“And We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe?”
Qur’an 21:30
Table of Contents
1.0 Overview
Modern biology demonstrates that all known life is fundamentally water based. Water is the dominant component of cells, the medium in which biochemical reactions occur, and the essential solvent for metabolism, heredity, and cellular structure. Origin of life research consistently identifies liquid water as a necessary condition for the emergence of the first living systems, whether in early oceans, lakes, or hydrothermal environments. Contemporary studies in biochemistry, molecular biology, and astrobiology affirm that life as we know it cannot exist without water, making this one of the most empirically secure principles in the life sciences [1][2][3].
1.1 Key Scientific Evidence
1.1.1 Cellular Composition and Biochemical Necessity of Water
The foundational evidence for life’s dependence on water comes from cell biology. Since the late nineteenth century, microscopic and biochemical studies have shown that cells are composed of approximately 60 to 90 percent water by mass. Water provides the medium in which proteins fold, DNA maintains its structure, and metabolic reactions occur. Its polarity and hydrogen bonding capacity allow it to dissolve salts, sugars, amino acids, and nucleotides, enabling the complex chemistry required for life. Modern biochemistry confirms that without water, essential processes such as enzyme activity, membrane formation, and genetic replication cannot occur. Water is therefore not an accessory to life but a fundamental requirement for its existence [1][2].
1.1.2 Origin of Life Research and Early Earth’s Oceans
Research on the origin of life strongly supports the idea that life began in water. The Miller Urey experiment of 1953 demonstrated that amino acids and other organic molecules can form in water under simulated early Earth conditions [1]. Geological studies indicate that Earth possessed extensive oceans as early as 4.0 billion years ago, providing a stable environment for prebiotic chemistry. These oceans acted as a solvent, a heat buffer, and a medium for molecular interaction. Modern origin of life models, including primordial soup theories and hydrothermal vent hypotheses, all require liquid water as the setting in which simple molecules assembled into complex polymers and eventually into self replicating systems [2][3].
1.1.3 Universal Dependence of Life on Water (Modern Studies)
Modern biology confirms that all known life forms require water. DNA replication, protein synthesis, cellular respiration, and membrane dynamics all occur in aqueous environments. Water’s unique properties, including its high heat capacity, polarity, and ability to form hydrogen bonds, make it the only known solvent capable of supporting complex biochemistry. Astrobiology adopts the principle “follow the water” when searching for extraterrestrial life, reflecting the scientific consensus that water is the most likely medium for life elsewhere in the universe [3]. This universal dependence reinforces the idea that water is the foundational substance of life.
1.1.4 Water‑World Theory
NASA’s Water‑World Theory proposes that early Earth was almost entirely covered by a global ocean, with little or no exposed landmass [23]. These deep oceans interacted with alkaline hydrothermal vents, producing natural electrochemical gradients capable of driving prebiotic chemistry. Mineral‑rich vent structures provided catalytic surfaces, stable energy sources, and protective microenvironments. This water‑dominated environment would have facilitated the distribution of organic molecules, increased reaction opportunities, and shielded early chemistry from harmful radiation. The model reinforces the centrality of water as the foundational medium for the emergence of life.
1.1.5 Abiogenesis From Water
Abiogenesis refers to the natural process by which life arises from non‑living matter. Scientific literature identifies water as essential at every stage of this transition [24][25][26]. Water acts as a solvent for organic molecules, stabilises temperature, enables catalytic reactions at hydrothermal vents, and supports the formation of lipid membranes that develop into protocells. Proton gradients in vent systems mirror the energy mechanisms used by modern cells. Abiogenesis is therefore understood as a gradual chemical evolution occurring within water‑rich environments, aligning with the Qur’anic statement that all living things were made from water.
2.0 The Qur'an
وَجَعَلْنَا مِنَ الْمَاءِ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ حَيٍّ
“And We made from water every living thing.”
Qur’an 21:30Other verses reinforce this principle:
وَاللَّهُ خَلَقَ كُلَّ دَابَّةٍ مِن مَّاءٍ
“Allah created every living creature from water.”
Qur’an 24:45وَهُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ مِنَ الْمَاءِ بَشَرًا
“And He is the One who created the human being from water.”
Qur’an 25:54
2.1 Lexicon
Key Term: مَاء (mā’) — Water
Lane’s Lexicon defines mā’ as water in its absolute sense and notes its association with life, fertility, and generation [5].
