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1-The Our’an indicates that the bones begin to form after the mudghah stage ; Surah Al- Mu’minoon, 23  , Ayah 14 : “We changed the mudghah into izam (bones) …”  , and the Prophet states in the hadith narrated by Hudhaifah that the bones begin their formation immediately after 42 days from the beginning of the nutfah formation. This hadith states :  ” When 42 nights have passed over the nutfah ( a drop of mingled fluid ), God sends an angel to it, who shapes it (into human form) and makes its hearing, sight, skin, muscles and bones… ” (Sahih Muslim : Book of destiny , in Arabic called  Kitab Al-Qadar).  Thus , to say that the bones are formed after 120 days would be in contradiction with the apparent meaning of the hadith narrated by Hudhaifah, that showed that bones are formed after 42days.

2-The hadith narrated by Ibn Mas’ud , as described above has been reported in Sahih Muslim and Sahih Al-Bukhari , but in Sahih Muslim the phrase “in that ” was included in two places ; ” and in that it is an alaqah like that , then in that it is a mudghah like that.”  i.e. between “and” and “it is an alaqah ” and between “then” and “it is a mudghah ” , and  this addition of the phrase “in that ” is considered a part of the preceding hadith . On this basis, the version of the hadith  reported by Muslim indicates that  the stages of nutfah, alaqah, and mudghah are completed during the first 40 days , although the word nutfah is not mentioned in the text of this hadith.        

3-According to embryological studies , osteogenesis becomes evident  immediately after the 6th , and not after the 17th week           ( about 120 days) . This is in accordance  with the explicit meaning of the hadith as the phrase , “ like that”  can not refer to similarity with regard to the period of 40 days.   Moreover , the hadith of Hudhaifah, mentioned above, prevents us from interpreting “like that” as referring to “40 days”, because in Islamic rules  the collective meaning in one text should be understood according to a detailed, manifest meaning in another one.

4-The demonstrative article “like that” can not refer to “ the mother’s womb”, since its repetition is inconsistent with the prophet’s eloquence. Otherwise, the text would read : “ In every one of you, all components of your creation are collected together in your mother’s womb by 40 days, then in that womb it is an alaqah  like that , then in that womb it is a mudghah  like that”. Since the demonstrative “like that” refers neither to “40 days” nor to “mother’s womb”, then ,  it refers to collecting  the components of creation together. Ibn Az-Zamlakani , an ancient  Muslim scholar , concluded that in the aforementioned 40 days, the meaning of being collected in the mother’s womb means being perfected and completely created human being .  In that  40 days , the conceptus will be an alaqah which is completely and perfectly created , in the most possible completion and perfection for it , that befits His favors (of God) . Similarly, in that  40 days  , the mudghah is fully developed and perfected, as the perfect and complete creation of the whole  embryo in aforementioned 40 days…

        Thus , is clear now that the hadith narrated by Ibn Mas’ud  indicate that  the nutfah, alaqah and mudghah stages occur in the first 40 days , and the completion of the mudghah stage is not after 120 days. Moreover, there is no contradiction between the hadith and modern science.

 Realted posts:

1-Human development in the first forty days ( in Hadeeth)

2- Answering False claims about Nutfah

The menstrual cycle includes all the cyclic changes that occur in the endometrium of the uterus every month under the influence of the ovarian hormones (estrogen and  progesterone). They stimulate the development of the endometrium and prepare it  for implantation of a zygote. If pregnancy does not occur, the drop in FSH and LH cause the corpus luteum to disintegrate. This causes a drop in esterogen and progesterone  hormones  that causes  sloughing off of the inner lining of the uterus by a series of muscle contractions of the uterus...

     The first menstrual flow occurs at puberty, and it is called menarche. Menstrual cycles vary from between 15 and 31 days. The first day of the cycle is the first day of blood flow (day 0) known as menstruation. During menstruation the uterine lining is broken down and shed as menstrual flow which becomes expelled outside the uterus with the blood released due to separation of this part of the endometrium . 

The menstrual cycle include  3 phases:

1. Secretory phase   :

         It is also called  post-ovulatory or pre-menstrual or progestational (as progesterone is controlling it)  or luteal phase ( as it takes place during presence of corpus luteum) . During this phase , the endometrium markedly increases in thickness (reaching 5-8 mm) and  the epithelium becomes columnar and  may be partially ciliated at the end of this phase . The glands become more elongated ,  tortuous and  full of secretions.

