Earth

Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. According to radiometric dating and other sources of evidence, Earth formed over 4.5 billion years ago.

110641

Angels . Earth . Mankind . Jihad . God (Allah)

How did the angels know that humans will fight on Earth at the time when Allah was creating Prophet Adam (a)?

Amina Inloes, Amina Inloes is originally from the US and has a PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Exeter on Shi'a hadith. She is the program leader for the MA Islamic Studies program at the... Answered 1 month ago

Some people say it is because Allah had created the jinn first, and the angels had seen the jinn fighting so knew that a new species with free will would also fight.

Some say that there were other humanoids (nasnas), and they had fought, and so they deduced from this that a new species with free will would also fight.

These two views are reinforced by a narration from Imam al-Sadiq (A) in which he says that the angels could not have known that humans would cause bloodshed if they hadn't seen the precedent of earlier creatures on earth.

Some simply say that they understood this from looking at human nature, or by looking at the nature of life on earth and the challenges of living as an earth-based being (for instance, competition for food, water, reproduction, and land).

Since the earth (dunya) is considered the basest or lowest level of creation, vis-a-vis the heavenly realms, perhaps it also didn't make sense to instill Allah's vicegerency in an earthling.

Maybe there are other reasons too which relate to the nature of the angels and their existence outside of the earthly realm which would give them access to knowledge or a perspective that human beings generally lack.

103502

Earth . God (Allah) . Mankind

Why did Allah SWT create the Earth and humans? Why did He want to test us when we did not ask to be tested?

Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to... Answered 5 months ago

Allah, The Glorious Has created us to bestow on us His Mercy. He never needs anything and did not create the creatures for any need by Him but He created us and all the creatures to shower on us His Mercy. We read in Quran (Except those on whom your Lord has bestowed His Mercy, and for that (Mercy) He created them). Sura 11, verse 119.
The most valuable thing for us and for every human being is our life. That is why people sacrifice everything they have for the sake of saving their life. This life is a gift from Allah out of His Mercy on us.

'Wassalam.

86022

Earth . Contradiction . Qur'an . Surat Fussilat

Many verses in the Quran state that the heavens and the Earth were created in six days but in Sura Fussilat verses 9-12 it seems to mention eight days. Isn't this a contradiction?

Sayyed Muhammad Husaini Ragheb, Sayyed Muhammad Husaini Ragheb has a BA in Law from Guilan University, Iran and has also undertaken Hawzah studies in Qom. He is a Cultural Affairs director of Ethics Group of Al-Mustafa Open... Answered 6 months ago

Salaam
Verse 9 of Surah Fussilat says: "The earth was created in two days" and verse 10 says: "The mountains, blessings and food of the earth were created in four days"; Following these verses, the creation of the heavens is also mentioned in "two days". It may be thought that the sum of these is eight days. But we must note that the two days mentioned in verse 9 are also part of the four days mentioned in verse 10; In this way, in the first two days, the earth was created and in the next two days, other characteristics were added. In fact, verse 9 speaks of the creation of the earth, and verse 10 discusses the total stages of the creation of the earth and its preparation for life.
translated from the Persian website of Ayatullah Naser Makarem Shirazi

98515

Earth . Karbala . Burial

Do we get buried in the same dust or earth from which we are created from? So if I am born in Australia, lived in Oman and was buried in Karbala, does this mean I was created from the dust taken from the land of Karbala?

There are some narrations indicating that the believer (mu'min) and/or those who have allegiance (wilayah) to Ahl al-Bayt (A) are created from a specific sort of clay, which is sometimes associated with the Euphrates. The faithless (kafir) and/or enemies of Ahl al-Bayt (A) are created from another sort of clay. And most people are of a sort of mix between the two which is why we have diverse temperaments.

Anyway, if these narrations are correctly transmitted, they seem to be more metaphorical about our natures and not literally relating to what kind of components we are physically constructed from. In fact, given that we human beings primarily gain our physical material from eating, and food is imported and shipped worldwide today, we are often built from the "clay" of many different regions!

So with that in mind, it is reasonable to say that someone with a strong affinity for Ahl al-Bayt (A) might have some creational link to Karbala metaphorically or metaphysically.

That being said, I am not aware of any text that indicates that we are buried in the same place whose clay we are created from, or which really assigns any significance to the region where we are physically buried.

