FAQ in the category of Creation

Beneath the debate on belief, there generally lies a question: is it a matter of will or of chance? That is, whether an absolute will, an infinite knowledge, an unfathomable might has brought the universe into its recent state; or these bright beauties, these amazing works of art have come into being by coincidence.

The words coincidence / chance and coincidental / by chance are frequently mentioned in the probability theory. In this theory, there exists a multiplication rule that can be summed up as this: The total probability of realization of several independent events is equal to the multiplication of respective probabilities for those discrete events. To illustrate, let us give an example: Let us have twenty-six letters in a bag and pick letters randomly to form a word.

If we put back the letters previously drawn, the probability of picking any letter will be 1/26 each and every time. If the letter is put back, probability of picking a letter, say a, is again 1/26 just as its first turn. And this ratio will be constant. When we combine to form a word, e.g. garden, the probability for the first letter to be g is 1/26. And, if we put that g into the bag back again, the probability for the second letter to be a is still 1/26. However, the probability that the first letter to be g and that the second one to be a will be the multiplication of those discrete probabilities. In other words, it will be the square of 1/26, which is approximately equal to one in seven hundred (in other words, 1.5 out of a thousand). That is, by such drawings we can write about six hundred and fifty two-letter words like in, sg, ax, mb, eu, wk.... and so on. One of these words will be ga and the probability of writing this word by two drawings is about 1.5 in a thousand.

The probability that picking the letters g first, then a, and then r is the cube of 1/26, which is approximately 57 in one million. In short, the probability of writing the word garden by such drawings is one in twelve million.

So, let us think: if the probability of writing such a small, a six-letter word by chance is one out of twelve million; is it possible for a line or a paragraph to be written by chance, let alone for a book?

Moreover, humans ability of writing is not such a simple phenomenon. We do not pick the letters from a bag, but construct them in our mind and then write them down. In this respect, it is impossible for man to produce a word coincidentally. At first, one does not have to have a pen. If so, he does not have to move that pen, and if moves it, he does not have to write letters. He might draw lines or a picture as well. And he might order the letters randomly so that they do not have meaning. Thus, the probability of writing the word garden among almost infinite number of coincidental shapes and pictures is 1 out of infinity, or simply zero. Therefore there exist two possibilities: Either that word does not form, or if does, it is not by chance, but by will. So, if a word is written, then there must be a will to do so.

Let us give an additional example from the universe. This Earth, on which we stay and with which we travel around the Sun throughout the year, is just one of almost infinitely many celestial bodies in the universe. It is not possible to explain the existence of this globe by chance. Science teaches us that if our globe was on another orbit instead of this one and that if it turned faster around the Sun, or if did not turn, or if its axis tilted by a different degree, if it wasnt surrounded with air, coated with soil, and if so many such conditions werent arranged in their current particulars, there couldnt be life on Earth. Among thousands of factors mentioned and unmentioned here, we would like to emphasize only one, that of place. The probability for this Earth to be in its present place is one out of nearly infinity, which practically is equal to zero.

Before all, that the creation itself of the Earth requires a will to do so—just as writing a word in the previous example.

Those who know well that they cannot explain the creation of the universe with coincidence and evolution have preferred to manipulate the discussion and have attempted to make misleading and catchy assumptions. Many personal hypotheses come up. Some offered that human had descended from apes. And according to some, we were descendants of frogs; to some others, of mice. Another person alleged that man was not a product of evolution of just a single species, but offspring of two distinct species, namely bear and wolf.

Indeed, it is a matter of concern for us that where this group, who hope for help from a different animal everyday, will come to a full stop.

This manifestation of wisdom in its creation has shown itself with the occurrences in it as well. Night covered the earth and morning came afterwards. Dawn replaced the night and this is followed by sunrise. Then it became midday with the further rise of the sun, which is followed by fertile afternoon and finally dusk.

The heavens and earth were created in six stages one by one. Then this marvelous universe has come into existence.

This manifestation of wisdom in its creation has shown itself with the occurrences in it as well. Night covered the earth and morning came afterwards. Dawn replaced the night and this is followed by sunrise. Then it became midday with the further rise of the sun, which is followed by fertile afternoon and finally dusk.

If the day came all of a sudden, and if the night set in instantly, could we talk about neither dawn nor midday nor afternoon?

This creation of wisdom prevailed in the world of plants too. There is a divine art and wisdom in the seed. The whole program of the three has been drawn with the pen of fate. The genetic code in it is at perfection as to astound the men of science and again is filled with profound mysteries as to render them helpless.

The opening of the seed is a further marvel. The manifestation of the name of Opener (Al-Fattah). Despite the gravity, wise, and orderly walking upwards… Then, reaching the stage of a plant. The stages of growing tall and being hard, and then blossoming and yielding fruit… It is again not all of a sudden the growing, ripening of each fruit, the soft fruits having hard seeds. All comes true stage by stage.

The inconceivable happenings whose every stage is conducted with knowledge and wisdom fill the face of the earth with various scenes, and strike the men of contemplation with admiration for these divine arts.

What prevails on earth is wisdom, and in the Hereafter is power. If the world were the land of power, this marvelous universe would have been created all of a sudden in place of in six stages. The trees on it would have grown all of a sudden and have taken on their last form. Then the divine works of art we have counted above would not have come into existence.

The world of seeds would have remained in nothingness and, their blossoming, growing, and sprouting would have not been realized.

If seeds had not existed, as a matter of fact, eggs and the seminal fluid would have remained in nothingness, and they would have been deprived of revealing the divine arts that they bear. If plants had not existed, babies, lambs, calves would not have existed either. Thousands of works of art would have been reduced to one; hundreds of beauties would have disappeared.

The manifestations of the actions of training and disciplining, only the products of the happenings of construction and origination would have emerged on earth.

The divine wisdom did not let it happen and wished to construct the universe in six stages instead of constructing it all of a sudden.

The universe is the setting of billions of happenings at any moment. It resembles a giant laboratory or an enormous stage. We can also liken it to an army in which there are made extraordinary maneuvers, to a fair with an overwhelming greatness, or to a dining table on which billions of creatures have their meals.

Our world rotates around the sun with a great speed but does not fly off its orbit. It has been carrying the passengers, namely human beings, animals, plants, inanimate beings, on it for thousands of years, and does not hurt them.

The sun rises right on time every morning with a fresh harmony. It carries out the task of heating and illuminating with a great order, which has been given to it.

The stars are hanging in the space, those colossal spheres which are thousands time bigger than our world, continue shining in the vault of heaven.

There appear marvelous works of art everywhere and every time.
You plant some tiny seeds into the soil. You flatten the top and water it. After a while, you see there sprout a beautiful bud. Then this bud grows, it grows into branches and leaves. Finally, it bears sweet fruits.

Think about an egg of a canary. It is a tiny being that has been made from various nutrition in its body. When the time comes, this small egg cracks, a tiny young bird comes to the world with its unhardened beak, and body without furs. In the course of time, it gets dressed with colored furs, and sings beautifully

Human being is a drop of water in the very beginning. Then this drop transforms into flesh, blood, bones. When the time comes, the world gains a baby. Seeing eyes, hearing ears, smelling nose, holding hands, walking feet, feeling heart, thinking brain All this comes true gradually and there comes a time when this drop of water can read this universe like a book!

One cannot count the number of marvelous happenings in the world!
You see everything is done with a great order and arrangement. There is a benefit and wisdom in each happening. Everything is created with conscious measures. Nothing is uncontrolled, and nothing is left to them.

