THE HOLY QUR’AN THE ‘ALAQ’ CLINGING TO THE UTERUS BASED ON THE WORKS OF HARUN YAHYA WWW.HARUNYAHAY.COM INCLUDING: WWW.ISLAM-GUIDE.COM and others PREPARED BY fereidoun.dejahang@ntlworld.com Dr F.Dejahang, BSc CEng, BSc (Hons) Construction Mgmt, MSc, MCIOB, .MCMI, PhD

The Holy Qur'an is the Word of Allah

THE ‘ALAQ’ CLINGING TO THE UTERUS Recite: In the name of your Lord Who created man from alaq. Recite: And your Lord is the Most Generous. (Qur'an, 96:1-3)

THE ‘ALAQ’ CLINGING TO THE UTERUS THE ‘ALAQ’ CLINGING TO THE UTERUS-In the first phase of its development, the baby in the mother's womb is in the form of a zygote, which clings to the uterus in order to take nourishment from the mother's blood.

THE ‘ALAQ’ CLINGING TO THE UTERUS Zygote

THE ‘ALAQ’ CLINGING TO THE UTERUS Zygote -looks like a piece of flesh This formation, which has been discovered by modern embryology, was miraculously stated in the Holy Qur'an 14 centuries ago with the word "alaq," which means "a thing that clings to some place" and is used to describe leeches that cling to a body to suck blood.

THE ‘ALAQ’ CLINGING TO THE UTERUS If we continue to examine the facts announced to us in the Holy Qur'an, about the formation of human beings, we again encounter some very important scientific truth.

THE ‘ALAQ’ CLINGING TO THE UTERUS When the sperm of the male unites with the ovum of the female, the essence of the baby to be born is formed.

THE ‘ALAQ’ CLINGING TO THE UTERUS This single cell, known as a "zygote" in biology, will instantly begin reproducing by dividing, and eventually become a "piece of flesh," called an embryo. This can only be seen with the aid of a microscope.

THE ‘ALAQ’ CLINGING TO THE UTERUS The embryo does not spend its developmental period in a void. It clings to the uterus, with something like roots that is firmly fixed to the earth by its tendrils. Through this bond, the embryo can obtain the substances essential to its development from the mother's body.85

THE ‘ALAQ’ CLINGING TO THE UTERUS Here, an important miracle of the Holy Qur'an is revealed. While referring to the embryo developing in the mother's womb, Mighty Allah uses the word "alaq“ (عَلَقٍ) in the Holy Qur'an:

96:1 اقرأ باسم ربك الذي خلق بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ { اقرأ } أوجد القراءة مبتدئا { باسم ربك الذي خلق } الخلائق. Sahih International Recite in the name of your Lord who created . Shakir Read in the name of your Lord Who created. بخوان به نام پروردگارت که (جهان را) آفرید، بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

96:2 خلق الإنسان من علق خَلَقَ الْإِنسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ { خلق الإنسان } الجنس { من علق } جمع علقة وهي القطعة اليسيرة من الدم الغليظ. Sahih International Created man from a clinging substance. Shakir He created man from a clot. همان کس که انسان را از خون بسته‌ای خلق کرد!

96:3 اقرأ وربك الأكرم اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الْأَكْرَمُ { اقرأ } تأكيد للأول { وربك الأكرم } الذي لا يوازيه كريم، حال من الضمير اقرأ. Sahih International Recite, and your Lord is the most Generous - Shakir Read and your Lord is Most Honorable بخوان که پروردگارت (از همه) بزرگوارتر است،

Tafsir تفسير Recite, bring recitation into existence, beginning with: In the Name of your Lord Who created, all creatures; created man (al-insān: the generic) from a clinging substance ). (‘alaq is the plural of ‘alaqa, which is a clinging substance ). Recite: (reiterating the first one) and your Lord is the Most Generous, having no counterpart in terms of His generosity (wa-rabbuka’l-akram is a circumstantial qualifier referring to the subject [of the verb] iqra’, ‘recite’),

THE ‘ALAQ’ CLINGING TO THE UTERUS The meaning of the word عَلَقٍ "alaq" in Arabic is "a thing that clings to some place." The word is literally used to describe leeches that cling to a body to suck blood.

