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Sources of Islamic Theories of Reproduction: Difference between revisions
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{{Quote|Eich & Doroftei, 2023. <i>Adam and Embryo. p. 97.</i>|"And they do not understand the works of their Maker, which are formed like a drop of water (nuṭptā) and a grain of dust in the hollow of His incorporeal hand."}} | {{Quote|Eich & Doroftei, 2023. <i>Adam and Embryo. p. 97.</i>|"And they do not understand the works of their Maker, which are formed like a drop of water (nuṭptā) and a grain of dust in the hollow of His incorporeal hand."}} | ||
Eich and Doroftei's theory has a number of strengths, perhaps most interestingly the two above quotes from Ephraim and Babai which use the Syriac cognate for nutfah in the context of the creation of the first (they also quote a similar passage in the Syriac ''Cave of Treasures'', which likewise mentions the palm of God's hand in this context but with four elements - a grain of dust, drop of water, breath of wind and a little fire, explicitly to create Adam<ref>Ibid. footnote on p. 97</ref>). | Eich and Doroftei's theory has a number of strengths, perhaps most interestingly the two above quotes from Ephraim and Babai which use the Syriac cognate for nutfah in the context of the creation of the first man (they also quote a similar passage in the Syriac ''Cave of Treasures'', which likewise mentions the palm of God's hand in this context but with four elements - a grain of dust, drop of water, breath of wind and a little fire, explicitly to create Adam<ref>Ibid. footnote on p. 97</ref>). | ||
Their view that {{Quran|23|14}} was edited or interpolated is a common one among scholars for stylistic and rythmic reasons.<ref>Ibid. pp. 162-66</ref> Their interpretation provides a simple reason for the dust stage being mentioned in some verses before other stages. It works particularly well for {{Quran|18|37}} and {{Quran|35|11}},<ref>Ibid. pp. 147-151</ref> in the latter of which pairs/mates would refer to Adam and Eve rather than the birth of males and females (though others may note that the verse immediately then mentions normal | Their view that {{Quran|23|14}} was edited or interpolated is a common one among scholars for stylistic and rythmic reasons.<ref>Ibid. pp. 162-66</ref> Their interpretation provides a simple reason for the dust stage being mentioned in some verses before other stages. It works particularly well for {{Quran|18|37}} and {{Quran|35|11}},<ref>Ibid. pp. 147-151</ref> in the latter of which pairs/mates would refer to Adam and Eve rather than the birth of males and females (though others may note that the verse immediately then mentions normal pregnancy and childbirth, and comparisons with {{Quran-range|75|37|39}} and {{Quran-range|53|45|46}} may suggest that the conventional interpretation is stronger). Eich and Dorotei also observe that a number of verses which only mention nutfah can be interpreted as the creation of the first man rather than conception: {{Quran|16|4}}, {{Quran|36|77}}, and {{Quran-range|76|1|2}}, the first of which they note is surrounded by verses about the creation of the world.<ref>Ibid. pp. 170-181</ref> They cleverly offer a reinterpretation of {{Quran-range|80|17|23}} as the conception, life, death and resurrection of Adam. | ||
At the same time, various difficulties and problems may be observed in their theory. {{Quran-range|37|7|9}} provides context to verses that mention dust before other stages. It clarifies that the first man was created from dust, and his progeny from "liquid disdained" (a synonym for nutfah, as discussed in this article). The authors try to explain "disdained" here by appealing to an obscure and certainly metaphorical mid 7th century Syriac passage on baptismal theology which compares the race of Adam to water polluted by the devil. <ref>Ibid. p. 101, pp. 154-161</ref> As argued elsewhere in this article, another passage, {{Quran-range|77|20|22}} mentions liquid disdained placed in a firm lodging (similar to {{Quran|23|13}} which instead uses the word nutfah), and is easily understood as semen placed in the womb in line with Greek and Talmudic concepts. Eich and Dorotei interpret the "firm lodging" as a prominent fixed place and attempt a connection with the creation story, though their evidence may seem very thin here.<ref>Ibid. pp. 156-61</ref> Some may also find it hard to see how the disdained liquid being placed there for a known extent/determination in {{Quran|77|22}} sounds like the creation of Adam more than gestation in the womb. | At the same time, various difficulties and problems may be observed in their theory. {{Quran-range|37|7|9}} provides context to verses that mention dust before other stages. It clarifies that the first man was created from dust, and his progeny from "liquid disdained" (a synonym for nutfah, as discussed in this article). The authors try to explain "disdained" here by appealing to an obscure and certainly metaphorical mid 7th century Syriac passage on baptismal theology which compares the race of Adam to water polluted by the devil. <ref>Ibid. p. 101, pp. 154-161</ref> As argued elsewhere in this article, another passage, {{Quran-range|77|20|22}} mentions liquid disdained placed in a firm lodging (similar to {{Quran|23|13}} which instead uses the word nutfah), and is easily understood as semen placed in the womb in line with Greek and Talmudic concepts. Eich and Dorotei interpret the "firm lodging" as a prominent fixed place and attempt a connection with the creation story, though their evidence may seem very thin here.<ref>Ibid. pp. 156-61</ref> Some may also find it hard to see how the disdained liquid being placed there for a known extent/determination in {{Quran|77|22}} sounds like the creation of Adam more than gestation in the womb. | ||