The Quran

Preface

هُوَ الَّذي خَلَقَكُم مِن تُرابٍ ثُمَّ مِن نُطفَةٍ ثُمَّ مِن عَلَقَةٍ ثُمَّ يُخرِجُكُم طِفلًا ثُمَّ لِتَبلُغوا أَشُدَّكُم ثُمَّ لِتَكونوا شُيوخًا ۚ وَمِنكُم مَن يُتَوَفّىٰ مِن قَبلُ ۖ وَلِتَبلُغوا أَجَلًا مُسَمًّى وَلَعَلَّكُم تَعقِلونَ

Yusuf Ali

It is He Who has¹ created you from dust then from a sperm-drop, then from a leech-like clot; then does he get you out (into the light) as a child: then lets you (grow and) reach your age of full strength; then lets you become old,- though of you there are some who die before;- and lets you reach a Term appointed; in order that ye may learn wisdom.

Cf. this passage with 22:5 and notes 2773 and 2774. The various stages of man’s physical life are: (1) first, simple matter (dust); (2) the sperm-drop in the father; (3) the fertilised ovum in the mother’s womb; (4) out into the light, as a human child; (5) youth and full maturity; (6) decay; and (7) death. In some cases the late stages are curtailed or cut off; but in any case, a Term appointed is reached, so that the higher purpose of God’s Will and Plan may be fulfilled in each given case, that man “may learn wisdom”.