The Quran is the last revelation, and a proof not only to the
paganArabs one thousand four hundred years ago, but also to the
scientists of today. Perhaps one of the most remarkable qualities of
the Quran for those living nowadays is the complete consistency
between it and manyof the discoveries of modern science.
One of the first Western scientiststo make a serious study of this
subject was Maurice Bucaille, who wrote a book called 'The Bible, the
Koran and Science'. In this book, he compared the statements
concerning natural and scientific data in the Bible and the Quran. He
concluded:
"The Quran is not only free from contradictions in its narrations, the
sign of the various human manipulations to be found in the gospels,
but provides a quality allof its own for those who examine it
objectively and in the light of science, i.e. its complete agreement
with modern scientific data."
Embryology, the issue to be discussed in this part, is one of the most
remarkable areas of description in the Noble Quran. The development of
the foetus is mentioned in the Quran in some detail. The early stages
of which could not have been known at the time of Prophet Muhammad
because the size of the foetusat these stages is too small to see with
the naked eye, rather a microscope is needed.
The Quran states (what means): "What is [the matter] with you that you
do not attribute to Allaah [due] grandeur. While He has created you in
stages?" [Quran 71:13-14] And also (what means): "And certainly did We
create man from an extract of clay. Then We placed him as a sperm-drop
(Nutfah) in a firm lodging [i.e., in the womb]. Then We made the sperm
drop into a clinging clot, and We made the clot into a lump [of
flesh], and We made [from] the lump, bones,and We covered the bones
with flesh; then We developed him into another creation. So blessed is
Allaah, the best of creators. " [Quran 23:12-14]
The use of the phrase (which means): "…Extract of clay…" means, in
other words, that we are made from the earth.
The word: "…Nutfah…" literally means a 'small drop'.
The description of the next stage as a "…Clinging clot…" accurately
represents the stage where the fertilised cell attaches itself to the
innermost layer of the uterus by hair-like projections. Another
meaning for the Arabic word 'Alaqah' which is used in the Quran,
(other than 'clinging clot'),is 'leech like'. This describes the
process of implantation in the first few days entirely correctly and
is so concise as to use just one word.
The word 'Alaqah' has been also translated as 'something that clings'.
This only identifies part of the descriptive accuracy of this word.The
word has a number of meanings: its root meaning is from the Arabic
verb 'Aliqa' whichmeans: "To hang, be suspended, dangle; to stick,
cling, cleave adhere to; to catch, get caught orstuck; to be attached,
affixed, subjoined." Other forms of the verb have related meanings,
suchas to be affectionately attached to someone. (Dictionary
definitions from Hans- Wehr)
The meanings apply ideally to theprocess through which the fertilised
ovum becomes lodged in the womb.
The noun 'Alaqah' carries the meaning of 'medical leech' and 'blood
clot'. The leech is an interesting little creature. The creature is a
parasite, which lives on blood, which it sucks out of the body of its
host. Not only is this a similar process to what happens to an embryo
in the earliest stages, but also in the earliest stages of the embryo
it looks remarkably like a leech.
The meaning of a clinging thing can easily be seen in this use of the
verbal noun. As for blood clot, it is first necessary to point out
that it is the process of clotting or coagulating which brings the
idea of clinging to this word and not blood. When bloodcoagulates, the
material is primarily known to be sticky which explains the use of
'Alaqah' for this material. What we have is also a living fluid half
way to becoming a soft solid, which is an accurate description of the
embryo as the cells which have multiplied until they form a fluid now
begin to form tissue structures.
The description of the: "…lump [of flesh]…" 'Mudhghah' is the Arabic
word, which also means (chewed flesh) implies somethinglike teeth
marks.
This accurately describes the Somite development. The Somites, as
Hamilton, Boyd and Mossman say, "Are conspicuous features of embryos
in the periodunder consideration and are readily seen in the surface
contour. They are bases from which the greater part of the axial
skeleton and musculature are developed".
The age of the embryo is referredto by the number of these Somites
since "They form one of its characteristic external features". These
features, along with the pharyngeal arches which also appear at this
period (four weeks), give the embryo theclear appearance of a chewed
lump in which the indentations of teeth are present.
The structure of the embryo, as itdevelops and gains its form, is
primarily skeletal at and before five weeks. That is, what you see in
pictures of embryos this age is the bones and a number of
semi-translucent organs.
The bones at this stage have structure and form and are easily the
most marked and visible feature of the embryo, but they are, of
course, not fully calcified (many bones are still in the final
calcifying stage into adulthood).
Over the next couple of weeks, a quite definite change takes place in
the appearance of an embryo. Instead of bones and organs, all that can
be seen now is (the fleshof) a naked body. The embryo begins to look
much more human. It is a reference to this, which seems most fitting
with the general tone and meaning of (this part of) the verse
mentionedabove (which means): "…And We covered the bones with flesh…"
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