86:7 BETWEEN BACK AND RIB

OracleMir

Peace,

I have been reading (and trying to understand) Quran since about a year and finding great satisfaction in doing so...

Recenlty I read the verse 867

086.006
Khuliqa min ma-in dafiqin
YUSUFALI He is created from a drop emitted-
PICKTHAL He is created from a gushing fluid
SHAKIR He is created of water pouring forth,
KHALIFA He was created from ejected liquid.

086.007
Yakhruju min bayni alssulbi waalttara-ibi
YUSUFALI Proceeding from between the backbone and the ribs
PICKTHAL That issued from between the loins and ribs.
SHAKIR Coming from between the back and the ribs.
KHALIFA From between the spine and the viscera.

On the face value, this looks like a contradiction with scientific facts (not scientific theories which can change overtime).

I did use the forum search feature and found these relevant posts

http//www.free-minds.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3062
http//www.free-minds.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3756

The posts talks about different possibilities

The human himself, instead of the liquid, is coming out ...
The verses are about crucifiction, not about the liquid
Tarai'b means testicals rather than ribs
Tarai'b is referring to female pelvic bone
Tarai'b is referring to general organs rather than ribs

I did not find the posts ending in definitive conclusion about this verse.

So where do we stand in terms of the most appropriate translation of this verse?

From the list above, only explanation 1) is making most sense to me but again that has been proven wrong in the posts on the ground that tarai'b is a plural and cannot be used for the "human".

I have not been able to find out a reasonable explanation yet and it is important for me to find out one. Can any one help?

I have been reading discussion forums on this website since last few weeks and have definitely benefitted from them. This is my first post here. Looking forward for some conlusion to the "ribs" issue.

unknownuser

Peace,

I have been reading (and trying to understand) Quran since about a year and finding great satisfaction in doing so...

Recenlty I read the verse 867

086.006
Khuliqa min ma-in dafiqin
YUSUFALI He is created from a drop emitted-
PICKTHAL He is created from a gushing fluid
SHAKIR He is created of water pouring forth,
KHALIFA He was created from ejected liquid.

086.007
Yakhruju min bayni alssulbi waalttara-ibi
YUSUFALI Proceeding from between the backbone and the ribs
PICKTHAL That issued from between the loins and ribs.
SHAKIR Coming from between the back and the ribs.
KHALIFA From between the spine and the viscera.

On the face value, this looks like a contradiction with scientific facts (not scientific theories which can change overtime).

I did use the forum search feature and found these relevant posts

http//www.free-minds.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3062
http//www.free-minds.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3756

The posts talks about different possibilities

The human himself, instead of the liquid, is coming out ...
The verses are about crucifiction, not about the liquid
Tarai'b means testicals rather than ribs
Tarai'b is referring to female pelvic bone
Tarai'b is referring to general organs rather than ribs

I did not find the posts ending in definitive conclusion about this verse.

So where do we stand in terms of the most appropriate translation of this verse?

From the list above, only explanation 1) is making most sense to me but again that has been proven wrong in the posts on the ground that tarai'b is a plural and cannot be used for the "human".

I have not been able to find out a reasonable explanation yet and it is important for me to find out one. Can any one help?

I have been reading discussion forums on this website since last few weeks and have definitely benefitted from them. This is my first post here. Looking forward for some conlusion to the "ribs" issue.

Here is another link for you..

http//www.free-minds.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=28737#28737

Sura 86 in entirely about Jesus....

unknownuser

Salaams All,

SURA 865-8

So let man see from what he was created.
He was created from water that gushes forth.
It comes out from between the spine and the testicles.
For He is able to bring him back

Now Retranslating using lanes and or QD.

An example in the quran

Line5705 ERROR

And voluptuous women of equal age;

Also page 74-QD = Girls of matching age.

Mimma ? Min and Ma p542 qd.

The following word is used as loins at 423 in almost all the quranic translations.

and
Page 1711 lanes=said of a thing and of a man,it and he was ,or became ,hard,firm,rigid,stiff e.t.c

86.5 So let man consider of what/how he is created
86.6 He is created of water(semen-lanes) pouring/gushing forth,
86.7 proceeding from between the firm/stiff of a man and the spouses/women.
86.8 Most surely He is able to return him (to life).

Sorry I have no idea if this is right ? just gathered the info ?its interesting though.

Salaam.

Jaxal

SaLaM

A while back, i too was searching for this. Here is a website i found. IT gives a pretty interesting answer to the above question

http//www.understanding-islam.com/related/text.asp?type=question&qid=100

OracleMir

Salams

Thanks Apple Pie, mz357, and Jaxal for providing me materials related to my question.

Jaxal I went through the article you suggested

http//www.understanding-islam.com/related/text.asp?type=question&qid=100

The author starts by saying that the Quran is not the book of science. Yes I agree ...but that does not mean that it could contain scientifically incorrect information.
Then the author says that "main audience" of Quran were the Arabs of that era therefore "premis" statements of Quran are phrased to fit their beliefs. I think the book of God is written for all era and for people without having a particular group in mind as primary audience. All audiences are primary audience.

Till this point I was thinking that the author has no solid arguments to make.

But at the end the author made a very interesting point

"something between X and Y" is a style of Quran that could be seen at more than one place.

In verse 867 Quran referred to the male sex organ as "something between the back and the rib" and in verse 6012 the Quran refers to the female organs of sexual attractions as "something between the hands and the legs".

This way Quran has avoided direct reference to sex organs and mentained the elegance.

"Naming them would have negatively affected the literary value of the Quran."

