Islam & Modern Science ( Part-6 )
Islam & Modern Science ( Part-6 )
Following are the topics included in PART-6 of this series....
26- NUTFAH – MINUTE QUANTITY OF LIQUID
27- SULALAH – QUINTESSENCE OF LIQUID
28- NUTFATUN AMSHAAJ – MINGLED LIQUIDS
29- SEX DETERMINATION
30- FOETUS PROTECTED BY THREE VEILS OF DARKNESS
26- NUTFAH – MINUTE QUANTITY OF LIQUID:
The Glorious Qur’an mentions no less than eleven times that the human being is created from nutfah, which means a minute quantity of liquid or a trickle of liquid that remains after emptying a cup. This is mentioned in several verses of the Qur’an including 22:5 and 23:13. (1)
Science has confirmed in recent times that only one out of an average of three million sperms is required for fertilising the ovum. This means that only 1/3 millionth part or 0.00003% of the quantity of sperms that are emitted is required for fertilisation.
-----------------------------------------
1 The same is also mentioned in the Qur’an in 16:4, 18:37, 35:11, 36:77, 40:67, 53:46, 75:37, 76:2 and 80:19.
27- SULALAH – QUINTESSENCE OF LIQUID:
“And made his progeny from a quintessence of the nature of a fluid despised.”
[Al-Qur’an 32:8]
The Arabic word sulaalah means quintessence or the best part of a whole. We have come to know now that only one single spermatozoon that penetrates the ovum is required for fertilization, out of the several million produced by man. That one spermatozoon out of several million, is referred to in the Qur’an as sulaalah. We have also come to know now that only one ovum is fertilized out of the tens of thousand produced by the female. That one ovum out of tens of thousand is also refered to in the Qur'an as Sulaalah. This word also means gentle extraction from a fluid. The fluid refers to both male and female germinal fluids containing gametes. Both ovum and sperm are gently extracted from their environments in the process of fertilization.
28- NUTFATUN AMSHAAJ – MINGLED LIQUIDS:
“Verily We created man from a drop of mingled sperm.”
[Al-Qur’an 76:2]
The Arabic word nutfatin amshaajin means mingled liquids. According to some commentators of the Qur’an, mingled liquids refers to the male or female agents or liquids. After mixture of male and female gamete, the zygote still remains nutfah. Mingled liquids can also refer to spermatic fluid that is formed of various secretions that come from various glands. Therefore, nutfatin amshaaj, i.e. a minute quantity of mingled fluids refers to the male and female gametes (germinal fluids or cells) and part of the surrounding fluids.
29- SEX DETERMINATION:
The sex of a foetus is determined by the nature of the sperm and not of the ovum. The sex of the child, whether female or male, depends on whether the 23rd pair of chromosomes is XX or XY respectively.
Primarily, sex determination occurs at fertilization and depends upon the type of sex chromosome in the sperm that fertilizes an ovum. If it is an ‘X’ bearing sperm that fertilizes the ovum, the foetus is a female and if it is a ‘Y’ bearing sperm then the foetus is a male.
“That He did create in pairs – male and female, from a seed when lodged (in its place).”
[Al-Qur’an 53:45-46]
The Arabic word nutfah means a minute quantity of liquid and tumnaa means ejaculated or planted. Therefore nutfah specifically refers to sperm because it is ejaculated.
The Qur’an says:
“Was he not a drop of sperm emitted (in lowly form)?
“Then did he become a clinging clot; then did (Allah) make and fashion (him) in due proportion.
“And of him He made two sexes, male and female.”
[Al-Qur’an 75:37-39]
Here again it is mentioned that a small quantity (drop) of sperm (indicated by the word nutfatan min maniyyin) which comes from the man is responsible for the sex of the foetus.
Mothers-in-law in the Indian subcontinent, usually prefer having male grandchildren and often blame their daughters-in-law if the child is not a boy. If only they knew that the determining factor is the nature of the male sperm and not the female ovum! If they were to blame anybody, they should rather blame their sons, not their daughters-in-law, since both the Qur’an and Science hold that it is the male fluid that is responsible for the sex of the child!
30- FOETUS PROTECTED BY THREE VEILS OF DARKNESS:
“He makes you, in the wombs of your mothers, in stages, one after another, in three veils of darkness.”
[Al-Qur’an 39:6]
According to Prof. Keith Moore, these three veils of darkness in the Qur’an refer to:
(i) anterior abdominal wall of the mother
(ii) the uterine wall
(iii) the amnio-chorionic membrane.