You ask, Who creates all these works of art? Who is conducting all these happenings, revolving the stars without flying away, making the world a cradle for animate beings, giving the meals to billions of creatures in time? He is such a creator that He creates a giant tree from the tiniest seed, and creates man from a drop of water.

Some attribute all these happenings to nature. You might as well come across this word on television, radio, newspapers, and magazines even from time to time in schoolbooks.

We need to ask those who attribute these happenings to nature, What is nature? In a short definition, they will define it as the whole of animate and inanimate beings.

It is a clear reality that the inanimate beings cannot do something on their own. Put a hammer, nails, and woods in a room, and wait a million of years, they themselves will not make a table unless they are handled by a conscious maker. Soil, air, water, and sunshine are not more conscious than hammer, nail, and wood. Even a snow-flower is more wonderful than a table. So it becomes quite clear that nature, which is inanimate, mindless, consciousless, and deprived of strength and will, cannot make even one single animate being.

The most conscious one of the animate beings is human being. Human being is incapable of making even a leaf, let alone making the universe and those in it. Furthermore, he is searching the one who has created himself too.

If it is known surely that nature is composed of animate and inanimate things, and these things can create nothing, it will become quite clear that this universe and the works of art in it have been created by Allah (SWT), the possessor of infinite knowledge, will, and power.

I seem to hear that deniers say as follows, What if all these beings have been created by the laws of nature?

We need to ask them, Are these laws wise, conscious, seeing, hearing, deciding, and all-knowing ones? The answer will be No because, even woods would laugh at the reply Yes. We have already explained above that the one not having these qualities cannot be the creator.

Moreover, the laws of nature are proofs to the existence of Allah Almighty. Because, if there is a law, there is supposed to be a lawmaker. Not a single law can emerge on its own. We can clearly see this even in the laws that humans make. Another point is that: There needs to be a judge in order for the laws to be practiced. If there is no judge, no laws can exercise jurisdiction on their own. It is possible to see the best example of this in the laws that human beings make.

We also need to ask those who claim that the nature is creator: Who has created the laws of the universe and nature? They would compulsorily answer it nature. If you asked a second question What is nature composed of? he would reply it, It is composed of the universe and the laws of nature. Because that is the truth. Having received this last answer, one needs to deal the last blow: Sir Nature! Are you aware of the fact that you are being silly with these words of yours by claiming that you have created yourself? This situation is ridiculous. Because this is no different than saying it is writing itself that writes, and it is table itself that makes table.

Anybody with careful attention will see that the nature itself is a marvelous work of art. It shows its creator who has brought it into existence out of nothing, has adorned it with thousands of design and a variety of colors. Nature is a unique picture composed of the creatures we have described above, it shouts with its manner-tongue saying My Artist is Allah, who is the possessor of infinite knowledge, will, and power! It announces this truth with the harmony of nature.

To conclude: Nature cannot be creator, because it is an incapable creature!

Here is a point that worth considering. Where do those who impute deficiency to creation have this perfection from as to comprehend the deficiency in creation? How would they prove the correctness of their judgments about the deficiency of their creation although they themselves are also the parts of the deficient creation? The things created by an imperfect creator are also supposed to be deficient for something leaning to one side has its shadow exactly like itself. If there is perfection in them as to make judgments about the imperfection of creation, their perfection definitely must be a work of Perfection above them. Because the deficient cannot produce anything, perfect. It is quite evident that a Creator who creates such perfect beings is unlikely to have deficient power and creation.

Generally, all people have 12 pairs, that is, 24 ribs. However, in some people, the twelfth pair may not fully develop. Then, the number of the ribs on one side is 11, and 22 in total. This is called anomaly. This kind of anomaly, a structural abnormality, is not at a different human race.

For instance, some people may have hearts on the right side of their bodies and other inner organs on the left side. Some may have two hearts or two bladders. A similar occasion may be seen on the vertebrae.  The number of vertebrae, normally four, may be five for some people.

Race is not in question here. That is to say, there is no difference in the number of black people’s ribs. It is an occasion possible for some people. With those samples, Allah shows that He can create whatever He likes and however He likes. Actually, we must be amazed by all the organs and limbs’ being in order, not by those anomalies.

With those anomaly occasions, Allah shows us that He is able to create whatever He wants and however He wants according to the mystery of the verse “Allah is well-versed in every kind of creation.” (Yasin, 36/79)

Although our ancestor is single, how did the different races and their colours come about?

“O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes that ye may know each other... (Al-Hujraat, 49/13).

This question can be answered with another question. What prevents the emergence of different races and their colours from a single ancestor? We may come from the same single ancestor and different races and their colours may emerge. In fact, such questions are asked by those who are not knowledgeable about biology. Because, a biologist knows that the characteristics of every parent and grandparent pass to their children at a certain proportion. Those proportions are well-known as “Mendel Laws”. According to these laws imposed by Allah, for example, a person will resemble his mother at a possibility of 50%, and his father 50% in respect of height.

It is possible to see this rate or rates close to this at almost all features of a person. However, there are some characteristics whose emergence, that is, effect on a person, is subject to certain conditions. The appearance of stars depends on the occurrence of the night; the Sun bars their vision, similarly, some recessive characteristics are influenced by dominant characteristics. Recessive characteristics will take effect when they clear away their influence. Perhaps, this becomes possible after several generations.

All present races come from the same race. There is no pure race. To illustrate, a person having a dark skin like black people may be born from a person of white race. Or, a baby having a skin as much white as a Caucasian’s may be born from a Chinese.

Some argue that the black race emerged by adapting to the intensive ultraviolet rays in tropics.  However, this argument cannot expound why those who are exposed to the same rays in northern and southern America do not get blacker. Recent studies suggest that the difference in skin colour is hereditary.

So, the black people who appeared in the period of the formation of races emigrated to the land where there were rays not hazardous for them On the other hand, the Scandinavians, who are light-colured and blue-eyed, went to the north in order to get rid of intensive ultraviolet rays around the equator.

Imagine an isolated tribe who has no relation with other tribes. Their genetic features are equal to the number of hereditary characteristics owned by those tribal individuals. Such a region in certain borders can be called a “gene pool”. In this gene pool, recessive characteristics give rise to new different characteristics by intermingling with one another as a result of hybridism in the course of time.

One should see different colour and race characteristics from this point of view. It is strongly probable that in the genetic structure of Prophet Adam, the first human, were many different colour and race characteristics. Just like a gene pool, his genetic structure included a variety of characteristics. Of course, it is not possible for all these characteristics to emerge at once. Different characteristics have derived from some genetic reactions in the course of time. As a result, present different individuals have come to existence.

In the verses “O man! What has beguiled you from your Lord, the Gracious one, who created you, then made you complete, then made you symmetrical? Into whatever form He pleased He constituted you” (al-Infitar, 82/6-8), it is indicated that humans are created and shaped in different ways depending on Allah’s will and determining

Also, In the verse “And one of his signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the diversity of your tongues and colours; most surely there signs in this for the learned” (ar-Room, 30/22), it is indicated that humans have different characters and faces.

