Embryology in the Quran: Difference between revisions

→‎The Role of the Female Gamete: Renamed, moved nutfah=semen point to the top, removed gender determination stuff now covered in new section further down the page
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(→‎The Role of the Female Gamete: Renamed, moved nutfah=semen point to the top, removed gender determination stuff now covered in new section further down the page)
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#Another creation / child
#Another creation / child


===The Role of the Female Gamete===
===The Nutfah (Semen) Stage and the Missing Female Ovum===
The Qur'an never explicitly claims that the female parent contributes genetic material. It is merely the assumption, and an assumption only, of apologists that 'nutfatun amshaajin' (mixed drop or mingled sperm) includes the female gamete.


{{Quote|{{Quran|76|2}}|'''Verily WE created Man from a drop of mingled sperm''', in order to try him: So We gave him (the gifts), of Hearing and Sight.}}
The first stage of Qur'anic embryology is the nutfah stage. The word nutfah<ref name="LLnutfah"></ref> literally meant a small amount of liquid, and was a euphamism for semen. The Lisan al Arab dictionary of classical Arabic gives these definitions (translated from the Arabic):


The term ‘nutfatun amshaajin’ could just as easily refer to the sperm-menstrual blood union of Aristotle and the ancient Indian embryologists, or the two sperm hypothesis of Hippocrates and Galen, or even the readily observed mingling of semen and vaginal discharge during sexual intercourse. In other words, the fact the Qur'an does not explicitly state that ‘nutfatun amshaajin’ contains the ovum, together with the existence of other possible explanations, means that it is illogical to assume the former and not the latter.  
{{Quote||A little water; a little water remaining in a waterskin; a little water remaining in a bucket; pure water, a little or a lot<ref>http://www.baheth.info/all.jsp?term=%D9%86%D8%B7%D9%81</ref>}}


The insistence that it explains the former is pure conjecture devoid of evidence, and constitutes the [[Logical Fallacy|logical fallacy]] of equivocation, and its adoption is merely wishful thinking or 'reinterpretation after the fact.
A nice example of nutfah usage can be found in a pre-[[Islam|Islamic]] poem where it is used to mean “the small quantity of wine that remained in a wineskin”.<ref>Irfan Shahid, “Byzantium and the Arabs in the sixth century. Volume 2, Part 2”, p.145, Washington, D.C.: Dumbarton Oaks, 2009</ref>


One might contend that the Qur'an does not claim a role for the ovum at all, or is even ignorant of its existence.  
Verses 80:18-19, and 77:20-22 together with 23:13 strongly imply that it is semen that is stored in the womb and developed into the embryo, as the [[Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|Jews and Greeks]] believed.


Apologists claim that the Qur'an correctly states that the sex of the progeny is determined by the sperm from the male parent, based on verses 53:45-46.
{{Quote|{{Quran-range|80|18|19}}|'''Pickthall:'''From what thing [shayinشَىْءٍ] doth He create him? From a drop of seed [nutfatin نُّطْفَةٍ]. He createth him and proportioneth him}}
{{Quote|{{cite Quran|53|45|end=46|style=ref}}|'''Pickthall:''' And that He createth the two spouses, the male and the female, From a drop (of seed) when it is poured forth;
<BR>'''Transliteration:''' ''Waannahu khalaqa alzzawjayni alththakara waal-ontha Min nutfatin itha tumna''}}  


There are only two logical explanations of ''nutfatin itha tumna''; that it is the sperm emitted, or the blastocyst (i.e. zygote) implanted. If it is the latter, there is no case to argue that the Qur'an correctly states that gender is determined by the sperm of the male parent. Hence, ''nutfatin itha tumna'' must refer to the sperm emitted.  
{{Quote|{{Quran-range|77|20|22}}|'''Sahih International:''' Did We not create you from a liquid disdained? And We placed it in a firm lodging For a known extent.}}


It is possible the Qur'anic verses 53:45-46 state that the male and female progenies, and not merely the genders, are created from the sperm. This is a possibility totally discounted without evidence and suggests a biased interpretation of the verses in light of modern knowledge. For where is the mention of the ovum? Not in these verses nor anywhere else in the Qur'an.  
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.


