ البُرُوج Chapter 1 Verse 1
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

وَٱلسَّمَآءِ ذَاتِ ٱلۡبُرُوجِ (١)

Translation:

By the sky containing great stars

سُوۡرَةُ الاٴنبیَاء Chapter 21 Verse 30

أَوَلَمۡ يَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوٓاْ أَنَّ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ ڪَانَتَا رَتۡقً۬ا فَفَتَقۡنَـٰهُمَا‌ۖ وَجَعَلۡنَا مِنَ ٱلۡمَآءِ كُلَّ شَىۡءٍ حَىٍّ‌ۖ أَفَلَا يُؤۡمِنُونَ (٣٠)

Have the unbelievers not ever considered that the heavens and the earth were one piece and that We tore them apart from one another. From water We have created all living things. Will they then have no faith?

The Chronological Evolution of the Universe: From the Big Bang to the First Stars

The history of the cosmos is a narrative of cooling and structural organization, beginning from a state of nearly infinite density and temperature. According to the standard cosmological model, known as the $Λ$ CDM (Lambda Cold Dark Matter) model, the universe began approximately 13.8 billion years ago.

In its earliest moments, the universe was a “soup” of energy and subatomic particles so hot that the fundamental forces of nature—gravity, electromagnetism, and the nuclear forces—were unified into a single super-force.

As the universe expanded, it cooled, allowing these forces to separate and matter to begin forming from pure energy.

The Birth of Matter and the Dark Ages

In the first few minutes after the Big Bang, a process called Big Bang Nucleosynthesis occurred. During this brief window, the universe was hot enough to act as a nuclear fusion reactor, fusing protons and neutrons to create the nuclei of the first light elements: hydrogen, helium, and a trace of lithium.

However, for the next 380,000 years, the universe remained a hot, opaque plasma. Electrons were too energetic to stay bound to nuclei, and photons (light particles) were constantly deflected by these free electrons, much like light trying to pass through a thick fog.

Once the temperature dropped to about 3,000 Kelvin, a pivotal event called “Recombination” took place. Electrons finally settled into orbits around nuclei, forming the first neutral atoms.

This cleared the “fog,” allowing light to travel freely across space for the first time. This first light is still detectable today as the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) radiation.

Following this, the universe entered the “Dark Ages,” a period lasting hundreds of millions of years where no stars existed, and the only light was the fading afterglow of the Big Bang.

Gravity and the Formation of Stars and Pathways

During the Dark Ages, the universe was not truly empty; it was filled with clouds of hydrogen and helium gas and a mysterious substance called dark matter.

Dark matter acted as the invisible “scaffolding” of the universe. Because it has mass but does not interact with light, it began to clump together under the force of gravity much faster than ordinary matter.

These clumps of dark matter created gravitational “wells” or pathways that pulled in the surrounding hydrogen gas.

As the gas fell into these gravitational pathways, it became denser and hotter. Eventually, the centers of these gas clouds reached temperatures high enough to trigger nuclear fusion, marking the birth of the first stars, known as Population III stars.

These stars were massive, bright, and short-lived. When they died in violent explosions called supernovae, they scattered heavier elements like carbon and oxygen into space, which would eventually form planets and life.

These stars clustered together along the dark matter pathways to form the first galaxies, creating the large-scale “cosmic web” structure we see in the universe today.

Summary of Stages of the Universe’s Journey

The following is a simplified, chronological step-by-step summary of the universe’s journey:

The Big Bang (0 seconds): The universe begins as an incredibly hot, dense point of energy and space itself starts to stretch.
Inflation (10−36 seconds): A super-fast growth spurt where the universe expands exponentially in a tiny fraction of a second.
Particle Formation (10−6 seconds): The universe cools enough for quarks to combine into protons and neutrons.
First Nuclei (3 minutes): Protons and neutrons fuse to create the centers (nuclei) of hydrogen and helium atoms.
Recombination (380,000 years): Electrons join with nuclei to form the first stable atoms. The universe becomes transparent, and light travels freely.
The Dark Ages (380,000 – 150 million years): No stars have formed yet. The universe is dark, but gravity is busy pulling gas into “pathways” created by dark matter.
First Stars (150 – 400 million years): Gravity collapses gas clouds within the pathways, heating them up until they “turn on” as the first stars.
Galaxy Formation (500 million years+): Stars group together along the cosmic pathways to form the first galaxies and the large-scale structure of the universe.