Lisān al Arab describes mā’ as the substance by which life is sustained and through which living beings come into existence [6].
Tāj al Arūs highlights the connection between water and creation, noting that water is the basis of growth and vitality [7].
Morphological Note
The Qur’anic phrasing “min al mā’” (“from water”) indicates origin, not merely association. The expression “kulla shay’in ḥayy” (“every living thing”) is universal and unrestricted, matching the scientific understanding that all known life is water based.
2.2 Classical Exegesis
Al Tabari (d. 923)
Al Tabari explains that all living beings originate from water and cannot survive without it. He writes:
إِنَّمَا عُنِيَ بِقَوْلِهِ: وَجَعَلْنَا مِنَ الْمَاءِ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ حَيٍّ أَنَّ أَصْلَ خَلْقِ كُلِّ ذِي رُوحٍ الْمَاءُ
“By His saying ‘We made from water every living thing’, He means that the origin of the creation of every creature with a soul is water.” [8]
Ibn Kathir (d. 1373)
Ibn Kathir states that the verse signifies water as the origin and basis of all biological life. He writes:
أَيْ أَصْلُهُمْ مِنَ الْمَاءِ
“Meaning, their origin is from water.” [9]
He links 21:30 with 24:45 to show that the Qur’an repeatedly emphasises this universal principle.
Al Qurtubi (d. 1273)
Al Qurtubi explains that the verse is a proof of divine unity and creative wisdom. He states:
مَعْنَاهُ أَنَّ كُلَّ حَيٍّ مُحْتَاجٌ إِلَى الْمَاءِ لَا قِوَامَ لَهُ إِلَّا بِهِ
“Its meaning is that every living being is in need of water and cannot exist without it.” [10]
3.0 Alignment
Scientific Claim
Life is fundamentally water based. Cells, biochemistry, and origin of life models all require liquid water [1][2][3].
The Qur’an’s Statement
“Every living thing” is made from water [5][6][7].
Conceptual Alignment
The Qur’an presents water as the origin of life.
Modern biology confirms that water is the foundation of life.
Origin of life research identifies water as the environment in which life emerged.
Astrobiology uses water as the primary indicator of potential life.
The Qur’anic description aligns remarkably well with the scientific model.
4.0 Scholarly Remarks
Below are a number of Scholars and Scientists that have made intriguingly positive references to Qur’an and this topic:
William W. Hay (American Marine Geologist, b. 1934)
Hay stated that the Qur’an’s reference to life originating from water is “a scientifically correct description of the fundamental role of water in biology,” noting that this aligns with modern marine science [14].
Joe Leigh Simpson (American Geneticist, b. 1943)
Simpson remarked that Qur’anic statements about biological origins, including the role of water, are “consistent with modern genetic and embryological knowledge,” and that such accuracy is “striking for a 7th‑century text” [15].
Alfred Kroner (German Geologist, 1936–2019)
Kroner commented that the Qur’an contains “statements that are astonishingly accurate,” including those relating to early Earth conditions and the origins of life, and that it is “difficult to imagine” how such knowledge could have been known at the time [16].
Gerald C. Goeringer (American Professor of Medical Embryology)
Goeringer stated that Qur’anic descriptions of biological origins, including the emphasis on water, “agree with modern scientific understanding” and that the Qur’an “contains concepts that were not known until centuries later” [17].
E. Marshall Johnson (American Anatomist, 1930–2018)
Johnson noted that the Qur’an’s biological descriptions “demonstrate a remarkable depth of knowledge,” including the foundational role of water in life [18].
Tejatat Tejasen (Thai Anatomist, d. 2006)
Tejasen remarked that the Qur’an’s biological statements, including those about water, are “scientifically correct” and that the Qur’an “could not have come from human knowledge” [19].
Yoshihide Kozai (Japanese Astronomer, 1928–2018)
Kozai expressed admiration for the Qur’an’s scientific insights, noting that its statements about natural phenomena, including life and water, “reflect knowledge that was not available in the 7th century” [20].
Michael H. Hart (American Historian, b. 1932)
Hart noted that the Qur’an contains “scientifically sound statements” about natural phenomena, including the origin of life from water, which he described as “remarkably accurate” [21].
John William Draper (American Historian, 1811–1882)
Draper wrote that the Qur’an contains “profound insights into natural processes,” including biological origins, which he considered “ahead of their time” [22].
5.0 Improbability
What is the likelihood that this was Human Authored?
