Understanding the World of Al-Dhar

Question

What is the World of Al-Dhar? What are the correct beliefs about it? [AR_ID:457]

Answer 1

Peace be upon you. The inquiry regarding the World of Al-Dhar, along with the narratives related to it, primarily revolves around the interpretation of the noble verse:

﴿ وَإِذْ أَخَذَ رَبُّكَ مِنْ بَنِي آَدَمَ مِنْ ظُهُورِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ وَأَشْهَدَهُمْ عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ أَلَسْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ قَالُوا بَلَى شَهِدْنَا أَنْ تَقُولُوا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِنَّا كُنَّا عَنْ هَذَا غَافِلِينَ﴾ (Al-A'raf: 172).

The general meaning of this verse is that after Allah created the children of Adam and distinguished them through procreation, He made them aware of their need for Him, affirming that He is their Lord. They acknowledged this by saying: "Indeed, we bear witness that You are our Lord." After this acknowledgment, the argument against them on the Day of Judgment is established.

The divine act of making each individual witness to themselves, and the fact that this act is not neglected, along with the human acceptance of the testimony that Allah is their Lord, necessitates that humans cannot argue against Allah on the Day of Judgment, claiming ignorance of His lordship in this world. This is because a person might argue on that day that they were unaware of the lordship that entails worship and obedience, and thus, they would not be held accountable. The Quran alludes to this in the continuation of the verse: ﴿أَنْ تَقُولُوا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِنَّا كُنَّا عَنْ هَذَا غَافِلِينَ أَوْ تَقُولُوا إِنَّمَا أَشْرَكَ آَبَاؤُنَا مِنْ قَبْلُ وَكُنَّا ذُرِّيَّةً مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ أَفَتُهْلِكُنَا بِمَا فَعَلَ الْمُبْطِلُونَ﴾

However, the issue of the existence of the World of Al-Dhar and its interpretation has been a subject of debate among Muslim scholars. Each group has its own opinion, with views ranging from denial to affirmation, and both sides have their evidence. It is important to note that this issue is not a fundamental aspect of the religion, so denying it does not constitute leaving the faith.

Among the most significant opinions are two:

First Opinion: When Adam was created, his offspring appeared in the form of particles (dhur) until the end of his lineage. According to some narratives, these particles were from Adam's own essence, and they possessed enough intellect and feeling to listen, respond, and engage. Allah addressed the particles, saying, "Am I not your Lord?" They all responded, "Indeed, we bear witness." Then, these particles returned to Adam's loins or essence, hence the name World of Al-Dhar. The covenant taken is what is meant by the verse: ﴿أَلَسْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ﴾.

Based on this, the two verses indicate the World of Al-Dhar, where Allah brought forth Adam's descendants from his back, made them witness to themselves, introduced them to Himself, and took from them the covenant of His lordship, thus establishing the argument against them on the Day of Judgment.

Second Opinion: The term referred to in the verse ﴿وَإِذْ أَخَذَ رَبُّكَ﴾ pertains to this world. Some have described it as the World of Preparation, the covenant of innate nature, and creation. When the children of Adam emerge from their fathers' loins into their mothers' wombs as sperm, Allah grants them the readiness to accept the truth of monotheism, embedding this divine secret within them as an internal awareness. In other words, Allah brings forth human offspring from their fathers' loins to their mothers' wombs and witnesses them throughout their lives, showing them the signs of His creation and the necessity of their dependence on Him, witnessing them with ﴿أَلَسْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ﴾, to which they respond with their very existence: "Indeed, we bear witness that You are our Lord, and there is no other Lord besides You." This is done so that they cannot argue against Allah on the Day of Judgment, claiming ignorance or that their ancestors were the ones who associated partners with Allah, while they were merely descendants who grew up in their idolatry without any wrongdoing.

This is a summary of the two known theories regarding the interpretation of the noble verse and what follows it. Each theory has been supported by various arguments and evidence, which we cannot elaborate on here. However, it is worth noting that most of our esteemed scholars have adopted the second theory, including the renowned scholar Sayyid Muhammad Hussein Tabatabai in his well-known interpretation, Tafsir al-Mizan, where he refuted the arguments presented by proponents of the first theory.

Click here for more information on the scholar's opinion and research.

To address any potential concerns regarding those who succeed in the test of this world being those who chose the path of salvation in the World of Al-Dhar, the answer is that the World of Al-Dhar is not a hypothetical realm but rather a discourse for people at a stage of their development that reflects their natures, characteristics, qualities, abilities, and the challenges they face. If they choose the path of salvation in the World of Al-Dhar, they do so with their full will and choice, possessing the same qualities and feelings they will have in this world. When they reach this world and experience those states, nothing prevents them from making choices that align with what they chose in the World of Al-Dhar, as the circumstances, temptations, obstacles, motivations, and deterrents will be the same.