The endometrium will be differentiate into 2 layers:

A. Functional layer  : forming  the superficial two-thirds of the endometrium and  is supplied by long coiled spiral arteries.

It has 2 layers :

·        compact layer  : a thin superficial  layer of compact cells that contains the necks of uterine glands.

·        spongy layer: a very thick layer of loosely arranged cells in an oedematous stroma that contains the bodies of endometrial glands.

B. Basal layer : It forms a thin deep layer,  that contain the fundi of endometrial glands,  and it does not shed during menstruation .The cells of these fundi are important for regenerating processes  after menstruation. This layer has its own blood vessels from short  straight basal arteries.

       The secretory  phase begins about 2 –3 days after ovulation , and  is under the effect of progesterone secreted by the corpus luteum . It  lasts 10 -14 days and it prepares the endometrium for pregnancy. If pregnancy does not occur, the corpus luteum degenerates causing hormonal withdrawal and spasm of endometrial arterioles and  the menstrual phase  starts .

If pregnancy occurs, the endometrium will be in the late stage of its secretory phase , that is the most  suitable  time for implantation . The secretory activity of the endometrium will continue and and gradually increases due to  the effect of  the large amounts of progesterone  secreted by the corpus luteum of pregnancy .

2. Menstrual phase :

         Hormonal withdrawal secondary to degeneration of the corpus luteum induces spasm of endometrial arterioles that causes endometrial necrosis (death). As the spasm disappear , the  blood flows out of the necrosed arterioles and  sweeps with it the degenerated endometrium forming the menstrual discharge .This discharge ( about 50-60 ml ) consists of the shedded  endometrium, secretions of degenerated glands and  blood from degenerated vessels .The menstrual discharge is expelled out  through the vagina which is called menstruation .

      The menstrual blood is mainly arterial ( only 25% are venous in origin) and  it does not normally clot as it contains a proteolytic enzyme, called fibrinolysin that lyses clots. This phase begins by the onset of vaginal bleeding and  lasts 3-5 days.The basal part of the endometrium, that includes fundi of glands does not shed during menstruation and  remains intact for regenerating the endometrium.

3. Proliferative phase:

         It is also called the pre-ovulatory ( as it occurs before ovulation ) or oestrogenic ( as it is under influence of estrogen) or follicular phase (as it occours during maturation of ovarian follicles) . During its early post-menstrual stage , the  epithelium of the fundi of uterine glands represent the source of regenerating the endometrium. Their cells proliferate and  migrate to cover the raw surface left after shedding of the endometrium . This phase continues for 3-4 days  after menstrual phase and  during it the epithelium is flat with thin endometrium ( about 2mm thick). The endometrium increases in thickness (reaches 4 mm) where the epithelium becomes cuboidal with elongation of the glands (glands remain straight). This phase is under the effect of oestrogen secreted by the growing ovarian follicles and  lasts 6 -10 days.

Related posts:

1- What is the ovarian cycle??

2- How fertilization occurs?

The  length of the ovarian cycle is typically 28 days, but it may vary from 24-32 days . It starts at puberty (11-13 years) , usually stops during pregnancy and sometimes during lactation and ends at menopause (45-50) , when reproductive capability ends. After puberty ,  the ovary cycles between a follicular phase (maturing follicles) and a luteal phase  (presence of the corpus luteum)...

Follicular phase of ovarian cycle:
       It includes the maturation of ovarian follicles , that occur in the cortex of the ovary every month. The follicular  cells change from flat cells  into cuboidal then columnar and with their growth , a cell membrane of the primary oocyte appears , called  the vitelline membrane . The follicular cells, begin to secrete a layer of glycoproteins,  called the  zona pellucida that separate them  from the oocyte  .

      The follicular cells  multipy by repeated mitotic divisions to form several layers around the oocyte , that become the  granulosa cells as their cytoplasm contains many granules. The potential space between the zona pellucida and  the vitelline membrane is ,  called the perivitelline space. Finger-like processes extend from follicular cells across zona pellucida to interdigitate with micovilli of plasma membrane of the oocyte helping transport of materials to oocyte. 

       As the follicle enlarges , small cavities containing a watery fluid, called liquor folliculi , appear between the granulosa cells. The cavities  enlarge , due to more collection of fluid and unite together into a single large cavity , called the follicular antrum that separates the granulosa cells into        2 layers ;  an outer layer forming the wall of the follicle, called stratum granulosum , and an inner layer , surrouning the oocyte and bulging into the follicular antrum as an elevation , called cumulus ovaricus or cumulus oophorus .

