Birth of a Human...as described in detail by the Qur'an

[mo.mentum]

As I've taught so many new friends here, the Qur'an is full of hints about natural phenomenon that point to the existence of God. These in turn manifest the Miracle of the Qur'an in that it contains such information, yet was "written" by an "illiterate prophet" 1400 years ago. This is part of the proof or Signs which God sends to mankind, because He doesn't expect blind faith from us.

Let us proceed...

"It is We Who have created you. Why, then, do you not accept the Truth? Have you ever considered that (seed) which you emit? Is it you who create it? Or are We the Creator?"
(The Qur'an, 56:57-59)

Here, God is drawing our attention to sperm and its design. The miraculous aspect of the Creation of Man is mentioned on several occasions in the Qur'an, but I will restrict my text to the following features:
1. Only a VERY small portion of sperm is used to create a human being, the sperm!
2. The male determines the sex of the baby, not the mother as many believed.
3. The human embryo adheres to the mother's uterus like a leech.
4. The development of muscles over the bones.
5. The embryo develops in three stages in the uterus

1. The Sperm
Up to 250million sperm are ejected from a male at any one time. Yet he only needs 1 to survive. The essence of man then, is not the whole sperm, but the sperm itself:

"Does man reckon he will be left uncontrolled (without purpose)? Was he not once a drop of ejected sperm?"
(The Qur'an, 75:36-37)

Not only that, but the semenal fluid is composed of a mixture of things such as sugar, bases, etc etc.. This fact has only been revealed by modern science. Yet...

"We created man from a mingled drop to test him, and We made him hearing and seeing."
(The Qur'an, 76:2)

Again, God points out to His Power and how He not only Creates us from this mixture, but from an _extract_ of that mixture, ie: sperm:

"He who has created all things in the best possible way. He commenced the creation of man from clay; then He made his progeny from an extract of discarded fluid."
(The Qur'an, 32:7-8)

The arabic translated as _extract_ is "sulala", which means the "essential or best part of something". These Words come from a Will that knows the creation of man to its finest detail.



2. Sex of Babies
For ages, women were chastised for baring baby girls instead of boys for their husbands. Little did we know that the sex is actually determined by the SPERM and NOT the EGG! But the Qur'an tells us this:

"He has created both sexes, male and female from a drop of sperm which has been ejected."
(The Qur'an, 53:45-46)

Since men have XY chromosomes, and women have XX chromosomes, only male sex cells can be either X or Y. Women can only provide X. So since each sperm contains half the usual count of human chromosomes, they either have an X or a Y, and then meet up with an EGG which always has Y. SO THE SEX IS DETERMINED BY THE DROP OF sperm.


3. The Embryo Adheres to the Womb like a leech
Once a sperm fertalizes an egg, we have the formation of a "zygot", a single cell which will start to reproduce by dividing and eventually becoming a "piece of flesh", the embryo. We can only see these things with microscopes. The embryo of course, doesn't spend it's life in a void. It clings to the uterus like a tree plants roots into the ground firmly through which it gathers nutrients. We are made aware of this fact in the following verse:

"Recite: In the name of your Lord Who created man from Alaq. Recite: And your Lord is the Most Generous."
(The Qur'an, 96:1-3)

Here, the arabic word "Alaq" means "something which clings to some place". The word is literally used to describe how a human embryo attaches itself to the womb.


4. Muscles wrap over the bones
I will start by quoting the scientific publication Developing Human: "During the seventh week, the skeleton begins to spread throughout the body and the bones take their familiar shapes. At the end of the seventh week and during the eighth week the muscles take their positions around the bone forms". - Moore, Developing Human, 6. edition,1998

So the embryo forms a skeleton, then around that skeleton, the muscles wrap and take shape. This can only have been seen through microscopes in this century! Yet..

"(We) then formed the drop into a clot and formed the clot into a lump and formed the lump into bones and clothed the bones in flesh; and then brought him into being as another creature. Blessed be God, the Best of Creators!"
(The Qur'an, 23:14)

This verse not only tells us of how God creates man in stages and wraps the flesh around the bones, but also about some of the stages an embryo goes through. It starts as a drop of sperm that fertalizes an egg, which then becomes a zygot that divides into a bunch of cells, thus becoming a clot, the clot becomes a lump of cells, the lump forms the bones, the bones are covered with flesh. Can the Qur'an be any clearer?



5. The 3 stages of an embryo's development
In Basic Human Embryology, a fundamental reference text in the field of embryology, this fact is stated as follows: "The life in the uterus has three stages: pre-embryonic; first two and a half weeks, embryonic; until the end of the eight week, and fetal; from the eight week to labor." - Williams P., Basic Human Embryology, 3. edition, 1984, p. 64.

Pre-embryonic: zygot grows by dividing, then becomes a cell cluster that buries itself into the wall of the uterus. While they're growing, the cells organize themselves into three layers.

Embryonic: basic organs and systems of the body start to appear from the seperate cell layers.

Fetal: the distinctive characteristic of this stage is that the foetus looks just like a human being, with its face, hands and feet. Although it is only 3 cm. long initially, all of its organs have become apparent.

