Stages of Human Creation in the Womb and the Writing of Destiny
By: ʿImrān Ayyūb Lāhorī
Ḥaḍrat ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه narrates:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ, who is the most truthful of the truthful and whose truthfulness is attested to, informed us:
"Indeed, the creation of each one of you is gathered in his mother's womb for forty days as a drop of fluid (nutfah), then he becomes a clot of blood (ʿalaqah) for the same period, then a lump of flesh (muḍghah) for the same period. Then an angel is sent and commanded to write four things: his provision (rizq), his lifespan (ajal), his deeds, and whether he is wretched or blessed.
By Allah! One of you may perform the deeds of the people of Hell until there is only a handspan between him and it, but what is written overtakes him, and he performs the deeds of the people of Paradise and enters it. And a man may perform the deeds of the people of Paradise until there is only a handspan between him and it, but what is written overtakes him, and he performs the deeds of the people of Hell and enters it."
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 6594, Kitāb al-Qadar; Muslim: 2643, Kitāb al-Qadar; Aḥmad: 1/382; Abū Dāwūd: 4708; al-Tirmidhī: 2137; Ibn Mājah: 76; al-Bayhaqī in Shuʿab al-Īmān: 1/207]
In another narration, the Prophet ﷺ said:
"When forty-two nights pass over the drop (nutfah), Allah sends an angel to it, who shapes it, forms its hearing and sight, its skin, flesh, and bones. Then the angel says: 'O Lord! Is it male or female?' Then your Lord decrees as He wills, and the angel writes it.
Then he asks: 'O Lord! What is its lifespan?' Allah decrees what He wills, and the angel writes it. Then he asks: 'O Lord! What is its provision?' Allah decrees what He wills, and the angel records it.
Then the angel departs with the written record in his hand. He neither adds to it nor subtracts from it.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 2645, Kitāb al-Qadar: Bāb Kayfa Khuliqa al-Ādamī fī Baṭn Ummih]
"Indeed, the drop (nutfah) remains in the womb for forty nights, then the angel is sent to it.”
(Muslim: 2645)
① Stages of Creation:
② After 120 days, an angel is sent and commanded to write four matters:
③ Gender, hearing, sight, skin, flesh, and bones are also formed by the angel under Allah’s command.
④ Decree is absolute: A person's final end is as per the decree of Allah — and sometimes apparent actions may change close to death due to what is written in the Lauh al-Maḥfūẓ (Preserved Tablet).
These authentic narrations provide profound insight into:
✔ The precise stages of human development in the womb,
✔ The early writing of destiny by divine command,
✔ And the importance of sincerity and steadfastness, as apparent deeds do not guarantee the final outcome.
By: ʿImrān Ayyūb Lāhorī❖ The Scene of Human Creation in the Mother's Womb
Ḥaḍrat ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه narrates:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ, who is the most truthful of the truthful and whose truthfulness is attested to, informed us:
"Indeed, the creation of each one of you is gathered in his mother's womb for forty days as a drop of fluid (nutfah), then he becomes a clot of blood (ʿalaqah) for the same period, then a lump of flesh (muḍghah) for the same period. Then an angel is sent and commanded to write four things: his provision (rizq), his lifespan (ajal), his deeds, and whether he is wretched or blessed.
By Allah! One of you may perform the deeds of the people of Hell until there is only a handspan between him and it, but what is written overtakes him, and he performs the deeds of the people of Paradise and enters it. And a man may perform the deeds of the people of Paradise until there is only a handspan between him and it, but what is written overtakes him, and he performs the deeds of the people of Hell and enters it."
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 6594, Kitāb al-Qadar; Muslim: 2643, Kitāb al-Qadar; Aḥmad: 1/382; Abū Dāwūd: 4708; al-Tirmidhī: 2137; Ibn Mājah: 76; al-Bayhaqī in Shuʿab al-Īmān: 1/207]❖ A More Detailed Description of the Angel's Role
In another narration, the Prophet ﷺ said:
"When forty-two nights pass over the drop (nutfah), Allah sends an angel to it, who shapes it, forms its hearing and sight, its skin, flesh, and bones. Then the angel says: 'O Lord! Is it male or female?' Then your Lord decrees as He wills, and the angel writes it.
Then he asks: 'O Lord! What is its lifespan?' Allah decrees what He wills, and the angel writes it. Then he asks: 'O Lord! What is its provision?' Allah decrees what He wills, and the angel records it.
Then the angel departs with the written record in his hand. He neither adds to it nor subtracts from it.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 2645, Kitāb al-Qadar: Bāb Kayfa Khuliqa al-Ādamī fī Baṭn Ummih]❖ Another Variant:
"Indeed, the drop (nutfah) remains in the womb for forty nights, then the angel is sent to it.”
(Muslim: 2645)
✿ Key Points from These Aḥādīth:
① Stages of Creation:
- 40 days as nutfah (drop of fluid)
- 40 days as ʿalaqah (clot of blood)
- 40 days as muḍghah (lump of flesh)
② After 120 days, an angel is sent and commanded to write four matters:
- Provision (rizq)
- Lifespan (ajal)
- Deeds
- Final outcome: whether the person will be wretched or blessed
③ Gender, hearing, sight, skin, flesh, and bones are also formed by the angel under Allah’s command.
④ Decree is absolute: A person's final end is as per the decree of Allah — and sometimes apparent actions may change close to death due to what is written in the Lauh al-Maḥfūẓ (Preserved Tablet).
Conclusion:
These authentic narrations provide profound insight into:
✔ The precise stages of human development in the womb,
✔ The early writing of destiny by divine command,
✔ And the importance of sincerity and steadfastness, as apparent deeds do not guarantee the final outcome.
