Family of Imran (3:49)
وَرَسُولًا إِلَىٰ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ أَنِّى قَدْ جِئْتُكُم بِـَٔايَةٍۢ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ ۖ أَنِّىٓ أَخْلُقُ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلطِّينِ كَهَيْـَٔةِ ٱلطَّيْرِ فَأَنفُخُ فِيهِ فَيَكُونُ طَيْرًۢا بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَأُبْرِئُ ٱلْأَكْمَهَ وَٱلْأَبْرَصَ وَأُحْىِ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰ بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَأُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا تَأْكُلُونَ وَمَا تَدَّخِرُونَ فِى بُيُوتِكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَةًۭ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ ٤٩
And [make him] a messenger to the Children of Israel, [who will say], 'Indeed I have come to you with a sign from your Lord in that I design for you from clay [that which is] like the form of a bird, then I breathe into it and it becomes a bird by permission of Allāh. And I cure the blind [from birth] and the leper, and I give life to the dead - by permission of Allāh. And I inform you of what you eat and what you store in your houses. Indeed in that is a sign for you, if you are believers.
— Saheeh International
One of the signs Messenger Jesus (Isa عليه السلام) presented to the Bani Israel was the creation of a bird from clay (ٱلطِّينِ). He made the shape from clay, and then he blew into it (فَأَنفُخُ فِيهِ), and it became a bird (فَيَكُونُ طَيْرًۢا) by the permission of Allah (بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ) . So, the shape and form in clay came before it became a real bird.
People wonder where and how the code for life came. It came from Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى . He gives life to the dead Earth. Clay is the material He chose to create humans, and through Messenger Jesus (Isa عليه السلام), Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى presents bird from clay as an example for the Bani Israel. Messenger Jesus (Isa عليه السلام) was only able to perform it due to Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى 's express permission.
The Table Spread (5:110)
إِذْ قَالَ ٱللَّهُ يَـٰعِيسَى ٱبْنَ مَرْيَمَ ٱذْكُرْ نِعْمَتِى عَلَيْكَ وَعَلَىٰ وَٰلِدَتِكَ إِذْ أَيَّدتُّكَ بِرُوحِ ٱلْقُدُسِ تُكَلِّمُ ٱلنَّاسَ فِى ٱلْمَهْدِ وَكَهْلًۭا ۖ وَإِذْ عَلَّمْتُكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ وَٱلْحِكْمَةَ وَٱلتَّوْرَىٰةَ وَٱلْإِنجِيلَ ۖ وَإِذْ تَخْلُقُ مِنَ ٱلطِّينِ كَهَيْـَٔةِ ٱلطَّيْرِ بِإِذْنِى فَتَنفُخُ فِيهَا فَتَكُونُ طَيْرًۢا بِإِذْنِى ۖ وَتُبْرِئُ ٱلْأَكْمَهَ وَٱلْأَبْرَصَ بِإِذْنِى ۖ وَإِذْ تُخْرِجُ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰ بِإِذْنِى ۖ وَإِذْ كَفَفْتُ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ عَنكَ إِذْ جِئْتَهُم بِٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ فَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِنْهُمْ إِنْ هَـٰذَآ إِلَّا سِحْرٌۭ مُّبِينٌۭ ١١٠
[The Day] when Allāh will say, "O Jesus, Son of Mary, remember My favor upon you and upon your mother when I supported you with the Pure Spirit [i.e., the angel Gabriel] and you spoke to the people in the cradle and in maturity; and [remember] when I taught you writing and wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel; and when you designed from clay [what was] like the form of a bird with My permission, then you breathed into it, and it became a bird with My permission; and you healed the blind [from birth] and the leper with My permission; and when you brought forth the dead with My permission; and when I restrained the Children of Israel from [killing] you when you came to them with clear proofs and those who disbelieved among them said, "This is not but obvious magic."