According to a narration from Abu Musa al-Ashari, our prophet (PBUH) said:

“Allah created Adam (first human) out of a handful of soil which He gathered together from the whole of the Earth. That is why, Adam’s children (humans) vary like soil types. Some were created as white, some as red-blonde, some as black, and some in a tone between these colours.” (Ibn Kathir, the explanation of the verse ar-Room, 30/22)

Creation happens in two ways: One is through invention, that is, the act of direct creation without intermediaries; the other one is through composition, that is, to strain a new one from the existing beings, to bring a new thing into existence by means of causes. The most beautiful examples of both of them exist in our creation. Our spirit is an example to the invention and our body is an example to the composition. The spirit is created directly without intermediaries, without using any other things. As for the body, it is created by the straining of the food that has been distilled from the universe, in two different factories called mother and father. Both these two creations are distinct miracles and they proclaim different Divine Names of Allah.

Since the bodies of the beings we see around us are always created through composition and we cannot see the world of spirits and the world of angels, some people limit the creation only to composition and they deny the act of creation from the nonexistence with an erroneous logic.

The phrase Nonexistence does not come into existence and what exists does not go to nonexistence is true in one aspect, and false in another aspect. It is of course impossible to agree with the ones using this phrase to deny the creation by assigning pre-eternality to the matter. The true aspect is this:

None of the beings we see at present has come into existence from nonexistence because, existence is the opposite of nonexistence. It is impossible for something to be transformed into its opposite. So, when you say Nonexistence comes into existence, you are to accept something called nonexistence and it is a contradiction. Then, we can express the truth in this way: there is nothing called nonexistence. The seen and unseen worlds have come into the field of existence not from nonexistence while they were nonexistent.

Almighty Allah also granted the criteria to comprehend many of the facts to man that He created for belief, worship and knowledge. That is, we see the best example of the case of existence in human spirit. When you plan and form a sentence in your mind, that sentence is in the existence field for you at that moment. It is not nonexistent any more. However, the same sentence is nonexistent for the people except you. That sentence comes into existence for the others and is accepted by them only if you write or tell it. There was not such a sentence before you planned it in your mind, but it was not in nonexistence, either. You did not make it come into existence from a world called nonexistence.

Nonexistence is not the field, workbench or raw material of any being. The entire of the world of existence we see was created while it was nonexistent, but not from nonexistence. As this wonderful order, regularity, wisdom and benefit of every being show obviously that it arises from a perfect plan, that is, it arises from the Divine Determining, so something that was determined in the Divine Knowledge was not in absolute nonexistence. However, we can see a being only after it has been created and we can say it exists only then. When this being is erased from the page of this world, it is absent for us but it does not go to nonexistence.

Since nothing comes from nonexistence, nothing goes to nonexistence accordingly. Then, the phrase What exists does not go to nonexistence. is true only with the meaning Beings going from this world do not end up in absolute nonexistence; they continue their existences in Allahs knowledge.

Here is a lesson from the Nur Collection: There is no absolute non-existence, for His knowledge is all-embracing. The non-existence within the sphere of His knowledge is external non-existence and a title for something concealed but existent in Divine knowledge. Some scholars have called these beings existent in Divine knowledge latent realities. Latent realities are described as the constant realities of the things in the Divine knowledge from the pre-eternity. It is also called as essence.

The essence of Almighty Allah is unique, but He has hundreds, thousands of names. Moreover, according to some people, the Divine Names are infinite. The differences between these Names necessitate the beings that they manifest in to have different natures.

We have moved one step forward in this expression. The differences between the Divine Names result in the differences between the natures and the differences between the natures result in the differences between the creatures. The things in the sphere of knowledge do not possess independent existence. The stone in the sphere of knowledge is not hard and the human being in the sphere of knowledge does not have life.

Only when the beings in the Divine knowledge of Allah are created, the attributes special to this world are attached to them. Everything exists in the Divine knowledge of Allah before they are created. Allah, who is free from time, does not acquire knowledge about the things afterwards.

In the sentence Things do not go to non-existence, they rather pass from the sphere of power to the sphere of knowledge, the judgment Things do not come from non-existence and nothingness, but they pass from the sphere of Divine knowledge to that of Divine power. is also hidden. It is because One does not go to nonexistence also means that it does not come from nonexistence.

Then, the people claiming the phrase What exists does not go to nonexistence and nonexistence does not come into existence. were mistaken by considering the existence only as the material world. They assigned pre-eternality to the matter instead of considering the stability of the basic components of this world as a Divine order; they deviated from the truth and grew distant from belief by claiming that matter makes everything itself. However, they would have expressed the truth if they had used that expression in the meaning The coming of the beings whose essence have been determined in the Divine knowledge to this world is not from the absolute non-existence and their passing away from this world is not going to non-existence, either..

Ibda means to create something out of nothing. The universe was created out of nothing when it was first created. Absence or nonexistence will not end by creating.

Insha means to make new things from the elements or atoms that were created. The atoms and elements in the first creation are used in it. Only the differences regarding shape, color and nature take place later. Only that part is created.

Ibda can be likened to an alphabet and insha to writing a book. Elements – so to speak – are a divine alphabet; they were made exist through ibda. Every being is written like a book with that alphabet of elements.    

In every insha, there exists a new ibda because every being is an original version. Allah creates fast but no being is the same as another one. Some people of truth express it as “la takrara fi’t- tajalli”; that is, “there is no repetition in manifestation.”

To make a non-existing thing exist and to make an existing thing non-exist are the constant laws of Allah. Everything is created out of nothing. Scientists express some figures about the age of the universe. To determine an age for something means that it did not exist before that age. There is a beginning for everything except Allah. Besides, the fact that the things that are created are worn out and die shows that they are not pre-eternal.

Everything is composed of atoms. How can it be claimed that all beings have been created out of nothing?

First of all, let us state that some materialists and atheists perform the following plan in order to induce doubts in pure minds:

Instead of denying Allah directly, they deny the creation first by saying, “The universe was not created out of nothing but made up of atoms.” Then, by denying the creation, they proceed to deny Allah, who is the Creator of the entire universe.

Nevertheless, a work whether it has been created instantly or has been created out of atoms gradually has a maker, a creator in both cases. No work of art can be without a designer and no letters can be without a writer. The existence of the designer and the writer is known more clearly than their works. Then, the creation of the beings –in whatever way it is- indicates Allah’s existence, unity, magnificence and grandeur, attributes and names. Then, that question cannot be asked to deny the Creator of the worlds but only to learn His wisdom. 

Almighty Allah has two ways of creation. One is in the way of “origination and invention”; that is, the creation of the elements constituting the universe out of nothing. The other one is in the way of “composition”; namely, invention of the beings in the form of composing them from atoms.

Almighty Allah first created the atoms, the foundation stones of numberless beings He created in that universe, out of nothing -through origination-. Then, he brought some kinds of beings into the field of existence for some wisdom such as displaying the manifestations of His Divine names, setting laws of His knowledge and principles of His wisdom and renewing His graces. Namely, He has created atoms out of nothing through origination; and He has composed other creatures from those atoms.  

Let us try to answer the question through a wider perspective:

First of all, let us mention that there is no difference between the creations of beings through “ORIGINATION” or “COMPOSITION” in terms of Almighty Allah’s power. Creation of atoms out of nothing and composition of a being from those atoms are equal for the Divine Power; namely, neither one is easier, nor the other is harder.

