Quran verses 21:30, 25:54 and 24:45 mention that God created all living beings from water. It is referring to the fact that is because of water, every life form survives on this planet. It is not referring to the water being used solely at the stages of human creation. The original words are ‘مِنْ الْمَاءِ‘ (“from water”), wherein ‘مِن‘ (“from”) is used in the sense of ‘by using’, i.e., God created all living beings by means of or by using water as an essential building-block of life.

Please see the following verse:

أَوَلَمْ يَرَ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوا أَنَّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ كَانَتَا رَتْقًا فَفَتَقْنَاهُمَا وَجَعَلْنَا مِنَ الْمَاء كُلَّ شَيْءٍ حَيٍّ أَفَلَا يُؤْمِنُونَ.

[They ask for signs]. Have these disbelievers not many a time seen that the heavens and the earth both are closed [32]. Then We opened them [33] and We have created every living being with water of the heavens only. Will then they not accept faith? (Quran 21:30)

(Excerpt from Quranic Exegesis: Javed Ahmed Ghamidi)

(Translated by Dr. Shehzad Saleem)

[32]. Ie., did it not rain from the heavens and did not vegetation sprout from the earth? These aspects are expressed in the verse by the word رَتْق ie., “to be closed.”

[33]. Ie., God opened the sky and started to pour down rain. As a result, the earth also opened up and began to cast out its treasures. Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi has explained the facts to which this observation bears witness. He writes:

A very clear argument in favour of monotheism is present in this. If the sky and the earth had deities of their own, what need was there for the sky to rain down its treasures of water to make the earth lush green. This harmony between the sky and the earth – as if they are members of a pair that complement one another – shows that both have the same creator and master and both are controlled by Him.

A second argument found in it is regarding the Hereafter: when the earth after it is dry and desolate and in other words: dead becomes live and lush, then why should being raised to life after death be regarded as far-fetched?

The third argument found in it is regarding the accountability of human beings: when God has made all this elaborate arrangement to nurture and nourish human beings that He has put into their diligent service the sky and the earth, the sun and the moon, the air and the clouds, how is it possible that He will let them go scot free and not appoint a day of accountability. (Amin Ahsan Islahi, Tadabbur-i Quran, vol. 5, 141)

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As far as creation of human beings is concerned in the light of Quran:

Following is the fundamental verse which discusses this view:

الَّذِیْ أَحْسَنَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ خَلَقَهُ وَبَدَأَ خَلْقَ الْإِنْسَانِ مِنْ طِيْنٍ. ثُمَّ جَعَلَ نَسْلَهُ مِنْ سُلَالَةٍ مِّنْ مَّآءٍ مَّهِيْنٍ. ثُمَّ سَوَّاهُ وَنَفَخَ فِيْهِ مِنْ رُّوحِهِ وَجَعَلَ لَكُمُ السَّمْعَ وَالْأَبْصَارَ وَالْأَفْئِدَةَ قَلِيْلًا مَّا تَشْكُرُوْنَ.

[It is He] Who has excelled in the creation of everything. He began creating a human being from clay; [12] then carried on his progeny from an insignificant fluid; [13] then perfected it and blew into it from His spirit [14] and for you made ears [for hearing], eyes [for seeing] and hearts [for understanding] [15] – seldom are you grateful. (Quran 32:7-9)

(Excerpt from Quranic Exegesis: Javed Ahmed Ghamidi)

(Translated by Dr. Shehzad Saleem)

[12]. This is a mention of the first phase when the physical form of a human being was created. The same method was adopted for it which is now adopted for the creation of a human being. The only difference is that the process that now goes on in a mother’s womb went on in the earth’s womb. Thus all the ingredients of clay which are consumed by us as food and transform into an insignificant fluid and initiate the process through which a human being is created went through this process at that time in stinking clay. Finally, when the physical being was completed, the clay became dry like the shell of an egg. Once it rent apart, a creature came out of it which can be called the physical form of a human being. It can be analogously understood that the first borns of all other creatures came into being in precisely this way.

[13]. This was the second phase in which the creature created began reproducing and bringing its progeny into existence. Thus the very process which went on in the womb of the earth then began to happen in the womb of the mother. This was the phase of a human being when it was an unreformed corporal existence devoid of intellect and knowledge.

[14]. This is the third phase in which after an intermingling of many generations the corporal form was perfected until it became apt for giving it the personality of a human being. Thus two individuals from among these creatures which were present at that time were selected and this personality was given to them through a dilute breath which the Qur’an calls ruh. These were Adam (sws) and Eve. All human beings born after them were their progeny.

A little deliberation shows that these details provided by the Quran present a very cogent explanation of the fossil record discovered by scientists and which the proponents of Darwinism present in their favour and in this way try to solve the riddles which could neither be solved earlier in their views nor will ever be in the future.

[15]. This is the consequence of the blowing of spirit: it created in a physical being devoid of insight and intellect the qualities of head and heart which became its distinction from all other life forms. Thus he has now become capable enough to be told that God has given him ears, eyes and heart. It is for this reason that the Quran has changed from indirect to direct address at this instance.

For further details on the matter of human creation in the light of Quran, please see:

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