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The Qu'ran and Medical Science



The field of medical science and its branches like anatomy has been studied by humans throughout their existence. Humans have been interested in the structure of their own bodies because it would provide answers to themselves. With religion, humans have sought explanations to questions like "how is it that I am structured like this?". 1400 years ago, when the Qu'ran was revealed to Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him), it had provided some answers to the development of the human body as well as the function of the body.



Human Development/Creation:



In the 20th century, it was discovered that humans are created by only a small portion of semen. The semen is a mixed fluid and does not contain just sperm. It contains some substances like citric acid, prostaglandin, zinc, phosphatse acid, phospholipids, etc.

"Does men reckon he will be left uncontrolled (without purpose)? Was he not once of ejected semen? " (Qu'ran, 75:36-37)



"We created man from a mingled drop to test him.." (Qu'ran 76:2)

"He Who has created all things in the best possible way. He commenced the creation of man from clay; then He made his progeny from an extract of discarded fluid." (Qu'ran, 76:2)



In the above verses, it shows that the qu'ran stated that the semen was mixed.



In many cultures, a well as in the past, it was thought that the sex of a baby was determined by the female. As science progressed, some embryologist thought that the sexes were determined by both males and females.



"He has created both sexes, male and female from a drop of semen which has been ejected." (Qu'ran, 53:45-46)



20th centuray technology proved that a baby's sex is determined by the male sperm, the Qu'ran has stated this fact 1400's years ago.



"Was he not a drop of ejaculated sperm, then blood-clot which He created and shaped, making from it both sexes, male and female?" (Qu'ran 75:37-39)



The Y chromosomes carry masculine characteristics while the X chromosomes carry feminine characteristics. The female egg has the X chromosome, while the male sperm contains both the X and Y chromosome. Therefore, the sperm male is the factor that determines the sex. If the combination of the chromosomes is XY, the new cell will be male, and if its XX then the new cell will be female.



The zygote, which is a single cell, is formed when the sperm and the ovum unite. This zygote then starts to divide into a "piece of flesh" which is an embryo. The embryo clings to the Uterus and thus continues its development that way.

"Recite (read): In the name of your Lord Who created man from alaq. Recite (read): And your Lord is the Most Generous. (Qu'ran, 96:1-3



The word alaq in Arabic has the same meaning as a "thing that clings to some place" which is literally used to describe leeches that cling to a body to suck blood.



During the development of the embryo, in the mother's womb, the bones develop first. After the development of the bones, the muscles start to develop wrapping around the bones. Embryologists used to thing that the bones and muscles developed at the same time.

In this verse:

"We 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.." (Qu'ran, 23:14)



The sequence of development in the verse above proves to be correct. In the mother's womb, first the cartilage tissue ossifies, then the muscular cells around the bones come together and wrap around the bones.



The development of the embryo is done by stages. The Qu'ran states that the baby is formed in three dark stages, and science has proven this in the 20th century.

"..He creates you stage by stage in your mother's womb in threefold darkness.." (Qu'ran, 39:6)

In the development of the embryo, the three dark regions are the darkness of the abdomen, the darkness of the womb, and the darkness of the placenta.



Each of these regions consist of three layers. The lateral abdominal contains the external oblique, the internal oblique, and the transverses abdominis muscles. The womb contains the epimetrium, myometrium, and endometrium. Also, the placenta, which surrounds the embryo, contains the amnion, chorion and deciduas. Not only is the formation of a being done so in three stages, but ironically the regions contain three layers within them.



The life in the Uterus is also formed in three stages, which are pre-embryonic, embryonic, and fetal. In the pre-embryonic stage, the zygote divides and forms into a cell cluster, eventually organizing in three layers. In the embryonic stage, the organs and systems of the body start to form and appear in the cell layers. The feotal stage is the last stage which develops until the featus looks much like a human being. The featus thus keeps on developing into a baby until the time for delivery is up.



Human Parts and Organs:



The skin is sensory because it contains most of the pain sensitive nerve endings. When the skin is burned it looses its sensitivity.

"Those who reject our signs. We shall soon cast into the fire; as often as their skins are roasted through. We shall change them for fresh skins, that they may taste the chastisement: for Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise" (Qur'an 4:56)



One of the punishments in hell is, the burning and reburning of the skin. In the above verse, it shows clearly that the skin is the pain receptor because when it is burned, it looses its sensitivity. That is why it is needed for the skin to be re-made. No human could have known this fact 1400 years ago and Professor Tagata Tagasone, Head of the Department of Anatomy and Embryology at the University of Shiang Mai in Thailand would agree with that.



Science has proven that the front of the cerebrum in the brain, is the part where the function of lying, planning or doing good is initiated. The verse below states this.

"No! If he does not stop, We shall take him by the naseyah (front of the head), a lying sinful naseyah!" (Qu'ran, 96:15-16)



In this verse, why isn't the whole person blamed for lying but just the front of his head? In the cerebrum the prefrontal area is responsible for initiating any acts of telling lies or truths. The function of the prefrontal area has only been discovered in the past 60 years.



"…but neither their hearing, nor their sights, nor their hears availed them aught.. " (Qu'ran: Al- Ahqaf 26)



"It is He Who has created for you hearing, sights, and hearts." Qu'ran: Mum'minun 78)



Throughout the Qu'ran whenever the words hearing and sight are mentioned, the word hearing always comes before the word sights. Coincidently, in the brain, the hearing center is before the sight center.