If man, who has thousands of needs and who is unable to attain his simplest need, evaluates that fact, which is one of the essentials of divinity by his particular measures, of course misguides himself, is mistaken and can deviate into denial by deeming it unlikely. However, while considering works of arts of a person, one should take his attributes into consideration. That issue should be taken into consideration in terms of Allah’s attributes compassing everything and His boundless power. Instead of contemplating Allah’s grandeur, which makes that grand universe serve man, in His magnificent works of art, man deviates into great heedlessness by comparing the Divine Facts with his own trifling mind, strength and will.  

The creation of beings through “origination” or “invention” can not be deemed unlikely from the power of the Creator of all things who sets the blue vault over us like a tent, who turns over and over countless objects in that endless space by His power and who spreads the surface of earth with His wonderful works of art under our feet. As a matter of fact, a man gets into an obvious paradox if he assigns Allah impotence, after he has believed that Allah has all perfect attributes. 

Almighty Allah’s power comes from His Essence; it is boundless and absolute. There is no difference between His power’s regarding towards the sun and regarding towards a particle. He creates, administers and directs both of them with the same easiness. There is no fragmentation or division in His regarding and acting. Restrictions existing for beings cannot prevent His invention. Certainly, there is no difference between the creation of things by origination and invention in relation to His power.   

The One of Grandeur, who creates everything with an extreme easiness and turns over and over suns like particles, who changes everything from a period to another, from an attitude to another, can dispatch and bring everything He wishes from nonexistence into existence or from existence into nonexistence easily.

Certainly, it is the most obvious fact that the One Powerful over All Things, who squeezes numberless inventions in a split second, creates atoms out of nothing and other things from atoms.

Considering that there is no difference between “origination” and “composition” in terms of the Divine Power; human mind accepts that fact easily; he can only investigate the wisdom of creation out of nothing. We will try to explain briefly within the borders of our scholars’ explanations expounding the essence of that matter.

First of all, we find it useful to introduce some basic knowledge that will help the issue to be explained.           

What Do Origination and Invention Mean?

Origination is invention out of nothing; giving things existence out nothing and nonexistence and creation of everything necessary for them from nonexistence.

Composition is the invention of things in the form of gathering them together from existing elements.

There are two kinds of origination: First is the absolute composition (or pure and general origination), that is, invention from nonexistence and from nothing. The other one is particular origination.

The first creation of the universe is through pure origination. Namely, everything has been created out of nothing in the first creation of the universe. To put it more clearly, it is the invention of the world of existence from nonexistence and nothing without any examples, imitations and precedents when there were no laws, materials, time, origins, shapes and models.

The formation of the universe, that is, the specific natures, shapes and characteristics of the earth, the moon, the sun and stars was through pure origination; the first models of all living being realms are also through “pure origination.” All realms have been created from those primary models.    
 
 The universe and the atoms composing it have been created through pure origination. After that first creation, the door of pure origination was closed down. At the moment, every being is being created from the existing atoms because, there is a general balance prevailing in everything in the world. Through that law of balance, Almighty Allah has arranged every being with such a fine measure and such a sensitive balance that there is no futility and waste in nature as there is no injustice and imbalance. Certainly, that law of balance and order prevails in everything from red and white corpuscles in the blood to births and deaths of all living beings, from the balance in atom systems to the signs of heaven, space systems. Since there is a general law of order and balance in the universe, nothing including elements which are the basic substances of this world can be excluded from that law.        

The presence of models and forms of everything created in Divine Knowledge indicates that that Essence’s knowledge is unlimited; previous creation of atoms, which are the basis of everything, also shows His unlimited knowledge and measure. Certainly, that situation is a proof of that He plans and makes everything ready with a perfect measure, He manages and organizes everything favorably without conflicting, forgetting and neglecting and He does not waste even one atom.

It is a necessity of wisdom that the law of balance, which is observed in parts and pieces, also prevails in wholes. Indeed, the same measure is used in the arrangement of the every organ of man in accordance with his body and in the systems composing the universe.

 Almighty Allah uses atoms, which He has created through pure origination like –so to speak- threads and He weaves all creatures like fabrics. As you see, creation of those threads out of nothing is pure origination, and weaving various things by composing them is composition. New forms, figures, themes and essences emerging through that composition are particular origination; although their materials had been created before, they are being created for the first time and out of nothing. According to that, particular origination emerges through realization of origination and composition together and happens in every moment in the universe. For instance, -so to speak- the plans and the programs of every being which is being created at the moment are origination. Emerging of things in accordance with those plans and programs are composition. Countless attributes, qualities attached to things by their emergence demonstrate again the fact of origination. So, every moment, a new composition based on origination is observed in the universe.    

Let us give an example in order to comprehend origination and composition better:

Although Selimiye Mosque, which is deemed as a masterpiece in terms of architecture and aesthetics, was built of stones, nobody can call that work of art as “bulk of stones” and can claim such a thing. Without doubt, that work of art and artfulness emerging with those stones are new things emerging from their craftsman’s thought and art as being distinct from the stones.

Thus, the fact that the mosque is built of stones is a good example for the composition fact; its countless attributes, features and qualities, that is, everything related to it except the stones are examples for the origination fact.

Selimiye Mosque was built of stones; a nightingale was built of atoms. That nightingale is not a bulk of atoms, anymore. The Divine power created an utterly different essence in that being which He has created from atoms. Thus, all those features of the nightingale created out of nothing and nonexistence are origination.

That magnificent universe is like a nightingale created by Allah’s power. That nightingale proclaims the Most Sacred Essence’s beauty and perfection through boundless warbles. Now, will we call that wonderful miracle of power as nitrogen, carbon, oxygen and so? Will we attribute those completely new natures to simple elements? Or, will we assign those wonderful inventions to blind forces and aimless chance?  

Everything created is a distinct miracle with its material, essence, shape and properties it bears. That universe swarms with miracles of origination and composition every moment.

Let us explain the issue with another example:

Let us suppose that a learned person wants to write a book encompassing various sciences. That person decides and determines all of the subjects of that book in his knowledge first. Then, he fills ink, enough to write that book, into his pen and he writes his book in accordance with the rules and the principles he has determined in his mind. Can it be said about that wise and learned person “Why has that person filled the ink enough to write the entire book previously? He should have used different ink for every page!” Can it be a deficiency for the writer to fill all ink previously? Indeed, that situation is a proof of the perfection of that writer’s knowledge and measure. Likewise, it signifies that the book had existed and had been ready in his knowledge before it was written; every letter was written in accordance with the plan and the determination in his knowledge. Similarly, Almighty Allah willed to write that book of universe. He determined all atoms necessary for that book in His knowledge and he created that world with His unlimited power.

Various animals and plants which have been weaved from the same simple materials and which have been written with the same ink have distinctive properties, tastes and smells, natures and abilities although they benefit from the same air, same water and same light. Thus, those countless properties which do not exist in atoms emerge through origination. Indeed, spring is a wonderful example for that fact.

Mehmet Kırkıncı

There may be a lot of reasons (wisdoms) for it but the real reason is Allah's wish since He created man. It is Allah's choice. If He had created Hawwa (Eve) first, some people could have asked, "Why was Hawwa created first?" Others could have asked, "Why were they not created together?"

Every living being has an ancestor from whose lineage he comes. This living being is the first member of that species. The species of human beings has a father and first member too. The female is subject to the male. This is Allah's custom.

Our personal view regarding the issue is as follows:

Women cannot be prophets due to some conditions. Therefore, prophethood, the duty of being the head of the family, and some deeds of worshipping that women are not responsible for are under the responsibility of men.