THE ‘ALAQ’ CLINGING TO THE UTERUS The use of such a specific word for the embryo developing in the mother's womb, proves once again that the Holy Qur'an is the Word of Allah, the Lord of all the Worlds.

The Wrapping of Muscles over the Bones Another important item of information provided in the verses of the Holy Qur'an is the developmental stages of a human being in the mother's womb. It is stated in these verses that in the mother's womb, the bones develop first, and then the muscles form which wrap around them.

Surat Al-Mu'minūn (The Believers) - سورة المؤمنون 23:12

Surat Al-Mu'minūn (The Believers) - سورة المؤمنون 23:12 Sahih International And certainly did We create man from an extract of clay. Shakir And certainly We created man of an extract of clay, Farsi و ما انسان را از عصاره‌ای از گِل آفریدیم؛

Surat Al-Mu'minūn (The Believers) - سورة المؤمنون 23:13

23:13 Surat Al-Mu'minūn (The Believers) - سورة المؤمنون Sahih International Then We placed him as a sperm-drop in a firm lodging. Shakir Then We made him a small seed in a firm resting-place, Farsi سپس او را نطفه‌ای در قرارگاه مطمئن [= رحم‌] قرار دادیم؛ 23:13

THE ‘ALAQ’ CLINGING TO THE UTERUS Literally, the Arabic word alaqah has three meanings: (1) leech (2) suspended thing (3) blood clot.

Similarities in appearance between a leech and a human embryo at the alaqah stage

The suspension of an embryo during the alaqah stage in the womb (uterus) of the mother-suspended thing

blood clot

THE ‘ALAQ’ CLINGING TO THE UTERUS When comparing the appearance of an embryo at the mudghah stage with a piece of gum that has been chewed, we find similarity between the two. A) Drawing of an embryo at the mudghah stage. We can see here the somites at the back of the embryo that look like teeth marks. (The Developing Human, Moore and Persaud, 5th ed., p. 79.) B) Photograph of a piece of gum that has been chewed.

THE ‘ALAQ’ CLINGING TO THE UTERUS

Mudghah

The Wrapping of Muscles over the Bones [We] then formed the drop into a clot and formed the clot into a lump and formed the lump into bones and clothed the bones in flesh; and then brought him into being as another creature. Blessed be Allah, the Best of Creators! (Qur'an, 23:14)

23:14 Surat Al-Mu'minūn (The Believers) - سورة المؤمنون

Surat Al-Mu'minūn (The Believers) - سورة المؤمنون Sahih International Then We made the sperm-drop into a clinging clot, and We made the clot into a lump [of flesh], and We made [from] the lump, bones, and We covered the bones with flesh; then We developed him into another creation. So blessed is Allah , the best of creators. Shakir Then We made the seed a clot, then We made the clot a lump of flesh, then We made (in) the lump of flesh bones, then We clothed the bones with flesh, then We caused it to grow into another creation, so blessed be Allah, the best of the creators. 23:14

23:14 Surat Al-Mu'minūn (The Believers) - سورة المؤمنون سپس نطفه را بصورت علقه [= خون بسته‌]، و علقه را بصورت مضغه [= چیزی شبیه گوشت جویده شده‌]، و مضغه را بصورت استخوانهایی درآوردیم؛ و بر استخوانها گوشت پوشاندیم؛ سپس آن را آفرینش تازه‌ای دادیم؛ پس بزرگ است خدایی که بهترین آفرینندگان است! Farsi 23:14

The Wrapping of Muscles over the Bones Embryology is the branch of science that studies the development of the embryo in the mother's womb.

The Wrapping of Muscles over the Bones Until very recently, embryologists assumed that the bones and muscles in an embryo developed at the same time.

