The Qur’an teaches us that, unlike all other species on Planet Earth, Adam-Homo Sapien-mankind was created to be Allah’s Vice-regents on planet Earth; (2:30, 7:11, 35:39, 38:26) and a species with God’s spirit within.” (Qur’an 15:28-9). The Torah of Musa also teaches us that Adam/Homo Sapiens/mankind was the one species on planet Earth created by God to be in God’s image (i.e.to be God’s vice-regent Genesis 1:27)
And the Zabur of David poetically adds: “What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than God (and above all the angels) and crowned them with glory and honor. You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet” (Psalms 8:4-6)
In other words, “when your Lord said to the angels, “I will create a human being out of clay from an altered black mud and when I have proportioned him and breathed into him of My [spirit] soul, then fall down to him in prostration.” (Qur’an 15:28-9)
All those who study the Bible and the Qur’an have always been aware that this special status of mankind is primarily in the moral and spiritual arena. However a secondary, but still very important aspect of mankind’s special Vice-regents status, is our impact on planet Earth.
Of the millions of species on this planet, only one can consciously have an impact on the evolution of life. That species is Homo Sapiens. Religion provides guidance and direction to enable humans to be good Vice-regents (agents of God) rather than destroyers of society and exploiters of nature.
The Qur’an also teaches that we should be able to see majesty in God by seeing that God has created humans in different, successive stages (71:14) and has poetically caused us to grow from earth like a plant. (71:17) If for some reason we do not want to see God’s majesty in the evolution of life in general, and human beings in particular; there is something the matter with us. (71:13)
Now a major analysis of the fossil record shows a deep pattern in nature, that remained the same for over 300 million years, was disrupted about 6,000 years ago. “When early humans started farming and became dominant in the terrestrial landscape, we see this dramatic restructuring of plant and animal communities,” said University of Vermont biologist Nicholas Gotelli, an expert on statistics and the senior author on the study.
In the hunt for the beginning of the “Anthropocene” — a new geologic era defined by human direct influence on planet Earth– this research suggests we need to look back farther in time than human-caused climate change, genetically modified food, urbanization or the industrial revolution.
“He has ordained for you of religion what He enjoined upon Noah and that which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], and what We enjoined upon Abraham and Moses and Jesus – to establish the religion and not be divided therein. Difficult for those who associate others with Allah is that to which you invite them. Allah chooses for Himself whom He wills and guides to Himself whoever turns back [to Him]. (Qur’an 42:13)
“Allah chose Adam, Nuh (Noah), the family of Ibrahim (Prophets Isaac and Ishmael) and the family of ‘Imran (Prophets Moses, Aaron and Prophetess Miriam (Exodus 15:20) above the ‘Alamin (mankind and jinns).” (Qur’an 3:33) The Rabbis taught that 48 male prophets and 7 female prophets prophesied in Israel: Sarah, Miriam, Deborah, Hannah, Abigail, Hulda and Queen Esther.
Prophet Enoch walked in the ways of God in the midst of a perverse generation, and at the age of 365 Enoch’s was”taken up” so according to Genesis 5:24, Enoch did not suffer death. But according to the great French Jewish Torah commentator Rashi, “Enoch himself was a righteous man, but he was swayed several times (for a combined period of 60-65 years) to return to idol worship. Prophet Enoch is described as a man who “walked with God for 300 years” (Genesis 5:22–23). Therefore, the Holy One caused him to die (at age 365) before his time.”
According to the Qur’an and the Hebrew Bible, Prophets Enoch, Elijah and Muhammad were the only three humans God took to heaven without them dying. Genesis 5:24 says, “Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.” Second Kings 2:11 relates the departure of Elijah, “Suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared …and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.” Prophet Enoch is described as a man who “walked with God for 300 years” (Genesis 5:22–23). Prophet Elijah was perhaps the most action oriented of God’s prophets. There are also prophecies of Elijah’s future return in pre-messianic times. (Malachi 4:5-6).
After the death of Prophet Enoch several events occurred that led humans to commit for the first time. “Nuh (Noah said: “My Lord! They have disobeyed me, and followed one whose wealth and children give him no increase but only loss. And they have plotted a mighty plot. And they have said: ‘You shall not leave your gods, nor shall you leave Wadd, nor Suwa’, nor Yaghuth, nor Ya’uq, nor Nasr (names of the idols); And indeed they have led many astray. And (O Allah): ‘Grant no increase to the Zalimun (polytheists, and wrong-doers, etc.) save error.’ ” (Qur’an 71: 21-24)
