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Can We Live on Other Planets?

22 December, 2020
Q In the Islamic perspective, are we allowed to live on other planets?

Answer

Short Answer:

  • To me, there’s no harm in and finding alternative sources of our sustenance. All sustenance is provided by God.
  • And so, if we find another planet, if you find another world similar to our own, this should not come as a surprise.
  • But moreover, interstellar exploration seems to be already indicated in the Quran. In the 55th chapter it says: [Quoting Quran in Arabic]: Oh, gathering of jinn and humankind, if you are able to penetrate the farthest reaches of the sky, then do penetrate those regions.

 ………….

Asalamu Alaikum,

Thank you for contacting About Islam with your question.

Dr. Shabir Ally addresses this question in the video below:

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Can We Live on Other Planets?

Transcript:

Aisha Khaja: Dr. Shabir, today’s question is really interesting. It’s about the film Interstellar. The viewer’s asking, the film Interstellar depicts human beings to find alternative life on a planet outside of earth.

And they say, given the rate of climate change, reduction of natural resources, and environmental catastrophe—this could be a possibility. And the viewer is basically asking, how does Islam view human beings leaving the earth to inhabit space?

Dr. Shabir Ally: To me, there’s no harm in and finding alternative sources of our sustenance. All sustenance is provided by God.

And it could be that He provided such sustenance that will keep us going on earth until we become mature enough to be able to branch out and find other resources and other planets.

The Quran actually has a universal view in mind. The first chapter of the Quran says, Alhamdulillahi rabbil alamin: praise be to God, the Lord of the Worlds. The word “world” here is given in the plural “worlds”.

And so, if we find another planet, if you find another world similar to our own, this should not come as a surprise.

But moreover, interstellar exploration seems to be already indicated in the Quran. In the 55th chapter it says: [Quoting Quran in Arabic]: Oh, gathering of jinn and humankind, if you are able to penetrate the farthest reaches of the sky, then do penetrate those regions.

[Quoting Quran in Arabic]: you will not be able to do so except with a sort of power. And obviously, that is something that we can try to work at developing, whether it be rocket science or whatever we need to develop to make this possible. And this already seems to be hinted at in the Quran.


I hope this helps answer your question. Please keep in touch.

Walaikum Asalam.

Please continue feeding your curiosity, and find more info in the following links:

Time Travel: Gate to Mysteries of Unknown

Astronauts Embrace Fresh Air After Yearlong Stint Aboard ISS

Meet UK’s First Muslim Astronaut

About Dr. Shabir Ally
Dr. Shabir Ally holds a B.A. in Religious Studies from Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, with a specialization in Biblical Literature. He also holds an M.A. and a Ph.D. from the University of Toronto with a specialization in Quranic Exegesis. He is the president of the Islamic Information and Dawah Centre International in Toronto where he functions as Imam. He travels internationally to represent Islam in public lectures and interfaith dialogues. He explains Islam on a weekly television program called "Let the Quran Speak". Past episodes of this show can be seen online at: www.quranspeaks.com.