Embryology in the Qur’an and Sunnah / 1.. (A historical view of embryology)

 

Introduction

Allah the Almighty said: “From what thing did He create him (18)?” [Abasa: 18].
This noble verse embodies a fundamental question in biology, and the dilemma of knowing how
man was created is considered part of the scientific records that history has recorded throughout the ages.
The record of our attempts to answer this question constitutes a large part of the history of science.

In this research, we attempt to summarize some of the features of the history of embryology with the aim of preparing for the analyses
that researchers will present at this conference[2]. With regard to many of the points that we highlight
in it, you will notice the presence of Quranic verses and prophetic hadiths related to them.

The history of embryology is fundamentally linked to the history of science in general, and embryology deals with
the origin of all forms of advanced life as much as it is related to the historical development of philosophical thinking.
Not long ago, the scientist referred to himself – as others referred to him –
as (the philosopher of nature).


Historical stages:


We can divide the history of embryology into three stages:

A: The descriptive stage:

The first stage, which we can call (descriptive embryology), dates back to more than six
centuries BC, and continues until the nineteenth century. During this period,
observations of the phenomenon of fetal development were described (and interpreted in different ways). Some
written records were found from the period of the fourth, fifth and sixth pharaonic dynasties in
ancient Egypt. At least ten successive people bore the official title
(opener of the king's placenta). Later, decrees required that a banner representing (the king's placenta) be carried.




The oldest written prescriptions for preventing pregnancy are written in Hieratic script (the language of ancient Egypt
before hieroglyphics) on papyrus (dating back to 2000 and 1800 BC).

Figure (1-1): A banner representing the "royal placenta" of Pharaoh Kleiss 1964.


The basic elements of the prescription include crocodile dung, among other elements.
The ancient Greeks were the first to link science with logic, thanks to their explanation of observations by logic
rather than by mystical magical powers. But logic has not always proven to be consistent with
facts, and even in the age of modern science our interpretations of our experiments and
logical observations may not be correct. A fundamental concept emerged during this period in the history of embryology known as
“successive change.” The writings of Aristotle and Galen dominated the early part
of the historical record (especially in terms of influence and impact), although they were not the only ones in this field.
From 200 AD until the sixteenth century, no significant information about embryology was recorded
in scientific literature in the West. Without Muslim writers, much of the
Greek writings would have been lost. Scientific research was active in the sixteenth century, especially in the seventeenth
and eighteenth centuries, and the works of Vesalius, Fabricius, and Harvey paved the way for the beginning of the age of
Microscopic examination, scientific debates were active, and the sperm was discovered.

The topics of pre-formation, spontaneous self-creation (and the ovum), the unity
of the ovum, and the doctrine of the male sperm were constantly discussed. Let us briefly look at some
things as they were at that time.

First, some drawings (Figure 1-2) in the books of Kabbalah during the sixteenth century show how
the embryo develops from a blood mass and a seed. This misconception was said by Aristotle
and passed down through the centuries. During this period, it was believed that the embryo was generated from menstrual blood.


Figure 1-2: Drawings from Jacob Rueff's book. 1554 showing the blood mass and seed in
the uterus according to Aristotle's concept.
(Permission from Conceptus et Generatione Haminis)
(Permission Needham 1959)

While this idea prevailed among all doctors until after the discovery of the microscope,
Muslim scholars rejected the idea that the fetus is generated from menstrual blood, relying on Quranic verses
such as the Almighty’s saying: “Was he not a drop of ejaculated semen?” (37) [Al-Qiyamah: 37] and the Prophetic hadiths ([3]).
This is one aspect of the clear images of the precedence of the Holy Quran and the Prophetic Sunnah over what was established
among non-Muslim scholars throughout the centuries.

The works of (Fabrisius - 1604) show an excellent drawing of the development of a chicken embryo (Figure 1-3)
. (William Harvey) - one of Fabricius’ students in Padua - became famous for his study of blood circulation.

Then appeared a little later (Marcello Malpighi) who published in 1672 drawings of the
chicken embryo with the back of the cotyledons clearly formed (Figure 1-4).

