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Embryology in the Quran: Difference between revisions
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→The Nutfah (Semen) Stage and the Missing Female Ovum
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===The Nutfah (Semen) Stage and the Missing Female Ovum=== | ===The Nutfah (Semen) Stage and the Missing Female Ovum=== | ||
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 | 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 euphemism for semen. The Lisan al Arab dictionary of classical Arabic gives these definitions (translated from the Arabic): | ||
{{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>}} | {{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>}} | ||
A nice example of nutfah usage can be found in a pre- | A nice example of nutfah usage can be found in a pre-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> | ||
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. | 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. | ||
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{{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|{{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|{{Quran-range|77|20|22}}|''' | {{Quote|{{Quran-range|77|20|22}}|'''Yusuf Ali:''' Have We not created you from a fluid (held) despicable [ma-in maheenin مَّآءٍ مَّهِينٍ]? The which We placed in a place of rest, firmly fixed [qararin makeenin قَرَارٍ مَّكِينٍ], For a period (of gestation), determined (according to need)?}} | ||
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 ( | 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 ('water despised'; maa' was another euphemism for semen). 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. | ||
{{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|23|13}}|'''Pickthall:'''Then placed him as a drop (of seed) [nutfatan نُطْفَةً] in a safe lodging [qararin makeenin قَرَارٍ مَّكِينٍ];}} | ||