Allah addresses prophets among people through revelation. He informs the other people what He wants through prophets. Therefore, the Divine Will decreed that first member of human beings, and the person to be addressed by Allah and to be taught the names of things, etc would be a prophet and a man.

Even if technology advances, it is not possible forhuman beings to create something out of nothing; it is peculiar to Allah. 

Ibda: creating out of nothing.The universe was created out of nothing when it was first created.Allah uses non-existence as capital. This property is peculiar to Him. Non-existence does not end with creation.  

In the first creation of the realm, elements and atoms that will be sufficient until the Day of Judgment were created. That is, after the first creation, creating out of nothing in terms of weight does not exist. 

Insha: making new things from the existing materials, elements or atoms. In this deed, the atoms and elements in the first creation of the universe that will be sufficient until the Day of Judgment are used. The differences in terms of shape, color and content occur later. Only this part is created. 

That is, ibda in first creation means to create everything out of nothing; insha after that means to bring the essential things (elements) together and to create everything of the new things except their weight out of nothing.

To create what does not exist and to eliminate what exists is one of the laws of Allah that is always active. Everything was created out of nothing. For instance, the age of the world and the universe is certain though there are different numbers. To attribute age to something proves that it did not exist before the age attributed to it. There is a beginning for everything except Allah.Besides, that the things that were created undergo lapse of time, that they wear and die show that they are not pre-eternal. 

Absolute non-existence is non-existent. Allah existed and nothing was existent. However, everything existed in the divine knowledge. Allah willed and transferred them from the circle of knowledge to the circle of power (that is, created) with His command “be”.

The transformation of matter into something else is not absolute non-existence but matter exists with attributes; therefore, when those attributes disappear, matter disappears too. For instance, think that a person has a poem in his memory. This is the circle of knowledge. When he writes it, it is transferred to the circle of power. That is, it occurs. When it is deleted, it is transferred into knowledge from power.

The real existence is the existence in knowledge; therefore, disappearing or being deleted from the page is not real non-existence. What matters is the existence in knowledge.Absolute non-existence is non-existent. However, there is relative non-existence. Suppose that you burn a piece of paper. Smoke and ash occurred. However, the matter of paper disappeared. It became something else. For, ash and smoke are not called paper. 

In conclusion, to change something that exists does not mean real non-existence. Relative existence is in question. If Allah wishes, He makes what exists non-existent and what does not exist existent.

The order above is correct. The first thing that was created is the light of the Prophet (pbuh). The other beings were created from this light; finally, human beings were created.

The Prophet (pbuh) states the following order about the creation of the world and what is in it: Land, mountains, trees, animals, Hz. Adam. [Muslim, Sifatul-Qiyamah 27, (2789)]

As it can be seen, there is a logical order in the creation of things. Land was created first followed by mountains, plants and animals; human beings were created in the last place. It is seen from this order that the real target, that is, the purpose of the creation of the universe, is human beings. For, a tree is planted for its fruits. Fruit is the last product of the tree. After the phases of seed, sprout, sapling, tree, leaves and flower comes fruit. 

We can say that this hadith explains the simile the earth being a cradle for human beings (Taha, 20/53). For, the cradle is prepared for the baby beforehand in a way that will be appropriate for his growth.

The creation of mountains paved the way for the creation of trees and plants. Plants paved the way for the creation animals; the existence of plants and animals paved the way for the creation of human beings. Human life is dependent upon their existence.

Some scholars interpret it as follows: "Allah has the power to create everything simultaneously but He created them in phases in order to teach us to act cautiously and do things in steps and soundly." (Prof. Dr. İbrahim CANAN, Kütüb-ü Sitte, VI/383)

Since jinn existed before Hz. Adam, it is understood that jinn were created before human beings.

The Soundness of the Narrations

We must accept that those narrations are sound (sahih) narrations in terms of chain of narrators. They are included in our soundest hadith books: Bukhari and Muslim.

Therefore, our duty is to try to understand them since the chain of narrators is sound.

The subject of “ilmu ikhtilaful-hadith”, which is among the hadith sciences, is a branch of science that tries to solve them.

The Time of the Determination of the Gender

The issue is related to the angels’ being informed about the gender. No mention is made of the creation as male and female in the sense of body and spirit at that moment.

It is already known by Allah based on His eternal knowledge whether it will be male or female or what it will be like.

Even if different times are expressed in the narrations in question, it is stated that the angels’ being informed about it and that the time when they are informed is different.

Nutfah’s staying in the same state

The narration “إن النطفة تكون في الرحم ‌أربعين ‌يوماً ‌على ‌حالها لا تَغير” that is, “nutfah stays in the same state without changing in the womb for 40 days” included in Ahmad b. Hanbal’s Musnad, is contrary to the narrations in Bukhari, Muslim and other books. The following statement is included Bukhari and Muslim: “إن أحدكم يجمع خلقه في بطن أمه أربعين يوما: The creation of one of you is brought together in 40 days in the womb.” It means nutfah is formed in womb.

That is, what is understood from the statement “The creation of one of you is brought together in 40 days in the womb” is this: The whole creation, from nutfah to al-alaqah, from alaqah to mudgah, is completed within forty days. That is, “the creation of one of you is gathered in his mother’s womb in forty days.” Therefore, the word nutfah does not follow this sentence in any sound or hasan narration.

Therefore, since it is contrary to the sound narration, it is not taken into consideration and the decree is given according to the sound one.

Accordingly, what is essential regarding the issue is the sound hadith meaning The creation of one of you is brought together in 40 days in the womb. It means that the fetus will be completed in forty days. Science also confirms this information.

Thus, it is understood that the information given in this sound hadith is a miracle of the Messenger of Allah and is a fact that can be understood only today.

Answer a, b, c, d:

Our Prophet (pbuh) used different expressions in the hadiths while describing the formation of the child in the womb. While some hadiths give the impression that the child comes to life when it is one hundred and twenty days old, others state that the child comes to life when it is forty days old.

Then the following question can come to mind:

How can the hadith narration, which gives the impression of three separate forty days, be explained?

In that case, the hadith narrations giving the impression of one hundred and twenty days are interpreted as within the same forty days, not as three separate forty days.

As a matter of fact, the expression “fi dhalika” is included in the narration in Muslim. It can be translated as “in it”. In other words, it means “fi dhalikal-waqt / in that same time.” It means the time of the first forty days, not another time.

It means that the sequence in the hadith made with the conjunction “then” is like listing the news, not what is informed. That is, they happen in the same forty days. It does not mean three separate forty days.

Answer e:

Those narrations state that the angel dos not come just once, but many times, and indicates different times of those comings. In other words, in scientific terms, it is not limited; it is not specific to one time; it expresses that an angel comes and may come at other times too.

The times and numbers in the hadiths do not always mean a certain time and a certain number. Sometimes they give examples and informs us about some of the issue. For example, there are many answers to the question “what is the most virtuous deed?”. In that case, it means that the most virtuous deed can change according to the person and the situation.

The fact that the angel comes to the fetus is different is an example, not a limitation.

Answer f:

In most of the narrations, it is stated that the angel, who is in charge of the womb, asks. It arises directly from the narrator’s summarizing long narrations in the narrations that Allah speaks. Every detail of the issue is not given in all narrations, only the relevant parts are reported depending on the situation.

Therefore, the holistic approach is an important methodology rule in understanding the hadiths.