I liked this last point.

mz357 If the translation provided by you can be justified then that will resolve the issue. You have translated "taraib" as women. I had read somewhere that this word "taraib" is not used anywhere else in the Quran. You have raised some good points indeed. I am exploring further on what you have said.

Thanks all

Peace

unknownuser

What are your feelings regarding sura 86 referring to Jesus' Crucifixion...? wink

Zulf

Peace all,

The following anatomical parts help in delivering the semen from the testicles out of the body. They are kind of located between the end tip of the spine and the ribs.

ejaculatory duct
seminal vesicle
prostate gland
vas (ductus deferens)

Just google for for some of these names to find some anatomy diagrams and see for yourself.

Ulf

OracleMir

What are your feelings regarding sura 86 referring to Jesus' Crucifixion...? wink

Salams, Applie Pie

I have gone through the link you provided

http//www.free-minds.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=28737#28737

After reading the translation of the chapter I dont see any direct hint towards Jesus. But hey I am not a scholar ... Your arguments could be plausible.

I was more interested in explaining the ostensible contradiction (between ribs and spine) with scientific facts, than finding out if this chapter is about Jeses. The issue is addressed satisfactorily by the link provided by Jaxal

http//www.understanding-islam.com/related/text.asp?type=question&qid=100

This pretty much resolved the difficulty to the extend that I could move on ...

Allah knows the best

OracleMir

Peace all,

The following anatomical parts help in delivering the semen from the testicles out of the body. They are kind of located between the end tip of the spine and the ribs.

ejaculatory duct
seminal vesicle
prostate gland
vas (ductus deferens)

Just google for for some of these names to find some anatomy diagrams and see for yourself.

Ulf

Salams Zulf

I tried googling on the words you listed. Take a look at this diagram. This figure has all the items listed by you

http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ImageMale_anatomy.png

I think all of them all located below the rib, at lower part of the abdominal; just like testis. Technically this location will not qualify for "horizontally being between the ribs and spine". However all the male reproductive organs including testis are located "vertically between the ribs and spine" as mentioned in Jaxal's article.

unknownuser

What are your feelings regarding sura 86 referring to Jesus' Crucifixion...? wink

Salams, Applie Pie

I have gone through the link you provided

http//www.free-minds.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=28737#28737

After reading the translation of the chapter I dont see any direct hint towards Jesus. But hey I am not a scholar ... Your arguments could be plausible.

You don?t see any ?direct hint towards Jesus??..?!

Did you even bother to read the thread?

We can tell that this sura revolves around Jesus just by examining the title of the sura itself.

Observe?

Sura Title...
?alttariqi?

= ?al?

?al? definition

The definite article. In Arabic it is used to give the meaning of Most, All, Complete, Maximum, Whole, The, and to denote comprehensiveness, that is to say all aspects or categories of a subject, or to denote perfection and includes all degrees and grades.

Anything which has a quality requiring it to be regarded as sacred, or inviolable; which has some right pertaining to it.

It is also used to indicate something which has already been mentioned or a concept of which is in the mind of the writer or reader.

References
An Arabic-English Lexicon, E.W. Lane, volume one, pp. 74 - 75
The Dictionary of the Holy Qur?an, 1st edition, Abdul Mannan Omar, p. 25
A Dictionary and Glossary of the Koran, John Penrice, p. 7

= ?tariqi?

?tariqi? definition

Masculine singular genitive noun. One who comes or appears by night; Morning Star that comes at the end of the night; Night-visitant; coming, or a comer, anything coming, by night one who comes by night being thus called because of his (generally) needing to knock at the door. A diviner and particularly, by means of pebbles; a practicer of pessomancy. It comes from the root ?taraqa?, which means the beating (a thing), or striking it, in any manner, and with anything this being the primary meaning. The coming by night because he who comes by night generally needs to knock; to come by night; beat something, knock.

= ?al? + ?tariqi = ?alttariqi? = The Night Comer/Morning Star/One who Knocks

References
An Arabic-English Lexicon, E.W. Lane, volume five, pp. 1846 - 1851
The Dictionary of the Holy Qur?an, 1st edition, Abdul Mannan Omar p. 338
A Dictionary and Glossary of the Koran, John Penrice, p. 90

Occurrences of ?alttariqi? in the Koran 1
Location 862

Occurrences of the root ?taraqa?, and its 9 derivations, in the Koran 11
Locations 4168, 4169, 2063, 2077, 20104, 2317, 4630, 7211, 7216, 861, 862

A review of the Koranic contextual usages of the root derivatives

4.168 & 4.169?.the way, the path, the messenger
? That those who disbelieved
? ?wa?, and caused injustice/oppression, allah was not to forgive for them,
? ?wa?, and nor to guide them a way/path ?tareeqan?.
? Except Hell's way/path ?tareeqa?,
? immortally/eternally in it forever,
? ?wa?, and that was/is on allah easy/little.
? You, you the people, the Messenger had come to you with the truth from your Lord,
? ?fa?, so believe, (it is) best for you,
? ?wa?, and if you disbelieve,
? ?fa?, so to allah (belongs) what (is) in the skies/space,
? ?wa?, and the earth/Planet Earth,
? ?wa?, and allah was/is knowledgeable, wise/judicious

20.63?the way
? They said "That those two (are) two magicians/sorcerers, they want/intend that they bring you out from your land/Earth with their magic/sorcery,
? ?wa?, and they go/eliminate with your way ?bitareeqatikumu? approach/habit the best example.

20.77?a path in the ocean
? ?wa?, and We had inspired/transmitted to Moses that walk/move with My worshippers/slaves
? ?fa?, strike/move a dry a path/way ?tareeqan? in the sea/ocean,
? do not fear over taking/pursuit ,
? ?wa?, and nor you (should) fear."