     The stromal cells  of the ovary around the growing follicle form a sheath  , outside the stratum granulosum , called theca folliculi , consisting  of 2 layers :
·        an outer layer formed of fibrous tissue and  large blood vessels, called theca externa
·        an inner layer formed of cells and  fine blood vessels,called theca interna , that is  the main source of estrogen hormone.

 
      The mature follicle is called Graafian follicle (according to De Graaf ; the name of te  first scientist described them) and it reaches a size up to 1 centimeter when fully mature .  At  the middle of the ovarian cycle i.e.14 days before the next menstrual cycle , the follicle shows marked growth and  projects as a swelling on the surface of the ovary. On the this swelling , a small avascular spot  , called the stigma , appears  and at the same time, the secondary oocyte with some cells of cumulus oophorus detach from the interior of the distended follicle.

       The stigma finally ruptures,  probably  due to rise of the pressure of the fluid in antrum together with thinning and ischemia of the overlying cortex of the ovary . Rupture of the mature ovarian follicle into the peritoneal cavity releases the secondary oocyte , surrounded by the zona pellucida and  the  follicular  cells of cumulus oophorus ,  that become radially arranged  and become now the corona radiata .

          The rupture of the mature follicle and the release of ovum , is called the ovulation. The contractions of fimbriae of  the tube and of the tube itself , in addition to the ciliary movements of its epithelium helps the  rapid entry of the extruded oocyte  and  its coverings into uterine tubes.

      During maturation of the follicle , the primary oocyte complete the first meiotic division to produce one secondary oocyte and the first polar body ; each containing 23 chromosomes (the haploid number). The polar body is a small mass of nuclear material without cytoplasm that  lies at the pole of the cell (hence its name) in the perivetilline space.

 
     The secondary oocyte , then begins the second meiotic division , but  it is not completed and becomes arrested in metaphase about 3 hours before ovulation. 

Further  steps will depend upon the occurrence of  fertilization :
* If the ovum becomes fertilized , the secondary oocyte , immediately following penetration of sperm , completes the secondary meiotic division and changes into a mature ovum ( 23 chromosomes with X-chromosome ) and the second polar body is extruded.The first polar body also undergoes a second division.

* If the ovum is not fertilized , it loses its viability and degenerates about 24 hours after ovulation and is discharged from the uterus in the debris of the next menstrual cycle.

Luteal phase of ovarian cycle :
        
      The mature Graafian follicle , after ovulation, rapidly fills with blood and  changes into a structure called corpus hemorrhagicum .The granulosa and thecal cells begin to proliferate and replace the clotted blood . These cells  undergo luteinization , a process in which a yellow pigment ,called lutein , appear in all the granulosa cells changing them into granulosa lutein cells and also in some of theca interna cells changing them into  theca lutein (para- lutein) cells .This process lasts about 3 days and  transform the ruptured Graafian follicle into a yellow body,  called the corpus luteum.

      The luteinized cells secrete progeterone hormone causing a rise in its blood level, and as only few cells of the theca interna continue to secrete oestrogen hormone, its blood  level  decreases.

There are 2 types of corpus luteum according to whether there is fertilization or not :
1. corpus luteum of menstruation: develops in absence of fertilization, where  the corpus luteum degenerates within 10 -14  days of ovulation.
2. corpus luteum of pregnancy: develops in case of fertilization , where the corpus luteum remains active for a long period (4-6 months).This degenerates when the placenta becomes fully formed.The corpus luteum starts to  degenerate by losing lutein pigment then the cells are transformed  into a white fibrous mass called corpus albicans.

Hormonal control of the ovarian cycle :
         The above  two phases of the ovarian cycle are hormonally -regulated , as follows :

The follicle secretes estrogen  before ovulation  and the corpus luteum secretes both estrogen and  progesterone after ovulation. Hormones from the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary control the ovarian cycle.

     The hypothalamus secretes the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). The the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland secretes the gondotrophic hormones (follicle stimulating hormone , FSH and  luteinizing hormone , LH ) that  control ovarian cycle as follows:

*In the first half of the cycle ;  FSH induces growth and  maturation of follicles and the theca interna of mature follicle , provides androgens to the granulosa cells and secretes the estrogen hormone which , when its level increases it inhibits  GnRH, FSH and LH to prevent maturation of other follicle in the same cycle .