The Wrapping of Muscles over the Bones Yet, advanced microscopic research conducted by virtue of new technological developments has revealed that the revelation of the Qur'an is word for word correct.

The Wrapping of Muscles over the Bones These observations at the microscopic level showed that the development inside the mother's womb takes place in just the way it is described in Holy Qur’an.

The Wrapping of Muscles over the Bones First, the cartilage tissue of the embryo ossifies. Then, muscular cells that are selected from amongst the tissue around the bones come together and wrap around the bones.

The Wrapping of Muscles over the Bones This event is described in a scientific publication titled Developing Human in the following words:

The Wrapping of Muscles over the Bones … [T]he shape of the skeleton determines the general appearance of the embryo in the bones stage during the 7th week; muscles do not develop at the same time but their development follows soon after.

The Wrapping of Muscles over the Bones Thus, the muscles take their well known forms and structures… The stage of clothing with muscle occurs during the 8th week…86 The muscles take their positions around the bones throughout the body and therefore clothe the bones.

The Wrapping of Muscles over the Bones The bones of the baby completing its development in the mother's womb are clothed with flesh during one particular stage exactly as stated in the Qur’an.

The Wrapping of Muscles over the Bones In short, developmental stages of man, as described in the Holy Qur'an, are in perfect harmony with the findings of modern embryology.

The Wrapping of Muscles over the Bones

The Wrapping of Muscles over the Bones

Many stages of a baby's development in the mother's womb are related in the Qur'an. As described in Surat al-Muminun 14, the cartilage of the embryo in the mother's womb ossifies first.

The Wrapping of Muscles over the Bones Then these bones are covered with muscle cells. Allah describes this development with the verse: "… [We then] formed the lump into bones and clothed the bones in flesh."

Three Dark Stages Three Dark Stages of the Baby in the Womb As Allah revealed to us 1400 years ago in Holy Qur’ an In the Holy Qur'an, it is related that man is created through a three-stage process in the mother's womb.

(Qur'an, 39:6) ... He creates you stage by stage in your mothers' wombs in threefold darkness. That is Allah, your Lord. Sovereignty is His. There is no god but Him. So what has made you deviate? (Qur'an, 39:6)

Surat Az-Zumar (The Troops) - سورة الزمر 39:6

Surat Az-Zumar (The Troops) - سورة الزمر 39:6 Sahih International He created you from one soul. Then He made from it its mate, and He produced for you from the grazing livestock eight mates. He creates you in the wombs of your mothers, creation after creation, within three darknesses. That is Allah , your Lord; to Him belongs dominion. There is no deity except Him, so how are you averted? Shakir He has created you from a single being, then made its mate of the same (kind), and He has made for you eight of the cattle in pairs. He creates you in the wombs of your mothers-- a creation after a creation-- in triple darkness; that is Allah your Lord, His is the kingdom; there is no god but He; whence are you then turned away?

Surat Az-Zumar (The Troops) - سورة الزمر 39:6 او شما را از یک نفس آفرید، و همسرش را از (باقیمانده گِل) او خلق کرد؛ و برای شما هشت زوج از چهارپایان ایجاد کرد؛ او شما را در شکم مادرانتان آفرینشی بعد از آفرینش دیگر، در میان تاریکیهای سه گانه، می‌بخشد! این است خداوند، پروردگار شما که حکومت (عالم هستی) از آن اوست؛ هیچ معبودی جز او نیست؛ پس چگونه از راه حق منحرف می‌شوید؟!

Surat Az-Zumar (The Troops) - سورة الزمر Tafsir تفسير He created you from a single soul, namely, Adam, then made from it its mate, Eve; and He sent down for you of the cattle, [of] camels, cows, small cattle, sheep and goats, eight kinds, of each kind a male and a female — as He makes clear in sūrat al-An‘ām [Q. 6:143f.]. He creates you in your mothers’ wombs, creation after creation, that is to say, as a sperm-drop, then a blood clot, then a foetus, in a threefold darkness, that is, the darkness of the belly, that of the womb and that of the placenta. That is God, your Lord. To Him belongs [all] sovereignty. There is no god except Him. Why then are you being turned away?, from worshipping Him to worshipping [things] other than Him?

