Semen Production in the Quran: Difference between revisions

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{{Quote||A man's seed is the quintessence of his body. It is therefore said metaphorically to proceed from his loins, i.e., from his back between the hipbones and his ribs. His backbone is the source and symbol of his strength and personality. In his spinal cord and in the brain is the directive energy of the central nervous system, and this directs all action, organic and psychic. The spinal cord is continuous with the Medulla Oblongata in the brain.<ref>{{cite book |last= Yusuf Ali|first= Abdullah|date= |title= The Meaning of the Glorious Quran|url= |page=446|location= |publisher= |isbn= |accessdate= }} </ref>}}
{{Quote||A man's seed is the quintessence of his body. It is therefore said metaphorically to proceed from his loins, i.e., from his back between the hipbones and his ribs. His backbone is the source and symbol of his strength and personality. In his spinal cord and in the brain is the directive energy of the central nervous system, and this directs all action, organic and psychic. The spinal cord is continuous with the Medulla Oblongata in the brain.<ref>{{cite book |last= Yusuf Ali|first= Abdullah|date= |title= The Meaning of the Glorious Quran|url= |page=446|location= |publisher= |isbn= |accessdate= }} </ref>}}


*Firstly, Yusuf Ali does not explain what he means by seed: Sperm, semen, ovum or zygote. This should have been clarified because the verse is generally taken to be referring to a male fluid but a human is not created without the female ovum. If "seed" refers to one sex, it is biased and incorrect; but if it refers to both sexes, the interpretation of backbone and ribs must be valid for both.
*Yusuf Ali does not state what he means by seed: Sperm, semen, ovum or zygote. This deserves to be clarified as the human embryo does not emerge from either male fluid or the female ovum alone, but from a combination of the two. It follows that if "seed" is taken to refer to one sex, this must be incorrect; but if it refers to both sexes, the interpretation of emergence from between backbone and ribs must be valid for both the male and female products.


*If the backbone is so crucial for man to exist, it is hard to comprehend why the similarly crucial seed (or drop) would ''flow'' near the backbone instead of both being the same thing metaphorically. A man's backbone can often be symbolic but in no way is it related to his offspring.
*Ali takes the role of the backbone to be symbolic, suggesting that just as the backbone is crucial to the life of a man, so also it must be crucial to the production of a man's sperm, and hence child. This metaphorical interpretation, appears strained and lacks any sort of precedent or evidence; the backbone has never been understood to relate in any way to one's offspring.


*There is no reason for even mentioning medulla oblongata here.
*Mentioning the medulla oblongata here appears to serve no purpose relevant to Ali's interpretation.


===Miscellaneous Claims===
===Miscellaneous Claims===
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{{Quote||The functioning of two spinal cord centers located between vertebrae and ribs connecting spinal cord and sex organs, and of the nerves controlling valves around urethra, causes ejaculation.}}
{{Quote||The functioning of two spinal cord centers located between vertebrae and ribs connecting spinal cord and sex organs, and of the nerves controlling valves around urethra, causes ejaculation.}}


This claim is erroneous since it twists the meaning of the verse to say that the force for ejaculation comes from between the backbone and the ribs. The actual verse mentions a "liquid flowing" and not its cause.
This claim takes the meaning of the verse to say that the force for ejaculation comes from between the backbone and the ribs. The verse itself, however, only mentions a "liquid flowing" and not its cause.


{{Quote||A line drawn from the tip of the coccyx to the upper portion of either seminal vesicle and extended forward touches the ribcage. The seminal vesicles from which the semen spurts out, lie between the ribs and the coccyx (lower back, loin, backbone).}}
{{Quote||A line drawn from the tip of the coccyx to the upper portion of either seminal vesicle and extended forward touches the ribcage. The seminal vesicles from which the semen spurts out, lie between the ribs and the coccyx (lower back, loin, backbone).}}