*In the second half of the cycle ; LH induces rupture of the follicle and induces   Luteinization i.e. the formation of the corpus luteum. The granulosa cells of the corpus luteum ( and luteized  theca interna cells ; the theca lutein cells ) secrete progesterone hormone  causing a rise in its blood level. The granulosa cells also secrete a factor , called inhibin , that acts didectly on the anterior pituitary to inhibit FSH secretion  . Only few cells of the theca interna continue to secrete oestrogen hormone, so its blood  level  decreases . The thecal cells are regulated by LH, while the granulosa cells are regulated by both LH and FSH.

         The ovarian cycle ends by degeneration of the corpus luteum (luteolysis) starts 3- 4 days before menstruation ,  which causes cessation of secretion oestrogen and progesterone. The blood level of these hormone and also of the inhibin factor  falls leading to stimulation of FSH and  a new cycle is initiated .

Related topics:

1-  What is the menstrual cycle?

2-How fertilization occurs?

           Terry Jones , the pastor of the extremist evangelical Dove World Church is planning to host “International Burn A Quran Day” , On September 11, 2010, on this day he claims that Quran, Muslims’ sacred text, will burn and encourages others across the world to do so as well. He  claims that Islam is a religion of terrorism and the Quran leads to Hell and orders its followers to kill innocent people. He also said : by the burning of the Quran, we’re saying stop, stop to Islam, stop to Islamic law, stop to brutality...

 How can Muslims respond to this senseless act??

         During this holy month of Ramadan , the month in which Quran was revealed , news agencies reported the call of  Terry Jones  , the pastor of the Dove World Outreach Center , who previously wrote a book titled  called “Islam Is Of The Devil” and is notorious for hostility to Islam. 

         In response, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is launching a campaign during the holy month of Ramadan under the title “Share the Quran.” CAIR will distribute copies of the Quran during iftar (breakfast)  to neighbors, public and law enforcement officials and journalists. Moreover, the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE), the nation’s largest body of evangelicals, put out a statement  condemning these  actions and asked to cancel the campaign of burning Quran as this would lead to major tensions between Christians and Muslims around the world .

         First, if anyone analyzes these news ,  it will be clear that  Islamophobia (fear of Islam) is  increasing remarkably not only in America but all over the world, and because of this  Muslims become exposed to ridicule , harassment and  physical attacks, which may amount to killing, such as what happened to the martyr of Hijab – God rest her soul – Marwa El-Sherbini.  The most total mockery of Islam and Muslims, was the cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, Pease and blessings be upon him, and, finally this senseless call for burning Quran copies!!

      America, which announced after the attacks of September 2001,  a war against terrorism in the world, in fact, declared a war against Islam that heavily influenced  Muslims, whether in the United States or abroad, so  the new U.S. president Barack Obama at the beginning of his term, tried  reconciliation with Arab and Muslim world in his speech in Cairo last year when he said: ” I have come here to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world; one based upon mutual interest and mutual respect; and one based upon the truth that America and Islam are not exclusive, and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap, and share common principles – principles of justice and progress; tolerance and the dignity of all human beings.”

         More than 1.5 billion of Muslims allover the world , will protest against burning their holy book , particularly during this month of Ramadan , which , for Muslims is the month of Quran, worship of Allah and night praying. What would be their response  to the non-civilized call to burn copies of Quran , and how they will respond to this racist pastor and how to uphold our holy Quran?? There is no sense to use words such as denounce , condemn, reject , in response to the racist call for  Burn holy Quran. Instead , Muslims can express their  anger in a civilized manner to tell that pastor and those who are blindly following him that true Muslims are not terrorists nor racists as him by presenting a formal and public protest to U.S embassies allover the world against the actions of this pastor and this church. Moreover, trying to explain to all people that Quran is the word of Allah and it is the truth . Allah , the almighty , said :

Translation : ” This Qur’an is not such as can be produced by other than Allah; on the contrary it is a confirmation of (revelations) that went before it, and a fuller explanation of the Book – wherein there is no doubt – from the Lord of the worlds. [YUNUS (JONAH) , 10 : verse 37] ( translation of  YUSUFALI).

Translation : ” This Qur’an is not such as can be produced by other than Allah; on the contrary it is a confirmation of (revelations) that went before it, and a fuller explanation of the Book – wherein there is no doubt – from the Lord of the worlds. [AL-TAWBA (REPENTANCE, DISPENSATION, 9 : verse 32] ( translation of  YUSUFALI).

