All of us know that we are the children of a single pair -- Adam and Eve. Later we divided into races and ethnic groups.

Scientifically speaking, most humans of today are the children of a mother who was an African woman. African women seem to be at the centre of many important developments in history.

Hagar, the wife of Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) was a North African. She was the mother of many Arabs, and the mother of Prophet Ismael. From her children came the Qureish, and among Qureish the Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him) was born.

The Jews, including Jesus Christ (peace be upon him), who was born a Jew, came from Abraham’s wife Sarah, a Semite.

Another African woman, Queen Sheba, was Solomon’s wife. The genetic diversity of human race is a fact. However, the other (and more important) fact is that all of us are from a single genetic pool.

A recent survey shows that Israelis, Palestinians, Syrians and Jordanians have largely the same DNA, which proves that they are from a small number of genetically linked great grandparents that lived a few thousand years ago.

Possibly the most astounding fact is that nearly 40 percent of Central Asian and a sizeable section of the Russian population is the offspring of Genghis Khan.

This brings us to the news which caused the above ruminations. A recent news report says 40,000 genealogies have been traced to the great philosopher Confucius. The survey was done to mark his 2500th birth anniversary. That shows the man was fertile not just mentally.

The report said earlier counts were made only in China, but this time the count was conducted in some neighbouring countries also, besides in the United States. Just imagine if 40,000 family trees are traced to this great thinker, how many children and children’s children he must had over the last 25,000 years. Quite a few millions, naturally.

So, let us pause and think over the Quranic observation that all of us were created from a single couple, Adam and Eve. How wonderful!


Mohammed Ataur Rahman