وَٱللَّهُ خَلَقَكُم مِّن تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ ثُمَّ جَعَلَكُمْ أَزْوَٰجًا ۚ وَمَا تَحْمِلُ مِنْ أُنثَىٰ وَلَا تَضَعُ إِلَّا بِعِلْمِهِۦ ۚ وَمَا يُعَمَّرُ مِن مُّعَمَّرٍ وَلَا يُنقَصُ مِنْ عُمُرِهِۦٓ إِلَّا فِى كِتَـٰبٍ ۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ يَسِيرٌ 11
Translations
And Allāh created you from dust, then from a sperm-drop; then He made you mates. And no female conceives nor does she give birth except with His knowledge. And no aged person is granted [additional] life nor is his lifespan lessened but that it is in a register. Indeed, that for Allāh is easy.
Transliteration
Wa-Allahu khalaqakum min turab, thumma min nutfah, thumma ja'alakum azwaja. Wa ma tahmilu min untha wa la tada'u illa bi-'ilmihi. Wa ma yu'ammaru min mu'ammarin wa la yunqasu min 'umurih, illa fi kitab. Inna dhalika 'ala-Allahi yasir.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah eloquently describes the complete creation of humanity from dust to the developed human form, and emphasizes Allah's absolute knowledge and control over all aspects of life—conception, pregnancy, birth, and the appointed lifespan of every soul. Classical scholars like Al-Qurtubi note that the phrase 'except by His knowledge' (illa bi-'ilmihi) demonstrates that nothing occurs in creation without Allah's prior knowledge and will, affirming divine omniscience and predestination (qadar). The ayah concludes that all these mighty acts are easy for Allah, underscoring His infinite power.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Fatir (The Originator), a Meccan chapter that emphasizes Allah's creative power and unique attributes as a refutation of polytheism. The surah's central theme revolves around demonstrating that only Allah possesses the attributes of creation, provision, and control over destiny—themes directly relevant to the Meccan audience's rejection of idolatry.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: 'Each of you is composed in the womb of his mother for forty days as a nutfah (sperm-drop), then as an alaqah (clot) for forty days, then as a mudghah (morsel of flesh) for forty days, then the angel is sent to him to blow the spirit into him' (Sahih Bukhari 3208). This hadith elaborates on the stages of creation mentioned in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that their very existence—from creation to lifespan—is entirely within Allah's knowledge and control, fostering profound humility and trust in divine wisdom. Modern readers should recognize that anxieties about conception, health, and mortality are best addressed through submission to Allah's will while taking appropriate worldly means, secure in the knowledge that one's lifespan is already written.