              The formation of gametes (primary sex cells) is the basic process in embryology , it represents the first step in creation of a new human being and it is called gametogenesis . The gametes are produced from primordial germ cells , formed in the ectoderm during 2nd week  and move to the wall of the yolk sac up to the 3rd week  .These cells  are easily recognized because they contain large amounts of the enzyme alkaline phosphatase.

      During the 4th week , these cells migrate from the yolk sac to the genital ridge and arrive the developing gonads at the end of the 5th week.  The direction of growth varies after this , depending on the gender (sex) of the baby as follows:
In female , the primordial germ cells that enter the developing ovary to form the oogonia, the primary origin of ova and in male, the primordial germ cells divide to form the spermatogonia stem cells , the primary origin of sperms...

       Both the oogonia and spermatogonia contain 46 chromosomes    ( the diploid number) that is present in any human cell. The formation of mature gametes is called the gametogenesis which starts in the gonads at puberty, and during which  a complex series of changes occurs in the germ cells, including meiosis ; leading to reduction of the original number of chromosomes to a half ( the haploid number ) with recombination of the genetic material and cytodifferentiation to complete their maturation .

       Gametes are specialized cells and each cell contains a complete set of chromosomes that equals half the chromosome number which characterize the species , as the number of chromosomes varies in different species . The cells that contain half the chromosome number like gametes , is called haploid cells. The diploid cell , like zygote , is a cell having the two complete sets of chromosomes .

        In species that reproduction is sexual , there are two types of gametes according to their shapes : a large gamete produced by the female called the ovum , and a relatively smaller one produced by the male called the sperm.

       The process of gametogenesis in females occurs in the ovaries to produce ova , and it is termed oogenesis . On the other hand , gametogenesis in males occurs in the testes to produce sperms and it is termed spermatogenesis.

   From the previous verses  including the term nutfah , it becomes clear that the creation of the progeny of Adam (Who is created from the clay or dust  ) is from the nutfah ( a drop of fluid) .  To know what is the meaning of the term nutfah and its description in Arabic, we can say that the term nutfah  in Arabic language has several meanings , of which  a small drop or a little amount of fluid.

      The term nutfah , as it was explained by prophet Mohammad himself , peace and blessings be upon him , from his haith , when he was asked about creation of children by one of Jews : ” O, Jew , it is created from both ; from a man nutfah and from a woman nutfah ” ( This hadith was narrated in Musnad Ahmad, volume 1, page 465) . To explain  this hadith , it is clear from the answer of prophet Mohammad , peace and blessings be upon him , that nutfah is the part by which the man  shares in creation of a child and also nutfah is the part by which the woman shares in this creation . Thus , according to this hadith , it is clear that creation of a child  occurs from both male and female and that the term nutfah is applicable to both male and  female , not only male.

         In one verse that  describes the creation of progeny of Adam   :” Then He made his progeny of an extract , of a little weak fluid ” (Surah As-sajda ; 32 : Ayah 8 ) , this verse means that  creation occurs as an extract from that little weak fluid , in Arabic the word extract is the best of that fluid . Despite Qura’n does not mention in the previous verse , to whom belongs this fluid , it could be understood that this fluid originates from both sexes , not only one of them , that meaning could be appreciated  from another verse of Qura’n ;  ” O mankind ! We created you from a male and a female ..” (Surah Al-Hujraat ; 49 : Ayah 13) , in this verse ,  Allah , the – Al-mighty , Said that  He Have created mankind from both sexes , the male and female , thus no one can longer say that Qura’n states  that creation is from male only .

      Now , after science have proven that creation is through fusion of a part from the man ( that is the sperm) and a part from the woman (that is the ovum) , Isn’t this the man nutfah and the woman nutfah given in the above  hadith without any contradiction ??  Thus , it is possible to apply , the term nutfah  to both  the sperm (man nutfah) and the ovum (woman nutfah) respectively . In another hadith of Prophet Mohammad , He said : ” Not from all the fluid , the child will form , and if Allah Wants to create any thing , nothing can prevent Him to do so ..” (this is a part of a long Hadith narrated by Muslim , 2: 1064 ) , the meaning is clear as not from all the fluid means from only a little  part of it. In essence , nutfah  is source of the progeny of Adam.