20.104?the way, the path, day of resurrection, bugle blown
? Immortally/eternally in it,
? ?wa?, and it became (an) evil/harmful weight/burden for them (on) the Resurrection Day.
? A day the horn/bugle is being blown in
? wa?, and We gather the criminals/sinners (on) that day blind/blue.
? They converse quietly between them, that you stayed/remained except ten.
? We are more knowledgeable with what they say,
? when their best example (in a) method/path ?tareeqatan? says
? "That you stayed/remained except a day.?
? ?wa?, And they ask/question you about the mountains,
? ?fa?, so say "My Lord explodes/destroys it explosion/destruction."
? ?fa?, "So He leaves it a plain and safe land even/level ."
? "You do not see in it crookedness/indirectness
? ?wa?, and nor difference in elevation/fault."
? (On) that day they follow the caller/requester ?alddaAAiya?, no crookedness/indirectness for it,
? ?wa?, and the voices/sounds silenced/humbled to the merciful,
? ?fa?, so you do not hear except whispering/quiet or subdued voices.
? (On) that day the mediation does not benefit/become useful, except whom the merciful permitted/allowed for him,
? ?aw?, and accepted/approved for him a saying/word.

23.17?seven paths of heaven
? Then that you are (on) the Resurrection Day being resurrected/revived.
? ?wa?, And We had created above you, seven paths ?tara-iqa?,
? ?wa?, and We were not from/of the creation ignoring/neglecting .

46.30?the book descended after Moses is the way?allah?s preacher forgives?
? They said "You our nation that we heard/listened to a Book (that) was descended from after Moses, confirming to what (is) between his hands, it guides to the truth and to (a) straight/direct road/path ?tareeqin? ."
? "You our nation, answer/reply allah's preacher ?daAAiya?,
? ?wa?, and believe with Him, He forgives for you from your crimes
? ?wa?, and He protects/defends you from a painful torture."
? ?wa?, "And who does not answer/reply (to) allah's preacher ?daAAiya?,
? ?fa?, so (he is) not with disabling/frustrating in the land/planet Earth,
? ?wa?, and (there) is not from other than Him guardians/allies, those are in clear/evident misguidance."

72.11?.paths
? ?wa?, "'And that we from us (are) the correct/righteous,
? ?wa?, and from us (are) other than that, we were paths ?tara-iqa? fragments/pieces.'"

72.16?the way supplies plentiful water
? ?wa?, and that if they became straight/direct on the way/path ?alttareeqati?,
? we would have given them drink (from) water plentifully/abundantly.'"
? "'To test them in it,
? ?wa?, and who opposes/turns away from his Lord's reminder, He enters/passes him a severe torture.'"
? ?wa?, "'And that the mosques (are) to allah, so do not call anyone with allah.'"
? ?wa?, "'And that he when allah's worshipper/servant stood/started calling him, they were about to/almost to be interlocked/plenty on (with) him .'"

Thus, from the Sura title, ?alttariqi?, alone, we can draw the following conclusions

? It describes something that is masculine singular
? It is in the genitive case; i.e. it indicates a relationship, primarily one of possession, between itself and another (noun)
? It means Morning Star
? It means one who comes at night
? It means one who knocks
? It means a diviner
? It has a quality requiring it to be regarded as sacred
? It means ?al? all of these things
? It is derived from the root ?taraqa?, which has as its primary meaning ?the beating (a thing), or striking it, in any manner, and with anything?
? Concording the root ?taraqa?, and all of its Koranic derivatives, shown in context, overwhelmingly demonstrates that the word indicates ?the way?; ?the path?
? It is tied to ?the messenger?
? It is tied to Eschatology
? The book ?alkitabu?, descended after Moses, is ?the way?
? It is tied to allah?s ?preacher?
? Allah?s preacher has the power to forgive
? ?The way? supplies plentiful water to the believers

Thus?.just by examining the title of sura 86, we have evidence beyond any reasonable doubt, that this sura refers to the Biblical Jesus Christ.

There simply is no escape from this fact.

No more excuses.

I was more interested in explaining the ostensible contradiction (between ribs and spine) with scientific facts, than finding out if this chapter is about Jeses. The issue is addressed satisfactorily by the link provided by Jaxal

http//www.understanding-islam.com/related/text.asp?type=question&qid=100

This pretty much resolved the difficulty to the extend that I could move on ...

With all due respect, the link provided by Jaxal is a joke.

The author of that piece did a lousy job of exegeting the text in question.

Period.

Among numerous other things, the author of the piece never once delved into the classic meaning of ?sulbi? nor its root.

Is there any wonder why??

Let?s look?

= ?sulbi?

?sulbi? definition

?alssulbi? in prayer means the placing the hands upon the flanks, in standing, and separating the arms from the body; a posture forbidden by the prophet because resembling that of a man when he is crucified. Backbone; Loins; Spine. To cause to be crucified. Signifies also ichor, or watery humor, mixed with blood, that flows from the dead. A cross; a certain thing pertaining to Christians, which they take as an object to which to direct the face in prayer. It comes from the root ?salaba?, which means he crucified him; to put to death in a certain well known manner; extract marrow from bones. To crucify.

References
An Arabic-English Lexicon, E.W. Lane, volume four, pp. 1711 - 1713
The Dictionary of the Holy Qur?an, 1st edition, Abdul Mannan Omar, p. 318
The Koran, Complete Dictionary & Literal Translation, Mohamed Ahmed, p. 71
A Dictionary and Glossary of the Koran, John Penrice, p. 85

The root, along with its six derivatives, occurs 8 times within the pages of the Koran.

