Quranic evidence of the previous existence
Researched by A. Muhammad
Introduction
The Quran provides a consistent theory that explains why we are here on earth. An essential ingredient of the theory is that all living creatures lived a previous life somewhere in God's Kingdom well before the creation of the universe. The details can be seen on this page: Why we are here
The theory of 'Why we are here' is the only theory that provides satisfactory and consistent answers to the many questions related to our existence. Most importantly, the question of why is the human being subjected to what is seemingly unjustfied amounts of hardship and suffering during his life on earth.
Many people today are turning atheistic primarily because they cannot find a satisfactory answer to the following question:
If there is a god, why would He allow such horrible things to happen, often to 'good' and 'innocent' people?
Others ask: Why would an innocent new-born baby be created deformed, blind or paralysed? What crime has such a baby done?
Indeed, these are legitimate questions which we are all entitled to ask, believers and non believers alike.
It is necessary here to point out that such questions are based on two wrong assumption, they are:
1- That our life on earth is our first life.
2- That the human being comes to this life free of sin, hence, there is no justification for a pre-ordained life of suffering.
Some have attempted to justify the suffering by saying that all humans are born on earth carrying the sin of Adam when he disobeyed God, which they call the "original sin". However, this interpretation contradicts the Scriptures where it is categorically stated that no human being carries the sins of another nor is punished for the sins of another:
Old Testament:
Also to you O Lord, belong mercy; for you render to each one according to his own work. (Psalms 62:12)
New Testament:
Each one will receive his own reward according to his own labour. (1 Corinthians 3:8)
Quran
No burden-bearer bears the burden of another, and indeed, the human being has nothing to count for him except his own work.53:38-39
As mentioned, many new-born babies are born with lasting deformities, what have those innocent and helpless babies done to deserve such a life-long sentence?
When we look at a new-born baby, it looks helpless and seemingly free of sin. However, the 'self' that resides within the baby is not free of sin. Every self that is brought to live on earth carries its own previous sin (not Adam's) as the theory demonstrates. Consequently, coming to earth is not a sentence, rather, a merciful chance from God to attain redemption from the original sin.
The full chronological order of events in the previous life is presented on the following page: Chronological order of the events in the previous life.
The purpose of this paper is to outline the Quranic evidence of our previous existence.
The Quranic evidence
1- I did not make them witness the creation of the heavens and the earth, nor the creation of themselves, nor was I to take the misleading ones as assistants. 18:51
For God to say He did not make us witness the creation of the heavens and the earth, nor the creation of ourselves, can only mean that we existed in some form, but were not permitted to witness such creation. Had we not existed at the time of the creation of the heavens and the earth, the possibility of witnessing such creation would not be possible. What does not exist cannot witness anything.
God's statement that He did not make us witness such creation is therefore evidence of our existence at the time of such creation.
2- How can you disbelieve in God when you were dead and He brought you to life, then He puts you to death, then He brings you to life, then to Him you shall be returned? 2:28
It is important to note that God said "you were dead" and not 'you did not exist'. In this verse God speaks to disbelievers on earth and says: "you were dead and He brought you to life". The word "were" (verb to be) denotes existence, albeit in a state of death. To be dead then brought to life is different from being non-existent then created. Death and non-existence are not the same thing.
3- They said, "Our Lord, You have put us to death twice, and You have brought us to life twice. Now we have confessed our sins, is there any way out?" 40:11
All humans die at the end of their life on earth, then in the Hereafter there will be no further death (4:57, 4:169). The question is thus: when did the other death, mentioned in 40:11 happen? It can only be at the end of a previous existence.
4- We have created the human being into hardship. 90:4
If we did not exist before our life on earth, then we could not have committed any sin before we were born on earth. Knowing that God does not inflict any injustice on any person (verses below), why then would God create us into a life of hardship had we not committed any sin to justify such hardship?
God does not inflict an atom's weight of injustice. 4:40
God does not wrong the people in any way, but it is the people who wrong themselves.10:44
The hardship all human beings are born into can only be a consequence of a previous sin that we committed before we were born on earth. To commit a sin before our birth necessitates a previous life.