3/From Stasis to Synthesis: The Biophysics of Hydration in Surah Fussilat & Hajj

06/03/2026

وَمِنۡ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦۤ أَنَّكَ تَرَى ٱلۡأَرۡضَ خَـٰشِعَةً۬ فَإِذَآ أَنزَلۡنَا عَلَيۡہَا ٱلۡمَآءَ ٱهۡتَزَّتۡ وَرَبَتۡ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَحۡيَاهَا لَمُحۡىِ ٱلۡمَوۡتَىٰٓ‌ۚ إِنَّهُ ۥ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ قَدِيرٌ Surah Fussilat (41:39)

And of His signs is that you see the earth stilled, but when We send down upon it rain, it quivers and grows. Indeed, He who has given it life is the Giver of Life to the dead. Indeed, He is over all things competent.

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِن كُنتُمۡ فِى رَيۡبٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡبَعۡثِ فَإِنَّا خَلَقۡنَـٰكُم مِّن تُرَابٍ۬ ثُمَّ مِن نُّطۡفَةٍ۬ ثُمَّ مِنۡ عَلَقَةٍ۬ ثُمَّ مِن مُّضۡغَةٍ۬ مُّخَلَّقَةٍ۬ وَغَيۡرِ مُخَلَّقَةٍ۬ لِّنُبَيِّنَ لَكُمۡ‌ۚ وَنُقِرُّ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡحَامِ مَا نَشَآءُ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ۬ مُّسَمًّ۬ى ثُمَّ نُخۡرِجُكُمۡ طِفۡلاً۬ ثُمَّ لِتَبۡلُغُوٓاْ أَشُدَّڪُمۡ‌ۖ وَمِنڪُم مَّن يُتَوَفَّىٰ وَمِنڪُم مَّن يُرَدُّ إِلَىٰٓ أَرۡذَلِ ٱلۡعُمُرِ لِڪَيۡلَا يَعۡلَمَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ عِلۡمٍ۬ شَيۡـًٔ۬ا‌ۚ وَتَرَى ٱلۡأَرۡضَ هَامِدَةً۬ فَإِذَآ أَنزَلۡنَا عَلَيۡهَا ٱلۡمَآءَ ٱهۡتَزَّتۡ وَرَبَتۡ وَأَنۢبَتَتۡ مِن ڪُلِّ زَوۡجِۭ بَهِيجٍ۬ (٥)

O People, if you should be in doubt about the Resurrection, then [consider that] indeed, We created you from dust, then from a sperm-drop, then from a clinging clot, and then from a lump of flesh, formed and unformed – that We may show you. And We settle in the wombs whom We will for a specified term, then We bring you out as a child, and then [We develop you] that you may reach your [time of] maturity. And among you is he who is taken in [early] death, and among you is he who is returned to the most decrepit [old] age so that he knows, after [once having] knowledge, nothing. And you see the earth barren, but when We send down upon it rain, it quivers and swells and grows [something] of every beautiful kind.

Surah Al-Hajj (22:5)

The highlighted part from the Quranic verses specifically describes the earth “vibrating” (or quivering) and then growing after rainfall

In the Arabic text, the word used to describe this motion is ihtazzat (ٱهْتَزَّتْ), which linguistically denotes a state of stirring, quivering, or vibrating as life begins to permeate the soil.

The Quranic Concept of Earth’s Vibration and Growth

The earth coming back to life after rain is a common theme in the Quran, seen as a “sign” (ayah) of the Resurrection. The verses describe how the earth shakes (ihtazzat), swells (rabat), and grows (anbatat) when mixed with water. This process—vibration, swelling, and then growth—is recognized by scholars as an accurate description of how soil changes.

