In the name of Allah ,the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

 F r e q u e n t l y   A s k e d   Q u e s t i o n s

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 I've a question about the Quran. AllahAllah says: ''yakhruju min baini sulbi wa taraaib'' What do you say about this?

 We reaffirm that Islam is not dependent nor based upon scientific discovery and the site merely tries to point out that which coincides with scientific discovery or alludes to it. Dr. Az-Zindaani and others bring forth not the basic commentary or explanation of the texts but rather possible or probable interpretations based on what is known from a scientific view and he clearly shows that it is impossible that certain statements could be coincidental or even made at all without a certain degree of scientific knowledge unavailable at the time of Muhammad sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam. Indeed some of the perspective held by Dr. Az-Zindaani or any Muslim possessing sound belief (i.e. belief based upon Islamic pillars of belief) will approach and view matters in a light that the non-believer or the one who does not have an Islamic base will not.

 Certainly a secular humanist who seeks to divorce religious thought from other aspects of life- if not all - or to dismiss it as being irrelevant or not conducive to progressive thought and scientific pursuit, or who believes that they can attain guidance or pure morality based upon their rational intellect alone will have great difficulty with much of what is written in Islamic literature in general. Indeed, one may take issue with the conclusions of the book but you should also be aware of the depth of the Arabic language and its nuances which seems to be a point somewhat lost on certain critics who always depend upon translations in languages like English or any others which are themselves interpretations.

 For example, the entire objection and translation of the verses 'min bainasulbi wat taraa'ib" Sura- (86:6-7) as "He is created from a drop emitted - proceeding from between the backbone and the ribs" or as in the Quranic translation by Maulana Fazlur Rahman Munshi, the Ayaat (86:6-7) were translated as: "semen is produced from the back of a man and from the breasts (mammary glands) of an woman." is a perfect example of where the critic is obviously limited in his understanding of Arabic language and even the rules of Qur'aanic textual interpretation and is thus totally dependent on translations and his own rationale or understanding or that of a translator who as well is limited.

 It is agreed that these verses if translated and taken literally clearly contradict what is now known and proven to be the origin of semen or sperm or the female side of it. However the use of metaphor is very common in the Arabic language and when faced with what is a clear contradiction to established fact, Islamic scholars stand upon a basic rule that "The Qur'aan or the authentic hadeeth cannot contradict what is known to be an absolute fact" therefore if such texts are found, the scholar is forced to re-examine the interpretation of the texts.

 It is very possible that the scientific level of knowledge and understanding of the people in the time of the Prophet Muhammad sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) as well as those before him and long after forced them to interpret this text from a 'scientific' point of view erroneously (i.e. "semen is produced from the back of a man and from the breasts (mammary glands) of an woman." see Ibn Katheer and other classical commentaries) but the fundamental understanding of the verse that sulb refers to the male and taraaib to the female in no way contradicts any scientific fact.

 Dr. Maurice Bucaille mentions in his famous work "The Bible, the Qur'an and Science" (p. 208) about these verses: "The sexual area of the man is indicated in the text of the Qur'aan by the word "sulb" (singular). the sexual areas of the woman are designated in the Qur'aan by the word "taraa'ib" (plural).

 This is the translation which appears to be the most satisfactory. It is different from the one that is often given by English and French translators, i.e. "(Man) has been created by a liquid poured forth which issues from between the vertebral column and the bones of the breast." this would seem more to be an interpretation than a translation. It is hardly comprehensible.

 The behavior of a man in his intimate relationships with his wife is stated implicitly."

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(Recently added)

Allah says in Surah At-Tariq:

 "(5) LET MAN, then, observe out of what he has been created: (6) he has been created out of a seminal fluid (7) issuing from between the back bone ( spinal column) and ribs ( chest bone) *

*yakhruju min baini sulbi wa taraaib'' Sulb means back bone which in medical terminology is called “vertebral column” or “spinal column” and “ taraib” is a plural world meaning “ribs” which are in 12 pairs guarding the chest.#

 EXPLANATION:

 The seminal fluid (semen) is produced in a pair of testis (the male reproductive organ} situated in scrotum (coverings round the testis). Of course in an adult person the testis are not situated in between the back bone and chest bone but these have an embryological relation (developmental)
to a site which is situated "in between the back bone and ribs": According to the research done in the field of Embryology (science of human development) the pair of testis which produce seminal fluid, start developing at lumber region, during intrauterine life i.e. the time when the child is in the womb of mother. This area is exactly in-between the backbone and the ribs. Latter on as child develops the testis descends down and before the time the child is born, the testis has descended to scrotum (coverings around the testis). But their control i.e. the nerve supply remains at the same lumber region through out the life of the person. Further to say whenever there is any injury inflicted to that region, the sexual act is lost. Secondly the nourishment for the testis i.e. the blood supply also come from the same lumber region through out the life of a person, that to if hampered at any time results into loss of the function of the testis. Meaning there by although the testis descend down but their control and nourishment remain at a site which is "in-between the back bone and ribs.
( ref: Langman Embryology and Grey's Human Anatomy)

 QURANIC REFERENCE:

 What the scientific research workers became to know about the development of reproductive system of human being, during 19th century, God has already told The Prophetsallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam( peace be upon him) in Surah At-Tariq about 1400 years back.
(ref. Explanation in Tafheem-ul-Quran by Maudodi)

 CONCLUSION:

 There is no doubt in the saying of AllahAllah in Quran

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