Reading each Koranic occurrence, in context, shows that the root, and all derivatives of the root, (with the exception of 4.23) refers directly to a Crucifixion event

4.23; 4.157; 5.33; 7.124
12.41; 20.71; 26.49; 86.7

Hence, just based upon ?ssulbi? by itself without considering the context of the ayah and sura; we can have a high level of confidence that it is also referencing a Crucifixion event?

No more excuses?.

unknownuser

I responded to this argument a few months back on another anti Islam bard, I would like to add it in here

Hello

Today I will respond to one alleged contradiction that was raised by a few enemy of Islam, which I have to admit is really worth looking at, this contradiction is regarding the Human Reproduction

They are saying the following two ayas has to be wrong

?He is created from a drop emitted?, ?Proceeding from between the Backbone and the Ribs?

Their argument is the two words Backbone and Ribs, as the Backbone is representing the male organ where the sperms is produced and the Ribs representing the women organ where the eggs is produced as explained by some Muslim scholars

however even though it may sound like a valid argument but only under the English translation, as we can not deny the fact that this is a translation of the original language which is Arabic

so to be fair we have to raise the argument under the Arabic words, Backbone and Ribs were a translation to the two Arabic words SOLB and TARAIB as written in the Arabic Quran

SOLB is pronounced in Arabic exactly as you read it in English, and this is Singular

TARAIB is pronounced in Arabic as Follow TARA IB , and this is a Plural

Under the Egyptian government explanation of the Quran done by some Muslim scholars , it is actually as the English translation by the Saudi government done by interpreters based on the Egyptian government explanation and some old explanations that was produced by other Muslim scholars, which say SOLB and TARAIB means, Backbone and Ribs , despite the clear fact that Backbone and Ribs in Arabic means totally different Arabic words

Backbone means in Arabic AMOOD FAKRY which is the human spine
Ribs means in Arabic KAFAS SADRY which is the human breast bone cage

And as you can see that the two Arabic words SOLB and TARAIB are totally different to the four Arabic words AMOOD FAKRY and KAFAS SADRY , and it is also obvious that you need to use two Arabic words AMOOD and FAKRY together to constitute the meaning of the human spine in Arabic, as well using two Arabic words KAFAS and SADRY together to constitute the meaning of the human ribs in Arabic

The point is; did Allah really mean backbone and ribs with these two words SOLB and TARAIB?
Knowing that men and women both have Backbone and Ribs and so another question should be raised why He used Backbone for men and Ribs for women ?
It is just does not make sense

To answer these questions we need to dig further into the meaning of SOLB and TARAIB

First of all, I know SOLB really well ?as I use it a lot? and I do not need to dig deep to find it, it is an adjective that means TOUGH, STRONG, STEEL and so on within that meaning of toughness

For example in Arabic we say the steel is SOLB, we can also say to someone facing a problem to be SOLB as well we can say this is a SOLB ground, we can also describe a boxer or a tough man as SOLB

As you can see SOLB is an adjective that can be used to describe that something is Tough, but it is totally something else than the human spine, in fact the human spine may be described as SOLB but I see it the wrong description because the human spine is not really that tough

So I looked at the aya again, and it says clearly that this water ?Proceeding from? and in Arabic ?YAKHROG?, I found that ?YAKHROG? more accurately translated as ?EJECT? rather ?Proceeding from?.

However ?Proceeding from? is still valid translation for ?YAKHROG? and can be used, I also found that the Aya never said that this water was ?PRODUCED? by the SOLB and TARAIB, so I can not see a point from the enemy of Islam from the first place, the word used was ?YAKHROG? and in English ?Proceeding from? which I see it at more as ?EJECT? but it never said ?PRODUCED?

So there is no argument from the first place, but let?s continue our journey to discover what SOLB and TARAIB really mean

As we saw from above that SOLB is an adjective to describe that something is Tough, we can also see clearly that the water is proceeding from it and not produced from it, let?s have a closer look , will that sounds like a Human Penis?, sure it does, it is gonna be TOUGH before ejaculation of the water, and can be described as SOLB, so obviously SOLB can mean easily the male sexual organ rather the Backbone

Now let?s see what TARAIB means, and I have to admit, this is a very strange Arabic word and never used within the Arabs as SOLB is used, however my mission is now much easier, as I managed to find out that SOLB may mean ?the male sexual organ? , then instead of finding what TARAIB means, the mission can be to find out if it means the female sexual organs

It is logical that any Muslim scholar who suggested that SOLB means Backbone is proven wrong from the above, so if they said TARAIB means Ribs, we can not say they are right 100%, this mistake by some Muslim scholars is actually very consistent with one of the Principles of Islam regarding the Quran, which is, in your way to understand the Quran you may explain things wrong because it was hard to explain, however Allah will not consider this a SIN as long as your intention is white and clear ?I will bring the aya later when I find it?

