Al-Anbiyaa (The Prophets)

30. “Do not those who disbelieve see that the heavens and the earth were joined together before We clove them asunder, and We made from water every living thing? Will they not then believe?”

Here, there have been stated a few signs of Allah in the system of the world of existence and its regular order, which is an emphasis on the previous discussions regarding the reasons of Monotheism.

At first it says:

“Do not those who disbelieve see that the heavens and the earth were joined together before We clove them asunder, and We made from water every living thing?…”

Then, the Qur’an questions that, after having seemed these clear signs, do they not believe yet?

The holy verse continues saying:

“…Will they not then believe?”

There are some different ideas offered by the commentators about the purpose of the words /ratq/ (joining) and /fatq/ (separation) mentioned in the above verse, which concern the heavens and the earth. Among them, three interpretations seem more appropriate, and, as it will be explained, all of them may be found in the concept of the verse.¹

1. Attaching the heaven to the earth refers to the beginning of the creation.

According to the attitudes of some scientists, this world had been in the form of a single great unit of blazing vapor that, as a result of some different inward explosions and movements, it gradually divided into parts and the stars and planets, including the solar system and the earth, came to being, and still the world is expanding.

2. The purpose of this attachment is the monotony of the substances of the world so that all of them were gathered in one another and formed apparently a single matter. But, as the time passed, the substances separated from each other, and some new compounds appeared.

Thus many kinds of plants, animals, and other creatures existed in the heaven and the earth. These beings are in a condition that each of them has a special system and some effects and properties particular to itself. Every one of them is a sign for the infinite Knowledge, Glory and Might of Allah.²

3. The objective of the attachment of the heaven is that at first it did not rain, and the attachment of the earth is that at that time there grew no plant at all over it, but Allah started both of them. He caused to rain from heaven and He caused plants to grow on the earth.

There are numerous traditions narrated from the Ahl-ul-Bayt (as) which refer to the latter meaning while some of them point to the first commentary.³

No doubt that the latter commentary is something which is visible by the eyes that how it rains and that the lands cleave asunder and plants grow. This is completely adapted with the sentence saying:

“Do not those who disbelieve see”,

and it also harmonizes with the sentence declaring:

“…and We made from water every living thing”.

But the first and the second above commentaries do not contradict the vast meaning of these sentences, because the word ‘see’ sometimes is in the sense of ‘knowledge’. True is that this knowledge and cognizance is not available for all.

It is only the scientists who can give others some information about the past of the earth and the heaven and their attachment and, then, their separation, which may lead human beings throughout the whole centuries of the life.

It is for this reason that it has such a deep comprehensive content that can be applied by all groups of people in all times. And that is why we think there is no obstacle that this verse can embrace the whole three commentaries, each of which is correct and perfect in its own place.

We have frequently reiterated that the usage of one word, with more than one meaning, not only is not wrong but sometimes is also the reason for a high eloquence. So, some Islamic traditions indicate that the Qur’an has different layers of meaning. This may refer to this concept, too.

Concerning the Qur’anic meaningful idea, cited at the end of the abovementioned holy verse, indicating that all living things have been created from water, here we introduce two known commentaries:

1. The life of all living things, irrespective of plants and animals, depends on water; this very water that originates the descent of rain from the heaven.

Another matter is that the Arabic word /ma’/, mentioned here, refers to the drop of seed from which the living creatures are usually produced.

It is interesting that the scientists of today believe that the first gemma of life has been found in the depth of the seas, and that is why they think that the life has begun by means of water. And when we see that the Qur’an considers the creation of man out of /tin/ (mud), it is because this substance is a mixture of water and dust.

This subject is also noteworthy that the main part of man’s body, as well as that of many animals, mostly consists of water, (about seventy percent).

Some have objected that the creation of the angels and jinn both is certainly not from water, though they are some living creatures. The answer of it is clear, because the purpose in this context is those living creatures which are tangible for us.

An Islamic tradition indicates that once a person asked Imam Sadiq (as) about the taste of water.

The Imam (as) at first said:

“Ask with the aim that you learn something, not with the purpose of seeking pretext.”

Then he (as) added:

“The taste of water is the taste of life. Allah, Be He Glorified, has said: ‘And We made from water every living thing’.”4

In the summer, in particular, when a person, tolerating continued thirst, reaches some wholesome water in that hot weather, after drinking the first gulps of it, he feels that a spirit of life is blown into his body. The Imam, in fact intends to clarify the relation and dependence of life and water by this beautiful expression.