Today we know that these cotyledons contain cells that generate the greater part of the body's skeleton
and muscles.

Also shown in (Figure 1-5) are some pictures of chicken embryos at the same stage for comparison,
and at about the same time another group of drawings was published, showing the formation of the
human embryo (Figure 1-6) and they all represent one drawing, but in different dimensions (and
the publishers and arbitrators of the ownership of philosophy did not mention this at that time) because they believed until that time
that human creation was nothing but an increase in the size of a single image whose dimensions expanded with the passage
of time of pregnancy, because the idea of ​​the complete creation of man from his first stages dominated the minds of scientists.


Figure 1-3: Illustration of the embryogenesis of a chicken, adapted from
De Formatione ovi Fabrius Meyer (1939)


Figure 1-4: Early stages of embryogenesis according to Malpiffi and his book
(Permission from Meyer (1939)
Some Aspects of Historical progress of Embryology Through the age


Figure 1-5: Modern drawing of a chicken embryo, courtesy of Pattern,s Early Embryology of the chick, Blakisten, Co., New York 1952





Figure 1-6: Old drawing showing human embryogenesis
(Permission from Neddham (1959)

Before discussing the rise of experimental embryology, let us look at the tool that crowned the progress of
descriptive embryology and is now widely used, in its advanced, sophisticated form.
It is the microscope. See (Figure 1-7).


Figure 1-7: (a) A picture of a microscope.


(b) A side view showing the method of use, where the body was placed in front of the lens
on the short stand and the position of the body in front of the lens was adjusted by a screw.

This development led in the seventeenth century to the announcement by (Hamm) and (Van Leeuwenhoek)
of the discovery of the sperm (Figure 1-8) (Royal Society of Philosophy).


Figure 1-8: A drawing by Leeuwenhoek of the sperm of the rabbit and the dog
(Permission from Meyer, 1939).


The picture of the human sperm published in 1701 appears in (Figure 1-9).
Figure 1-9: Sperm according to the scientist Leeuwenhoek.


The numbers 1 and 7 refer to human sperm, while the rest refer to
sheep sperm. There was a great deal of controversy during this period about the observations that were made or
imagined. Let us look at the drawing of human semen (Figure 1-10) according to Buffon 1749
in the upper part, and dog semen in the lower part (including some fluid
from a female dog that had not yet been fertilized). It was not long before observers recognized things
in the semen that expressed the spirit of creativity and innovation in that era (Figure 1-11 Dwarf).



Figure 1-10: Reproduction according to the scientist Buffon 1749
Figure (5) represents human semen mixed with rainwater in order to isolate the threads it contains
to allow the separation of small bodies.

Figure (6) represents the same semen after leaving it for a period of time to become more fluid.
Figure (19) is taken from a male dog.
Figure (20) of a female dog that has not yet been fertilized.


Figure 1-11: A drawing by Hartsaker of the human sperm containing a dwarf
(quoted from its author 1694).


The drawing that Hartsaker presented of the sperm in 1105 AH - 1694 AD, after the discovery of
the microscope for a period, indicates that the microscope at that time was not sufficient to show the details of the formation
of the sperm, so the picture was completed by the imagination of scientists, and they expressed once again the
prevailing idea among them, which is: (that man is created completely in the sperm in
the form of a dwarf, see again (Figure 1-11).

That is, they did not yet know that the creation of man in his mother’s womb passes through different stages of creation
and form, which is the truth that was decided in the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah centuries before that.

The Holy Qur’an decides that the creation of man passes from one stage to another in his mother’s womb, as in
the Almighty’s saying: ﴿...He creates you in the wombs of your mothers, creation After a creation in three darknesses... (Az-Zumar: 6).

Malpighi, who was considered the father of modern embryology, thought that the chicken egg was different from
the 1086 AH - 1675 AD.

While a group of scientists believed that man is created completely in the woman’s egg,
another group decided that man is created completely in the sperm.

