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Embryology in the Quran: Difference between revisions
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→The Dust Stage: Renamed and explained that it refers to Adam. Also debunked creation from clay apologetics.
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Lightyears (talk | contribs) (→The Missing Stages: Removed - this section is clearly nonsense and weakens the page. Otherwise you could say also say 75:37-39 misses things from 40:67. Both are just summaries.) |
Lightyears (talk | contribs) (→The Dust Stage: Renamed and explained that it refers to Adam. Also debunked creation from clay apologetics.) |
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Verses 20-21 closely parallel 23:13, which too says "We placed it (jaAAalnahu) in a safe place (qararin makeen)", and uses the word nutfah instead of maa' maheenin (liquid disdained). The 'hu' ending to jaAAalnahu can mean him or it, and probably means the former in 23:13. However, 77:20 uses the 2nd person "you", so the latter meaning, 'it' is clearly intended in the next verse, in reference to the liquid. | Verses 20-21 closely parallel 23:13, which too says "We placed it (jaAAalnahu) in a safe place (qararin makeen)", and uses the word nutfah instead of maa' maheenin (liquid disdained). The 'hu' ending to jaAAalnahu can mean him or it, and probably means the former in 23:13. However, 77:20 uses the 2nd person "you", so the latter meaning, 'it' is clearly intended in the next verse, in reference to the liquid. | ||
===The | ===Original creation from Dust / Clay / Mud=== | ||
Confusion is sometimes caused by statements about dust (tubarin تُرَابٍ), mud (hamain حَمَإٍ), clay (teenin طِينٍ), or sounding clay (salsalin صَلْصَٰلٍ) in the Qur'anic embryology verses. Clarification is provided in {{Quran-range|32|7|8}} that this refers to the creation of Adam, and that the subsequent statements relate to the development of humans since then. This was also the opinion of classical scholars such as ibn Kathir. | |||
{{Quote|{{Quran-range|32|7|8}}|'''Pickthall:'''Who made all things good which He created, and He began the creation of man from clay [teenin طِينٍ]; Then He made his seed from a draught of despised fluid;}} | |||
The word translated “seed” in Pickthall’s translation is nasl, which means progeny (i.e. descendants).<ref>[{{Reference archive|1=http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume8/00000286.pdf|2=2012-07-23}} Nasl - Lane’s Lexicon] p.3032</ref> | |||
{{Quote|{{Quran-range|15|26}}|'''Yusuf Ali:'''We created man from sounding clay [salsalin صَلْصَٰلٍ], from mud [hamain حَمَإٍ] molded into shape;}} | |||
These verses clearly state that the first [[Creation of Humans from Clay|man was made ''from'' clay]] (min مِّنْ means 'from' or 'of'), and that clay was a building material, that was moulded and shaped, and not a catalytic compound, as some apologetics claim in an attempt to link the Qur'an with one theory about the origin of all life on Earth. | |||
While again not strictly related to embryology, another claim on some Islamic websites is that clay and humans have similar compositions. The Chambers Dictionary of Science and Technology defines clay as, "a fine textured, sedimentary, or residual deposit. It consists of hydrated silicates of aluminum mixed with various impurities". The essential elements in clay are thus silicon, aluminum, hydrogen and oxygen. Silicon and Aluminum have extremely limited, if any, roles to play in the maintenance of life.<ref>Fenchel, Tom 2003. The origin and Early Evolution of Life. Oxford University Press. Page 27.</ref> Other human-required elements (such as nitrogen, sodium etc) are only found in trace amounts in clay and can be regarded as contaminants. There is no similarity between the compositions of clay and humans. | |||
===Basis of Qur'anic embryology=== | |||
These verses form the basis for Qur'anic embryology. | These verses form the basis for Qur'anic embryology. | ||
{{Quote|{{Qtt|22|05}}|''' | {{Quote|{{Qtt|22|05}}|'''Pickthall:''' O mankind! if ye are in doubt concerning the Resurrection, then lo! We have created you from dust, then from a drop of seed, then from a clot, then from a little lump of flesh shapely and shapeless, that We may make (it) clear for you. And We cause what We will to remain in the wombs for an appointed time, and afterward We bring you forth as infants, then (give you growth) that ye attain your full strength. And among you there is he who dieth (young), and among you there is he who is brought back to the most abject time of life, so that, after knowledge, he knoweth naught. And thou (Muhammad) seest the earth barren, but when We send down water thereon, it doth thrill and swell and put forth every lovely kind (of growth). | ||
<BR>'''Transliteration:''' ''Ya ayyuha alnnasu in kuntum fee raybin mina albaAAthi fa-inna khalaqnakum min turabin thumma min nutfatin thumma min AAalaqatin thumma min mudghatin mukhallaqatin waghayri mukhallaqatin linubayyina lakum wanuqirru fee al-arhami ma nashao ila ajalin musamman thumma nukhrijukum tiflan thumma litablughoo ashuddakum waminkum man yutawaffa waminkum man yuraddu ila arthali alAAumuri likayla yaAAlama min baAAdi AAilmin shay-an watara al-arda hamidatan fa-itha anzalna AAalayha almaa ihtazzat warabat waanbatat min kulli zawjin baheejin''}} | <BR>'''Transliteration:''' ''Ya ayyuha alnnasu in kuntum fee raybin mina albaAAthi fa-inna khalaqnakum min turabin thumma min nutfatin thumma min AAalaqatin thumma min mudghatin mukhallaqatin waghayri mukhallaqatin linubayyina lakum wanuqirru fee al-arhami ma nashao ila ajalin musamman thumma nukhrijukum tiflan thumma litablughoo ashuddakum waminkum man yutawaffa waminkum man yuraddu ila arthali alAAumuri likayla yaAAlama min baAAdi AAilmin shay-an watara al-arda hamidatan fa-itha anzalna AAalayha almaa ihtazzat warabat waanbatat min kulli zawjin baheejin''}} | ||
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These verses clearly delineate the stages of Qur'anic embryology as thus: | These verses clearly delineate the stages of Qur'anic embryology as thus: | ||
#Dust/wet earth/clay | #Dust/wet earth/clay (creation of Adam only) | ||
#Nutfah ( | #Nutfah (drop of semen, claimed by apologists to be sperm) | ||
#Alaqa (leech, clot, clinging thing) | #Alaqa (leech, clot, clinging thing) | ||
#Mudgha (lump of meat, partly formed and partly unformed) | #Mudgha (lump of meat, partly formed and partly unformed) | ||
#Izhaam/Aitham (bones) | #Izhaam/Aitham (bones) | ||
#Izhaam covered with Lahm (muscles and flesh) | #Izhaam covered with Lahm (muscles and flesh) | ||
#Another creation (fetus?) | #Another creation (fetus?) | ||
===The 'Alaqah Stage=== | ===The 'Alaqah Stage=== | ||