In a guided evolution, were there different original cells, each with its own path?

The Holy Qur’an does not say how many original cells life began with. Its emphasis lies elsewhere: life did not develop blindly, but stage by stage according to God’s plan and under His guidance.

Whether life began with a single cell or with several is a question for scientific research. The Holy Qur’an is not a biology textbook and gives no number. It does, however, provide a framework. Every living thing has its origin in water, as the first verse above says. And human beings did not appear all at once, but passed through many stages.

The real difference between blind and guided evolution therefore does not lie in the number of original cells. It lies in whether there is a plan behind the path of life. The blind view holds that chance alone shaped everything. The guided view looks at the same processes that science observes, but sees a purpose in them. God sets the measure and shows the way, as the third verse says.

The two views can be placed side by side and compared calmly. This does not require expert knowledge of evolutionary biology. One only has to ask which explanation better fits what we see: life that has risen from the simplest beginnings to human beings who think and believe.

For a believer, research into the origins of life is therefore no threat. However many cells there were at the start, the direction of the journey points to a Creator who creates, perfects and guides.