The Embryo Development in Quranic Verses

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to answer two questions: is there a section in the Quran that describes the human embryo development? Second, if such a case existed, could it be compared to the Greek theories of generation? The answer to both questions is affirmative. In the first part of this paper, we discuss some Quranic verses talking about the embryo development. We also outline how the terminology (nufah, alaqah, mughah) used for expressing the embryo development in these verses involves complex translation challenges. In the second part, we compare the Quranic verses to two Greek theories of generation. Finally, we highlight a little-known aspect of the Quranic text worthy of study.