In fact that Qur'an tells us that we don't know what land we will be buried in; life is full of surprises and we never know where we will go, nor when we will go.

Similarly the Qur'an does not assign any particular ethical significance to where we live and just says that Allah's earth is vast and if we are unable to live freely in one area, we should move.

73293

Earth . Mankind . Planets . Qiyama

I believe it says in the Quran that on the Day of Judgement everything on Earth will be eradicated including all of mankind. What would happen to any human beings who are present on other planets, such as Mars, or on the International Space Station?

Abbas Di Palma, Shaykh Abbas Di Palma holds a BA and an MA degree in Islamic Studies, and certifications from the Language Institute of Damascus University. He has also studied traditional Islamic sciences in... Answer updated 1 year ago

as salam alaikum

Yawm al-Qiyamah is not limited to planet earth and its effects as described in the Qur'an will be manifest in the whole universe and everything in it.

With prayers for your success.

69497

Earth . Ahl al-Bayt . Dinosaurs

Did any of the Imams talk about dinosaurs living on Earth before the advent of Adam (as)?

We have narrations about creatures lived on this earth before the creation of Adam (AS). Many of our Ulama thought that the response of the Angles when Allah (SWT) informed them : I am creating a Human being on the earth, when they said: Do you want to create on the earth a creature who will do wrong and shed blood? It seems that the angles have witnesses creatures on the earth who used to do wrong and shed blood.

Wassalam.

77189

Heaven . Earth . Meaning . Qur'an

What do the terms for heaven and earth specifically mean in the Qur'an? How should we understand the idea of seven heavens?

Heaven and earth means sky and earth. Seven heavens means seven skies and seven earths.

Seven heavens are the seven skies above us starting from the first heaven which we can see then other skies above it which are out of our sight.

Wassalam.

76743

Planets . Earth . Hereafter . Mankind

Why did Allah create so many other galaxies and planets if Earth and the world of the hereafter are all that is of relevance to mankind?

Allah (SWT) Has the All and Absolute Knowledge and Wisdom, while we have very little knowledge if we have any. He knows the wisdom of creating whatever He created from the nucleus and atom to the galaxies. No doubt , there is a great wisdom which is known to Him, but not to us as our knowledge is very limited. We are in this universe like a small kid who sees huge library with thousands of books and wonders why these books were written.

Wassalam.

65299

Earth . Shi'a

Who is the "beast of the earth - دابة الأرض" according to Shi'a understanding? And can someone explain it?

The meaning of Daabbat al Ardh is Not beast of the earth at all. We should not be misled by wrong translations. Baabbat al-Ardh is any being which moves on earth. Some people wrongly think that it means an animal. While in the Holy Qu’ran
we read that every moving creature is a Daabbah as Allah (SWT) says in
Surah Hud verse number 6 : “There is no Daabbah on the earth but its
sustenance is from Allah (SWT)”. And also in Surah Nahl verse 61 : “If
Allah (SWT) blames people because of the wrong they do, no Daabbah will
remain on the earth”. Which means all human beings are also Daabbah. In
Surah Al Anfal verse 22 : “Verily, the worst of Daabbah with Allah
(SWT) are those who are deaf and dumb who don’t reflect (don’t
understand)”. So Daabbah is not only an animal but also all the human
beings are Dabbah as well. The verse in the Holy Qur’an which is
regarding Daabbat al Ardh was discussed among many scholars according
to the references of their knowledge, Those who do not follow the
Ahlul Bayt (AS), they claimed that the Daabbah is an unusual animal
which has abnormal acts, but this understanding goes against the verse
itself when Allah (SWT) says in Surah al-Naml verse 82 : “And when the
word of torment is fulfilled against them, we shall bring out from the
earth, a moving creature (Daabbah from the earth) to speak to them that most of mankind did not believe with certainty in the verses of Allah (SWT)”. So this is the
act of this special creature and it cannot be an animal who speaks the
facts which are known only to the prophets and their successors.
This Daabbah itself will be a miracle from Allah (SWT).
The scholars who follow Ahlul Bayt (AS) understand the real meaning of
this verse from the authentic Hadeeths which says that Daabbah
according to the Hadeeth narrated by Huthaifah Ibn al Yaman that the Holy
Prophet (SAWA) explained this verse and said that the Daabbah will be
supported by Allah (SWT) and no enemy will harm this Daabbah nor can
escape from this Daabbah and this Daabbah will stamp on the Mo’min
forehead that he is a Mo’min and will write on the forehead of a
Kaafir that he is a Kaafir and the Daabbah will be carrying the stick
of Prophet Musa and the ring of Prophet Sulaiman (ref : Majma’ al
Bayan by al Tabrasi).