The debate between the two groups did not end until about the year (1186 AH - 1775 AD) when Sabala
Nazzani proved the importance of both the sperm and the egg in the process of human creation. While we find
In the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet, these issues have been settled by the fact that the process of creation
is shared between males and females. Among the things that have been mentioned in this regard is the Almighty’s saying: “O mankind, indeed
We have created you from a male and a female…” [Al-Hujurat: 13] [4].

B: Experimental embryology:

The mammalian egg was not discovered until the late nineteenth century, and the
second historical stage – the era of experimental embryology – began with the writings of (von Baer), (Darwin) and (Haeckel)
(from the end of the nineteenth century until the forties of the twentieth century).

(von Baer) was a giant in his time in this field, as he made the leap in embryology from experiments
and observations to formulating embryological concepts, not the other way around, and that was a very precise flash of intelligence
.

His thinking took him beyond the concepts he had learned.
The second historical stage was characterized by the search for (mechanisms) and the name (Wilhelm Rocks) emerged
in this field, and the embryological study moved from describing observations to intervening and treating
advanced living organisms.

The issue of knowing the mechanism by which differentiation occurs between cells occupied the interest of researchers such as
(Wilson), (Neudor) and (Boveri). (Ross Harrison) developed the umbilical cord transplantation technique,
(Otto Warburg) began studies on the chemical mechanisms of creation, (Frank Rattray Lilly) studied
the method of fertilization of the sperm with the egg, (Hans Spemann) studied the mechanisms of
tissue interaction such as that which occurs during embryonic development, and (Johannes Holtfreter) studied the vital processes
that show some connection between tissue cells with each other or between them and
the cells of other tissues.

A: Technology and the use of devices:

The third or (modern) stage extends from the forties to the present day, and this
stage was greatly influenced by the development of devices, which strongly affected the course of research.

For example, the electron microscope, other advanced cameras, the measurement of
the relative intensity of spectral parts, the computer, and the array of means for detecting,
isolating, and analyzing proteins, nucleic acids, and complex carbohydrates, can all be considered
factors that put today's developmental biologists in a position that allows them to perform
experiments that seemed only a dream a decade ago.

We can now perform detailed, precise analysis of the surface of cells during their differentiation.
We can also study the role of the nucleus, the cytoplasm[5], and the extracellular matrix
using cell hybridization, nuclear implantation, in vitro gene implantation, and other
techniques. We can now look at embryos with a clarity that was unimaginable in
Malpighi's time (Figure 1-12).


Figure 1-12: Electron scanning of a mouse embryo
(with thanks to Dr. A. Fadl) (Permission from GGG)

We can look inside the sections (Figures 1-13, 1-14) to
better understand the mechanisms of normal and abnormal differentiation.


Figure 1-13: Electrocardiogram scan of a mouse embryonic heart
(courtesy of GGG Laboratory) (With thanks to Dr. A. Fadl)
(courtesy of Dr. A. Fazel) permission from GGG


Figure 1-14: Electrocardiogram scan of a mouse embryonic heart showing one of the stages of formation of
the lining of the heart gel (with thanks to Dr. A. Fazel)
(courtesy of GGG Laboratory)
(courtesy of Dr. A. Fazel) permission from GGG

- Embryological Information in the Holy Quran and the Sunnah

But what about the Holy Quran and the Sunnah, which date back 1400
years, regarding embryos?

The Holy Quran and the Noble Hadith of the 7th century AD described in a
wonderfully elegant style many of these amazing discoveries, which were discovered by modern science with its devices
and research methods.

The discoveries made in the nineteenth century and even in the twentieth century
were described in the Holy Qur’an and the Hadith (see, for example, Surah
An-Najm, verses 45 and 46). “And that He created the two mates, the male and the female (45) from a sperm-drop when it is emitted (46)”[6]. The Holy

Qur’an explains that man is created from a mixture of the secretions of the man and the woman,
and that the living being that results from fertilization settles in the woman’s womb in the form of a seed.
The implantation of the germ sac (sperm) is actually similar to the process of planting a seed[7].