Answer g:

This information points to different images of the fetus from its first state in the mother’s womb. Sound hadiths do not contradict the verses of the Quran. Both the verse and the hadith point to the different states of the fetus in the mother’s womb. In this respect, there is a summary-detail relationship, not a contradiction - God forbid.

Similar cases exist among the verses too. One state of the fetus may be indicated in one verse another state in another verse.

For example, the following is stated in the 14th verse of the chapter of al-Muminun:

“Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a lump of chewed meat...” 

With this verse, the Quran points to some of the states of man in the womb.

The first state referred to in the verse is that the droplet, that is, the nutfah, turns into the position of “hanging”, that is, alaqah.

The second state is the period when alaqah turns into “a lump of chewed meat”.

Indeed, the embryo in the mother’s womb looks like a piece of chewed meat due to its small size and due to the fact that the bones will be formed later. It is also interesting that the embryo has a shape as if it had teeth marks on it during a certain period in the mother’s womb. Therefore, the Quran’s expression “a piece of chewed meat” is a miraculous expression to the point.

The term “a piece of chewed meat” is used in verse 5 of the chapter of al-Hajj as “a piece of chewed meat that is partly formed and partly unformed”.

Indeed, at this stage, the embryo is clear enough to be seen with the naked eye; however, since its size is too indeterminate for the details to be understood, it is in full harmony with the Quran’s expression of “a piece of chewed meat partly formed and partly unformed”.

Since some parts of the human body, such as the head, body, feet, and internal organs, begin to appear and some of them are not clear yet, it is very appropriate to use the term “partly formed and partly unformed” at this stage.

Prof. Dr. Keith L. Moore states the following about the period referred to in the Quran as “a piece of chewed meat”:

“We learnt what the aforementioned verses mean in astonishment when we examined the embryo of this stage because a structure resembling string of beads appear on the embryo on around the 28th day and they identically look like tooth marks in appearance. We made a plastic model of the embryo of this stage and marked with our teeth marks by chewing it. The generated model extremely looked like the embryo of the stage of which we were examining and that explained very well why the Quran describes the human embryo as a lump of chewed meat.” [Embryology in the Quran lecture by Dr. Keith L. Moore (University of Illinois, 1990) For his own explanations with pictures, see https://youtu.be/upa4BSH7ua4 between 36:00 - 39:00 minutes. Accessed May, 12, 2022]

So, the different explanations about the fetus in the verses and hadiths point to different phases of the fetus beginning from its initial state. Thus, the Quran and hadiths draw attention to the creation of man, point out the different aspects of the blessings bestowed upon him in this creation, and want him to give thanks to the Creator, who made a perfect human being out of a drop of water.

It should not be forgotten that the one who does knows; the one who knows definitely speaks. Does Allah not know His creatures? He definitely knows and informs His Messenger. That is the summary of the issue.

We are often asked the question “Why was man created?” Asking ourselves or others such a question is a great divine grant for us:

The sun cannot ask itself this question; a star cannot ask the sun either. A bee cannot ask another bee this question, nor can a sheep ask another sheep. It means man, who is looking for the answer to this question has been left free to use his existence as he wishes; he is in pursuit of something and he is subject to testing regarding the issue.

The only way to pass this test is to learn the answer from our Creator. The people who reach this point knock on the door of the truth. They are given the answer by the Quran and the Prophet:

“I have only created Jinn and men, that they may serve Me.” (adh-Dhariyat, 51/56)

In Risale-i Nur Collection, worship is interpreted as knowing. Many tafsir scholars agree on this interpretation. Deeds of worship like prayer and fasting are a result of this knowing. That is, man needs to understand first that boons necessitate thanking; after that, he can fulfill his duty of thanking and praising.

Man needs to know that the divine miracles that fill this universe necessitated meditation and admiration so that he will fulfill his duty of glorifying and extolling Allah.

Man needs to realize that he has to show mercy to others so that he will do charity.

They are all fruits of belief and knowing, that is, believing in Allah and knowing Him.

A lesson of knowing from Risale-i Nur Collection:

“In the face of manifestations of dominicality, the elevated purpose of the universe is man’s universal worship and submission to God.” (Sözler, p. 264)

Dominicality means educating, training. In each of the realms, this deed is seen in a different way, different beauty and different perfection. When we read the chapter of al-Fatiha in every prayer, we declare that we are conscious of those different educations by praising the Lord of the realms.

Allah educates both the realm of lights and the realm of eyes. And we fulfill our duty of worshipping to the manifestations of dominicality by thanking our Lord thinking that the sun was educated to give us light and our eyes were educated to make use of its light.

When we admire and thank our Lord for His endless grants by taking into consideration that food items were educated in a way that would be eaten and that our mouths, tongues and stomachs were educated in a way that would benefit from them, we will have thanked dominicality with worshipping.

The universe was created for man; and man was created to worship. Two words attract our attention here: elevated and universal. These two words tell us that there are some other beings that fulfill this duty. However, man has the ability to fulfill the duty of worshipping at a more elevated and universal level than them. The beings that we mean are angels and jinn.

When an angel meditates on a fruit, he watches in admiration how the shapeless and colorless elements of the past became a beautiful being today and how a soft fruit came out of a hard tree. However, he cannot meditate on the taste, vitamin and calorie of it because his ability is not suitable for it.

Man has been given a very different ability at this point. He can think and imagine not only the things that are present there but also many things that he does not see at that moment and even the past and the future with his mind and imagination. Thus, his idea, thought, understanding and prosperity become universal. When he eats a fruit, he can think that innumerable individuals of more than one million species of living beings are being fed and that he is an individual that benefits from this divine table; thus, he has the opportunity to meditate on Allah’s name ar-Razzaq (the Sustainer) in the universal sense.

If he thinks, he can take his thought to the past and the future. He thinks of all kinds of boons in all places and times and those who benefit from them with the help of his imagination; and his meditation becomes more universal.

Similar things can be told for the manifestations of all divine names.

When the verse “Iyyaka na’budu” “Thee do we worship” is explained in Risale-i Nur Collection, attention is attracted to the fact that the word "we", not "I" is used and it is stated that three separate groups are meant by it. One of them is all believers, another one is all organs, cells and feelings, which work in our body, and each of which is busy with a deed of worshipping peculiar to themselves, and the third one is the whole realm of beings.

It means man has the ability to say “Iyyaka na’budu” on behalf of thewhole realm of beings. Even if man performs a prayer alone, he is regarded to have performed universal worshipping if he presents the worship of those three groups to his Lord by getting rid of individuality.

That man is a fruit to this universe also brings about such a result. If you imagine that all parts of a tree are conscious, fruits do the most universal meditation. For, the seed in the fruit is filtered from the whole three; therefore, the fruit has the ability to represent all of the worship of the tree and to meditate.

Those who do this universal worship in the best way are prophets, who are the perfect fruits of the tree of the universe, and especially the Prophet Hz. Muhammad (pbuh).

There is a close relationship between the meaning of “the elevated purpose and universal worship” and the following hadith: “But for you, I would not have created the heavens.”

***

There are many topics related to the duty of man inRisale-i Nur Collection. I want to present a few items in summary:

- To use the attributes like knowledge, will, sight and hearing attached to man’s spirit as a means of knowing Allah’s attributes. To make use of these windows of knowledge opened from his spirit.

- To use the power of intellect in the circle of wisdom, the power of lust in the circle of chastity and the power of fury in the circle of bravery.