What does the Qur'an say?

"... He creates you stage by stage in your mothers' wombs in a threefold darkness. That is God, your Lord. Sovereignty is His. There is no god but Him. So what has made you deviate?"
(The Qur'an, 39:6)


CONCLUSION
One must be totally honest and sincere with himself in face of such Signs from God. Such information about embryo development in the mother's womb was not available until the second half of the 20th century, when microscopes were reliable and precise enough. Even if they had microsscopes in the 18th century, they could not be used in live environment inside the womb. Yet today we can take live pictures from the inside using fiber optics.

The fact that such detailed and accurate information was given in the Qur'an at a time when people had scarce information on medical matters is clear evidence that the Qur'an is not the word of man, but the Word of God.

Praise God, there is no god but Him.

 

[Data]

*laughs*

You really think that God is trying to tell us about sperm!? It obviously didn't work, if you are only reading into this now, when we already know about it!

"He has created both sexes, male and female from a drop of sperm which has been ejected."

Yup. That's because people used to think that there was no "egg", that everything came from the man, and the woman was just a place for it to grow.

 

[Jet Black]

vague stuff.

 

[wblastyn]

I can't see how you get all of that from those verses at all.

 

[Jet Black]

I can't see how you get all of that from those verses at all.

oh it is easy to fit vague descriptions around what you want it to say. look at nostradamus.

 

[wblastyn]

oh it is easy to fit vague descriptions around what you want it to say. look at nostradamus.

If we had not discovered sperm or anything else those verses apparantly say we would never think that they are trying to tell us about millions of little cells the male produces for reproduction.

 

[Jet Black]

If we had not discovered sperm or anything else those verses apparantly say we would never think that they are trying to tell us about millions of little cells the male produces for reproduction.

yeap, all of those could be descriptions of very simple things, and no need for reference to modern knowledge. They have probably seen pregnant women sliced open with the baby stuck to the inside of her, they know about what goes on during sex and come up with a simple description. alot of the others are simple allegory: "clothed the bones in flesh" is an obvious one since you tend to do things that way. you don't put your jacket on before you put your shirt on, so why would the body do that?

other bits argue against mo's point "He who has created all things in the best possible way" is not the case; alot of things in the human body could have been done better.

 

[mo.mentum]

*laughs*

You really think that God is trying to tell us about sperm!? It obviously didn't work, if you are only reading into this now, when we already know about it!

I merely was pointing to one example found in the Qur'an. He wasn't necessarily telling us about the sperm alone, but the whole process of Creating a Human Being in the womb.

He's alluding to processes which could not have been known by desert nomads.

"He has created both sexes, male and female from a drop of sperm which has been ejected."

Yup. That's because people used to think that there was no "egg", that everything came from the man, and the woman was just a place for it to grow.

It's easy to disregeard the evidence when you cut it up into bits. Take the whole picture.

And no, that's not what they thought about conception. Some small scale societies don't even think that sex results in babies. Check out papua new guinea and other places.

What we take as common knowledge today, was no where to be found. The thought sperm was like a fertilizer, they didn't know that a single drop of the sperm, the sperm, is what makes the whole thing possible. Or that their sperm was in charge of deciding the sexes, since women have always been blamed for carrying girls.

 

[mo.mentum]

If we had not discovered sperm or anything else those verses apparantly say we would never think that they are trying to tell us about millions of little cells the male produces for reproduction.

Of course not. That's the point!! These verses were thought to be purely metaphorical until science has started uncovering such evidence.

Keep an eye out, I'll be posting more verses related to such things. My next one will probably be about the formation of the Earth.

 

[mo.mentum]

yeap, all of those could be descriptions of very simple things, and no need for reference to modern knowledge.

So you're simply disregarding all this as "vague" and not giving it a second thought? Fine. Let me remind you of two factors:
1. Qur'an is not a book of science. It simply alludes to scientific facts.
2. Qur'an had to be worded in a way that desert nomads from 1400 years ago would understand it, if God started talking about cells or DNA in more specific terms, there would have been a problem.

They have probably seen pregnant women sliced open with the baby stuck to the inside of her, they know about what goes on during sex and come up with a simple description.

They don't need to slice a woman open to see if the baby is stuck. When you're born, the ombilical cord is still stuck to the mother! And that's not what the verse talks about, it's talking about the initial stages, the lump of flesh which clings, not the whole baby. These things can only be witnessed with a microscope.

alot of the others are simple allegory: "clothed the bones in flesh" is an obvious one since you tend to do things that way. you don't put your jacket on before you put your shirt on, so why would the body do that?

So through common sense you knew that in the womb, at a microscopic levl, the bones formed and then were covered with muscle tissue? And you're daying that these desert nomads of 1400 years ago, sat down one day and came up with an "allegory" that surprisingly fit the reality of things, while they knew nothing of science?

other bits argue against mo's point "He who has created all things in the best possible way" is not the case; alot of things in the human body could have been done better.

Got an example?

