Those who deny the presence of scientific miracles in Qura’n and Sunnah , as regard the developmental stages of embryo , always give many unsound objections and false claims that Qura’n comprises fatal scientific errors . As regard the izam ‘bone’ of embryo , they allege that the verse “Then We made out of that mudghah, izam (bones)…”( Surah Al-Mumenoon ; 23 : Ayah 14 ) ,means that all mudghah changes into bones and there is no stage in embryological development in which the embryo is formed only of bones and this is a scientific error of Qura’n . Moreover, those deniers claim that bone formation do not precede muscle (Lahm in Quran ) formation as mentioned in Qura’n because both bones and muscles develop simultaneously (in the same time)!!   Where is the truth ?? What is the answer to these claims??

Before answering the doubts or false claims about bone formation in Qura’n , I seek  the help of  Allah ; the all Hearing and all the Seeing , Who Had Said in Qura’n : ” Those who dispute with the miracles of Allah , without any authority that has come to them (from Allah)  , have pride in their chests  ( preventing them from following you  i.e. Muhammad and making them desire to overcome you ) which  they shall never attain to ; Therefore (Muhammad) seek refuge in Allah ; It is Him Who is the all Hearing and all the Seeing” (Surah Ghafer , 40 :  Ayah 56) .

First , as regard the claim that all mudghah changes into bones , it is well known that the embryo at mudghah stage  is soft due to absence of any true skeletal elements, then the primary bones start to form through condensation of mesoderm which is the primitive form of body bones . This developmental change induce hardening of the fetal body and makes it acquires the human appearance , therefore  passing into another stage of development. AL-Alussy ( Qura’n commentator) : ” …That changing through hardening is due to what  ‘out of mudghah ‘  would be changed into bones ..” ,  the meaning is the soft and formless embryo becomes harder and acquires the specific human appearance , due to the parts of mudghah that had been changed into bones , this do not mean at all that all embryo changes into bone to be followed by clothing with lahm (muscle)…

The claim that bones and muscles (lahm)  are formed from mesoderm and appear during the same time and this contradicts  Qura’n that had reported the precedence of bone formation . Seeking the help of Allah , the answering of this claim is : the differentiation of cells into different organs and systems in the body of the embryo takes place during embryo stage (from the third to eighth weeks) . Although both bones and muscles develop from mesoderm , yet bones , as a distinct tissue , do not clearly appear except in the seventh week , however , the beginnings of their differentiation had actually been started before this time.

The same is applicable to muscles (lahm as an expression to muscle in Quran) where the muscles do not clearly appear , as a distinct tissue ,  except in the eighth week , but the beginnings of their differentiation had actually been started before this time. Thus , muscles appear as a distinct tissue after  the bones had been already differentiated ,  which is in accordance with the fact documented in Qura’n : ”…Then We clothed the bones with lahm..” ( Surah Al-Mumenoon ; 23 : Ayah 14 ) .

Therefore , Qura’n had reported the fact of  the precedence of bone formation followed by muscle (lahm) formation . Anyone  who can deny this fact brings us his reference that he relayed upon it..

To support this answer from embryology, all of us know that somites (boy masses that appear on embryo) starts to appear at the end of the third week , close to head region and continues to appear in succession , about 3 pairs \ day  ,  extending in a caudal direction (to lower or tail part) until it is complete about the fifth week , where it reaches 42 to 44 pairs.  The somites are produced through segmentation of the para-axial mesoderm. Each somite is a cuboidal  mass of para-axial mesoderm and it divides into 2 parts:

1-Sclerotome : is the ventro-medial part of the somite that form the hard tissues (The skeletal elements), and their cells migrates medially to surround the developing notochord and spinal cord to form vertebral column .

2-Dermato-myotome: is the dorso-lateral part of the somite that consists of 2 elements : a dermatome and a myotome , the cells of dermatome migrate to spread under the ectoderm (that form the epidermis of skin) to form the dermis of skin.  The cells of the myotome also migrate to form the skeletal muscles of the trunk and limbs.

The process of migration of sclerotome cells and dermatome cells away from the original area of somites occurs at the beginning of the sixth week , this leaves the myotome cells as a mainconstituent of the original somite , therefore it is clear that the cells of sclerotome (the default skeletal elements) migrates to their final areas of bone formation whereas the cells of myotomes (the default muscular elements) are still in their primary site of the original  somite…

Accordingly , the fake claim of the deniers and the objectors to the scientific miracles of Qura’n  that Qura’n was wrong in describing the development of bones before muscles in human embryo as bones and muscles develop together is not scientifically correct . On contrary , Qura’n is absolutely correct in describing precedence of bone formation , as the cells of the myotome do not start to move away until the cells of sclerotome had already reached the place of bone formation.

Regarding bones of limbs , it is known that they develop from condensations of the mesoderm inside the limb buds. Then ,  muscle cells , arising  in myotomes of the somites and collecting at the bases of upper and limb buds , starts to spread to become close to the developing bones . Then , these precursor muscle cells  differentiate to muscles associated with the limb bones , therefore , bones are formed first followed by muscles , exactly as it was documented in Qura’n since the seventh century , as  certified by Qura’n  : ”…Then We clothed the bones with lahm..” ( Surah Al-Mumenoon ; 23 : Ayah 14 ) .

Now , it becomes evident that Qura’n does not contain  scientific errors as alleged by deniers  and astrays ; Allah – the Almighty- Said : ” Look , how they forge (slander) lies against  Allah, that is by itself  a sufficient act  as a manifest sin “ (Surah An-Nisa ; 4 : Ayah 50 ) , He also Said : “ Say : Those who forge (slander) lies against Allah will never prosper  “ ( Surah Yunus ;10 : Ayah 69)…