- To give one’s love only to Allah and to love creatures on behalf of Him and due to being mirrors to His names, indicating His perfection and informing about His beauty.

- To be conscious that he was created “with a nature capable of performing every sort of worship” and to try to get his share as much as possible from all sorts of worship separately.

- To change the faces of the powers of heart, secret, spirit, intellect, imagination and others given to him to eternal life. Thus, to keep each of them busy with the deed of worship peculiar to it.

- To open one of Allah’s treasures of mercy with each one of his feelings, to benefit from them in a nice way and to thank universally.

- To meditate on Allah’s power compared to his weakness, His mercy by looking at his poverty and His perfection by thinking of his deficiencies. To know his Lord as the owner of endless perfection, mercy and power, and to know his soul as endlessly weak, poor and deficient.

- To enter into divine presence by keeping his spirit away from sins and his body away from all kinds of impurities and dirt.

- To present himself in a beautiful way as the perfect work of Allah so that angels and spiritual beings will watch him.

Man was created for lofty purposes like those ones. However, unfortunately, many people try to live in the world comfortably by forgetting themselves and being unaware of those purposes. Although such a person has the ability to represent the worship of the whole universe, he tries to win the favor of a group of people around him and makes it the purpose of his life to make himself liked by them.

After a while, both he and those people will pass away and those purposes will virtually go into the ground with his body and get lost.

My father bought a magazine. I saw it on the table. While I was riffling through the pages, the article titled "Butterfly Alphabet" attracted my attention and I read it. It was interesting.

An artist who was introduced as “Nature Photographer” noticed that the wings of a butterfly had letters of the Latin alphabet written on it.

As a result of twenty-four years of work, he managed to photograph twenty-six of them. Every photo is like a work of art. 

The magazine adds its own interpretation while giving the news. The following is stated in the introductory sentence of the article: “Nature discovered the alphabet before human beings.”

This news and commentary made me think a lot. I took the photographs of the pages and sent them to you as I thought you would be interested.

 …

Well done! Thank you. I read it too thanks to you. It made me think too.

Oddly enough, on the one hand, the person who took the photographs of the butterfly wings is appreciated in the article, and on the other hand, the creation of those wings and hence the butterflies, which are extraordinary masterpieces of art, is attributed to nature and chance. There is a big contradiction.

I have to admit that it is not easy to take the photos mentioned above. Anyone who will do it must have knowledge, will, power, vision and experience. Indeed, the artist is a person like that.

…

Undoubtedly, more is needed for every artistic, decorated and embroidered butterfly to be made and created. It necessitates endless knowledge, will and power.

The aforementioned photographs could not be taken by chance, and the article in the magazine could not be written by chance and printed on the pages; then, is it possible for a real butterfly to have come being by chance?

The commentator says, “Nature wrote the alphabet on the wings of butterflies centuries ago.”

It means, first of all, he accepts that the embroidery on the wings of butterflies is a "writing".

Who is the subject (doer) of the verb "wrote"?

The magazine says, “Nature”.

Does "nature" know what writing, butterfly, wing, letter and alphabet are? Does it have eyesight? Is it aware of what is going on in the universe? Does "nature" know what itself is in the first place?

No!

However, should the writer, the subject of the verb "to write", know what writing is after all?

Knowing is not enough; it must want to write and be able to decide to write.

That is not enough either; it must have the power to act in accordance with the plan in order to write the text it knows and wants. Which of those attributes exist in nature?

None!

“Nature” is a work; it cannot be a master. It is a writing; it cannot be a writer. It is an embroidery; it cannot be an embroiderer. It is a painting; it cannot be a painter.

Although those facts say the opposite, how can it logically be explained that a butterfly can be the work of mindless, unconscious, ignorant and will-less nature?

“Being accustomed” is a terrible disease. A person who catches that disease cannot see the wonderful features in the works.

Unless someone says, "There are letters on the wings of butterflies", one will not look at the butterfly or its wings.

In fact, the real beauty and perfection are in the butterfly itself. What does it matter if there is writing or not on its wings; the butterfly is a miracle anyway.

The emergence of a caterpillar from a simple egg, and the emergence of a beautiful butterfly that sees, hears and flies from a caterpillar is an astonishing incident.

Although it is not possible to accept that even the simplest airplane could come into being by itself or by chance, who can accept that a butterfly, which is much better than the most advanced planes in terms of art, can be made by chance?

Is it only the butterfly that indicates its master?

The universe is a book and every being is a meaningful word. They tell divine secrets to those who know how to look, see and read!

There is no realm of non-existence in the true sense. However, Badiuzzaman Said Nursi calls something that is used in a way that is outside its real purpose "adam al-wujud (non-being, non-existence)".

“Realms of non-existence means the negative outcomes that occur when positive things are abandoned: Negative outcomes like non-existence and deprivation.”

“Wujud” means existence and “adam” means non-existence.

In fact, there is no separate and independent thing called non-existence in this realm. If there were something like that, it would be a different being. The abandoning of existence causes non-existence.

Light is positive and existential. However, darkness has no existence. Darkness is lack of light. As a matter of fact, darkness, which seems to cover everywhere, disappear when the sun rises.

Deterioration of health is called illness; what is not true is called a lie; abandoning honesty is called dishonesty; being deprived of belief is called unbelief; aberration from tawhid (oneness) is called shirk (polytheism).

Performing a prayer is an existential deed; not performing a prayer is a non-existential deed. There is no separate deed callednot performing a prayer but when a person abandons performing prayers, this non-existential deed appears on its own.

Telling the truth is from the realm of existence; telling a lie is anon-existential deed. Seeing is from the realm of existence; blindness is non-existence. If a person blinds another person, it means he works on behalf of the realms of non-existence.

When a person accepts the truth of tawhid, he shows a positive belief. However, shirk is non-existence. Since Allah has no partners, shirk cannot exit from the realm of non-existence. However, some people can support this wrong belief, which is not true. Those mushriks exist but “the existence of shirk” is non-existent.

It was found that the mitochondrial DNA, a small organism of the cell, was different from the DNA in the cell nucleus. While DNA in the nucleus get into new combinations throughout generations, DNA of mitochondria is transmitted directly without entering combinations. In other words, mitochondrial DNA of a mother does not mix with DNA of a father like nucleus DNA; it is transferred directly to her children. Her daughters transfer the DNA of mitochondria to their daughters and their daughters to their daughters and so on. Then, why should we not reach Hz. Hawwa (Eve) by looking at mitochondrial DNA of girls living today?

In OCTOBER 1987, Rebecca Cann, in American Anthropology Institute in Chicago, summarized her months of research as Eve Hypothesis. Based on a recently discovered biological fact, Rebecca Cann found that mitochondrial DNA, a small organism of the cell, differed from DNA in the cell nucleus. While DNA in the nucleus get into new combinations throughout generations, DNA of mitochondria is transmitted directly without entering combinations. In other words, mitochondrial DNA of a mother does not mix with DNA of a father like nucleus DNA; it is transferred directly to her children. Her daughters transfer the DNA of mitochondria to their daughters and their daughters to their daughters and so on.

Then, why should we not reach Hz. Hawwa (Eve) by looking at mitochondrial DNA of girls living today? Rebecca Cann took the placentas that were disposed after birth of 147 pregnant women. She compared the mitochondrial DNA she obtained from the placenta tissues of Asian, Middle Eastern, African and European women with one another. Meanwhile, a group of geneticists from University of Emory started to examine the mitochondrial DNA of blood cells taken from 700 people from four different continents.