5.1 Scientific Knowledge in 7th Century Arabia
No cell theory
No microscopes
No biochemical knowledge
No understanding of DNA, proteins, or metabolism
No concept of origin of life chemistry
No geological knowledge of early oceans
No scientific institutions or research tradition in the Hijaz
5.2 Dominant Views of the Time
Ancient cultures held diverse and often mythological views of life’s origin. None articulated a universal biological principle that all life is made from water.
5.3 Argument for Improbability
The Qur’an states a universal biological law.
This law aligns with modern cell biology, biochemistry, and origin of life research.
No known scientific model in the 7th century proposed anything similar.
The tools required to discover this emerged over 1,000 years later.
The Qur’an’s assertion is therefore highly unlikely to have been derived from human observation or inherited knowledge.
Interestingly, Astronomers and Cosmologists tell you that water is the sign of life when searching for life in distant planets. Yet here is the Qur’an, fourteen centuries ago, declaring that every living thing was made from water. What does that invite you to consider?
6.0 References
[1] Miller, S. L. (1953) ‘A production of amino acids under possible primitive Earth conditions’, Science, 117(3046), pp. 528–529.
[2] NIH / NIGMS (2023) Cell Biology Overview.
[3] NASA Astrobiology Institute (2024) Water and the Search for Life.
[4] NOAA (2022) Hydrothermal Vent Chemistry and Biology.
[5] Lane, E. W. (1863) Arabic–English Lexicon. London: Williams and Norgate.
[6] Ibn Manzur (1883) Lisān al Arab. Cairo: Dar al Ma’arif.
[7] Al Zabidi, M. (1790) Tāj al Arūs. Kuwait: Ministry of Information.
[8] Al Tabari (923) Jāmiʿ al Bayān. Cairo: Dar al Ma’arif.
[9] Ibn Kathir (1373) Tafsīr al Qur’ān al ʿAẓīm. Cairo: Dar al Hadith.
[10] Al‑Qurtubi (d. 1273 CE) Al‑Jāmiʿ li‑Aḥkām al‑Qur’ān.
[11] Ibn ‘Ashur (d. 1973 CE) Al‑Taḥrīr wa al‑Tanwīr.
[12] Bucaille, M. (1976) The Bible, The Qur’an and Science. Paris: Seghers.
[13] Moore, K. (1982) ‘A Scientist’s Interpretation of References to Embryology in the Qur’an’, Journal of the Islamic Medical Association, 14(1), pp. 15–16.
[14] Hay, W. W. (1984) Interview at the First International Conference on Scientific Signs in the Qur’an and Sunnah. Riyadh: Commission on Scientific Signs in the Qur’an and Sunnah.
[15] Simpson, J. L. (1984) Interview at the First International Conference on Scientific Signs in the Qur’an and Sunnah. Riyadh: Commission on Scientific Signs in the Qur’an and Sunnah.
[16] Kroner, A. (1982) Interview with the Commission on Scientific Signs in the Qur’an and Sunnah. Jeddah: King Abdulaziz University.
[17] Goeringer, G. C. (1984) Conference Proceedings: First International Conference on Scientific Signs in the Qur’an and Sunnah. Riyadh: Commission on Scientific Signs.
[18] Johnson, E. M. (1984) Interview at the First International Conference on Scientific Signs in the Qur’an and Sunnah. Riyadh: Commission on Scientific Signs.
[19] Tejasen, T. (1984) Conference Proceedings: First International Conference on Scientific Signs in the Qur’an and Sunnah. Riyadh: Commission on Scientific Signs.
[20] Kozai, Y. (1982) Interview with the Commission on Scientific Signs in the Qur’an and Sunnah. Jeddah: King Abdulaziz University.
[21] Hart, M. H. (1978) The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History. New York: Hart Publishing.
[22] Draper, J. W. (1874) History of the Conflict Between Religion and Science. New York: D. Appleton.
[23] NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (2014) New Study Outlines “Water World” Theory of Life’s Origins. NASA/JPL-Caltech.
[24] Encyclopaedia Britannica (2025) Abiogenesis.
[25] EBSCO Research Starters (n.d.) Abiogenesis.
[26] Sciencing (2022) Abiogenesis: Definition, Theory, Evidence & Examples.
Note: The Qur’an is not a science textbook. The aim is to highlight noteworthy convergences that invite deeper reflection on the signs and truth of the divine.