— Saheeh International
On the Day Allah ﷻ will gather the Messengers, he will remind Messenger Jesus (Isa عليه السلام) of the unique signs he was given as a favour from Allah ﷻ . Among the signs was the shaping of a bird (كَهَيْـَٔةِ ٱلطَّيْرِ) from clay (ٱلطِّينِ) with Allah's permission (بِإِذْنِى), and then the blowing in the clay (فَتَنفُخُ فِيهَا) so that it became (فَتَكُونُ) a bird (طَيْرًۢا), with Allah's permission (بِإِذْنِى).
The Cattle (6:2)
هُوَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَكُم مِّن طِينٍۢ ثُمَّ قَضَىٰٓ أَجَلًۭا ۖ وَأَجَلٌۭ مُّسَمًّى عِندَهُۥ ۖ ثُمَّ أَنتُمْ تَمْتَرُونَ ٢
It is He who created you from clay and then decreed a term and a specified time [known] to Him; then [still] you are in dispute.
— Saheeh International
Allah ﷻ created us from clay (طِينٍۢ). One of the main arguments of the disbelievers is that how will they be put back together once they have disintegrated after death and become dust again. He who did it before can and will repeat it. That is His promise.
The Heights (7:12)
قَالَ مَا مَنَعَكَ أَلَّا تَسْجُدَ إِذْ أَمَرْتُكَ ۖ قَالَ أَنَا۠ خَيْرٌۭ مِّنْهُ خَلَقْتَنِى مِن نَّارٍۢ وَخَلَقْتَهُۥ مِن طِينٍۢ ١٢
[Allāh] said, "What prevented you from prostrating when I commanded you?" [Satan] said, "I am better than him. You created me from fire and created him from clay [i.e., earth]."
— Saheeh International
When Allah ﷻ questioned Iblis regarding his refusal to prostrate to Adam (عليه السلام), his objection was that Adam has been created from clay (طِينٍۢ). Iblis considered himself superior because of what he was made of, and considered Adam inferior because of what Adam was made of. It was the Creator's choice who to make with what material, and so, to make humans, Allah ﷻ chose clay (طِينٍۢ).
The Night Journey (17:61)
وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ ٱسْجُدُوا۟ لِـَٔادَمَ فَسَجَدُوٓا۟ إِلَّآ إِبْلِيسَ قَالَ ءَأَسْجُدُ لِمَنْ خَلَقْتَ طِينًۭا ٦١
And [mention] when We said to the angels, "Prostrate to Adam," and they prostrated, except for Iblees. He said, "Should I prostrate to one You created from clay?"
— Saheeh International
Iblis' objection is to the material Adam (عليه السلام) has been created with, that is: clay (طِينًۭا). He refuses to accept Adam (عليه السلام)'s khilafat only on the basis of the material he has been created with.
The Believers (23:12)
وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ مِن سُلَـٰلَةٍۢ مِّن طِينٍۢ ١٢
And certainly did We create man from an extract of clay.
— Saheeh International
Humans have been created from clay (طِينٍۢ). It is interesting to point out that here it is the 'We' who created humans. The Quran informs us that Allah ﷻ created Adam (عليه السلام) with His Own Hands. Human beings in general were created by the 'We' with the permission of Allah ﷻ . This is similar to Jesus (Isa عليه السلام) shaping and creating the bird from clay (ٱلطِّينِ). Both are working for Allah ﷻ with His Permission.
The Stories (28:38)
وَقَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلْمَلَأُ مَا عَلِمْتُ لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَـٰهٍ غَيْرِى فَأَوْقِدْ لِى يَـٰهَـٰمَـٰنُ عَلَى ٱلطِّينِ فَٱجْعَل لِّى صَرْحًۭا لَّعَلِّىٓ أَطَّلِعُ إِلَىٰٓ إِلَـٰهِ مُوسَىٰ وَإِنِّى لَأَظُنُّهُۥ مِنَ ٱلْكَـٰذِبِينَ ٣٨
And Pharaoh said, "O eminent ones, I have not known you to have a god other than me. Then ignite for me, O Hāmān, [a fire] upon the clay and make for me a tower that I may look at the God of Moses. And indeed, I do think he is among the liars."
