22. Al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage): 5

People, [remember,] if you doubt the Resurrection, that We created you from dust, then a drop of fluid, then a clinging form, then a lump of flesh, both shaped and unshaped: We mean to make Our power clear to you. Whatever We choose We cause to remain in the womb for an appointed time, then We bring you forth as infants and then you grow and reach maturity. Some die young and some are left to live on to such an age that they forget all they once knew. You sometimes see the earth lifeless, yet when We send down water it stirs and swells and produces every kind of joyous growth: (Abdul Haleem)


O people, if you should be in doubt about the Resurrection, then [consider that] indeed, We created you from dust, then from a sperm-drop, then from a clinging clot, and then from a lump of flesh, formed and unformed - that We may show you. And We settle in the wombs whom We will for a specified term, then We bring you out as a child, and then [We develop you] that you may reach your [time of] maturity. And among you is he who is taken in [early] death, and among you is he who is returned to the most decrepit [old] age so that he knows, after [once having] knowledge, nothing. And you see the earth barren, but when We send down upon it rain, it quivers and swells and grows [something] of every beautiful kind. (Saheeh International)


O mankind! if ye have a doubt about the Resurrection, (consider) that We created you out of dust, then out of sperm, then out of a leech-like clot, then out of a morsel of flesh, partly formed and partly unformed, in order that We may manifest (our power) to you; and We cause whom We will to rest in the wombs for an appointed term, then do We bring you out as babes, then (foster you) that ye may reach your age of full strength; and some of you are called to die, and some are sent back to the feeblest old age, so that they know nothing after having known (much), and (further), thou seest the earth barren and lifeless, but when We pour down rain on it, it is stirred (to life), it swells, and it puts forth every kind of beautiful growth (in pairs). (Yusuf Ali)


O MEN! If you are in doubt as to the [truth of] resurrection, [remember that,] verily, We have created [every one of] you out of dust, then out of a drop of sperm, then out of a germ-cell, then out of an embryonic lump complete (in itself] and yet incomplete, so that We might make [your origin] clear unto you. And whatever We will [to be born] We cause to rest in the [mothers'] wombs for a term set [by Us], and then We bring you forth as infants and [allow you to live] so that [some of] you might attain to maturity: for among you are such as are caused to die [in childhood], just as many a one of you is reduced in old age to a most abject state, ceasing to know anything of what he once knew so well. And [if, O man, thou art still in doubt as to resurrection, consider this:] thou canst see the earth dry and lifeless - and [suddenly,] when We send down waters upon it, it stirs and swells and puts forth every kind of lovely plant! (Muhammad Asad)


O humanity! If you are in doubt about the Resurrection, then ˹know that˺ We did create you from dust, then from a spermdrop, then ˹developed you into˺ a clinging clot ˹of blood˺, then a lump of flesh —fully formed or unformed —in order to demonstrate ˹Our power˺ to you. ˹Then˺ We settle whatever ˹embryo˺ We will in the womb for an appointed term, then bring you forth as infants, so that you may reach your prime. Some of you ˹may˺ die ˹young˺, while others are left to reach the most feeble stage of life so that they may know nothing after having known much. And you see the earth lifeless, but as soon as We send down rain upon it, it begins to stir ˹to life˺ and swell, producing every type of pleasant plant. (Mustafa Khattab)


If you have any doubt, O men, about being raised to life again, (remember) that We created you from dust, then a drop of semen, then an embryo, then a chewed up lump of flesh shaped and shapeless, that We may reveal (the various steps) to you. We keep what We please in the womb for a certain time, then you come out as a child, then reach the prime of age. Some of you die, some reach the age of dotage when they forget what they knew, having known it once. You see the earth all withered, then We send down rain upon it, and it bestirs itself, swells, and brings forth every kind of beauteous verdure. (Ahmed Ali)


O Mankind! If you are in doubt that one day you will be resurrected back to life, (consider the process of your own evolution.) We have created you in stages: From inorganic matter, then from male and female gametes, then from a zygote, then from an embryo, shapely and first shapeless. We thus clearly explain things for you. The embryo and then the fetus stay in the womb until an appointed term according to Our Laws. Then We bring you forth as infants and carry you to maturity. While some of you die young, others live to the feeblest old age so that they know nothing after knowing much. You see a dry barren land, but when We send down water on it, it vibrates with life and grows all kinds of beautiful plants. [Recapturing the earlier stages of evolution, God initiated life from inorganic matter, the clay, and hydrated clay. Through it He brought forth the single life cell that divided into the male and the female cells. Thus procreation came into play. Further on the road to evolution - male and female gametes join, a clot, a little lump of flesh, turning into the embryo that 'hangs' in the womb. The embryo is partly formed and partly unformed, until it becomes the fetus and then assumes the final evident proportions. For the origin of life on the planet and creation of the human being, herein are some important references on Evolution for the research-minded reader: 4:1, 6:2, 6:38, 6:98-99, 7:11, 7:189, 11:6, 15:26-27, 21:30, 22:5, 23:12-14, 24:45, 25:54, 30:20, 31:28, 32:7-9, 35:11, 36:77, 37:11, 39:6, 40:64-67, 51:49, 53:45, 55:14, 76:2-3, 86:5-7, 96:1-2] (Shabbir Ahmed)

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