Related topics:

1-Answering False claims about Nutfah

2-42 nights passed over nutfah

3-Meaning of As-sulalah in Qura’n

There are two facts in the preceding hadith:

1. The collection of constituents of creation ( In Arabic : yojmah Khalqhu ) : occurs in the first 40 days.

2. During this period , the early stages of development ( nutfah , alaqah and mudghah ) begin and end .

       According to modern embryology , it has been established that in 5th  week , the embryo acquires a characteristic C-shaped curvature, its size does not exceed 0.5 inch , its upper part is two-thirds of its total size, it acquires limb buds , and it has a tail and a primitive heart that beats regularly. The upper limbs appear during  4th  week and in  the beginning of 5th  week, they look like a paddle. However, the upper limbs begin, by the end of  5th  week, to show some regional differentiation as the hand plates develop and show finger rays . Before the 40th  day, the embryo has primitive eyes, ears, and genitalia that are functionless and do not look human. By the end of  6th week, before the 42nd day, the face is neither distinct nor looks human . 

        This above description of the conceptus development is identical to the meaning of the phrase “constituents of creation are collected together” (or in Arabic yojmah Khalqhu ) in this hadith as it describes the external curved or “C”-like appearance of embryo as well as its internal anatomy  ; where the body organs and systems are collected in their primitive forms inside this small mass.

The stages of the embryo during the first 40 days, according to the previous hadith :
1. Nutfah Stage:       In very early development,  the fusion of sperm and ovum occurs to form the zygote ( the fertilized ovum) or the nutfah amshaj . The process of implantation  in humans, begins about the 6th day after fertilization and  by the end of the first week the fertilized ovum  changes into the blastocyst and becomes superficially implanted in the endometrium . Thus , the nutfah stage is completed in around day 7 of fertilization, taking its share of the first 40 days . 

2. Alaqah Stage : After nutfah stage, cells continue to accumulate. The embryo becomes more solid as more and more cells begin to accumulate, later  its surface dent  as the neural folds develop . With the end of this stage, about 24 or 25 days of age, the embryo is hanged by the connecting stalk to the wall of the chorionic vesicle .  In this manner, the  alaqah stage takes its share of the first 40 days.

3. Mudghah Stage : This stage begins on about day 26 or 27 , and  the body masses, or somites continue to form and  gradually increase in number  on the dorsal aspect of the embryo, up to its tail region .  These somites will form the backbone of the embryo. The size of the embryo becomes like the size of  the smallest piece of meat that can be chewed . The external appearance of this small piece of meat is shapeless , but due to the denting by the somites , it  resembles a chewed substance like gum, and it does not have any human characteristics. This stage ends by the end  of 6th week  and thus the mudghah  takes its share in the first 40 days. During the 7th week, the embryo gradually acquires a human appearance as the skeleton starts to become obvious.

         Thus, the hadith indicates that the stages of nutfah, alaqah and mudghah occur during the first 40 days. A question should be asked now ,  from any source in the seventh century could prophet Mohammad , peace and blessings be upon him , take these details of embryonic development  ??   Before answering this question , one should know that during these 40 days , the embryo is very small , and the durations between the successive stages are short. The estimation of the embryo’s age before the discovery of the ovum and its association with the menstrual cycle was very difficult, and error could result in an underestimation of gestational age by up to 21 days, since conception could have occurred at any time between the menses . Moreover, the stages of nutfah, alaqah and mudghah, mentioned in the Qur’an and Sunnah , were not even recognized by scientific knowledge at that time. Thus , the logic  answer , without any doubt , this  information  is a revelation from God who is the All-knowing…

After  the end of the uterine incubation period of the fetus , it becomes able to live outside the uterus without any health problems that could endanger his life . This means that duration of pregnancy has been ended and  indicates coming out of the uterus becomes a must. Allah – the Almighty – Said : ” …and We cause what We want to settle in the wombs  (  to be created ) till an appointed time, then We bring you out (of uterus)  as babies,…” ( Surah Al-haj , 22 : Ayah 5  ) ; ” Then We placed it in a place of settlement (qarar) , firmly fixed (makin) * For an appointed time  ” (Surah Al-Mursalat ,77 : Ayhat 21 & 22). It  clear from these verses that Qura’n has pointed to the fact that  pregnancy has a specific well-known period of time. Qura’n also has pointed out to the process of parturition or labor , Allah – the Almighty – Said : ”Then He made the way  ( the path to leave womb) easy  (for him)  “ (Surah Aba’sa, 80: Ayah 20). Thus , Allah – the Almighty – Had made the passage of the fetus from the uterus , at the time of delivery, easy and smooth. .  . How ??