In fact, the Qur'an itself provides the evidence of its doctrinal omission or rejection of the role of the ovum in procreation, for verse 2:223 states that wives are tilth. This is saying they are like the earth receiving the zygote (i.e. seed) from the male.
{{Quote|{{Quran|23|13}}|'''Pickthall:'''Then placed him as a drop (of seed) [nutfatan نُطْفَةً] in a safe lodging [qararin makeenin قَرَارٍ مَّكِينٍ];}}


{{Quote|{{Quran|2|223}}|'''Pickthall:''' Your women are a tilth for you (to cultivate) go to your tilth as ye will, and send (good deeds) before you for your souls, and fear Allah, and know that ye will (one day) meet Him. Give glad tidings to believers, (O Muhammad).}}
The Qur'an never explicitly explains how and if the female parent contributes genetic material. It is merely the assumption, and an assumption only, of apologists that 'nutfatun amshajin' (amshajin means mixed<ref>أَمْشَاج Amshajan  - [http://www.studyquran.org/LaneLexicon/Volume7/00000245.pdf] Volume 7 Page 2717</ref>) in verse 76:2 includes the female gamete (ovum).  


Therefore, if read in the context of verse 2:223, ‘nutfatun amshaajin’ cannot contain the ovum because tilth does not contribute genetic material to the development of the seed (i.e. zygote), and must mean the semen mingled with some unspecified non-genetic material-contributing female secretion.<ref>Many other common arguments used by proponents of Qur'anic embryology concerning the nutfah stage are analyzed in the article [[Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith]].</ref>
{{Quote|{{Quran|76|2}}|'''Yusuf Ali:'''Verily We created Man from a drop of mingled sperm [nutfatin amshajin نُّطْفَةٍ أَمْشَاجٍ], in order to try him: So We gave him (the gifts), of Hearing and Sight.}}


In light of these facts, backed by the Qur'anic verses, it is apparent that the Qur'an’s view of human conception and reproduction is that the male parent contributes the diploid seed (nutfatin itha tumna) and the female parent, as tilth, contributes the environment and nutrients for the growth and development of this diploid seed.
The term ‘nutfatun amshaajin’ could just as easily refer to the sperm-menstrual blood union of Aristotle and the ancient Indian embryologists, or the two semens hypothesis of Hippocrates and Galen, or even the readily observed mingling of semen and vaginal discharge during sexual intercourse. In other words, the fact the Qur'an does not explicitly state that ‘nutfatun amshaajin’ contains the ovum, together with the existence of other possible explanations, means that it is illogical to assume the former and not the latter.  


Furthermore, verses 80:18-19, and 77:20-22 together with 23:13 strongly imply that it is semen that is stored in the womb and developed into the embryo, as the [[Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|Jews and Greeks]] believed.
The insistence that it explains the former is pure conjecture devoid of evidence, and constitutes the [[Logical Fallacy|logical fallacy]] of equivocation, and its adoption is merely wishful thinking or 'reinterpretation after the fact.


{{Quote|{{Quran-range|80|18|19}}|'''Pickthall:'''From what thing [shayinشَىْءٍ] doth He create him? From a drop of seed [nutfatin نُّطْفَةٍ]. He createth him and proportioneth him}}
Some critics argue that in fact, the Qur'an itself provides the evidence of its doctrinal omission or rejection of the role of the ovum in procreation, for verse 2:223 states that wives are tilth. This is saying they are like the earth, which contributes nutrients only, receiving the seed from the male.  


{{Quote|{{Quran-range|77|20|22}}|'''Sahih International:''' Did We not create you from a liquid disdained? And We placed it in a firm lodging For a known extent.}}
{{Quote|{{Quran|2|223}}|'''Pickthall:''' Your women are a tilth for you (to cultivate) go to your tilth as ye will, and send (good deeds) before you for your souls, and fear Allah, and know that ye will (one day) meet Him. Give glad tidings to believers, (O Muhammad).}}


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.
This one isn't a particularly strong criticism, however, as one could argue that the womb is the tilth for a fertilised seed. Whether by means of some female fluid or otherwise, the resemblance of a child to its mother was a question that interested the early Muslims, as can be seen in the hadith. See the article [[Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith|Greek and Jewish Ideas about Reproduction in the Quran and Hadith]] regarding this and many other common arguments used by proponents of Qur'anic embryology concerning the nutfah stage.</ref>


===The 'Alaqah Stage===
===The 'Alaqah Stage===
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