Az-Zumar (The Groups)

6. He created you from a single soul; then made from him his wife. And He has sent down for you [thanks to His Omnipotence] of cattle eight pairs [of the sheep, goats, oxen, and camels, two each, male and female]. He creates you in the wombs of your mothers: creation after creation in three veils of darkness [flesh, skin, and blood]. Such is Allah your Lord. His is the sovereignty. There is no god [to be worshipped] but He. How then do you turn away [from the Straight Path]?

In spite of physical differences, all men, irrespective of sex and color of complexion, share the like genus and soul

(“single soul”).

The blessed Verse once more treats of the Signs of Divine Glory, His creation, and some of the diverse Bounties bestowed upon mankind.

The Verse opens with the creation of man saying:

“He created you from a single soul; then made from him his wife.”

Creation of all men from

“a single soul”

is a reference to the question of the creation of Adam, our primeval ancestor.

All human beings, though diverse in creation, dispositions, faculties, and tastes trace back to one common origin, namely Adam.

The clause:

“then made from him his wife”

actually indicates that God created Adam; then, He created his wife from the remainder of his clay; as a consequence of which the creation of Adam precedes that of Eve and his offspring.

“Then” (thumma) does not connote temporal posteriority at all times, but at times it is employed to demonstrate delay in expressing something; an instance of which is “We noticed your work today; then we saw the work you did yesterday;” yet, what was carried out yesterday certainly precedes that of today. Some exegets have maintained that the aforesaid expression is a reference to the question of “the world of pre-existence” (‘alam al-dharr) and the creation of Adam’s offspring following his creation and prior to that of Eve in the form of ants is inaccurate, as mentioned above under 7:172.

It is also worthy of note that the creation of Adam’s wife was not done out of Adam’s body, but from the remainder of his clay, as clearly specified in Islamic traditions. Nonetheless, according to a tradition, Eve was created out of Adam’s lowest left rib which is groundless.

The tradition derives from Jewish and Christian traditions (Isra’iliyyat) and is consistent with the second chapter of the Book of Genesis, namely the available distorted Torah.

Furthermore, it is inconsistent with observation and sense, since as per the tradition in question, one of Adam’s ribs was removed from which Eve was created, as a consequence of which man are supposed to have one rib less in their left side, whereas we know that men and women do not differ in the number of ribs and the difference is no more than a legend.

The blessed Verse proceeds to treat of the question of the creation of quadrupeds as a significant means of human life. Men use them to produce clothes out of their skins, nourishment from their milk and meat.

They make clothes and different means of life out of their skin and fleece.

Quadrupeds are used by men as well as means of transportation:

“And He has sent down for you [thanks to His Omnipotence] of cattle eight pairs.”

By

“eight pairs”, the Verse intends to connote “of the sheep, goats, oxen, and camels, two each, male and female,” since the word pair (zawj) is applied to either of the sexes, the males and females of the animals enumerated above make eight pairs; however it is not consistent with other Arabic expressions; consequently, Adam’s wife, namely Eve, is mentioned in the opening of the Verse in question as the “pair.”

As mentioned above, the expression:

“He has sent down for you” does not indicate sending down quadrupeds from above, but it denotes “descent from a higher state of hierarchy” as a Bounty bestowed upon those occupying a lower state.

A tradition narrated from the Commander of the Faithful, Imam ‘Ali (as), concerning the interpretation of the Verse in question,

“sending down eight quadrupeds in pairs is their creation by God.”1

Some have also maintained that:

inzal (“sending down”) is taken from nuzul (“showing hospitality to guests; first food served to a guest”) as mentioned elsewhere in the Holy Qur’an: “therein are they to dwell forever, an entertainment from Allah”2 .

It is to be noted that even though quadrupeds are not used for transportation as they were used in the past, but the use of such animals has been on the increase for making other significant products.

Even today, man mainly uses quadrupeds for their milk, meat, clothes, and other means of life produced out of their wool and skin; as a consequence of which breeding them constitutes one of the significant revenues for powerful countries.

The blessed Verse proceeds to treat of other forms of Divine creation, saying:

“He creates you in the wombs of your mothers: creation after creation in three veils of darkness [flesh, skin, and blood].”

It is needless to say that

“creation after creation”

designates consecutive creations rather than creation at one single time.

It is worthy of note that the verbal form yakhluqukum is in the present tense, indicating progressiveness and making a brief but significant reference to extraordinary developments and the different remarkable forms of the fetus in the womb which is according to embryologists one of the most extraordinary and the most intricate forms of Divine creation such that the science of embryology is a complete course in Divine Unity and theology.

Few people may study such questions in details and fail to praise the Creator.

The phrase:

“three veils of darkness”

refers to the darkness of the womb and the chorion consisting of three thick membranes or veils covering the fetus.

Ordinary painters have to paint in a well-lit workspace, but the Creator of mankind paints such fascinating paintings in such strange dark place that everyone is enthralled by it, where no one may have access to it. He constantly provides for the nourishment of the fetus that is in a dire need of it for growth.

In the well known prayer titled ‘Arafa which is a complete and perfect course on Divine Unity, enumerating Divine Bounties and manifestations of His Omnipotence before His Threshold, the Chief of the Martyrs (Sayyid al-Shuhada’), Imam Husayn (as), says:

“You made my creation to be preceded by drops of semen, then you proceeded with my creation through placing me in the three veils of darkness, amidst flesh, skin, and blood. You provided for all my vital functions; then you brought me into the world in perfect health.”3

Following the reference to the tripartite chains of Divine Unity regarding the creation of men and quadrupeds and the developments of fetus, the blessed Verse closes thus:

“Such is Allah your Lord. His is the sovereignty. There is no god [to be worshipped] but He. How then do you turn away [from the Straight Path]?”

It seems as if following an observation of such glorious manifestations of Divine Unity, man has been able to experience personally such manifestations; then the blessed Verse proceeds to make a reference to His Sacred Essence saying:

“Such is Allah your Lord.”

Any attentive perceiver may perceive Him beyond such manifestations. The eyes of the head and the heart see the manifestations and the Creator respectively.

(“You have come out with many a manifestation, so that I may look at you with many an eye!”)

The expressions

“your Lord”

and

“His is the sovereignty”

are provided as arguments for the exclusivity of the Divine Pure Essence as the object of worship expressed in the formula

“There is no god but Allah.”

He is the Creator as well as the Sole Sovereign and Nurturer; in other words, the Sovereignty in all the world of existence solely belongs to Him, so other entities in this world do not deserve to be the objects of worship.

The blessed Verse calls the ignorant thus:

“Why do you turn away from the Straight Path of Divine Unity?”