Aliens Do Exist – A Quranic Analysis

Some Muslims believe that there are no aliens. However, the Quran indicates that there are living creatures beyond the Earth.

Definition of alien

Alien: “An extraterrestrial being. A form (s) of life assumed to exist outside the Earth or its atmosphere within other parts of the Universe”

What is the Arabic word “Da’aba”?

Da’aba means to go gently, crawl, creep or walk. The word basically captures whatsoever moves on the earth, especially that of animals and beasts of burden, quadrupeds, any moving creature, insects, and humans.

Daabatun (n.): Moving creature; Crawling animal.

Dawaabbun (n.plu.): Crawling animals.

Daba has been used to denote humans too (24:45; 35:45). It is also used negatively (16:61 8:22; 8.55).

Dabbah n.f. (pl. dawab) has been used many times in the Quran: 2:164, 6:38, 8:22, 8:55, 11:6, 11:56, 16:49, 16:61, 22:18, 24:45, 27:82, 29:60, 31:10, 34:14, 35:28, 35:45, 42:29, 45:4

What is the Arabic word “Samawaat (heavens)”?

The Quranic expression “Samawat wal ‘ard” means “The Heavens and the Earth”. It denotes the whole Universe in its entirety.

إِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَىٰ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ ۖ يُدَبِّرُ الْأَمْرَ ۖ مَا مِن شَفِيعٍ إِلَّا مِن بَعْدِ إِذْنِهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمُ اللَّهُ رَبُّكُمْ فَاعْبُدُوهُ ۚ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ
Indeed, your Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth (Arabic: samawat wal ‘ard) in six days and then established Himself above the Throne, arranging the matter [of His creation]. There is no intercessor except after His permission. That is Allah, your Lord, so worship Him. Then will you not remember? (10:3)
وَلَقَدْ جَعَلْنَا فِي السَّمَاءِ بُرُوجًا وَزَيَّنَّاهَا لِلنَّاظِرِينَ
And We have placed within the heaven (Arabic: samaa) great stars and have beautified it for the observers. (15:16)
وَزَيَّنَّا السَّمَاءَ الدُّنْيَا بِمَصَابِيحَ
… And We adorned the nearest heaven (Arabic: samaa) with lamps (stars) … (41:12)
إِنَّا زَيَّنَّا السَّمَاءَ الدُّنْيَا بِزِينَةٍ الْكَوَاكِبِ
Indeed, We have adorned the nearest heaven (Arabic: samaa) with an adornment of stars / planets. (37:6)

Based on the above verses, it should be clear that the Arabic word “samaa” (heaven) or plural “samawaat” (heavens) means the entire universe.

Proof of alien existence

Now that we know what da’ba (moving creature) and samawaat (heavens / universe) mean, we can see from verse 42:29 that there are moving creates in both the heavens and the earth.

وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ خَلْقُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَثَّ فِيهِمَا مِن دَابَّةٍ ۚ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ جَمْعِهِمْ إِذَا يَشَاءُ قَدِيرٌ
And of his signs is the creation of the heavens and earth and what He has dispersed in both of them (Arabic: fi-hima) of creatures. And He, for gathering them when He wills, is competent.(42:29)

The basis of the question posed by the angels

In verse 2:30, there is a story about the angels questioning God regarding man’s vicegerency on the Earth.

وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً ۖ قَالُوا أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَن يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ الدِّمَاءَ وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ ۖ قَالَ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
And [mention, O Muhammad], when your Lord said to the angels, “Indeed, I will make upon the earth a vicegerent.” They said, “Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood, while we declare Your praise and sanctify You?” Allah said, “Indeed, I know that which you do not know.”(42:29)

For the angels to ask whether God was going to place on Earth a creature such as humans who will shed blood, they must have known about a similar creature that sheds blood, e.g. in some other part of the universe. If the angels had no prior knowledge of a similar creature that behaves that way, they wouldn’t have asked that question. At this point in the conversation with God, humans had not yet been created. Also, angels have no knowledge of the future as, according to the Quran, only God knows the future.

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