The Concept of Life – Speech by Allama I.I. Qazi

Date of Delivery: December 14, 1956
Speaker: Allama I.I. Qazi

This historic lecture by Allama Imdad Ali Imam Qazi, delivered on December 14, 1956, explores the concept of life through the lenses of science, philosophy, and religion. It remains one of the most profound attempts in Pakistani intellectual history to reconcile Quranic thought with modern biology and evolutionary science.

From Dead Earth to Living Creation

Earlier lectures on geology and geography spoke of a lifeless Earth. Allama Qazi shifted the discussion to life itself, explaining how inert matter evolved into living beings. He emphasized that according to the Quran, the creation of the heavens and Earth is a far greater miracle than the creation of mankind, reminding us that man is not the sole center of existence.

Mother Earth’s Inheritance

The Earth inherited radiation, light, gases, and basic matter. Through cooling and transformation, it generated millions of compounds. Carbon alone has produced over a million known compounds, half of which can be synthesized in laboratories. From simple beginnings, the Earth organized itself into ever more complex forms.

Atoms, Cells, and the Rise of Life

From protons and electrons forming atoms, to cells with nuclei and protoplasm, life represents an unbroken chain of increasing complexity. Chromosomes and genes emerged as the carriers of heredity and reproduction. Unicellular organisms such as amoeba and bacteria marked the earliest living forms, comparable to atoms in matter.

Metabolism: The Defining Characteristic of Life

Allama Qazi highlighted metabolism—the balance of constructive (anabolism) and destructive (catabolism) processes—as the unique feature of living matter. Remarkably, he compared the Earth itself to a living body, where catabolic (uranium losing heat) and anabolic (element synthesis) processes also occur.

Plants, Animals, and Human Dependence

Plants, through photosynthesis, create carbohydrates from air, water, and sunlight. All animals, directly or indirectly, live on this plant energy. Even humans who consume meat depend on animals that have fed on plants. He noted that plants regenerate themselves more efficiently than humans and in some respects surpass animal life.

Excretion in Plants and Humans

Just as humans excrete urea, plants release nectar and other by-products. This similarity reflects a universal law of transformation and reminds us that nothing in nature is truly “dead.”

Theories of the Origin of Life

Allama Qazi reviewed scientific theories of life’s origin, including mechanistic, biochemical, and paleogenetic approaches. He dismissed Lord Kelvin’s panspermia hypothesis—that life arrived from Alpha Centauri on a comet—as improbable. Instead, he argued that life could naturally emerge on Earth under divine order.

Conclusion: Life as Divine and Earthly

In conclusion, Allama I.I. Qazi affirmed that life is both divine and earthly. The organization of atoms, molecules, colloids, and cells represents a continuous miracle of creation. The Earth is no less miraculous than humanity itself. He urged his audience to abandon human arrogance and recognize all matter, all processes, and all life as living expressions of creation.

“Do not think only man is alive and important. The Earth, with its winds, rains, deserts, mountains, trees, fruits, and bacteria, is also alive, and it too is a miracle of creation.”