Maurice Bucaille is a French Surgeon who was born in 1920, you can know more about him here http//www.whonamedit.com/doctor.cfm/1898.html , in 1976 he published a book called ?La Bible, le Coran et la science? you can find this book here http//home.swipnet.se/islam/quran-bible.htm , his book was published after an intensive researches that took him years while he was a Catholic and this contradiction alleged by the enemy of Islam took his attention, here is what he said in his book regarding these two ayas

-> Start of extraction
Our epoch believes that it has made manifold discoveries in all possible fields. It is thought that great innovations have been made in the field of sex education, and the knowledge of the facts of life which has been opened up to young people is regarded as an achievement of the modern world. Previous centuries were noted for their deliberate obscurity on this point and many people say that religion-without stating which religion-is the cause of it.
The information set out above is proof however that fourteen centuries ago theoretical questions (as it were) on human reproduction were brought to man's attention. This was done as far as was possible, taking into account the fact that the anatomical and physiological data needed for further explanations were lacking. One should also remember that, to be understood, it was necessary to use simple language suited to the level of comprehension of those who listened to the Preaching.
Practical considerations have not been silently ignored. There are many details in the Qur'an on the practical side of life in general, and the way man should behave in the many situations of his existence. His sex life is no exception.
Two verses in the Qur'an deal with sexual relations themselves. They are described in terms which unite the need for precision with that of decency. When translations and explanatory commentaries are consulted however, one is struck by the divergences between them. I have pondered for a long time on the translation of such verses, and am indebted to Doctor A. K. Giraud, Former Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, Beirut, for the following
sura 86, verse 6 and 7

"(Man) was fashioned from a liquid poured out. It issued (as a result) of the conjunction of the sexual area of the man and the sexual area of the woman." The sexual area of the man is indicated in the text of the Qur'an by the world sulb (singular). The sexual areas of the woman are designated in the Quran by the word tara'ib (plural).

This is the translation which appears to be most satisfactory. It is different from the one that is often given by English and French translators, i.e.

" (Man) has been created by a liquid poured out which issues from between the vertebral column and the bones of the breast."

This would seem more to be an interpretation than a translation. It is hardly comprehensible.
-> End of extraction

a version of the word TARAIB was also used to describe a relation that is nothing but sex in paradise, let?s look at these ayas

?And made them Virgin-pure?, ?Full of love, Equal in Age?

The aya 37, in Arabic is actually two Arabic words only as follow ?ORABAN ATARABA?
and the second word ATARABA, is actually a version of the word origin TARABA, TARAIB is also a version of TARABA , and by adding the A letter at the beginning it will become ATARABA and this will give it a lastability for its meaning, a common thing in Arabic language, and as we all know that these purified beautiful women are created for nothing but sex and there will be no human reproduction at that stage in paradise

What we can see that those two ayas regarding the human reproduction, were not really meant to describe the human reproduction, rather to remind the humans with how they start and how weak they are as they are a result of a water proceeding from and BETWEEN the male and the female sexual organs, SOLB and TARAIB as a result of a sexual act, what an accuracy in the Quran this turned to be.

the important note here, why Allah do that, didn?t He know that these two un-clear ayas ?using a description instead of the actual words? can be used with the enemy of Islam to attack the Quran? Of course He must have known, in fact Allah deliberately planned this, the plan is simple and applys to Muslims/Non Muslims as follow

Put in this book plenty of Basic, Fundamental and Clear meanings
Add a few meanings that are not entirely clear but still not wrong - Logically speaking

this is actually the best way of discovering who really believes and who is still in doubt then be in denial, let?s look at Allah? plan as described in the Quran

?He, it is Who has sent down to thee the Book, in it are verses basic or fundamental clear (in meanings); They are the foundation of the Book others are not entirely clear. But those hearts is perversity follow the part thereof that is not entirely clear. Seeking discord and searching for the interpretation, but know one knows its true meanings except Allah, and those who are firmly grounded in knowledge say We believe in it, the whole of it is from our Lord and none will gasp the Message except men of understanding?

looking at the above aya, and the human reproduction issue we can really see that what is happening from the enemy of Islam and the people reaction is truly described here, but to put the description into perspective we have to see what the Quran has said in great details about the human reproduction which is described in the above aya as verses basic or fundamental clear (in meanings), and the best way to do it is to show what Dr Maurice Bucaille has discovered

-> Start of extraction
Human Reproduction
From the moment ancient human writings enter into detail (however slight) on the subject of reproduction, they inevitably make statements that are inaccurate. In the Middle Ages-and even in more recent time-reproduction was surrounded by all sorts of myths and superstitions. How could it have been otherwise, considering the fact that to understand its complex mechanisms, man first had to possess a knowledge of anatomy, the discovery of the microscope had to be made, and the so-called basic sciences had to be founded which were to nurture physiology, embryology, obstetrics, etc.

The situation is quite different in the Qur'an. The Book mentions precise mechanisms in many places and describes clearly-defined stages in reproduction, without providing a single statement marred by inaccuracy. Everything in the Qur'an is explained in simple terms which are easily understandable to man and in strict accordance with what was to be discovered much later on.

Human reproduction is referred to in several dozen verses of the Qur'an, in various contexts. It is explained through statements which deal with one or more specific points. They must be assembled to give a general idea of the verses as a whole, and here, as for the other subjects already examined, the commentary is in this way made easier.

REMINDER OF CERTAIN BASIC CONCEPTS.
It is imperative to recall certain basic concepts which were unknown at the time of the Qur'anic Revelation and the centuries that followed.

Human reproduction is effected by a series of processes which we share in common with mammals. The starting point is the fertilization of an ovule which has detached itself from the ovary.

It takes place in the Fallopian tubes half-way through the menstrual cycle. The fertilizing agent is the male sperm, or more exactly, the spermatozoon, a single fertilizing cell being all that is needed. To ensure fertilization therefore, an infinitely small quantity of spermatic liquid containing a large number of spermatozoons (tens of millions at a time) is .required.

This liquid is produced by the testicles and temporarily stored in a system of reservoirs and canals that finally lead into the urinary tract; other glands are situated along the latter which contribute their own additional secretions to the sperm itself.

The implantation of the egg fertilized by this process takes place at a precise spot in the female reproductive system it descends into the uterus via a Fallopian tube and lodges in the body of the uterus where it soon literally implants itself by insertion into the thickness of the mucosa and of the muscle, once the placenta has been formed and with the aid of the latter. If the implantation of the fertilized egg takes place, for example, in the Fallopian tubes instead of in the uterus, pregnancy will be interrupted.