Rebecca Cann, who discovered the Eve Hypothesis

After that, the results of these two researches were combined. It was seen that there was almost no difference in the mitochondrial DNA of different races of people living in different continents and the DNAs all went back to a single woman. According to Allan Wilsan, who has been following the research throughout, "We all should have a common mother."

The Famous Paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould states the following about Eve Hypothesis:

‘’ I would stake my life that this is a great discovery because it makes us all biological siblings so closely as we have not noticed before."

The biologists from the University of California expresses it as follows: "Just like the children of the same family."

An evolutionary paleontologist said,

‘’This new information from DNA is so sensitive and so real that all of what we have told has turned into an old wives’ tale."1.

Criticism of Eve Hypothesis

Some information causing this hypothesis to be put forward and to be misinterpreted can be summarized as follows:

In addition to the genetic material in the nucleus, human cells carry genetic information in their mitochondria (structures functioning as energy power plants in the cell). Mitochondria can reproduce in the same cell in a different way according to the need of the cell, without any reproduction in the cells. A good example of it is that the average number of mitochondria in the muscle cells of people doing sports is higher than those who do not. Some enzymes and proteins in the cell are synthesized from the genetic information in mitochondria. During the development of the fertilized egg (zygote) in the womb, the genetic information of the mitochondrion is not obtained from the father (sperm) but from the mother (ovum) because the ovum is much larger than the sperm, and during fertilization, only the head part of the sperm containing the nucleus enters the ovum; the tail part containing mitochondria remains outside. Therefore, mitochondrial genetic information in humans originates from the mother. Mitochondrial DNA was isolated from cell samples of different races living in different parts of the world and mutations in the mitochondrial genes (hereditary changes in the nucleotide sequence forming the DNA) were analyzed. The most mutations (genetic variation) have been detected in the people of African origin.

The older the time of the creation of a living being, the more genetic changes will be seen in that living being because mutations in DNA occur at relatively constant speeds. People whose DNA sequences have been altered in one or two nucleotides have closer kinship with one another than humans with more and diverse variations, and they appeared on Earth in a more recent time period. From this point of view, molecular biologists can predict the time of the emergence of a particular gene and a living being by looking at the number and variety of mutations that occur in that gene. Based on this idea, the African-origin mitochondrial genes with the highest mutation or genetic variability led to the suggestion of the Eve Hypothesis (human species originating from a single common mother in Africa).

After the suggestion of this hypothesis, some scientists came up with the idea that if there was an ape-like female ancestor (Eve) of African origin representing the mother side of human beings, there should be a ape-like male ancestor (Adam). To find support for this idea, a group of scientists (Yale University-USA) led by R. L. Dorit isolated genomic DNA from cells with nucleus of 38 people of all races from different parts of the world. The Y chromosome, which carries the genes that play a role in the determination of masculinity among 46 chromosomes in which the genetic program consisting of approximately 4-5 billion genetic letters is coded in man, was selected to determine the origin of the father of human beings because the Y chromosome normally exists only in male cells. Since analyzing all of the tens of thousands of genetic letters in the Y chromosome is impractical, a 729 base pair intron region from a small part of the chromosome was used to investigate similarities and differences among humans. According to Dorit, the head of the team carrying out the DNA sequence comparisons of 729 base pair in the Y chromosome of 38 people using appropriate DNA technologies, the aim of the study was to establish a family tree based on the genetic changes detected in this intron region and to calculate approximately when the male ancestor appeared. However, contrary to the changes found in mitochondrial genes, no differences and changes were seen in the 729 base pair intron region. However, when the same sequence was compared to that of DNA samples isolated from chimpanzees, orangutans and gorillas, several different nucleotide sequences were noticed. Consequently, when the information obtained was evaluated, no clear clue was found about where and when the first male ancestor of man lived. However, R. L. Dorit interprets the result of the study as follows:

“It is most likely today that the male ancestor of man is a small group of men that lived about 270 thousand years ago. Contrary to previous comments, the human species did not appear 1-2 million years ago. However, more research needs to be done with reference to other DNA sequences of the human genome to say something definite.”

Before accepting or rejecting this hypothesis or similar ones developed as a result of the interpretation of the information obtained from the experiments of molecular biology, a few issues should be taken into consideration.

Firstly, it is very difficult to say anything definite by regarding these studies, based on the analysis of a limited number of nucleotide sequences of a particular gene or genes with a limited number of samples from the genetic information of man, consisting of approximately 4-5 billion letters (nucleotides), enough. Besides, depending on the gene or nucleotide sequences referenced in the human genome, it is always possible to reach different conclusions, interpretations, and different family trees. We can facilitate understanding it with an example like this: It is possible to find a lot of words and suffixes such as and, even, so, -ed and -ing, in the lines of a historical novel, a philosophical work or a geography book. In this case, it is absurd to claim that these different books are derived from one another, and it is equally absurd to claim that some of the millions of nucleotides of different living beings come from one another based on the fact that they are similar or the same. As a matter of fact, studies conducted with reference to nucleotide sequences of genes other than mitochondria contradict the results of the Eve Hypothesis. Besides, Dr. M. Wolpoff, a paleobiologist from the University of Michigan, believes that the apparent information of the African-origin Eve hypothesis sheds light on the history of different genetic systems as well as the existence of a single common genetic system equally, or that the new information contradicts this hypothesis.

Secondly, it is another point to consider how precisely and accurately the biological research methods based on observation, controlled experiment, repeatability and testability can show the creation, emergence and distribution of the first man on the earth. It is not possible to observe the events in the past again and to make experiments and repeat them by forming and arranging the same conditions exactly. Then, the biologists have two ways to understand the past events and imagine or design the past based on the predicted models that are established.

One of them is revealing the approximate picture and history of past events and living beings based on fossils unearthed during geological surveys. However, it is known that the fossils found so far are incomplete and inadequate to show the history and picture of the past.

The other is to use this information to predict and understand the past after identifying the changes in the common characteristics of the beings living in different climatic conditions. In this point, comparing the similarities and differences in the shape, structure and functions of different living things, estimating the time of appearance of the changes in the studied characteristics and drawing a family tree are the main strategies to follow. However, the important thing to remember in this approach is that there is no evidence showing that similarities and differences in the form, structure and function detected among different living beings derive randomly from one living being with 100% certainty and accuracy, and that they appear randomly in the form of the rings of a chain. On the contrary, the fact that some words and lines in the genetic coding are similar or identical is seen as the greatest evidence for the oneness of the Creator and His creating them as a manifestation of His knowledge and power. In other words, starting from the correlation between the similarities and differences, it is known that the cause-effect relationship cannot be accessed in one step and that the gaps between them can only be explained by attributing them to the will of Allah.

To sum up, scientists with professional honor should draw attention to the differences between the studies based on observation and experiment related to these issues and the interpretations about them without being influenced by ideological prejudices, and to the fact that these estimates about the past are not 100% true and accurate and that the accuracy and validity may change as the number of genes and the nucleotide sequences that are studied increases. Thus, there will be no possibility for the public to be misinformed and misguided about these issues and for the people to deny the Creator in the name of science, and to base their origin on coincidental chemical reactions and on ape-like creatures.2

References:

1. Newsweek 111 (Jan. 11, 1988): 46-52.

2. Prof. Dr. Arif Sarsılmaz, Havva Hipotezine Cevap, August, 1995, No:199