Some Water From Space

Water is the essence of life, as we know it. That's why in the space explorations, discovery of water is considered as a cue for the presence of life on a heavenly object.

"Have those who disbelieved not considered that the heavens and the earth were a joined entity, and We separated them and made from water every living thing? Then will they not believe?" (Quran 21/30)

As seen in the above verse, the presumed link between life and water is also supported by the divine revelation. But still, the vastness of the space, the rarity of earth-like conditions and the lack of water on potential-earths (at least until so far) arises the question "are we alone?". I believe that the answer to that question can be found in the light of another verse:

"Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and earth, and the alternation of the night and the day, and the [great] ships which sail through the sea with that which benefits people, and what Allah has sent down from the heavens of rain, giving life thereby to the earth after its lifelessness and dispersing therein every [kind of] moving creature, and [His] directing of the winds and the clouds controlled between the heaven and the earth are signs for a people who use reason." (Quran 2/164)

In the Arabic original of the part "of rain", we read "min maa'in". There are two serious clues that can be found in this phrase. First, min means from/of in English. In any event, it refers to "a part of something". This means that some of the water that is in the heavens has been sent down to earth. Therefore, much more water must be present elsewhere other than earth. And the presence of that water raises the prospects of finding life as we know on other places in the universe.

Second clue from the phrase "min maa'in" comes from the uncertainty in the phrase. A corresponding example in English would be the difference between "the water" and "water". If the former was used in the verse, we would definitely think that water as we know it is referred to. Instead, a general form is preferred. This generality can comprise many concepts including, but not limited to, different forms of water (ice-liquid-vapor), different liquids that could harbor life. So, we are clearly told about the descending of some of this "water" to earth and most of it remaining in the heavens.

Another independent clue to the same end is from the account of the Great Flood in the Quran:

"Then We opened the gates of the heaven with rain pouring down. And caused the earth to burst with springs, and the waters met for a matter already predestined." (Quran 54/11-12)

In the translations, the word for water is given in the plural form, whereas it is actually in the singular form. This has been a concern in the exegesis of this verse, but I am not going to go into that. However, I think that the singular use of water could mean that "the same body of water that was split to two reunited during the flood." In fact, the verse in the chapter Al-Anbiya quoted above (21/30) supports the idea of a single body of water, since heavens and earth were once one! So there is water in outer space!

 On a second level, the uncertainty about water is again present in the first verse here, although in the second verse, the use of water comes with the article of definiteness, "the water". Then we can certainly think of other possibilities about the exact identity of this water pouring down on earth. So, referring to the first verse about the opening of the gates of heaven, it is possible to imagine a heavenly source of water coming down on earth, triggering the flood events.

A third comment about the water coming down on earth is the depiction of the water: "maa'in munhamir". Although it is translated as rain pouring down, the original Quranic words are not exactly those. Rather they mean a water that is flowing very fast and abundantly. It is a violent burst of water from heaven! What could that be? God knows best, but it is possible that a meteorite loaded with enough water-ice entered the atmosphere; and as it was heated up due to the shock waves, the cold ice in it boiled and assumed the munhamir state, that is violently roaring and flowing down on earth like a heavy rain.

When you consider all of the above, there are enough clues to have confidence about the existence of water elsewhere in the universe.