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The question

How do we reconcile the information that the worms that consume the deceased's body originate from the human body (whether through microbial proliferation or fly eggs) with the word "earth" mentioned in the noble Hadith: "Indeed, Allah has forbidden the earth from consuming the bodies of the prophets"?

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Source: FtawySummarized from the full answer at Ftawy · imported Sep 2, 20261 min readAlso available in العربية
The answer

It is impossible for definitive religious texts to contradict scientific facts, because the Quran is from Allah; if it were from other than Him, they would surely have found therein much discrepancy. As for worms consuming the body of the deceased, there is no contradiction between this and the hadith. Earthworms may include insects and bacteria that feed on the corpse, or the mention of worms might be metaphorical, referring to creatures that inhabit and emerge from the earth. This is a case of addressing people in terms they understand and based on what they observe regarding the state of the deceased. The principles of exegesis have indicated that the Quran may address people based on their beliefs, rather than the absolute reality of a matter.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · imported

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Source platform
Ftawy
Original fatwa ID
135995
Imported
Translation status
Source text, unreviewed
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