Linguistic and Exegetical Analysis of Ihtazzat

The term ihtazzat comes from the root ha-za-za, which refers to a vigorous movement or shaking. Classical commentators like Ibn Kathir explain that when water penetrates the parched, “dead” earth, the soil particles move and shift to accommodate the moisture and the emerging life of seeds. This is followed by rabat (swelling), which refers to the increase in volume as the earth rises. In the Tafsir al-Jalalayn, this is interpreted as the earth becoming animated with vegetation after being lifeless and still.

Scientific Perspectives on Soil Vibration

Modern scientific observations of soil mechanics provide a literal layer of meaning to these verses. When water hits dry soil, particularly clay-rich earth, a process of “swelling” occurs at the molecular level. The water molecules enter between the layers of soil minerals, causing them to expand and shift. Furthermore, the germination of seeds involves the exertion of “imbibition pressure,” which can be powerful enough to crack rocks or move soil particles, creating a microscopic “vibration” or quivering as the sprouts push upward toward the surface.

The Theological Purpose of the Sign

The Quran does not mention these natural processes merely for geographical or botanical interest. Instead, they serve as a logical proof for the afterlife. The argument presented is that the One who can turn a “dead,” dusty, and still landscape into a vibrant, “vibrating” garden is certainly capable of reconstituting human remains into living beings. He who has given it life is the Giver of life to the dead. Indeed, He is over all things competent.

Related Verses on Rain and Revivification

While Surah Al-Hajj 22:5 and Fussilat 41:39 are the most specific regarding the “vibration” of the earth, other verses complement this imagery:

Surah Ar-Rum (30:50):

فَٱنظُرۡ إِلَىٰٓ ءَاثَـٰرِ رَحۡمَتِ ٱللَّهِ ڪَيۡفَ يُحۡىِ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ بَعۡدَ مَوۡتِہَآ‌ۚ إِنَّ ذَٲلِكَ لَمُحۡىِ ٱلۡمَوۡتَىٰ‌ۖ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىۡءٍ۬ قَدِيرٌ۬ (٥٠)

The Verse Urges the reader to observe the effects of the mercy of Allah—how He gives life to the earth after its death.

Surah Al-A’raf (7:57):

وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى يُرۡسِلُ ٱلرِّيَـٰحَ بُشۡرَۢا بَيۡنَ يَدَىۡ رَحۡمَتِهِۦ‌ۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَقَلَّتۡ سَحَابً۬ا ثِقَالاً۬ سُقۡنَـٰهُ لِبَلَدٍ۬ مَّيِّتٍ۬ فَأَنزَلۡنَا بِهِ ٱلۡمَآءَ فَأَخۡرَجۡنَا بِهِۦ مِن كُلِّ ٱلثَّمَرَٲتِ‌ۚ كَذَٲلِكَ نُخۡرِجُ ٱلۡمَوۡتَىٰ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَذَڪَّرُونَ (٥٧)

The Verse Describes the winds as “heralds of glad tidings” that carry heavy clouds to “dead lands” to bring forth fruits.

Surah Al-Hijr (15:22):

وَأَرۡسَلۡنَا ٱلرِّيَـٰحَ لَوَٲقِحَ فَأَنزَلۡنَا مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءً۬ فَأَسۡقَيۡنَـٰكُمُوهُ وَمَآ أَنتُمۡ لَهُ ۥ بِخَـٰزِنِينَ (٢٢)

The Verse Mentions “fertilizing winds” (lawaaqiha) that act as a precursor to the rain that triggers the earth’s growth.

The transition from a state of hamidah (lifeless/stilled) to ihtazzat (vibrating/stirring) serves as a powerful metaphor for the spiritual awakening of the heart through divine revelation, just as the physical earth is awakened by rain.

The Verses Surah Fussilat (41:39) and Surah Al-Hajj (22:5) describe the revival of barren land in both metaphorical and physical terms. They act as an argument for purpose, using real-life biological and geological events to explain the idea of resurrection.

