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Islam and Science - Part 3

By Hafiz Shaid Shakoor

The Quran & Human Embryonic Development

About Professor Emeritus Keith L. Moore

• Professor Emeritus Keith L. Moore world’s most prominent scientists in the fields of anatomy and embryology
• Author of the book entitled The Developing Human, which has been translated into eight languages. 
• Dr. Keith Moore is Professor Emeritus of Anatomy and Cell Biology at the University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada. 
• In 1984, he received the most distinguished award presented in the field of anatomy in Canada, the J.C.B. Grant Award from the Canadian Association of Anatomists. 
• He has directed many international associations, such as the Canadian and American Association of Anatomists

Research into Quranic verses

All this information so gathered from the Qur'an was translated into English and presented to Prof. Dr. Keith Moore who is the head of the department of Embryology in the University of Toronto, in Canada. At present he is one of the highest authorities in the field of Embryology throughout the world.

He was asked to give his opinion regarding the information concerning the field of embryology present in the Qur'an. After carefully examining the translation presented to him of the verses of the Qur'an, he said that most of the information concerning embryology mentioned in the Qur'an is in perfect conformity with modern discoveries in the field of embryology and does not in any way conflict with them, but there were few verses on which he could not comment as to whether they were right or wrong since the information provided by these verses was yet to be discovered or confirmed and also as there was no mention of these facts in modern writings and studies on embryology

The dwarf embryo as imagined by  Leonardo da Vinci from the 15th century (on the left) and the sperm as miniature human being by Hartsoeker from the 17th century (on the right) 

Verily We created man from a drop of a mingled fluid-drop (nutfa amshaj), in order to try him: so We gave him (the gifts), of hearing and sight.” (76:2). 
Whereas the Qur'an had already mentioned this truth in the 7th century, Dr. Moore noted that one thousand years later; as late as the 17th century, scientists held on to two misconceptions. Some believed that a tiny human being is contained in the sperm. Other believed that it was contained in the ovum, and in either case the tiny human just simply grew larger. Both of these ideas were proved wrong by the scientist Spallanzani in the 18th century when he "showed experimentally that both male and female sex products were necessary for the initiation of development."

It has been agreed upon by commentators of the Holy Quran that “amshaj” means mingling, as man’s water mingles with that of the woman, and this is also what the Prophet (peace be upon him) confirmed in one of his speeches.  Imam Ahmed indicated in his book “Al Musnad” that a Jew passed by the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) while he  was addressing his companions.  Some people from Quarish said; “O Jew! This man proclaims that he is a prophet.”  The Jew said: “ I will ask him of something no one knows except a prophet.”  He asked the prophet (PBUH); “ O Mohammed! What is man created from?  The Prophet (PBUH) said; “O Jew! Man is created from both: man’s fluid (nutfa) and woman’s fluid.”  The Jew said; “This is said by those prophets before you.” .

In the Holy Quran, God speaks about the stages of man’s embryonic development:

 We created man from an extract of clay.  Then We made him as a drop in a place of settlement, firmly fixed.  Then We made the drop into an alaqah (leech, suspended thing, and blood clot), then We made the alaqah into a mudghah (chewed substance)...  1 (Quran, 23:12-14)

Then We made the drop into an alaqah (leech, suspended thing, and blood clot),

The word "Alaq" besides meaning a leech-like substance.

Dr. Keith Moore had no knowledge whether an embryo in the initial stages appears like a leech. To check this out he studied the initial stage of the embryo under a very powerful microscope in his laboratory and compared what he observed with a diagram of a leech- he was astonished at the resemblance between the two!

Leech drawing from Human Development as Described in the Quran and Sunnah, Moore and others, p. 37, modified from Integrated Principles of Zoology, Hickman and others.  Embryo drawing from The Developing Human, Moore and Persaud, 5th ed., p. 73.)

then We made the alaqah into a mudghah (chewed substance)...

The next stage mentioned in the verse is the mudghah stage. 

The Arabic word mudghah means “chewed substance.”  If one were to take a piece of gum and chew it in his or her mouth and then compare it with an embryo at the mudghah stage, we would conclude that the embryo at the mudghah stage acquires the appearance of a chewed substance. 
This is because of the somites at the back of the embryo that “somewhat resemble teethmarks in a chewed substance.”

Genetics

Turning to a new subject, Dr. Moore refers to

Surah (80:18-19) Of what thing did He create him? Of a small seed; He created him, then He made him according to a measure, and comments:

"This verse from the Koran states that from this drop He (God) created him and soon planned his future characteristics and features."

Then he explained his amazement: "The idea that development results from a genetic plan contained in the chromosomes of the zygote was not discovered until the end of 19th century. The verse from the Koran clearly implies that the nutfa contains the plan or blueprint for the future characteristics and features of the developing human being."

Male or Female?

Then he mentions Surah (53:45-46) And that He created pairs, the male and the female From the small seed when it is adapted and says: "This verse states that either a male or a female will be created from the nutfa and that the sex of the embryo is determined at the beginning." This piece of information in the Qur'an is way ahead of its time. "The realization that sex was determined at fertilization was established about 60 years ago when the sex chromosomes were discovered," he says.

Bones & muscles

The sequence of stages mentioned in Surah (23:14) Then We made the seed a clot, then We made the clot a lump of flesh, then We made (in) the lump of flesh bones, then We clothed the bones with flesh, then We caused it to grow into another creation, so blessed be Allah, the best of the creators.

is strikingly accurate. "This verse states that out of the chewed lump, bones are made which are clothed with muscles." Dr. Moore relates the conclusion of modern science: "After the chewed-like appearance, bones develop which are soon clothed with muscles."

Development Details

Surah (22:5) O people! if you are in doubt about the raising, then surely We created you from dust, then from a small seed, then from a clot, then from a lump of flesh, complete in make and incomplete, that We may make clear to you; and We cause what We please to stay in the wombs till an appointed time, then We bring you forth as babies, then that you may attain your maturity; and of you is he who is caused to die, and of you is he who is brought back to the worst part of life, so that after having knowledge he does not know anything; and you see the earth sterile land, but when We send down on it the water, it stirs and swells and brings forth of every kind a beautiful herbage.

Dr. Moore says: "this verse states that you are created from a chewed lump which is differentiated and undifferentiated." Then he says: "It is well established that the brain and the heart are only partially differentiated at the end of the fourth week when the embryo resembles a chewed substance."

Prof Moore concludes

In 1981, during the Seventh Medical Conference in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, Professor Moore said: “It has been a great pleasure for me to help clarify statements in the Quran about human development.  It is clear to me that these statements must have come to Muhammad from God, because almost all of this knowledge was not discovered until many centuries later.  This proves to me that Muhammad must have been a messenger of God.”

Conclusion

Finally, we may note that the Qur'an is not a Science textbook. Its purpose is not to teach us science, but to teach us guidance. The evidence is before you, and the decision is yours.