Human Anatomy in the Quran: Difference between revisions

Taken as a whole, the verses of the Qur'an can be understood to evince a peculiar understanding of the human body, in line with the thought of the ancient Mediterranean world in the 7th century in which Jewish and Greek thought was in circulation.  

In keeping with Biblical and Mesopotamian tradition, the Qur'an states that the first man was created from clay (i.e. water and soil), from whom all subsequent humans are descended. The Qur'an then teaches that the first step in the creation of the human body is the nutfah (small amount of semen) gathered in the womb where it undergoes subsquent stages of transformation. In the second stage the nutfah becomes alaqah (clotted blood). At the third stage the alaqah becomes a bite sized morsel of flesh (mudghah). This mudghah becomes bones (itham) in the fourth stage, and is then clothed with flesh (lahm). Finally, Allah is said to bring forth the child as a new creation. For details and critical discussion of this process as described in the Quran see [[Embryology in the Quran]]. The list below sets out the verses pertaining to the creation of Adam and the fetal gestation and development of the human body in the Quran.

{{Quote|{{Quran|16|4}} &{{Qtt|16|4}}|   

{{Quote|{{Quran|17|61}} &{{Qtt|17|61}}|