Once the embryo begins to be observable to the naked eye, it looks like a small mass of flesh at the centre of which the appearance of a human being is at first indistinguishable. It grows there in progressive stages which are very well known today; they lead to the bone structure, the muscles, the nervous system, the circulation, and the viscerae, etc.
These notions will serve as the terms of reference against which the statements in the Qur'an on reproduction are to be compared.

HUMAN REPRODUCTION IN THE QUR'AN.
It is not easy to gain an idea of what the Qur'an contains on this subject. The first difficulty arises from the fact already mentioned, i.e. that the statements dealing with this subject are scattered throughout the Book. This is not however a major difficulty. What is more likely to mislead the inquiring reader is, once again, the problem of vocabulary.

In fact there are still many translations and commentaries in circulation today that can give a completely false idea of the Qur'anic Revelation on this subject to the scientist who reads them. The majority of translations describe, for example, man's formation from a 'blood clot' or an 'adhesion'. A statement of this kind is totally unacceptable to scientists specializing in this field. In the paragraph dealing with the implantation of the egg in the maternal uterus, we shall see the reasons why distinguished Arabists who lack a scientific background have made such blunders.

This observation implies how great the importance of an association between linguistic and scientific knowledge is when it comes to grasping the meaning of Qur'anic statements on reproduction.
The Qur'an sets out by stressing the successive transformations the embryo undergoes before reaching its destination in the maternal uterus.

--sura 82, verses 6 to 8
"O Man! Who deceives you about your Lord the Noble, Who created you and fashioned you in due proportion and gave you any form He willed."

--sura 71, verse 14
"(God) fashioned you in (different) stages."

Along with this very general observation, the text of the Qur'an draws attention to several points concerning reproduction which might be listed as follows

fertilization is performed by only a very small volume of liquid.
the constituents of the fertilizing liquid.
the implantation of the fertilized egg.
the evolution of the embryo.

Fertilization is Performed by Only a Very Small Volume of Liquid.
The Qur'an repeats this concept eleven times using the following expression

--sura 16, verse 4
"(God) fashioned man from a small quantity (of sperm)."

The Arabic word nutfa has been translated by the words 'small quantity (of sperm)' because we do not have the terms that are strictly appropriate. This word comes from a verb signifying 'to dribble, to trickle'; it is used to describe what remains at the bottom of a bucket that has been emptied out. It therefore indicates a very small quantity of liquid. Here it is sperm because the word is associated in another verse with the word sperm.

--sura 75, verse 37
"Was (man) not a small quantity of sperm which has been poured out?"

Here the Arabic word mani signifies sperm.
Another verse indicates that the small quantity in question is put in a 'firmly established lodging' (qarar) which obviously means the genital organs.

--sura 23, verse 13. God is speaking
"Then We placed (man) as a small quantity (of sperm) in a safe lodging firmly established."

It must be added that the adjective which in this text refers to the 'firmly established lodging' makin is, I think, hardly translatable. It expresses the idea of a firmly established and respected place. However this may be, it refers to the spot where man grows in the maternal organism. It IS important to stress the concept of a very small quantity of liquid needed in the fertilization process, which is strictly in agreement with what we know on this subject today.

The Constituents of the Fertilizing Liquid.
The Qur'an describes the liquid enabling fertilization to take place in terms which it is interesting to examine

a) 'sperm', as has been stated precisely (sura 75, verse 37)

b) 'a liquid poured out'. "Man was fashioned from a liquid poured out" (sura 86, verse 6)

c) 'a despised liquid' (sura 32, verse 8 and sura 77, verse 20)
The adjective 'despised' (mahin) would, it seems, be interpreted not so much on account of the nature of the liquid itself, as more the fact that it is emitted through the outlet of the urinary tract, using the channels that are employed for passing urine.

d) 'Mixtures' or 'mingled liquids' (amsaj) "Verily, we fashioned man from a small quantity of mingled liquids" (sura 76, verse 2)
Many commentators, like professor Hamidullah, consider these liquids to be the male and female agents. The same view was shared by older commentators, who could not have had any idea of the physiology of fertilization, especially its biological conditions in the case of the woman. They thought that the word simply meant the unification of the two elements.

Modern authors however, like the commentator of the Muntakab edited by the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Cairo, have corrected this view and note here that the 'small quantity of sperm' is made up of various component parts. The commentator in the Muntakab does not go into detail, but in my opinion it is a very judicious observation.
What are the components parts of sperm?
Spermatic liquid is formed by various secretions which come from the following glands

a) the testicles the secretion of the male genital gland contains spermatozoons, which are elongated cells with a long flagellum; they are bathed in a sero-fluid liquid.

b) the seminal vesicles. these organs are reservoirs of spermatozoons and are placed near the prostate gland; they also secrete their own liquid but it does not contain any fertilizing agents.

c) the prostate gland this secretes a liquid which gives the sperm its creamy texture and characteristic odour.

d) the glands annexed to the urinary tract Cooper's or M?ry's glands secrete a stringy liquid and Littr?'s glands give off mucous.
These are the origins of the 'mingled liquids' which the Qur'an would appear to refer to.

There is, however, more to be said on this subject. When the Qur'an talks of a fertilizing liquid composed of different components, it also informs us that man's progeny will be maintained by something which may be extracted from this liquid.

This is the meaning of verse 8, sura 32
"(God) made his progeny from the quintessence of a despised liquid."

