Human Embryonic Development
The Quran describes embryonic stages (alaqah, mudghah) with accuracy confirmed by modern embryology.
وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ مِن سُلَالَةٍ مِّن طِينٍ ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَاهُ نُطْفَةً فِي قَرَارٍ مَّكِينٍ ثُمَّ خَلَقْنَا النُّطْفَةَ عَلَقَةً فَخَلَقْنَا الْعَلَقَةَ مُضْغَةً فَخَلَقْنَا الْمُضْغَةَ عِظَامًا فَكَسَوْنَا الْعِظَامَ لَحْمًا
Wa laqad khalaqnal-insāna min sulālatin min ṭīn. Thumma ja'alnāhu nuṭfatan fī qarārin makīn. Thumma khalaqnan-nuṭfata 'alaqatan fakhalaqnal-'alaqata muḍghatan fakhalaqnal-muḍghata 'iẓāman fakasawnal-'iẓāma laḥmā
“We created man from an essence of clay, then We placed him as a drop of fluid in a safe place, then We made that drop into a clinging form, and We made that form into a lump of flesh, and We made that lump into bones, and We clothed those bones with flesh.”
Verify on Quran.com610-632 CE
The verse describing this phenomenon was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
Time Gap
1,000+ years
Before scientific confirmation
17th-20th century
Modern embryology (17th-20th century) confirmed: Stages of Human Embryonic Development
The Quran describes human embryonic development in remarkable detail using terms that precisely match the appearance of the embryo at each stage. The word "alaqah" is particularly significant - it means a leech, something that clings, and a blood clot. At 23-24 days, the embryo: - Resembles a leech in shape - Clings to the uterine wall - Derives its nourishment from the mother's blood
The subsequent stage "mudghah" (chewed substance) describes the embryo at 26-28 days when somites (blocks of tissue) form on the back, giving it an appearance resembling teeth marks on a chewed object.
Modern embryology only began with William Harvey's work in 1651, and the microscope was not invented until 1676. The detailed embryological descriptions in the Quran predate these discoveries by over a millennium.
Phenomenon
Stages of Human Embryonic Development
Discovered By
Modern embryology (17th-20th century)
Year Discovered
1651-1940
Time Gap
1,000+ years
Modern embryology confirms distinct stages of human development:
1. **Nutfah** (sperm-drop): Fertilization and the resulting zygote 2. **Alaqah** (clinging clot): The embryo at 23-24 days resembles a leech, clings to the uterine wall, and depends on blood 3. **Mudghah** (chewed lump): At 26-28 days, somites appear on the embryo's back resembling teeth marks on chewed substance 4. **Bones then flesh**: Cartilaginous skeleton forms (week 7), then muscles develop around them
The word "alaqah" has three meanings in Arabic: leech, suspended thing, and blood clot - all of which describe the embryo at this stage.
Ancient Understanding
Ancient Greeks held two competing theories: Aristotle believed the embryo formed from menstrual blood coagulated by male semen (like cheese from milk). Hippocrates taught that the embryo came from both parents' "seeds." Neither understood the actual developmental stages.
Medieval & Renaissance Period
The "preformation theory" dominated from the 17th-18th centuries, claiming that a tiny, fully-formed human (homunculus) existed in either the sperm or egg, simply growing larger during pregnancy. No developmental stages were recognized.
Scientific View Before Discovery
Until the invention of the microscope (1676) and detailed embryological studies, the prevailing view was either preformation (miniature human already exists) or Aristotle's coagulation theory. The distinct stages of embryonic development were completely unknown.
Common Misconceptions (Before Modern Science)
- A tiny fully-formed human exists in the sperm (homunculus theory)
- The embryo forms instantly from blood coagulation
- Only the father (or only the mother) contributes to the child's form
- There are no distinct developmental stages - just growth in size
- The embryo has a human appearance from conception
The Paradigm Shift
The discovery of the ovum by Karl Ernst von Baer (1827), development of cell theory, and microscopic observation of embryos revealed the truth: humans develop through distinct stages, from single cell to complex organism. The embryo at different stages looks nothing like a miniature human.
Expert Testimonials
Dr. Keith L. Moore
1980Anatomy and Embryology • University of Toronto
“It is clear to me that these statements must have come to Muhammad from God, because almost all of this knowledge was not discovered until many centuries later.”
Dr. T.V.N. Persaud
Anatomy • University of Manitoba
“Muhammad was a very ordinary man. He could not read, did not know how to write... We are talking about 1400 years ago. You have someone illiterate making profound pronouncements and statements that are amazingly accurate about scientific nature.”
Related Signs
Uniqueness of Fingerprints
The Quran emphasizes fingertip recreation - fingerprint uniqueness was only discovered in the 1890s.
Water as the Origin of Life
The Quran states all life is made from water - confirmed by modern biochemistry and cell biology.
Pain Receptors in Skin
The Quran implies pain is felt through skin - confirmed by discovery of cutaneous nociceptors.
Sources & References
4 sources cited on this page