 

[Michali]

The scriptures were (to me) surprising, and I'd have to say they are more than made up. I think people back then knew that there was an egg in a woman because of the monthly period. But, they do call sperm "seed" which would be incorrect. Yet, they do also call it fertilizing.

They are likely to bring up many faults in human/animal makeup, but they reject the fact that we are fallen from God's perfection. They probably think that even our fallen state theory is just a "well thats your translation" theory, when this one is plain fact.

 

[mo.mentum]

O mankind! If you are in doubt about the Resurrection, then verily! We have created you (i.e. Adam) from dust, then from a mixed drops of male and female sexual discharge, then from a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood) then from a little lump of flesh, some formed and some unformed (miscarriage), that We may make (it) clear to you Our Power and Ability to do what We will. And We cause whom We will to remain in the wombs for an appointed term, then We bring you out as infants, then (give you growth) that you may reach your age of full strength. And among you there is he who dies young, and among you there is he who is brought back to the miserable old age, so that he knows nothing after having known much. And you see the earth barren, but when We send down water (rain) on it, it is stirred (to life), it swells and puts forth every lovely kind (of growth). (Qur'an22:5)


Will you then not heed the call of Your Lord?

 

[Michali]

Hey mo. - why does the Qur'an say "We"? Sounds like support for the triune.

 

[LorentzHA]

@ mo.mentum
5. The embryo develops in three dark regions in the uterus

The baby devolops in 3 dark regions of the uterus? WHAT??????????? A "region" is an area, not an amount of time. In medicne we refer to "regions" all the time such a epigastric, hypogastric, inguinal, umbilical, etc.

Please enlighten me as to what the 3 dark regions of the Uterus are????..if you tell me I will share it with my classmates and enlighten them.

 

[mo.mentum]

@ mo.mentum
5. The embryo develops in three dark regions in the uterus

The baby devolops in 3 dark regions of the uterus? WHAT??????????? A "region" is an area, not an amount of time. In medicne we refer to "regions" all the time such a epigastric, hypogastric, inguinal, umbilical, etc.

Please enlighten me as to what the 3 dark regions of the Uterus are????..if you tell me I will share it with my classmates and enlighten them.

hehe did you read my whole post? ...ah huh...

I explained it much better lower. But I can explain some more I love questions! (I underlined parts of interest


5. The 3 stages of an embryo's development
In Basic Human Embryology, a fundamental reference text in the field of embryology, this fact is stated as follows: "The life in the uterus has three stages: pre-embryonic; first two and a half weeks, embryonic; until the end of the eight week, and fetal; from the eight week to labor." - Williams P., Basic Human Embryology, 3. edition, 1984, p. 64.

Pre-embryonic: zygot grows by dividing, then becomes a cell cluster that buries itself into the wall of the uterus. While they're growing, the cells organize themselves into three layers.

Embryonic: basic organs and systems of the body start to appear from the seperate cell layers.

Fetal: the distinctive characteristic of this stage is that the foetus looks just like a human being, with its face, hands and feet. Although it is only 3 cm. long initially, all of its organs have become apparent.

What does the Qur'an say?

"... He creates you stage by stage in your mothers' wombs in a threefold darkness. That is God, your Lord. Sovereignty is His. There is no god but Him. So what has made you deviate?"
(The Qur'an, 39:6)

 

[mo.mentum]

Hey mo. - why does the Qur'an say "We"? Sounds like support for the triune.

Hehe I've got this question from Christians before. There are hundreds of verses in the Qur'an that refer to God's Unity and Oneness. So this "we" cannot be referring to a triune. In fact, I think there are two or three verses that refer to the Trinity of the Christians, but the Qur'an dissociates itself from that concept completely.

In fact, this is simply a form of speach. In Arabic it's common for one to refer to himself in plural, we do it in our conversations. It's nothing special.

....which is actually interesting now that I tihnk about it, because alot of times i feel like i'm having a live conversation with God when I read the Qur'an.

Aaaah God

 

[DrLao]

I think people back then knew that there was an egg in a woman because of the monthly period.

What would that tell them about a woman's egg? Undoubtedly ancient people knew menstruation had something to do with reproduction, but how they know an egg was released during the cycle and that it was the goal of the sperm?

 

[mo.mentum]

What would that tell them about a woman's egg? Undoubtedly ancient people knew menstruation had something to do with reproduction, but how they know an egg was released during the cycle and that it was the goal of the sperm?

Exactly. No one had a clue man! Sperm, although we take it for granted, is quite a recent discovery. The best they did was think that the whole sperm fluid was needed and went into effect. No concept of egg or sperm.

Yet here we are.. Having the mechanism explained to us, in very simple terms, very clear terms. Some say it's too vague. I disagree because it also had to be written that all of mankind, from all periods of time could have understood it.

 

[DrLao]

I didn't see anything in your OP showing that the author of the Qua'ran knew anything about female ovum either.

 

[Michali]

I didn't see anything in your OP showing that the author of the Qua'ran knew anything about female ovum either.

Mo is saying that he didn't know, and it was said to Mohammed just like that. Remember, Mohammed had revelations and recited the supposed "word of God" right out of his mouth. They were quickly jotted down right when they came out.