Sex Determination Of Embryo And Quran

Sex Determination Of Embryo And Quran

In this article we shall refute a false claim by wikiislam.net. The author unaware of Embryology says that the Holy Quran describes that the gender of the embryo is determined after the formation of "ALAQAH"(see our previous article to clear the meaning) and it is determined at the time of conception.In Embryology gender determination is taken at two places.First one is at the time of conception because actually gender is determined at this point.The second one is at the formation of sexual organs.The Holy Quran has pointed at both stages but the author of  wikiislam.net veiled other verses.Here we quote both type of verse.

Quran And Gender Determination At The Time Of Conception:

1. We read in Surah Abasa Chapter # 80 verse 19:

"Created from sperm and determined his nature(Taqdeer)."

Creation from sperm means the time of conception and the verse explicitly describes that nature(taqdeer/fate) is determined at this point.The fate includes whether it would be a male or female?,How long would he live?,How much food would he get etc./?

2. We read in Surah Mursilat  Chapter 77 verses 20-23:

"Didn't we create you from a liquid disdained?And we placed it in a firm lodging.For a known extent.And we determined its nature(taqdeer) and excellent we determine."

Again the verse says that taqdeer is determined at the time of conception as the words "created from liquid disdained" describe.

3. The third verse we are going to quote is very much clear at this point.It is Surah An Najam Chapter 53 verse 45-46:

"And he creates two mates-male and female from sperm when it is emitted."

This verse is very much clear at the point that whether a male or female will form,is determined at the point of conception

Quran And Gender Determination After The Formation Of ALAQA:

In second type of verses.It is described that male and female are formed after the formation of Alaqa i.e. organogenesis. Here is the verse.

We read in Surah Al Qiyamah Chhapter # 75 verse # 37:

"Had not it been a sperm from semen emitted.Then he was a a clinging clot,and created and proportioned him.And made of him two mates male and female."

This verse says that male and female gender form after the formation of Alaqa and it is right.Male and Female gender form after the formation of sexual organ which is after ALAQA formation.

Clarification:
The first type of verses describe when the determination of male and female gender occurs.The answer clear from the verses is at the time of conception.The second type of verses describes when this determination happen. The answer from the verse is after the formation of sexual organs.There is no need here to quote a reference from embryology to show that gender determination occurs at the time of conception because it has itself been described by the author of wikiislam.net. Hereby we quote a reference to show that gender determination happens at the formation of sexual organs in between 22-36 week.See:

The Developing Human Clinically Oriented Embryology 10th Edition by Keith L. Moore,T.V.N Persaud,Mark G. Torchia page # 270

Creation From A Clot Of Blood

Creation From A Clot Of Blood:

In this article ,the author of wikiislam.net poses a question upon the Muslims regarding the ayah Chapter # 96 verse #2 which says:

خَلَقَ الإِنسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ 

"Created man from Alaq."

In normal classical interpretations the word "Alaq" is usually translated as " a clot of blood."However the word "Alaq" has several meanings listed as:

1.to stick
2.to cling
3.to get attached
4.leech
5.blood clot

See Hans' Wehr 4th edition page no. 742,Lanes Lexicon page 2132.We read in Mufridat e Imam Raghib Isfahani (Remember that he died in 502 hijri and was a prominent Muslim scholar of Quranic exegesis and Arabic Language) Vol 2 page no. 156:

"The word 'alaq' means to suspend/to cling,to stick,medicinal leech:a type of insect which attaches with throat,furthermore clotted blood; of the same type (like leech) from which embryo develops as in Quran Chapter 96 verse 2."

All these meanings are scientifically correct.Let us see them one by one:

1.It is a proven fact in Embryology that embryo is sticky and sticks to uterine wall.As is indicated by the reference given in the next point.

2.We read in Human Development 9th Edition by Papalia page 90:

"the trophoblast, the outer cell layer of the blastocyst produces tiny thread-like structures that penetrate the lining of the uterine wall and enable the developing human to cling there until it is fully implanted in the uterine lining."
So the meaning to cling is scientifically proven.

3.The embryo gets attached to the uterine wall as is indicated with the above reference so this meaning also holds.

4.Another meaning is ''a leech like structure.'',which has also been described by Imam Raghib Isfahani as quoted above.Imam Raghib described Alaq as a leech like bloody clot.The same is the meaning which surprised Prof. Keith Moore,and he found a striking resemblance between Leech and Human Embryo of almost 26-30 days.It can be depicted by following diagram provided by:

https://islampapers.com/2013/01/19/response-to-dr-william-campbell/

The diagrams explicitly explain the resemblance between an embryo of 26-30 days.Another resemblance is that both get food and nourishment from blood.

5.The fifth meaning is blood clot.At this stage the blood of the embryo is blocked in blocked in blood vessels and its appearance is clot like.As illustrated in this diagram:

In short,all meanings are in perfect assignment with science:
the meaning blood clot is with respect to appearance, the meaning Leech like is with respect to structure and nourishment-method and the meaning clinging or sticky is with respect to its function.

A Question And Its Answer:
The author of wikiislam.net and other propaganda sites claim that we can not use the alternative meaning for the same word because they were not common at that time and if they had they must had been in classical tafseers. All this propaganda is due to lack of knowledge.First thing is that the Holy Quran is from its time of revelation till the day of resurrection and its meanings are not bounded.The second thing is that old interpretations laid stress to the meaning blood clot because they found this meaning in accordance with the science of their time i.e. the Greek science.However the scholars did not bind the meaning they also said it may mean the sticky mud from which Adam AS was mud,or it may mean Nutfah sperm etc.They took the meaning blood clot because it sticky.Some proofs of this claim are:

1.The Saying Of Imam Raghib Isfahani:

Imam Raghib Isfahani (he died in 502 hijri and was a prominent Muslim scholar of Quranic exegesis and Arabic Language) says in his book Mufridat vol.2 page 156:

"The word 'alaq' means to suspend/to cling,to stick,medicinal leech:a type of insect which attaches with throat,furthermore clotted blood; of the same type (like leech) from which embryo develops as in Quran Chapter 96 verse 2."

2.The Description Of Tafseer Roh Ul Maani and Roh Ul Bayan:

The famous classical interpretations of the Holy Quran Tafsir Roh Ul Maani by Alosi and Tafseer Roh Ul Bayan by Haqqi suggest the meaning of the clay from which Adam AS was formed or sperm.

See:

1. Tafseer Roh Ul Maani Vol 30 page 180 collectively page 6735

2. Tafseer Roh Ul Bayan Vol 10 page 472

3.The Description Of Tafsir Al Mizan:

The famous interpretation these days Al Mizan by Tabatabai Vol 20 on page 371 says:

"Alaq is the clotted blood and the meaning the sperm in the womb(embryo) is also possible."

4.The Description Of Tafseer e Namoona:

Ayoutullah Makarim in his interpretation Tafsir e Namoona Vol 27 page 150 says:

" the word Alaqa actually gives the meaning of something clinging however blood clot and leech are also referred to as Alaqa because which sticks to the body and as embryo gets the sticky clot like shape in the first stage so it is referred as 'Alaqa'."

He also discuses the meaning of sticky mud from which Adam was made.

In short al meanings of Alaqa are in perfect agreement with science.