“Allah creates you in the womb of your mother - creation after creation within three veils of darkness.” [AI-Qur’an 39:6]

According to Prof. Keith Moore these three veils of darkness in the Qur’an refer to:

(a) enterior abdominal wall of the mother

(b) the uterine wall

(c) the amnio – chorionic membrane.

EMBRYONIC STAGES

“Man We did create From a quintessence (of clay), Then We Placed him As a (drop of) sperm In a place of rest, Firmly fixed; Then We made the sperm Into a clot of congealed blood; Then of that clot we made A (foetus) lump then We Made out of that lump Bones And clothed the bones With flesh; then We developed Out of it another creature; So blessed be Allah The Best to create!” [AI-Qur’an 23-14]

In this verse Allah states that man is created from a small quantity of liquid which is placed in a place of rest, firmly fixed (well established or lodged) for which the Arabic word ‘Qaraarim Makeen’ is used. The uterus is well protected from the posterior by the spinal column supported firmly by the back muscles. The embryo is further protected by the amniotic sac containing the amniotic fluid. Thus the foetus has a well protected dwelling place.

This small quantity of fluid is made into ‘Alaqa’, meaning something which clings. It also means a leech-like substance. Both descriptions are scientifically acceptable as in the very early stages the foetus clings to the wall and also appears to resemble the leech in shape. It also behaves like a leech (blood sucker) and acquires its blood supply from the mother through the placenta.

The third meaning of the word ’Alaqa’ is a blood clot. During this ‘Alaqa’ stage, which spans the third and fourth week of pregnancy, the blood clots within closed vessels. Hence the embryo acquires the appearance of a blood cot in addition to acquiring the appearance of a leech.

In 1677, Hamm and Leeuwenhoek were the first scientists to observe human sperm cells (spermatozoa) using a microscope. They thought that a sperm cell contained a miniature human being which grew in the uterus to form a newborn. This was known as the perforation theory. When scientists discovered that the ovum was bigger than the sperm, it was thought by De Graf and others that the foetus existed in a miniature form in the ovum. Later, in the 18th century Maupertuis propagated the theory of biparental inheritance.

The ‘Alaqa’ is transformed into ‘Mudgha’ which means ‘something that is chewed (having teeth marks)’ and also something that is tacky and small which can be put in the mouth like gum. Both these explanations are scientifically correct. Prof. Keith Moore took a piece of plaster seal and made it into the size and shape of the early stage of foetus and chewed it between the teeth to make it into a ‘Mudgha’. He compared this with the photographs of the early stage of foetus. The teeth marks resembled the ‘somites’ which is the early formation of the spinal column.

This ‘Mudgha’ is transformed into bones (‘Izaman’). The bones are clothed with intact flesh or muscles (Iahm). Then Allah makes it into another creature.

The foetus of humans, in its early embryonic stages, is similar to the foetus of fishes, rabbits and other animals. It is only at a subsequent stage, as mentioned in the Qur’an (“Allah made it to another creature”), that the human foetus looks different and has its distinct characteristics with the head and the shape of the human body.

Prof. Marshall Johnson is one of the leading scientists in US, and is the head of the Department of Anatomy and Director of the Daniel Institute at the Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia in US. He was asked to comment on the verses of the Qur’an dealing with embryology. He said that the verses of the Qur’an describing the embryological stages cannot be a coincidence. He said it was probable that Muhammad (pbuh) had a powerful microscope. On being reminded that the Qur’an was revealed 1400 years ago, and microscopes were invented centuries after the time of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), Prof. Johnson laughed and admitted that the first microscope invented could not magnify more than 10 times and could not show a clear picture.

Later he said: “ I see nothing here in conflict with the concept that Divine intervention was involved when Muhammad (pbuh) recited the Qur’an.”

According to Dr. Keith Moore, the modern classification of embryonic development stages which is adopted throughout the world, is not easily comprehensible, since it identifies stages on a numerical basis i.e. stage I, stage II, etc. The divisions revealed in the Qur’an are based on distinct and easily identifiable forms or shapes, which the embryo passes through. These are based on different phases of prenatal development and provide elegant scientific descriptions that are comprehensible and practical.

Similar embryological stages of human development have been described in the following verses:

“Was he not a drop Of sperm emitted (In lowly form)? Then did he become A clinging clot; Then did (Allah) make And fashion (him) In due proportion.And of him He made Two sexes, male And female.” [AI-Qur’an 75:37-39]

“Him Who created thee, Fashioned thee in due proportion, And gave thee a just bias; In whatever Form He wills, Does He put thee together.” [AI-Qur’an 82:7-8]

EMBRYO PARTLY FORMED AND PARTLY UNFORMED

At the ‘Mugdha’ stage, if an incision is made in the embryo and the internal organ is dissected, it will be seen that most of them are formed while the others are not yet completely formed.

According to Prof. Johnson, if we describe the embryo as a complete creation, then we are only describing that part which is already created. If we described it as an incomplete creation, then we are only describing that part which is not yet created.

So, is it a complete creation or an incomplete creation? There is no better description of this stage of embryo genesis than the Qur’anic description, “partly formed and partly unformed”, as in the following verse :

“We created you Out of dust, then out of Sperm, then out of a leech-like Clot, then out of a morsel Of flesh, partly formed, And partly unformed.”[AI-Qur’an 22:5]

Scientifically we know that at this early stage of development there are some cells which are differentiated and there are some cells that are undifferentiated – some organs are formed and yet others unformed.