When we go back to anatomy of the birth canal in its normal position , it will be appreciated that it is a narrow difficult path to the passage of a baby , however , during the process of delivery , several factors interact together to  make the passage of the fetus an easy process ; these factors include :

1. Relaxin: A hormone which is secreted by the ovaries and placenta, and which loosens the ligaments of the pelvic joints and softens the cervix.

2. Uterine contractions: These begin in the upper uterine segment which is composed of the active contracting muscle tissue which supplies the force necessary to push the baby through the thin passive lower uterine segment.

3. Amniotic sac: With each uterine contraction, the membranes , which are filled with amniotic fluid  , bulge as a bag of water through the cervix and facilitate its dilatation. After the membranes rupture, the membranes provide a smooth slippery surface on which the fetus can glide down.

4. Mechanism of labor : The fetus changes its position as it passes through the irregularly shaped pelvic cavity. There are 5 steps in the normal mechanism of labor : descent, flexion, internal rotation, extension, and external rotation.

Stages of labor :

    The process of labor passes in three successive stages :

1- Uterine contraction and cervical dilatation : the cervix of the uterus  gradually dilates and the uterus contracts to push the baby outside the uterus . It lasts 12-16 hours in primigravida and 6-7 hours in multigravida.

2- Delivery of the baby : could occur during one uterine contraction and my extend up to 2 hours. The head comes out first , that is 3 times greater than vaginal canal before labor, followed by the rest of the body, then  the baby starts to breathe and may cry .

3- Delivery of the placenta : this is the shortest stage that lasts 5- 15 minutes after baby delivery , the uterus continues its contraction to minimize uterine bleeding after delivery of the placenta.

        Thus , the baby comes out of the uterus  after Allah – the Almighty – Had Made an easy  path for him to leave the uterus as reported in Qura’n : “Then He made the way  ( the path to leave womb) easy  (for him)  ” (Surah Aba’sa, 80: Ayah 20). It is Allah Who Had created all these amazing things , Allah – the Almighty – Said : ” …And it is He who created all things, and ordered them in due proportions. ( Surah Al-Furqan ;25 : Ayah 2) ;  Allah – the Almighty – also Said : ”Surely We have created everything according to a measure.” (Surah Al-Qamar ; 54 : Ayah 49 ).

 The term Gyayd in Arabic has several meanings ; decrease or become little ,  vanish and gone away , sink in water  and disappears in it . When interpreting Qura’n by Qura’n i.e. using the meaning of a term in one verse to understand its meaning in another one , thus the meaning of Ghayd in  Surah Al-Rad , 13 : Ayah 8 “…and which the wombs make to  vanish  …” could be explained by the meaning of Ghayd in Surah Hud, 11: Ayah 44 ”  and the water was made to vanish ..” in which the term Ghyad  indicated  the disappearance of water or its vanishing . However , commentators to the meaning of Ghayd in  Surah Al-Rad , 13 : Ayah 8 “…and which the wombs make to  vanish ..” described two opinions ; either the vaginal bleeding that could occur in pregnant woman , and the second is abortion ( an embryo falling short of completion) or  an embryo which is damaged and made to vanish  from the uterus similar to water that sink in the ground and disappears.

       Most language scientists and commentators are supporting the second opinion which is abortion or the damaged embryo that  vanish in uterus being absorbed like absorption of water by the ground. Those who define the term Ghayd to be the vaginal bleeding that could occur in pregnant woman are not so far from the meaning of abortion as one of the major signs of this condition is vaginal bleeding that frequently associate with abortion . Accordingly , the most logic and accepted meaning of the term Ghayd in this verse is abortion.

      In modern embryology , the term spontaneous abortion is used to define any pregnancy that spontaneously terminates before the 20 week  of gestation or when the embryo is less than 500 gm. Most of these cases of abortion occur during the first 8 weeks of gestation , and is termed early spontaneous abortion that frequently takes place with the mother even unaware of being pregnant. Any female who had a delayed menstruation for 1-2 weeks followed by abnormally excess menstrual blood ( vaginal bleeding) should be considered in an early spontaneous abortion.