The ribs are above the seminal vesicles which are above the tip of the coccyx when a standing person's anatomy is viewed. Since only the top of the seminal vesicles falls between the bottom of the coccyx and the bottom of the rib-cage on the above mentioned line, the vesicle is not really between the loins and ribs.<ref>For a visual reference, see [http://www.columbia.edu/itc/hs/pubhealth/modules/reproductiveHealth/images/maleReproAnat.jpg<!-- http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.columbia.edu%2Fitc%2Fhs%2Fpubhealth%2Fmodules%2FreproductiveHealth%2Fimages%2FmaleReproAnat.jpg&date=2014-03-22 --> this] medical diagram. Taken from: {{cite web|url= http://www.columbia.edu/itc/hs/pubhealth/modules/reproductiveHealth/anatomy.html|title= Reproductive Health Module (SECTION I: Reproductive Anatomy and Physiology)|publisher= Columbia University: Mailman School of Public Health|author= |date= accessed March 22, 2014|archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.columbia.edu%2Fitc%2Fhs%2Fpubhealth%2Fmodules%2FreproductiveHealth%2Fanatomy.html&date=2014-03-22|deadurl=no}} </ref> This argument also ignores the prostate glands (source of 25-30% of semen), testes (2-5%) and bulbourethral glands (up to 1%).
The ribs are above the seminal vesicles which are above the tip of the coccyx when a standing person's anatomy is viewed. The top of the seminal vesicles falls between the bottom of the coccyx and the bottom of the rib-cage on the above mentioned line, the vesicle is not between the loins and ribs.<ref>For a visual reference, see [http://www.columbia.edu/itc/hs/pubhealth/modules/reproductiveHealth/images/maleReproAnat.jpg<!-- http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.columbia.edu%2Fitc%2Fhs%2Fpubhealth%2Fmodules%2FreproductiveHealth%2Fimages%2FmaleReproAnat.jpg&date=2014-03-22 --> this] medical diagram. Taken from: {{cite web|url= http://www.columbia.edu/itc/hs/pubhealth/modules/reproductiveHealth/anatomy.html|title= Reproductive Health Module (SECTION I: Reproductive Anatomy and Physiology)|publisher= Columbia University: Mailman School of Public Health|author= |date= accessed March 22, 2014|archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.columbia.edu%2Fitc%2Fhs%2Fpubhealth%2Fmodules%2FreproductiveHealth%2Fanatomy.html&date=2014-03-22|deadurl=no}} </ref> Additionally, the role of the prostate glands (source of 25-30% of semen), testes (2-5%) and bulbourethral glands (up to 1%) is not considered in this analysis.


{{Quote||The word tara’ib refers to the woman’s uterus, since the rib cage surrounds it during pregnancy.}}
{{Quote||The word tara’ib refers to the woman’s uterus, since the rib cage surrounds it during pregnancy.}}
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This is not true. The entire process of spermatogenesis from a spermatogonium to a sperm occurs in various regions of the testicles.<ref>[http://www.embryology.ch/anglais/cgametogen/spermato02.html Spermatogenesis]</ref>
This is not true. The entire process of spermatogenesis from a spermatogonium to a sperm occurs in various regions of the testicles.<ref>[http://www.embryology.ch/anglais/cgametogen/spermato02.html Spermatogenesis]</ref>


==Conclusion==
==Other, broad concerns==


The various attempts to show that the Qur'an correctly describes semen production are not supported by modern scientific knowledge.
These propositions are frequently conflicting, such that if any one is correct, the remainder must be incorrect. For instance, Ibn Kathir refers to ''tara’ib'' as a female organ, while other tafsirs claim it belongs to the man.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://web.archive.org/web/20030918233810/http://www.montazar.net/eng/menu/1/quran/tafseer/tafseer-of-holy-quran/light/html/086/86_1-10.htm|title= Sura Tariq (The Night) no.86 (verses 1-10)|publisher= Montazar.net|author= |date= September 18, 2003|archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=https%3A%2F%2Fweb.archive.org%2Fweb%2F20030918233810%2Fhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.montazar.net%2Feng%2Fmenu%2F1%2Fquran%2Ftafseer%2Ftafseer-of-holy-quran%2Flight%2Fhtml%2F086%2F86_1-10.htm&date=2014-02-09|deadurl=no}}</ref> Another conflict is the definition of ''sulb'' to mean either the backbone or the ‘hardening’ or the loins. These varying interpretations confirm the essential ambiguity of the scriptural texts.


These propositions are frequently conflicting, for instance, Ibn Kathir refers to ''tara’ib'' as a female organ, while other tafsirs claim it belongs to the man.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://web.archive.org/web/20030918233810/http://www.montazar.net/eng/menu/1/quran/tafseer/tafseer-of-holy-quran/light/html/086/86_1-10.htm|title= Sura Tariq (The Night) no.86 (verses 1-10)|publisher= Montazar.net|author= |date= September 18, 2003|archiveurl= http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=https%3A%2F%2Fweb.archive.org%2Fweb%2F20030918233810%2Fhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.montazar.net%2Feng%2Fmenu%2F1%2Fquran%2Ftafseer%2Ftafseer-of-holy-quran%2Flight%2Fhtml%2F086%2F86_1-10.htm&date=2014-02-09|deadurl=no}}</ref> Another conflict is the definition of ''sulb'' to mean either the backbone or the ‘hardening’ or the loins. 
Another point alluded to by Dr. Campbell, is that the phrase ''“min bain”'' which literally means ''“from between”''. If this interpretation is accepted, which seems to be the case from a reading of the commonly accepted translations, then one must also note that semen emanates ''from'' the penis, and not ''from between'' the penis and the vagina. To be strictly correct, semen emanates ''from'' the penis ''into'' the vagina. This point seems to rule out tara’ib from anything to do with the female sexual partner.
 
A point often missed, though alluded to by Dr. Campbell, is the phrase ''“min bain”'' which literally means ''“from between”''. If this interpretation is accepted, which seems to be the case from a reading of the commonly accepted translations, then one must also note that semen emanates ''from'' the penis, and not ''from between'' the penis and the vagina. To be strictly correct, semen emanates ''from'' the penis ''into'' the vagina. This point seems to rule out tara’ib as being anything to do with the female sexual partner.


{{Core Science}}
{{Core Science}}
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