Question:

I have seen on one or two online websites that the Quran proves the existence of Aliens and other extraterrestrial life in out universe.

Are these claims true? What does the Quran really say about Aliens?

Answer:

It is important that when we speak about any subject from a religious point of view that we do not make the dangerous mistake of restricting Islam's sources to the Holy Qur'an. Rather the basic sources of Islam are two: the Holy Qur'an and Hadith (sayings etc. of the Messenger of Allah -peace and blessings be upon him-). It is imperative that whatever we wish to know about, be elaborated and understood in the light of both these sacred sources.

In respect to the issue of aliens, what is established by sound hadith is that there are other earths where there exist other peoples like humans (see another Question and Answer on the site under “Tahzir al-Nas”). Having said this, the presence of the kinds of Aliens known in the media is not spoken about in these texts and are obviously mere vacuous fiction.

In fact, what the believer should be fearful about is how these ideas surreptitiously corrupt an impinge on his Aqida/belief, especially the belief of our children. Much of what is presented about Aliens is pure fantasy and ascribes to these aliens powers only befitting Allah taala which hacks at the very roots of our belief in Tawheed and verges on nothing less than Kufr itself.

This is a problem that pervades movies. For example, Superman is a character who is shown in one film to have the power to bring a human back to life. Now a person may say: “O but that is just fiction or fantasy.” However, the true Imaan of a believer demands that he will not accept this ridicule and abuse of the Almighty. If a person is unable to see the way this is an effrontery to Allah taala and violating His sanctity, then that is because of the weakness of his/her Imaan and his being far from Islam. Such abuse is similar to if someone swore at another’s mother, and when the latter protested and was about to take action, is told that he should not get upset because the abuser was only joking and they are only words and not reality. Obviously, the son knows it’s not reality but for him his mother has a special sanctity that cannot be violated. How then cannot it be that when it comes to the sanctity of our Creator, our Sustainer and Provider, many of us perceive no offence?

Films are full of such messages, with some being more explicit in their ridicule and abuse of the Creator. Thus we should ensure that we do not permit our children to fall into the common habit of the general masses of becoming enamoured by the movies and movie stars and rather bring them up on more edifying and healthy pastimes. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings upon him, said:

"All of you are made responsible and all of you will be asked about those underneath you...." (Bukhari).

Mufti Mohammed Sajjad

Wallahu Aalam bis-sawab

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The answer to this question is the opinion of the scholar and does not reflect the opinion of other scholars of As-Suffa Institute and As-Suffa Institute as an organisation.