The Arabic word, translated here by the word 'quintessence', is sulala. It signifies 'something which is extracted, the issue of something else, the best part of a thing'. In whatever way it is translated, it refers to a part of a whole.

Fertilization of the egg and reproduction are produced by a cell that is very elongated its dimensions are measured in ten thousandths of a millimetre. In normal conditions, only one single cell among several tens of millions produced by a man will actually penetrate the ovule; a large number of them are left behind and never complete the journey which leads from the vagina to the ovule, passing through the uterus and Fallopian tubes. It is therefore an infinitesimally small part of the extract from a liquid whose composition is highly complex which actually fulfills its function.

In consequence, it is difficult not to be struck by the agreement between the text of the Qur'an and the scientific knowledge we possess today of these phenomena.

The Implantation of the Egg In the Female Genital Organs.
Once the egg has been fertilized in the Fallopian tube it descends to lodge inside the uterus; this is called the 'implantation of the egg'. The Qur'an names the lodging of the fertilized egg womb

-sura 22, verse 5
"We cause whom We will to rest in the womb for an appointed term."

The implantation of the egg in the uterus (womb) is the result of the development of villosities, veritable elongations of the egg, which, like roots in the soil, draw nourishment from the thickness of the uterus necessary to the egg's growth. These formations make the egg literally cling to the uterus. This is a discovery of modern times.

The act of clinging is described five different times in the Qur'an.

Firstly in verses 1 and 2 of sura 96
"Read, in the name of thy Lord Who fashioned,
Who fashioned man from something which clings."

'Something which clings' is the translation of the word 'alaq. It is the original meaning of the word. A meaning derived from it, 'blood clot', often figures in translation; it is a mistake against which one should guard man has never passed through the stage of being a 'blood clot'. The same is true for another translation of this term, 'adhesion' which is equally inappropriate. The original sense of 'something which clings' corresponds exactly to today's firmly established reality.

This concept is recalled in four other verses which describe successive transformations from the small quantity of sperm through to the end

--sura 22, verse 5
"We have fashioned you from . . . something which clings."

--sura 23, verse 14
"We have fashioned the small quantity (of sperm) into something which clings."

--sura 40, verse 67
"(God) fashioned you from a small quantity (of sperm), from something which clings."

-sura 75, verse 37-38
"Was (man) not a small quantity of sperm which has been poured out? After that he was something which clings; then God fashioned him in due proportion."

The organ which harbours the pregnancy is qualified in the Qur'an by a word which, as we have seen, is still used in Arabic to signify the uterus. In some suras, it is called a 'lodging firmly established' (sura 23, verse 13, quoted above and sura 77, verse 21).

Evolution of the Embryo inside the Uterus.
The Qur'anic description of certain stages in the development of the embryo corresponds exactly to what we today know about it, and the Qur'an does not contain a single statement that is open to criticism from modern science.

After 'the thing which clings' (an expression which is well-founded, as we have seen) the Qur'an informs us that the embryo passes through the stage of 'chewed flesh', then osseous tissue appears and is clad in flesh (defined by a different word from the preceding which signifies 'intact flesh').

--sura 23, verse 14
"We fashioned the thing which clings into a chewed lump of flesh and We fashioned the chewed flesh into bones and We clothed the bones with intact flesh."

'Chewed flesh' is the translation of the word mudga; 'intact flesh' is lahm. This distinction needs to be stressed. The embryo is initially a small mass. At a certain stage in its development, it looks to the naked eye like chewed flesh. The bone structure develops inside this mass in what is called the mesenchyma. The bones that are formed are covered in muscle; the word lahm applies to them.
Another verse which requires extremely delicate interpretation is the following

--sura 39, verse 6
"(God) fashions you inside the bodies of your mothers, formation after formation, in three (veils of) darkness." (zulumat)

Modern intrepreters of the Qur'an see in this verse the three anatomical layers that protect the infant during gestation the abdominal wall, the uterus itself, and the surroundings of the foetus (placenta, embryonic membranes, amniotic fluid).

I am obliged to quote this verse for the sake of completeness; the terpretation given here does not seem to me to be disputable from an anatomical point of view but is this what the text of the Qur'an really means?

It is known how certain parts appear to be completely out of proportion during embryonic development with what is later to become the individual, while others remain in proportion.

This is surely the meaning of the word mukallaq which signifies 'shaped in proportion' as used in verse 5, sura 22 to describe this phenomenon.
"We fashioned . . . into something which clings . . . into a lump of flesh in proportion and out of proportion."
The Qur'an also describes the appearance of the senses and the viscerae

--sura 32, verse 9
"(God) appointed for you the sense of hearing, sight and the viscerae."

It refers to the formation of the sexual organs

--sura 53, verses 45-46
"(God) fashioned the two of a pair, the male and the female, from a small quantity (of sperm) when it is poured out."

The formation of the sexual organs is described in two sura of the Qur'an

--sura 35, verse 11
"God created you from dust, then from a sperm-drop, then He made you pairs (the male and female)."

--sura 75, verse 39
"And, (God) made of him a pair, the male and female."

As has already been noted, all statements in the Qur'an must be compared with today's firmly established concepts the agreement between them is very clear. It is however very important to compare them with the general beliefs On this subject that were held at the time of the Qur'anic Revelation in order to realize just how far people were in those days from having views on these problems similar to those expressed here in the Qur'an. There can be no doubt that they would have been unable to interpret the Revelation in the way we can today because we are helped by the data modern knowledge affords us. It was, in fact, only during the Nineteenth century that people had a slightly clearer view of this question.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the most diversified doctrines originated in unfounded myths and speculations they persisted for several centuries after this period. The most fundamental stage in the history of embryology was Harvey's statement (1651) that "all life initially comes from an egg". At this time however, when nascent science had nevertheless benefited greatly (for the subject in hand) from the invention of the microscope, people were still talking about the respective roles of the egg and the spermatozoon. Buffon, the great naturalist, was one of those in favor of the egg theory, but Bonnet supported the theory of the seeds being 'packed together'. the ovaries of Eve, the mother of the human race, were supposed to have contained the seeds of all human beings, packed together one inside the other. This hypothesis came into favor in the Eighteenth century.