— Saheeh International
The arrogant Pharaoh asked Haman to ignite upon the clay (ٱلطِّينِ) so he could maybe rise upon (لَّعَلِّىٓ أَطَّلِعُ) the God of Moses (إِلَـٰهِ مُوسَىٰ). Notice that the clay he mentions is with the prefix 'al' (ٱلطِّينِ), similar to the mention of the clay (ٱلطِّينِ) used by Jesus (Isa عليه السلام). The rest all mentions of clay across The Quran are without the prefix 'al' (ٱل).
The Prostration (32:7)
ٱلَّذِىٓ أَحْسَنَ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ خَلَقَهُۥ ۖ وَبَدَأَ خَلْقَ ٱلْإِنسَـٰنِ مِن طِينٍۢ ٧
Who perfected everything which He created and began the creation of man from clay.
— Saheeh International
Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى is perfect and so, in this ayat it states, He who creates perfectly (ٱلَّذِىٓ أَحْسَنَ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ خَلَقَهُ), and he began / originated (بَدَأَ) the creation (خَلْقَ) of the human beings (ٱلْإِنسَـٰنِ) from clay (طِينٍۢ). Therefore, it follows, that the suitable raw material for the creation of humans is clay.
Those who set the Ranks (37:11)
فَٱسْتَفْتِهِمْ أَهُمْ أَشَدُّ خَلْقًا أَم مَّنْ خَلَقْنَآ ۚ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَـٰهُم مِّن طِينٍۢ لَّازِبٍۭ ١١
Then inquire of them, [O Muḥammad], "Are they a stronger [or more difficult] creation or those [others] We have created?" Indeed, We created them [i.e., men] from sticky clay.
— Saheeh International
Regarding the 'kawakib' in the sky of the earth, they are created from a specified form of clay (طِينٍۢ لَّازِبٍۭ). The word (لَّازِبٍۭ) is used just once in The Quran, and no other word with its root letters is there, so the exact meaning of (لَّازِبٍۭ) may or may not be 'sticky'.
The Letter "Saad" (38:71)
إِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ إِنِّى خَـٰلِقٌۢ بَشَرًۭا مِّن طِينٍۢ ٧١
[So mention] when your Lord said to the angels, "Indeed, I am going to create a human being from clay.
— Saheeh International
Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى informed the angels that He will be creating a 'bashr' (بَشَرًۭا) from clay (طِينٍۢ). In the next ayat, Allah ﷻ tells the angels to fall in prostration to His creation after He breathes His Ruh into this creation. They all do, except Iblis. The following ayat quotes Iblis' objection:
The Letter "Saad" (38:76)
قَالَ أَنَا۠ خَيْرٌۭ مِّنْهُ ۖ خَلَقْتَنِى مِن نَّارٍۢ وَخَلَقْتَهُۥ مِن طِينٍۢ ٧٦
He said, "I am better than him. You created me from fire and created him from clay."
— Saheeh International
Iblis' problem is the clay (طِينٍۢ) that this 'bashr' (Adam) has been created with.
Allah created this 'bashr' (Adam) with His Own Hands. Allah is the Perfect Creator who creates perfectly. Arguing about the material of creation is a silly argument, as Allah knows best what material is most suitable for which creation.
The Winnowing Winds (51:33)
لِنُرْسِلَ عَلَيْهِمْ حِجَارَةًۭ مِّن طِينٍۢ ٣٣
To send down upon them stones of clay,
— Saheeh International
The criminal nation was to be destroyed with stones (حِجَارَةًۭ) of clay (طِينٍۢ).
...
...
Related Links & Posts:
In this blog
THE CREATOR I and THE CREATORS WE
Kawakib: Planets, Comets and other rocky bodies?
The Creation & Emergence of Species
The Exalted Ones & The Better Group
Acknowledging the Perfection of our Lord
External links
Search results for طِينٍ in corpus.quran.com