The expression "fee thulumatin thalathin," translated into English as "a threefold darkness," indicates three dark regions involved during the development of the embryo. These are:

Development of the embryo The darkness of the abdomen The darkness of the womb The darkness of the placenta

Development of the embryo As we have seen, modern biology has revealed that the embryological development of the baby takes place in the manner revealed in the verse, in three dark regions. Moreover, advances in the science of embryology show that these regions consist of three layers each.

Development of the embryo The lateral abdominal wall comprises three layers: the external oblique, the internal oblique, and transverses abdominis muscles.87

Development of the embryo Similarly, the wall of the womb also consists of three layers: the epimetrium, the myometrium and the endometrium.88

Development of the embryo Similarly again, the placenta surrounding the embryo also consists of three layers: the amnion (the internal membrane around the fetus), the chorion (the middle amnion layer) and the decidua (outer amnion layer.)89

Development of the embryo It is also pointed out in this verse that a human being is created in the mother's womb in three distinct stages.

Development of the embryo Modern biology has also revealed that the baby's embryological development takes place in three distinct regions in the mother's womb.

Development of the embryo Today, in all the embryology textbooks studied in departments of medicine, this subject is taken as an element of basic knowledge. For instance, in Basic Human Embryology, a fundamental reference text in the field of embryology, this fact is stated as follows:

Development of the embryo The life in the uterus has three stages: pre-embryonic; first two and a half weeks, embryonic; until the end of the eight week, and fetal; from the eight week to labor.90 These phases refer to the different developmental stages of a baby. In brief, the main characteristics of these developmental stages are as follows:

Development of the embryo Pre-embryonic Stage In this first phase, the zygote grows by division, and when it becomes a cell cluster, it buries itself in the wall of the uterus. While they continue growing, the cells organize themselves in three layers.

Development of the embryo Embryonic Stage The second phase lasts for five and a half weeks, during which the baby is referred to as an "embryo." During this stage, the basic organs and systems of the body start to appear from the cell layers.

Development of the embryo Foetal Stage From this stage onward, the embryo is called a "foetus." This phase begins at the eighth week of gestation, and lasts until the moment of birth. The distinctive characteristic of this stage is that the foetus looks much like a human being, with its face, hands and feet. Although it is only 3 cm long initially, all of its organs have become apparent. This phase lasts for about 30 weeks, and development continues until the week of delivery.

Development of the embryo Information on the development in the mother's womb became available only after observations with modern devices. Yet, just like many other scientific facts, in a miraculous way, Allah draws our attention to these items of information in the verses of the Qur'an.

Development of the embryo Detailed and accurate information was given in the Holy Qur'an at a time when people had scarce information on medical matters is clear evidence that The Holy Qur'an is the Word of Allah.

Development of the embryo

Development of the embryo Modern embryology has revealed that the baby's embryological development takes place in three distinct regions in the mother's womb. In Surat az-Zumar 6, it is pointed out that man is created in the mother's womb in three distinct regions.

Development of the embryo 85. Keith L. Moore, et al., Human Development as Described in the Qur'an and Sunnah (Makkah: Commission on Scientific Signs of the Qur'an and Sunnah, 1992), 36. 86. Keith L. Moore, Developing Human, 3rd ed. (W. B. Saunders Company: 1982), 364a. 87. http://anatomy.med.unsw.edu.au/cbl/embryo/Notes/git4.htm; and www.yoursurgery.com/ProcedureDetails.cfm?BR=1&Proc=74. 88. http://virtual.yosemite.cc.ca.us/uyeshiros/AP50/Repro.htm. 89. Kazi, 130 Evident Miracles in the Qur'an, 84. 90. Williams P., Basic Human Embryology, 3rd ed., 1984, 64. Dr F.Dejahang BSc CEng, BSc (Hons) Construction Mgmt, MSc, MCIOB, PhD