Questions My Inner Child Never Stopped Asking

As a child sitting in my Islamic Studies class, I often wondered quietly, Is this enough?

I asked questions—sometimes I received answers, and other times I was left alone with my thoughts. Yet those unanswered questions never disappeared. They simply grew with me.

Then came biology class. We laughed—innocently, awkwardly—about human creation. It became an inside joke among students. Even though laughter filled the room, my mind drifted elsewhere. If humans are created inside another human, and God knows us before we are born, then God already knows we will laugh at this lesson today. That thought stayed with me, long after the bell rang.

As an adult, I returned to the Book—not out of fear, but curiosity. I was searching for answers my inner child never stopped asking. And this time, I did not read hurriedly. I read to understand.

In Surah Al-Najm, Allah reminds us:

“He knows you best when He brings you out of the earth and when you were embryos in the wombs of your mothers; so do not claim purity for yourselves. He knows best who is truly righteous.” (53:32)

This verse stopped me. It did not just speak of faith—it spoke of knowledge, origin, and humility.

Where Science Meets Revelation

Biology teaches that human life begins from an ejected drop of sperm—one cell out of millions reaching the egg. Science explains selection, probability, and development. The Qur’an, centuries before microscopes, states the same truth: human creation begins from something small, fragile, and unseen.

However, the Qur’an goes further.

Science explains how we are formed. Revelation explains who knows us.

Allah says He knows us before birth—before identity, behaviour, success, or failure. Psychology tells us that identity formation begins early, shaped by environment, experiences, and meaning. Yet the Qur’an reminds us that before society defines us, we are already known.

This realization shifts something deep within the human psyche.

The Psychology of Being Known

In psychology, one of the deepest human needs is to be seen and understood. Many adults carry childhood wounds rooted in invisibility—no one truly knew me. Yet Surah Al-Najm gently dismantles this fear. You were known before you spoke, before you acted, before you questioned.

This awareness nurtures existential security—the idea that life has meaning beyond randomness. When humans believe they are accidental, anxiety grows. When they believe they are known, responsibility and humility follow.

Allah also warns against arrogance:

“Man shall have only that for which he strives.” (53:39)

Psychologically, this balances destiny with effort. You are known—but you are also accountable. You are created with purpose—but your choices still matter.

From Childhood Curiosity to Conscious Faith

As a child, I thought questioning meant weak faith. As an adult, I realise questioning was the doorway to conscious belief. Surah Al-Najm does not silence curiosity. It redirects it—from ego to awareness, from assumption to truth.

It reminds us:

• We are small, yet significant

• Known, yet responsible

• Forgiven, yet accountable

And perhaps the most comforting truth of all:

Allah knew us when we were embryos—and He still invites us to reflect, return, and grow.

So when I ask today, Who are we really?

The answer feels clearer.

We are not accidents of biology.

We are not just thoughts shaped by society.

We are beings known before birth, striving between weakness and meaning—learning, questioning, and returning.

And maybe those childhood questions were never doubts at all.
They were the beginning of understanding.