SENSE OF HEARING AND SIGHT :

The first sense to develop in a developing human embryo is hearing. By the twenty-second day the inner ear forms and the ear is almost completed by the fifth month of pregnancy. Subsequently, the sense of light is developed (the eye splits open in the seventh month of pregnancy).

Consider the following Qur’anic verses related to the development of the senses in the embryo:

“And He gave You (the faculty of) hearing, Sight and feeling (And understanding).” [AI-Qur’an 32:9]

“Verily We created Man from a drop Of mingled sperm, In order to try him: We gave him (the gifts), Of Hearing and Sight.” [AI-Qur’an 76:2]

“It is He Who has created For you (the faculties of) Hearing, sight, feeling understanding : Little thanks It is ye give !” [AI-Qur’an 23:78]

In all these verses the sense of hearing is mentioned before that of sight. Thus the Qur’anic description matches with the discoveries in modern embryology.

GENERAL SCIENCE

FINGERPRINTS

“Does man think that We Cannot assemble his bones? Nay, We are able to put Together in perfect order The very tips of his fingers.” [AI-Qur’an 75:3-4]

When unbelievers argue regarding resurrection taking place after bones of dead people have disintegrated in the earth and how each individual would be identified on the Day of Judgement, Almighty Allah answers that He can not only assemble our bones but can also reconstruct perfectly our very fingertips.

Why does the Qur’an, while speaking about determination of the identity of the individual, speak specifically about fingertips? In 1880, fingerprinting became the scientific method of identification, after research done by Sir Francis Golt. No two persons in the world can ever have exactly the same fingerprint pattern. That is the reason who police forces worldwide use fingerprints to identify the criminal. 1400 years ago, who could have known the uniqueness of each human’s fingerprint? Surely it could have been none other than the Creator Himself !

PAIN RECEPTORS PRESENT IN THE SKIN

It was thought that the sense of feeling and pain was only dependent on the brain. Recent discoveries prove that there are pain receptors present in the skin without which a person would not be able to feel pain.

When a doctor examines a patient suffering from burn injuries, he verifies the degree of burns by a pinprick. If the patient feels pain, the doctor is happy, because it indicates that the burns are superficial and the pain receptors are intact. On the other hand if the patient does not feel any pain, it indicates that it is a deep burn and the pain receptors have been destroyed.

The Qur’an gives an indication of the existence of pain receptors in the following verse :

“Those who reject Our signs, We shall soon Cast into the fire; As often as their skins Are roasted through, We shall change them For fresh skins That they may taste The penalty : For Allah Is exalted in Power, Wise.” [AI-Qur’an 4:56]

Prof. Tagata Tagasone, a scientist from Thailand, has spent a great amount of time on research of pain receptors. Initially he could not believe that the Qur’an mentioned this scientific fact 1,400 years ago. He later verified the translation of this particular Qur’anic verse. Prof. Tagasone was so impressed by the scientific accuracy of the Qur’anic verse, that at the 8th Saudi Medical Conference held in Riyadh on the Scientific Signs of Qur’an and Sunnah he proclaimed in public :

“There is no God but Allah and Muhammad (pbuh) is His Messenger”.

CONCLUSION
To attribute the presence of scientific facts in the Qur’an to coincidence would be against common sense and a true scientific approach. The Qur’an invites all humans to reflect on the Creation of this universe in the verse :

“Behold! In the creation Of the heavens and the earth, And the alternation Of Night and Day – There are indeed Signs For men of understanding.” [AI-Qur’an 3:190]

The scientific evidence of the Qur’an clearly prove its Divine Origin. No human could have produced a book, fourteen hundred years ago, that would contain profound scientific facts, to be discovered by humankind centuries later.

The Qur’an, however, is not a book of Science but a book of ‘Signs’. These signs invite Man to realize the purpose of his existence on earth, and to live in harmony with Nature. The Qur’an is truly a message from Allah, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. It contains the same message of the Oneness of God, that was preached by all prophets, right from Adam, Moses, Jesus to Muhammad (peace be upon them).

Several detailed tones have been written on the subject of Qur’an and modern science and further research in this field is on. Inshallah, this research will help mankind to come closer to the Word of the Almighty. This booklet contains only a few of the scientific facts present in the Qur’an. I cannot claim to have done full justice to the subject

Prof. Tagasone accepted Islam on the strength of just one scientific ‘sign’ mentioned in the Qur’an. Some people may require ten signs while some may require hundred signs to be convinced about the Divine Origin of the Qur’an. Some would be unwilling to accept the Truth even after being shown a thousand signs. The Qur’an condemns such a closed mentality in the verse :

“Deaf, Dumb and Blind, will not return (To the path).” [AI-Qur’an 2:18]

The Qur’an contains a complete code life for the individual society. Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah), the Qur’anic way of life is far superior to the ‘isms’ that modern man has invented out of sheer ignorance. Who can give better guidance than the Creator Himself ?
I pray that this humble effort is accepted by Allah, to whom I pray for mercy and guidance (Aameen).