55:14
He created man from sounding clay like unto pottery,
The following excerpt is taken from “Quran: A Reformist Translation” by Edip Yuksel:
The concept of human creation “from clay” can be interpreted in two complementary ways. First, clay may be understood as the primary substance from which human beings were formed. Second, it may also refer to clay as the environment or location in which life originated. Both interpretations can coexist, particularly when considered alongside other Qur’ānic passages that emphasize water as an essential component in the creation of living beings. In this perspective, clay and water together represent fundamental elements involved in the emergence of life.
Some modern scientific discussions have drawn parallels between this description and theories regarding the origin of life. According to certain scientific hypotheses, microscopic life forms may have developed within clay-rich environments. Clay minerals possess a porous atomic structure composed of octahedral and tetrahedral arrangements that form layered, flexible surfaces. These structures can facilitate chemical interactions and may act as catalysts for complex molecular reactions. Because of these properties, some researchers have proposed that clay surfaces could have played a role in the early chemical processes leading to life. From this viewpoint, human beings can be seen as the most complex outcome of a long biological development that began with simple organic life forms emerging in clay-based environments millions of years ago.
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References:
Yuksel, Edip. Quran: a Reformist Translation (Koran, Kuran in Modern English) (p. 191).
Brainbow Press. Kindle Edition.