More than a thousand years before our time, at a period when whimsical doctrines still prevailed, men had a knowledge of the Qur'an. The statements it contains express in simple terms truths of primordial importance which man has taken centuries to discover.

THE QUR'AN AND SEX EDUCATION.
Our epoch believes that it has made manifold discoveries in all possible fields. It is thought that great innovations have been made in the field of sex education, and the knowledge of the facts of life which has been opened up to young people is regarded as an achievement of the modern world. Previous centuries were noted for their deliberate obscurity on this point and many people say that religion-without stating which religion-is the cause of it.

The information set out above is proof however that fourteen centuries ago theoretical questions (as it were) on human reproduction were brought to man's attention. This was done as far as was possible, taking into account the fact that the anatomical and physiological data needed for further explanations were lacking. One should also remember that, to be understood, it was necessary to use simple language suited to the level of comprehension of those who listened to the Preaching.

Practical considerations have not been silently ignored. There are many details in the Qur'an on the practical side of life in general, and the way man should behave in the many situations of his existence. His sex life is no exception.

Two verses in the Qur'an deal with sexual relations themselves. They are described in terms which unite the need for precision with that of decency. When translations and explanatory commentaries are consulted however, one is struck by the divergences between them. I have pondered for a long time on the translation of such verses, and am indebted to Doctor A. K. Giraud, Former Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, Beirut, for the following

--sura 86, verse 6 and 7
"(Man) was fashioned from a liquid poured out. It issued (as a result) of the conjunction of the sexual area of the man and the sexual area of the woman."

The sexual area of the man is indicated in the text of the Qur'an by the world sulb (singular). The sexual areas of the woman are designated in the Qur'an by the word tara'ib (plural).

This is the translation which appears to be most satisfactory. It is different from the one that is often given by English and French translators, i.e. " (Man) has been created by a liquid poured out which issues from between the vertebral column and the bones of the breast." This would seem more to be an interpretation than a translation. It is hardly comprehensible.
The behavior of a man in his intimate relationships with his wife is stated explicitly.

There is the order concerning the menstruation period contained in verses 222 and 223, sura 2; God gives the following command to the Prophet

--sura 2, verses 222 and 223
"They (the Believers) question thee concerning menstruation. Say This is an evil. Keep away from women during menstruation and do not approach them until they are clean. When they have purified themselves, go to them, as God ordered it to you.
"Verily, God loves the repentants and loves those who purified themselves.
"Your wives are a tilth. Go to your tilth as you will. Do (some good act) for your souls beforehand."

The beginning of this passage is very clear in meaning it formally forbids a man to have sexual contact with a woman who has her period. The second part describes the process of tilling which the sower performs before sowing the seed which is to germinate and produce a new plant. Through this image therefore, stress is indirectly laid on the importance of bearing in mind the final purpose of sexual contact, i.e. reproduction. The translation of the final phrase is by R. Blach?re it contains an order which seems to refer to the preliminaries before sexual contact.

The orders given here are of a very general kind. The problem of contraception has been raised with regard to these verses neither here, nor anywhere else, is reference made to this subject.
Nor is provoked abortion referred to. The numerous passages quoted above on the successive transformations of the embryo make it quite clear, however, that man is considered to be constituted as of the stage described by the existence of 'something which clings'. This being so, the absolute respect of the individual human being, which is referred to so often in the Qur'an, brings with it a total condemnation of provoked abortion. This attitude is today shared by all monotheistic religions.
Sexual relations are permitted at night during the Fast in the month of Ramadan. The verse concerning Ramadan is as follows

--sura 2, verse 187
"Permitted to you, on the night of the fast, is to break chastity with your wives. They are a garment for you and you are a garment for them. So hold intercourse with them and seek what God has ordained for you."

In contrast to this, no exception to the rule is made for pilgrims in Makka during the celebration days of the Pilgrimage.

--sura 2, verse 197
"For whom undertakes (the duty of) the Pilgrimage in its time, no wooing and no license."

This prohibition is formal, as is the fact that other activities are forbidden, e.g. hunting, fighting, etc.
Menstruation is again mentioned in the Qur'an in connection with divorce. The Book contains the following verse

--sura 65, verse 4
"For your wives who despair of menstruation, if you doubt about them, their period of waiting will be three months. For those who never have their monthly periods and those who are pregnant their period will be until they lay down their burden."

The waiting period referred to here is the time between the announcement of the divorce and the time it comes into effect. Those women of whom it is said 'they despair of menstruation' have reached the menopause. A precautionary period of three months is envisaged for them. Once this period is completed, divorced women who have reached the menopause may remarry.

For those who have not yet menstruated, the pregnancy period has to be awaited. For pregnant women, divorce only comes into effect once the child is born.
All these laws are in perfect agreement with physiological data. One can, furthermore, find in the Qur'an the same judicious legal provision in the texts dealing with widowhood.

Thus, the theoretical statements dealing with reproduction, and the practical instructions on the sex life of couples, do not contradict and cannot be placed in opposition to the data we have from modern knowledge, nor with anything that can be logically derived from it.
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Thanks for reading

Ahmed Bahgat

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