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Literally the Arabic word alaqah has 3 meanings: (1) leech; (2) suspended
thing; and (3) blood clot.
1. "In
comparing a leech to the embryo at the alaqah stage, we find similarity
between the two." [The
Developing Human p.8).
"Also, the embryo as this stage obtains nourishment from the
blood of the mother, similar to the leech which feeds on the blood of
others."
[Human Development as Described in Qur'an and Sunnah p.36).
2. The second
meaning of the word alaqah is 'suspended thing'. The suspension of the
embryo, during the alaqah stage, in the womb of the mother very
appropriately fits this description.
3. The third meaning
of the word alaqah is 'blood clot'. We find that the external
appearance of the embryo and its sacs during the alaqah stage is
similar to that of a blood clot. This is due to the presence of
relatively large amounts of blood present in the embryo during this
stage. Also during this stage the blood in the embryo does not
circulate until the end of the third week. So the embryo at this stage
is like a clot of blood.
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By examining a diagram of the primitive cardiovascular system in an embryo
during the alaqah stage we would notice the external appearance of the embryo and
its sacs is similar to that of a blood clot due to the presence of relatively
large amounts of blood present in the embryo [The Developing Human, p. 65)
So the three meanings of the word alaqah correspond accurately to the
descriptions of the embryo at the alaqah stage.
The next stage mentioned in the verse is the mudghah stage. The Arabic word
mudghah means "chewed-like substance." If one were to take a piece of
gum and chew it in his mouth, and then compare it with the embryo at the mudghah
stage, we would conclude that they would be almost identical because of the
somites at the back of the embryo that 'somewhat resemble teeth marks in a chewed
substance.'
How could Muhammad, peace be upon him, have possibly known all this 1,400
years ago when scientists have only recently discovered this using advanced
equipment and powerful microscopes which did not exist at that time? Hamm and
Leeuwenhoek were the first scientists to observe human sperm cells using an
improved microscope in 1677 A.D. (more than 1,000 years after Muhammad, peace be
upon him]. They mistakenly thought that the sperm cell contained a miniature
preformed human being that grew when it was deposited in the female genital
tract [The Developing Human, p.9)
Professor Keith Moore is one of the world's prominent scientists in the
fields of anatomy and embryology and is the author of the book entitled the
"Developing Human", which has been translated into eight languages.
This book is considered a scientific reference work and was chosen by a special
committee in the United States as the best book authored by on person. Dr. Keith
Moore is a Professor of Anatomy and Cell Biology at the University of Toronto,
Toronto, Canada. In 1984, he received the most distinguished award presented in
the field of anatomy in Canada, the J.C.B. Grant Award from the Canadian
Association of Anatomists. He has directed many international associations, such
as the Canadian and American Association of Anatomists and the Council of the
Union of Biological Sciences.
In 1981, during the Seventh Medical Conference in Dammam, Saudi Arabia,
Professor Moore said; "It has been a great pleasure for me to help clarify
statements in the Qur'an about human development. It is clear to me that these
statements must have come to Muhammad from God, or Allah, because almost all of
this knowledge was not discovered until many centuries later. This proves to me
that Muhammad must have been the messenger of God, or Allah [The reference for
this statement is on 'This is the Truth' (video tape). For a copy of this video
tape please contact us].
Consequently, Professor Moore was asked the following question, "Does
this mean that you believe that the Qur'an is the Word of God?" He replied;
"I find no difficulty in accepting this."
During one conference, Professor Moore stated, "... because the stagein
of human embryos is complex, owing to the continuous process of change during
development, it is proposed that a new system of classification could be developed
using the terms mentioned in the Qur'an and the Sunnah (sayings of
Muhammad, peace be upon him). The proposed system is simple, comprehensive, and
conforms with present embryological knowledge. The intensive studies of the Qur'an
and Hadeeth (reliably transmitted sayings and reports of Prophet Muhammad,
peace be upon him) in the last four years have revealed a system of classifying
human embryos that is amazing since it was recorded in the 7th century A.D.
Although Eric Statle, the founder of the science of embryology, realized that
chick embryos developed in stages from his studies of hen's eggs in the fourth
century B.C., he did not give any details about these stages. As far as it is
known from the history of embryology, little was known about the stagein and
classification of human embryos until the twentieth century. For this reason,
the descriptions of the human embryo in the Qur'an cannot be based on scientific
knowledge in the 7th century A.D. The only reasonable conclusion is that these
descriptions were revealed to Muhammad from God. He could not have known such
details because he was an illiterate man with absolutely no scientific
training." [This is the Truth -video tape]
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