Study of Human History in Light of God’s Creation Plan

God has indeed created man as a unique creature, and this special creation shows that his Creator requires devotion of an exceptional nature.

In the whole of human history, man has been unique. The Quran has this to say of the creation of man: “I created him with My own Hands.” (38:75)

According to a Hadith, “God created man in His image.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 6227) These references from the Quran and Hadith make it clear that God has created man as a unique creature, and this special creation shows that his Creator requires devotion of an exceptional nature from him.

If the history of the universe is considered to have started with the event of the Big Bang, it means that the universe has existed for about 15 billion years. During this period, the Creator created innumerable things, finally creating man. According to the Quran, “God created man in the best of mould” (95:4) and gave him the status of an exalted creature (17:70).

Moreover, we learn from the Quran that all creatures in the universe have been created, directly or indirectly, for the service of man. The Quran puts it thus: “He has subjected whatever is in heaven and on the earth to you.” (45:13)

This verse of the Quran was revealed in the seventh century. Strangely, scientific research has taken until the twenty-first century to testify to this reality. The latest discoveries have shown that the whole universe is custom-made. Referring to this research, Alfred Russel Wallace writes:

“Such a vast and complex universe as that which we know exists around us may have been absolutely required to produce a world that should be precisely adapted in every detail for the orderly development of life culminating in man.” (The Times of India, New Delhi, September 26, 2010)