5- The One who created death and life that He may test you as to which of you is best in deeds. He is the Dignified, the Forgiver. 67:2
If life on earth was our first life, wouldn't God have said that He created 'life and death' rather than "death and life"? This deliberate rearrangement of words indicates that we were put to death before being brought to life on earth?
The words in 67:2 also ascribes our creation on earth for the purpose of being tested. If we had not committed any sin before our birth on earth, why would there be a need for us to be tested?
6- And when your Lord brought forth from the Children of Adam, from their backs, their descendants, and made them bear witness regarding themselves: "Am I not your Lord?" They said, "Yes. We bear witness." Lest you say on the Day of Resurrection, "We were unaware of this." 7:172
Does any one of us remember that God spoke to us the above words, and that we replied by bearing witness that God is our Lord? The answer is no! The reason can only be that such event happened in a previous existence, and that our memory of that existence was erased upon our birth on earth.
7- We said, "Go down therefrom, all of you. Then when guidance comes to you from Me, whoever follows My guidance, no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve. 2:38
The words "all of you" indicate that God is speaking to all the human race and not just to Adam and his wife who disobeyed God by eating from the forbidden tree.
The significance of this verse is that since God is speaking to all the human race and saying "go down (to earth)" then we must have existed (to be spoken to), and that it was before God decreed that we would "go down" to earth.
8- We have offered the Trust to the heavens, the earth and the mountains, but they refused to carry it and were afraid of it, while the human being accepted it. Indeed, he was transgressing, ignorant. 33:72
None of us remembers being given a second chance and that we, unlike everything else in the universe, accepted the responsibility and were thus described by God as "transgressing and ignorant". Once again, this event must have happened in a previous existence, and that our memory of that life was erased upon our birth on earth.
9- This is in order for God to punish the hypocrite men and the hypocrite women, as well as the men who commit shirk and the women who commit shirk, and so that God would redeem the believing men and the believing women. God is Forgiver, Merciful. 33:73
This verse, which comes after the offer given by God in 33:72, defines the reason as to why we are here. The purpose of our creation is to punish the wicked ones and redeem the believers.
The words "redeem the believing men and the believing women" raise an important question:
Keeping in mind that verses 33:72 and 33:73 speak about events that did not take place during our life on earth, why would believing men and women need redemption? Redemption from what when they are believers? Once again, it can only be redemption from a sin committed before coming to earth.
The Quran informs us that the only means to attain redemption (from the previous sin) is through worshipping God alone:
I have not created the jinn and the humans except to worship Me. 51:56
And by departing our worldly life as true submitters:
O you who believe, you shall reverence God as He should be revered, and do not die except as Submitters. 3:102
10- We did not create the heavens and the earth and what is between them for mere play. We did not create them except with the truth, but most of them do not know. 44:38-39
What exactly is the "truth" for which God created the heavens and the earth? God did not create the heavens and the earth for mere play, nor out of boredom, but to establish the "truth". The need to establish any truth can only be a result of the truth being in doubt. The creation of the universe and all that is in it, including us, was for no reason other than to establish the truth about God's absolute authority, thereby exposing the falsehood in Satan's claims. The human being was in doubt about these matters, hence, the "truth" needed to be established. Unlike other creatures, the human being elected to carry the responsibility of finding out for himself the truth of this matter (33:72). That happened during the previous existence, and it is what brought us to earth "Go down therefrom, all of you".
11- We have decreed death amongst you. We can never be outdone in replacing you with others like you, and producing you in that which you do not know. You have known about the first creation, so will you not be reminded? 56:60-62
What exactly is the "first creation"? The words say that we "have known" about it. The words "decreed death amongst you"and "replacing you", in verses 60 and 61, indicate that God is addressing us while we live on earth. It follows that the "first creation" took place before we came to earth.
How would we have "have known" about the first creation when we have no recollection of it?
The keyword is the word "known" (about it). God did not say that we 'remember' it, but that we have "known" about. We know about it because God told us about it in the Holy Quran.
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