20:53
“He Who has, made for you the earth like a carpet spread out; has enabled you to go about therein by roads (and channels); and has sent down water from the sky.” With it have We produced diverse pairs of plants each separate from the others.
The Origin and Diversity of Life According to the Qurʾān
The Origins of Life
The Qurʾān presents the origin of life within a theological framework that highlights water as a fundamental element in the emergence of living beings. Qurʾān 21:30 describes the heavens and the earth as having once been joined together before being separated, and it states that every living thing was created from water. Classical and contemporary interpretations commonly understand this verse in two complementary ways: first, that life originated in aquatic environments, and second, that water constitutes a central component of living organisms. Both interpretations align with modern scientific observations that recognize water as essential to biological processes and as a primary constituent of cellular life.
The Qurʾānic term māʾ (water) carries a range of meanings, including rainwater, bodies of water, and liquids more broadly. For example, Qurʾān 20:53 refers to rainwater as the means through which various forms of vegetation grow, emphasizing the ecological dependence of plant life on water. Similarly, Qurʾān 24:45 states that every moving creature was created from water, which some commentators interpret as an indication of the fluid basis of animal life, including reproductive elements such as seminal fluid. Within the Qurʾānic perspective, these references present the origin and composition of life as part of a purposeful divine creative process rather than as mythological cosmology.
The Perpetuation of Life
The Qurʾān also addresses the continuation of life through reproduction in both the plant and animal kingdoms. References to plant reproduction frequently emphasize the existence of pairs (azwāj), a term indicating complementary counterparts that function together within a unified biological system. For instance, Qurʾān 13:3 states that fruits are produced in pairs, which exegetes often interpret as a reference to male and female reproductive aspects within plant species. Modern botanical science recognizes various reproductive mechanisms in plants, including sexual reproduction through pollination as well as asexual reproduction through spores and vegetative propagation. Some commentators therefore view the Qurʾānic language as broadly compatible with these biological observations.
Although the Qurʾān mentions reproduction among animals, it devotes more extensive discussion to human reproduction in other passages. The repeated emphasis on paired creation and generative processes reflects a broader theological theme of balance, continuity, and order within the natural world. In this framework, the diversity of life and the mechanisms of reproduction are understood as signs of divine creativity and wisdom, while remaining open to interpretation alongside developing scientific knowledge
References:
Bucaille, Maurice (1983). What is the Origin of Man?