The Physical and Biological Mechanism of Soil Revival

From a scientific perspective, the verse describes the transition of soil from a state of dormancy to a state of active biological productivity. When soil is “stilled” or “khashi’ah,” it often refers to a state of extreme desiccation where microbial activity is minimal and the physical structure is compacted. The “quivering” (ihtazzat) and “growing” (rabat) mentioned in the text correspond to specific physical and chemical processes that occur when water interacts with dry earth.

1. Soil Expansion and Clay Mineralogy The term rabat (to swell or increase) relates to the physical expansion of soil particles. Soils containing expansive clay minerals, such as montmorillonite or smectite, undergo significant volume changes upon wetting. This is due to the adsorption of water molecules into the interlayer spaces of the clay crystalline structure.

The swelling pressure ( $P_{s}$ ) exerted by these clays can be modeled by the following relationship: $P_{s} = Π_{o s m} - Π_{e x t}$ Where $Π_{o s m}$ is the osmotic pressure between the clay layers and $Π_{e x t}$ is the external pressure. As water enters, the osmotic pressure increases, causing the soil to “swell” or “grow” in volume.

2. The “Quivering” (Kinetic Energy and Air Displacement) The term ihtazzat (to stir or quiver) can be interpreted through the displacement of air and the kinetic impact of water. When water infiltrates dry, porous soil, it displaces the air trapped in the pores. This rapid displacement can cause a physical “shaking” or bubbling effect at the microscopic level. Furthermore, the heat of wetting—an exothermic reaction occurring when water molecules bind to dry soil surfaces—releases energy that contributes to the molecular agitation of the soil matrix.

Biological Activation and Seed Germination

The “life” given to the earth refers to the sudden explosion of biological activity. Dry soil contains seeds in a state of cryptobiosis (latent life). The introduction of water triggers the process of imbibition, the first step of germination.

The Imbibition Equation: The rate of water uptake by a seed can be described by the following differential equation: $\frac{d W}{d t} = k (A) (Ψ_{s} - Ψ_{m})$ Where:

$W$ is the water content.
$t$ is time.
$k$ is the permeability of the seed coat.
$A$ is the surface area.
$Ψ_{s}$ is the water potential of the soil.
$Ψ_{m}$ is the matric potential of the seed.

As the seed imbibes water, it “swells” (rabat) and its metabolic rate increases exponentially. Enzymes like $α$ -amylase are activated to break down starches into sugars, providing the energy for the embryo to break through the soil surface.

Microbial Resuscitation: The “Birch Effect”

In soil science, the sudden burst of decomposition and release of nutrients following the wetting of dry soil is known as the Birch Effect. When dry soil is moistened, microbes that were dormant or in a state of desiccation-induced stress suddenly become active. This leads to a “pulse” of carbon dioxide ( $C O_{2}$ ) respiration, which can be viewed as the earth “breathing” or “stirring” back to life.

The respiration rate ( $R$ ) following rewetting can be modeled as: $R (t) = R_{0} \cdot e^{- k t} + B$ Where $R_{0}$ is the initial peak of respiration, $k$ is the decay constant, and $B$ is the basal respiration rate. This mathematical model captures the rapid transition from a “dead” or “stilled” state to a highly active biological state.

Geological and Atmospheric Integration

The verse also implies a cycle of energy and matter. The water cycle, driven by solar radiation, acts as the catalyst for this transformation. The “Signs” (Ayat) mentioned are the laws of thermodynamics and fluid mechanics in action. The potential energy stored in the dry, nutrient-rich soil is converted into kinetic and chemical energy upon the addition of water, which acts as a universal solvent.

In summary, the Quranic description aligns with the physical swelling of clay minerals, the displacement of gases within soil pores, the rehydration of microbial life, and the biochemical triggers of seed germination. These processes collectively transform a barren landscape into a productive ecosystem, a phenomenon used in the text to provide a physical analogy for the metaphysical concept of resurrection.

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