The Holy Qur’an also includes information about other stages of the process of creation,
such as the stage of the clot and the mudghah (the formation of the cotyledons – or physical masses – somites)
, the skeleton and the covering of the bones with muscles (flesh).

Both the Holy Qur’an and the Hadith indicate the timing of sexual creation,
embryonic creation and the acquisition of the human appearance.

These texts are surprising because they refer to the events of embryogenesis in their
correct sequential order and with a clear and precise description.

Conclusion:

In short: The history of embryology shows that human embryogenesis has always been of
great interest. The first studies were limited to using imaginative description due to the lack of
advanced technical means at that time. After the invention of the microscope at a later time, the studies were characterized by greater precision
and continued to use description alongside experimental technical methods. However, many of these
descriptive observations were highly imaginative and far from precise.
A more accurate understanding and description of embryogenesis was not reached until this century and
only using modern equipment.

We can conclude from analyzing the Qur’anic verses and the Prophetic hadiths that they include a
comprehensive and accurate description of human creation from the time of mixing of the gametes and during the formation of the organs and beyond
, such as the Almighty’s saying: “And We have certainly created man from an extract of clay (12) Then We placed him as
a sperm-drop in a firm lodging (13) Then We made the sperm-drop into a clinging clot, then We made the clot into a lump of flesh, then We made the lump of flesh into bones, then
We covered the bones with flesh, then We developed him into another creation. So blessed be Allah, the best of creations.” (The Creators) (14)
[Al-Mu’minun: 12-14].

And like his saying, may God bless him and grant him peace:
(If forty-two nights have passed over the sperm, Allah sends to it an angel who shapes it, creates its hearing,
its sight, its skin, its flesh, and its bones…)[8].

There was no comprehensive and distinct record of human development, such as stage classification,
terminology, and description, before the Holy Qur’an. This Qur’anic and prophetic description preceded,
in most cases, if not all, the recording of the different stages
of human embryo development in known scientific writings by many centuries.

Before the advent of the compound microscope, there was no means known to us of observing the early stages
of human development (the sperm, for example).

Providing a scientific description of the stages of human development requires obtaining
and studying a large number of human embryos of a certain age, and it is very difficult even today to compile such
a series. The Almighty’s saying:
“And We have certainly created above you seven paths, and We are not unaware of creation (17)” [Al-Mu’minun: 17]
alludes to the reason for the existence of numerous texts in the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah describing the details of
embryonic development.

References

The Holy Qur’an.
Fath Al-Bari: Dar Al-Ma’rifah edition, Beirut.
Sahih Muslim: Dar Ihya’ Al-Turath Al-Arabi edition, Beirut.
Abu Dawud: Dar Al-Hadith edition, Homs – Syria.
Al-Tabarani: Ibn Taymiyyah Press, Egypt.
The Semen Research.

[1] Narrated by Al-Bukhari in The Virtues of the Qur’an, Chapter 1, Hadith No. 4978, and by Muslim in the Chapter on Faith, No. 239.

[2] This research was presented at the First International Conference on Scientific Miracles in the Qur’an and Sunnah in Islamabad, Pakistan (Safar 1408 AH corresponding to October 1987 AD).

[3] (See what Ibn Hajar, who died in 852 AH, mentioned in Fath al-Bari) (Al-Musawwar from the Salafi edition) Vol. 11, pp. 477-491, where he said on p. 480 (Many anatomists claimed that the man’s semen has no effect on the child except in its contraction, and that it is formed from menstrual blood, and the hadiths of the chapter invalidate that)
[4] See the discussion on sperm.
[5] Cytoplasm: the living substance of the cell, excluding the nucleus.
[6] See the discussion on sperm.
[7] See the details of that in the discussion on sperm.

[8] Narrated by Muslim, Abu Dawud, Al-Tabarani, and Ja’far Al-Gharibi, and mentioned by Ibn Hajar in Al-Fath 11:48. Leeuwenhoek 1673 Leeuwenhoek Meyer 1939 Hartsoeker Essay de Dioptrique 1694 (Permission from Meyer 1939) De Formatione Pulli in Ovo