The Origin and Growth of Humankind: The Relationship Between Earth and Identity in Light of the Verse — “And Allah has caused you to grow from the earth as a growth” (Qur’an 71:17)

The relationship between human beings and the earth begins at the very root of creation. God Almighty says in Surah Nuh:

“And Allah has caused you to grow from the earth as a growth. Then He will return you into it, and bring you forth again.” (Qur’an 71:17–18)

The verse reveals that man is not a stranger to the earth, but an extension of it: he originated from it, lives by what it produces, and returns to it at the end of his life. This connection is not merely material—it is existential and identity-forming, constituting one of the fundamental dimensions of belonging and selfhood.

The word “growth” (نباتًا / nabātan) serves as a metaphor for the process of creation and development. Just as a seed sprouts from the soil and draws nourishment from it, so too man arises from the elements of the earth and is sustained by its produce. Therefore, any disconnection between human beings and their land is, in essence, a disconnection from the fitrah—the innate nature with which God created them.

The Arab Human: Between Authenticity and Importation

In the contemporary Arab context, this disconnection manifests in many forms. With the decline of local agriculture and the growing dependence of most Arab countries on imported food—reaching between 60% and 80%, according to reports by the FAO and ESCWA—the modern Arab consumes nourishment that his own soil did not produce. This lifestyle shift weakens the instinctive bond between man and land, reducing the relationship to a temporary material one rather than a lasting emotional and existential tie.

The issue extends beyond food to encompass an entire way of life. The prevailing culture in many Arab cities today is largely imported: in fashion, architecture, education, and even in notions of beauty and behavior. As the local texture of land and culture fades, feelings of belonging weaken, giving rise to what sociologists call “internal alienation”—a state in which one feels estranged in one’s own homeland, as though the land no longer recognizes its people, nor they it.

Earth as Memory and Identity

Attachment to the land is not based solely on material ownership but also on the sensory and emotional experiences that take place upon it. The smell of the soil after rain, the shape of the fields, the dialect of neighbors, agricultural traditions, and seasonal rhythms—all these small details build what scholars call “place memory”, the foundation of collective identity. When such details are erased through urban and cultural globalization, humans lose the psychological roots that tie them to their surroundings and begin seeking alternative identities in external symbols.

In modern Arab cities, green spaces shrink in favor of concrete towers, and traditional open markets are replaced by enclosed shopping malls. These transformations create a person detached from the natural environment, living in an imported space that bears no mark of his own land—diminishing his sense of responsibility toward it.

Recent environmental and sociological studies, such as “Place Attachment in Middle Eastern Urban Contexts”, confirm that spatial belonging declines as humans drift away from their natural environments, and that weakened environmental attachment leads to weakened national consciousness.

Between Material and Moral Growth

The Qur’anic verse refers to two forms of “growth”:

Material growth, embodied in creation and sustenance.
Moral growth, embodied in values and contribution.

When the latter is replaced with imported sources, authenticity declines. Just as a plant rooted in foreign soil struggles to thrive, a human who grows within a foreign cultural and economic environment loses balance between origin and place. Thus, restoring the relationship with the land is not merely an ecological or economic task—it is a matter of identity and consciousness.

Toward the Restoration of Roots

Returning to the land does not mean isolation or regression; it means restoring the innate relationship between human beings and their source. Nations can open themselves to the world without losing their roots—so long as they remember where they sprouted and what nourishes their people.

In the Arab context, this awareness begins by rebuilding the link with local production, respecting the environment, and reviving the agricultural and cultural practices tied to the land. The closer man grows to his own soil, the deeper his understanding of homeland becomes—for the very earth that gave him life is the one that safeguards his humanity.

Conclusion

The verse “And Allah has caused you to grow from the earth as a growth” is not a biological statement alone—it is an intellectual and spiritual principle guiding human awareness. The farther a person drifts from the soil of his origin, the weaker his sense of belonging becomes, and the deeper his alienation grows, even if he remains physically within his homeland.

Reconnecting with the earth, therefore, is not a matter of agriculture or economy—it is a return to the divine law of creation, one that makes man rooted, free, and responsible for his homeland—just as God first caused him to grow from it.