        Early abortion occurs in 2 forms : either expulsion from the uterus or retained inside the uterus and finally vanishing completely. It is possible that the conceptus does not fall out of the uterus after spontaneous death of embryo , but it is retained inside the uterus for a relatively long time , a condition known as missed abortion , in which the size of the uterus starts to decrease due to absorption of amniotic fluid and also vanishing of the dead embryo. Although , most cases of missed abortion eventually end in spontaneous abortion , some cases  the embryo vanishes and disappears completely from the chorionic vesicle .There is no answer in the medical literature to the question : Why some embryos are expelled from uterus after their death and others are retained ? However , the two forms of early spontaneous abortion in modern embryology are in accordance to the opinions of language and commentation scholars in defining the term Ghaud al-arham (which the wombs make to  vanish )…

      To support the opinion that Ghaud al-arham is early abortion , it is mentioned in the same verse of holy Qura’n  ”  which the wombs  increase , after  which the wombs make to  vanish  …and  it is well known that the uterus during the first 8 weeks of pregnancy does not show an evident  increase in its size when compared to the normal  non-pregnant size. The changes that occur in the uterus during these 8 weeks are functional adaptations in its tissues under the effect of the hormones of pregnancy . The true increase in the size of the uterus , reflecting growth of the embryo , starts after the embryo creation stage beginning of the 9th week and continues throughout pregnancy.

         Thus, the term Ghayd ( fall short of completion or vanish) , compared to the term increase used in the same verse , is only applicable to the creation stage of embryo that occurs during the first 8 weeks . Moreover, embryos could not be vanished except in the creation stage , as it was found that dead embryos do not disappear or vanish from the uterus after the end of creation stage. i.e. when an embryo dies in the three months next to creation stage it will not vanish or disappear from the uterus. Accordingly , if the term  Ghayd  indicates either falling short of completion or vanishing from the uterus , it could not applied to abortion at any time but it clearly points to abortion during the creation stage i.e. early abortion .

       According to the above description , the time period during which  the spontaneous abortion is expressing the meaning of  the  term Ghayd used by Qura’n occurs during stage of creation that starts by nutfah amshaj , passing through alaqah and mudghah , up to the time of breathing the soul into the embryo.  The honorable Sunnah supports this view by demonstrating that the angle in charge of the uterus asks his Lord (Allah) about the future and fate of each stage of the early stages of embryo development ( that occur in the creation stage ) does it will be created or not?   This was documented in the hadith narrated by Anas ibn Malik (may be blessed by Allah) : The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said : “Allah puts an angel in charge of the uterus and the angel says, ‘O Lord, (it is) nutfah ( a drop of mingled fluid)!    O Lord, (it is now ) alaqah (a mass of suspended cells) ! O Lord, (it is now) mudghah (a little lump of flesh) !   If Allah wishes to complete its creation, the angel asks, ‘O Lord, (will it be) a male or a female? A miserable (an evil doer) or a blessed (doer of good)? What about his livelihood ? What will his age be?’ And all that is written while he is still in his mother’s abdomen (i.e. womb).” – This Hadith is reported by Bukhari and  Muslim-

        The meaning that could be appreciated from the above hadith is that the angel in charge of the uterus asks his Lord (ALLAH)when he sees nutfah of the male and that of the  female  become close together . Then , he asks  : Will fertilization occur forming   nutfah amshaj ?? Will it be implanted in uterine wall ?? or will it become aborted ?? Will it form alaqah  - that contain all the basic cells of the body – or will it be aborted ??

    It is now clear  that the term Ghayd al-arham used in Qura’n  accurately describes the early spontaneous abortion with its 2 forms : the falling short of completion or the vanishing from the uterus , and the associated diminution then vanishing of fluids and blood around embryos . This represent another evident scientific miracle of Qura’n that  indicates Qura’n had preceded modern embryology by several centuries. Arabs , although they knew from Arabic language the meaning of Ghayd they never use the term Ghayd al-arham before the revelation of Qura’n . The progress in embryology , has shown the  accurateness of the term Ghayd al-arham and its expressive description to all events that occur to lost embryos during the stage of creation ; some become expelled from  the uterus and could be traced , while others disappear and are made to vanish and could not be traced where one can believe that the uteruses had swallowed embryos as the ground had swallowed water.

( Source : A research from Dr. Abdel Gawad AsSawi  “The scientific miracle of Qura’n and Sunnah in the indication of Ghayd al-arham : Which the wombs make to vanish or fall short of completion” ).