We have another narration in Tafseer Ali ibn Ibrahim narrated from
Imam Ja’far as Sadiq (AS) that the meaning of Daabbah is none but Ameer
ul Mo’meneen (AS) (ref : Majma’ al Bayan by al Tabrasi). Another
narration from Tafseer al Ayyashi gives the same meaning. In Bihaar ul
Anwaar Volume 53 Page 52, authentic chain of narrators from Imam
Ja’far as Sadiq (AS) state that the Holy Prophet (SAWA) entered the
Masjid in Madinah and saw Ameer ul Mo’meneen (AS) sleeping and putting
his head on sand as a pillow. The Holy Prophet (SAWA) put his hands on
the legs of Ameer ul Mo’meneen (AS) and told him : “Get up O Dabbaat
of Allah (SWT)”. One of the companions said : “O Holy Prophet (SAWA),
shall we also call each other with this name?” The Holy Prophet (SAWA)
said : “No. By Allah (SWT) this name is only for Ameer ul Mo’meneen
(AS) and he has been mentioned in the Book of Allah (SWT) (Surah Naml
verse 82)”. And the Holy Prophet (SAWA) told Ameer ul Mo’meneen (AS) :
“O Ali, at the end of time Allah (SWT) will bring you up in the best
of shape with a marker with which you will mark your enemies”.

We have also a mention that Imam al Mahdi (ATFS) will mark the
believers and the non-believers (Tafseer Abul Futooh al Raazi Volume 8
Page 23).

Wasalaam.

62627

Earth . Qur'an

Does the Quran say anything to suggest that the Earth is flat or otherwise?

Quran never said that the earth is flat as some ignorant claim, on the contrary, Quran says والأرض بعد ذلك دحاها )( Then after that He made the earth like an egg) (79:30). Dahwah دحوة means in Arabic an egg. Some people translate this verse wrongly claiming that it means spreading it like a flat surface. They need to refer to original word Dahw and Dahwah.

We also read in Quran يكوّر الليل على النهار ويكوّر النهار على الليل(39:5) : He who makes the night like a ball turning on the day, and daylight like a ball turning on the darkness of the night.

Those claim that earth is flat have misunderstood the meanings of Quranic verses.

Wassalam.

50147

Soul . Earth . Body . Burial . Murder

What happens to the soul if one is murdered? Does the soul wander the earth if the body is never found and buried?

The soul will continue on its journey to the next phase of its existence, whether or not the body is buried. If it were necessary for a body to be buried in order for the soul to progress, the earth would be packed with lost souls since so many people throughout time have died and have not had burials!

However, it is likely that performing the appropriate funeral rites may ease the transition into the next phase of existence.

If you are concerned about someone's soul, you could pray for it.

46394

Earth . Salah (Prayers)

Which direction would we be praying if we were away from Earth?...

Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi, Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi went to the Hawza-e ‘Ilmiya-e Qum, Iran where he attended the dars-e kharij lectures of Ayatullah Wahid Khurãsãni. He also obtained an MA degree in History in 1991 from Simon... Answer imported 3 years ago

You have asked hypothetical questions. I will attempt to answer what has been discussed by our `ulama.

1. In the light of the Islamic belief of the end of this world and the death of all living beings, the question of human beings surviving the disintergration of the earth does not arise at all.

2. It is true that the Qur'an talks about "praying/worship" by non-human creatures. However, as far as the concept of "worship -- ibadat" by other beings is concerned, their "worship" is not same as that done by human beings. "Ibadat" is more broader in meaning than the term "salat/namaz". "Ibadat" means the act of submission to the Almighty whereas "salat" means the ritual prayers done by Muslims. It is in salat that one has to face towards the direction of the Mecca as required by the specific order of the Qur'an (2:144). But for other prayers (du`as) you can face any direction you want. Wherever you turn, you will find Allah in that direction.

3. Our mujtahidin have also discussed the issue of qiblah for those who travel in space-crafts or visit other planets (e.g. the Moon). They say that when you are on the earth, your qiblah for salat is Mecca; but when you are in the space, your qiblah for salat is the planet earth.