"..Or have they eyes wherewith they see? Or have they ears wherewith they hear? (Qu'ran: 195 of Al-Araf)



..And we ordained therein them: life for life, eye for eye, nose for nose, ear for ear.." (Qu'ran: 45 of Al-Maidah)



In the above verses, and also throughout the Qu'ran, the word eye always comes before the word ear, because in our heads the eye proceeds the ear.

"..He makes his breast narrow and constricted as if he were climbing up into the sky.." (Qu'ran, 6:125)



When humans are climbing a mountain the results are the chest becomes narrow. In a high elevation the atmospheric pressure decreases, the atmosphere becomes thinner and the oxygen entering the blood is declining. The result is, it becomes harder for one to breath. In the lungs, the air sacs grow narrow and contract, just like the above verse mentions.



Human Body During Sleep:



"He split's the sky at dawn, and appoints the night as a time of stillness as the Sun and the Moon as a means of reckoning. (Qu'ran, 6:96)



The night is when we usually sleep, also when most creatures and plants sleep. During the night hours our body is slowed down by the hormone melatonin, which is not produced in the daylight hours. During sleep our heartbeat and respiration rhythms slow down and our blood pressure decreases. Also during sleep, the body takes time to restore itself and to store energy. Like the verse shown above, "the night is a time of stillness" to the human body.



"You would have supposed them to be awake, whereas in fact they were asleep. We moved them to the right and to the left, and , at the entrance, their dog stretched out its paws.." (Qu'ran 18:18)



This chapter of the qu'ran is about the people of the cave that have been put to sleep by god (Allah) for many years. What's significant about it is the people were moved during their sleep. In most cases, a person is constantly moving about in sleep. The movements are important because being still for a long period of time can cause problems. Problems like circulation difficulties sores and blood clotting are all results from the lack of movement in sleep.



The position of sleeping preferred in the Sunnah (prophet's way of life) is on the right side. Lying in the abdomen will be uncomfortable after a while because a person may feel short of breath as the backbones mass prevents the chest from contracting and relaxing. It is shown in a hadith (prophet's saying) that.: "When the prophet (peace be upon him) saw a man lying on his front, He said: Allah and his prophet dislike this position in lying" In Australia, a researcher noticed that babies who sleep in their front are much more likely to sudden death then those who sleep in their sides.



Lying on the back may also cause some breathing problems as it causes the respiration to be through the mouth. The nose is the one that's prepared for respiration during sleep because it contains hairs and mucous that act to purify the air entering. Respiration through the mouth makes a person more prone to cold and gum dryness, especially during the winter.



Sleeping in the left side, isn't so favorable either. On the left side, the heart is put under pressure from the right lung which is the biggest of the two lungs. This way, contraction is affected, especially if the person is old. Studies show that the passage of food takes 2.5 to 4.5 hours for it to go to the stomach to the intestines if a person is sleeping on the right side. When a person is sleeping on the left side, the passage takes 5 to 8 hours. Sleeping on the right side is more preferred for a persons health as well as more preferred in the Sunnah.



The Qu'ran is not a scientific book, but it is a spiritual guide and a guideline of everyday life for Muslims. One has to keep in mind, that the Qu'ran is understood more clearly in its original language. What's significant about is some of its verses have provided an insight of some scientific facts only found in recent years. It does not only provide insights from the anatomic and embryonic branch of science, but also all branches of science.

n  {The believers, in their love, mercy, and kindness to one another are like a body: if any part of it is ill, the whole body shares its sleeplessness and fever.}1

n  {The most perfect of the believers in faith are the best of them in morals.  And the best among them are those who are best to their wives.}2

n  {None of you believes (completely) until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.}3

n  {The merciful are shown mercy by the All-Merciful.  Show mercy to those on earth, and God will show mercy to you.}4

n  {Smiling at your brother is charity...}5

n  {A good word is charity.}6

n  {Whoever believes in God and the Last Day (the Day of Judgment) should do good to his neighbor.}7

n  {God does not judge you according to your appearance and your wealth, but He looks at your hearts and looks into your deeds.}8

n  {Pay the worker his wage before his sweat dries.}9

n  {A man walking along a path felt very thirsty.  Reaching a well, he descended into it, drank his fill, and came up.  Then he saw a dog with its tongue hanging out, trying to lick up mud to quench its thirst.  The man said, “This dog is feeling the same thirst that I felt.”  So he went down into the well again, filled his shoe with water, and gave the dog a drink.  So, God thanked him and forgave his sins.}  The Prophet  was asked, “Messenger of God, are we rewarded for kindness towards animals?”  He said: {There is a reward for kindness to every living animal or human.}10

http://www.islam-guide.com/

Prophet Mohammed's sayings:

1- Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah's Apostle said, "While a man was walking he felt thirsty and went down a well and drank water from it. On coming out of it, he saw a dog panting and eating mud because of excessive thirst. The man said, 'This (dog) is suffering from the same problem as that of mine. So he (went down the well), filled his shoe with water, caught hold of it with his teeth and climbed up and watered the dog. Allah thanked him for his (good) deed and forgave him." The people asked, "O Allah's Apostle! Is there a reward for us in serving (the) animals?" He replied, "Yes, there is a reward for serving any animate."

2- Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Umar:

Allah's Apostle said, "A woman was tortured and was put in Hell because of a cat which she had kept locked till it died of hunger." Allah's Apostle further said, (Allah knows better) Allah said (to the woman), 'You neither fed it nor watered when you locked it up, nor did you set it free to eat the insects of the earth."