Does the Quran speak of aliens in outer space?
Question:
Apart from the angels and the jinn, does the Quran indicate that there are other creatures/aliens in outer space, and that the human being is not the only living creature in the universe?
Reply:
In 42:29 we read the following:
Among His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the 'dabbah' (creatures) He has spread in them. He is Capable to gathering them if He wills. 42:29
The words above speak of creatures that live in the earth and also in the heavens (universes).
If we are among the creatures that live in the earth, what are the creatures that live in the universes?
Some have interpreted these to be the angels. Indeed the angels exist outside our earth, but the word used in 42:29 is "dabbah". Are the angels referred to as "dabbah" in the Quran? The answer is no. The confirmation is found in the following verses:
1- To God prostrates what is in the heavens and what is in the earth of living creatures (dabbah) as well as the angels; and they do not act arrogantly. 16:49
As we can see from 16:49 God speaks of every creature "dabbah" in the heavens and the earth, but then God says "as well as" the angels. The angels are mentioned separately from "dabbah", if the angels were considered a "dabbah" God would not say "as well as" the angels after "dabbah". Thus the word "dabbah" in 16:49 does not include the angels.
2- In addition, we have another confirmation in the Quran that the word "dabbah", not only does it not include the angels, but that it also does not include the jinn, and that it only speaks of physical creatures:
God created every 'dabbah' (living creature) from water. 24:45
We know that angels are not made of water nor are the jinn who are created from fire. As a result, we have confirmation that when God uses the word "dabbah" it only refers to creatures created from physical matter.
So if we (and other creatures) are the "dabbah" on earth, then what are the "dabbah" (physical creatures) in the universes (as in 42:29)? The words in 42:29 can thus indicate that there are other physical creatures like us that live elsewhere in the universe, and God knows best.