# Three Errors in Islamic Embryology URL: https://islamsproblems.com/quran-embryology-errors/ Part: Core Arguments --- ### 4. Three Errors in Islamic Embryology Quran's and the hadith's description of embryonic and fetal development has at least three errors: #### Error 1 [Quran 23:14](https://quran.com/23/14?translations=20) gives the order of embryonic development but says **flesh comes after bones**. > "Then We made the sperm-drop into a clinging clot, and We made the clot into a lump [of flesh], and > We made [from] the lump, bones, and **We covered the bones with flesh**; then We developed him into > another creation. So blessed is Allāh, the best of creators." [Quran 23:14](https://quran.com/23/14?translations=20) **But there is never a point where an embryo is just a skeleton without flesh.** Bones and Muscles Develop Together **Muscle and skeletal development** occur **together**. **Muscle differentiation starts** in the **5th week** and **bone formation begins** in the **6th week**. > "**Myogenesis** [muscle formation] occurs **immediately adjacent to**, and > **concurrent** [at the same time] with, the **development** of the **skeleton** during > embryogenesis." > [DiGirolamo et al. (PMC/NIH)](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4892934/) > "**During intrauterine development,** bone and muscle cells share a common mesenchymal > precursor … so that **bone and muscle develop synchronously** [at the same time]." > [Bonewald (PMC/NIH)](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6360108/) > "During the **fifth [5th] week** the myotomes give rise to a dorsoventral mass of > **developing muscle tissue**." > [Hill (UNSW Textbook)](https://embryology.med.unsw.edu.au/embryology/index.php/Musculoskeletal_System_-_Muscle_Development) > "Bone ossification, or osteogenesis, is **the process of bone formation**. This process > **begins** between the **sixth [6th] and seventh [7th] weeks** of embryonic development." > [Breeland et al. (NCBI)](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK539718/) #### Error 2 Sahih (authentic) hadiths say **women have a "thin and yellow" discharge** and that **the child resembles whoever discharges first during intercourse**. > "Man's discharge (i.e. sperm) is thick and white and the **discharge of woman is thin and yellow**" > [Sahih Muslim 311](https://sunnah.com/muslim:311) > "If a man has sexual intercourse with his wife and **gets discharge first, the child will resemble the father**, and if the woman **gets discharge first, the child will resemble her.**" > [Sahih Bukhari 3329](https://sunnah.com/bukhari:3329) **But women have no "thin and yellow" discharge that contributes to the child's resemblance.** **And the child's resemblance is based on genetics not who discharges first.** Do Women Get Wet Dreams? Yes, Their Discharge Is Why Sons Resemble Their Mothers. > "Um-Sulaim came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and said, 'Verily, Allah is not shy of (telling you) > the truth. Is it necessary for a woman to take a bath after she has a wet dream (nocturnal > sexual discharge?)' The Prophet replied, 'Yes, if she notices a discharge.' Um Salama, then > covered her face and asked, '**O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Does a woman get a discharge?**' > He replied, '**Yes**, let your right hand be in dust (An Arabic expression you say to a > person when you contradict his statement meaning "you will not achieve goodness"), > **and that is why the son resembles his mother**.'" > [Sahih Bukhari 130](https://sunnah.com/bukhari:130) Ibn Hajar’s Commentary: Six Categories of Child Resemblance Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, the authoritative classical commentator on Sahih Bukhari, systematized the "who discharges first" doctrine into **six categories** in his commentary on [Sahih Bukhari 3329](https://sunnah.com/bukhari:3329): > This divides into **six categories:** > The **man's fluid precedes and is more in quantity** - the child is male and **resembles the man**. > The opposite - the **woman's fluid precedes and is more** - the child is female and > **resembles her**. > The **man's fluid precedes, but the woman's fluid is more** - the child is male but > **resembles the woman**. > The opposite - the **woman's fluid precedes, but the man's fluid is more** - the child > is female but **resembles the man**. > The **man's fluid precedes and they are equal** - the child is male but **without specific resemblance**. > The opposite. > [Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari 7/273](https://shamela.ws/book/1673/4101#p1) #### Error 3 Sahih (authentic) hadith says **embryos** are a **clot of blood from 40-80 days** and a **piece of flesh from 80-120 days**. > "a human being is put together in the womb of the mother in **forty days [0-40 days]**, > and then he becomes a **clot of thick blood for a similar period [40-80 days]**, > and then **a piece of flesh for a similar period [80-120 days]**" > [Sahih Bukhari 3208](https://sunnah.com/bukhari:3208) **Between days 40-80, embryos aren't a blood clot - they develop fingers and toes.** **Between 80-120 days, embryos aren't a lump of flesh - they develop bones.** You Remain a Sperm Drop in the Womb for 40 Days Sahih (authentic) hadiths and Ibn Kathir's commentary also say **embryos remain a sperm drop in the womb for 40 days**. > "Allah's Messenger as saying: **The semen stays in the womb for forty [40] nights**." > [Sahih Muslim 2645c](https://sunnah.com/muslim:2645c) > "When the nutfah (drop of semen) **settles in the womb, it remains a nutfah (drop of semen) for forty [40] nights**." > [Al-Mu'jam al-Saghir 16](https://hadithweb.com/saghir:16) > "This is because when the **nutfah (drop of semen) settles in the womb of the woman, it remains for forty [40] days in that state**." > [Ibn Kathir commentary](https://shamela.ws/book/23604/2360) **By day 40, embryos aren't just a drop of sperm - they have developing organs and a heartbeat.** ![Photograph of the English translation of Sahih Muslim, Volume 7, hadith 6726/2645, with two passages highlighted: 'enters upon the Nutfah (sperm drop) after it has settled in the womb for forty or forty-five nights' and 'When forty-two nights have passed for the Nutfah (sperm drop), Allah sends an angel to it.'](/assets/image-13-5ed732c6d573.jpg) [Sahih Muslim 2645c](https://sunnah.com/muslim:2645c) One-Liners - **The Miami/LA Analogy:** If I say, "I will stay in Miami for 40 days, and in Los Angeles for a similar period," my stay in Los Angeles can't happen during the first 40 days, because I am still in Miami. The stages are sequential. - **The "Call Me Sperm" Reductio:** Your origin was semen but I can't call you a sperm drop today. Likewise, you can't save "remains a sperm drop for 40 days" by calling later embryonic stages semen. ### Sources - Quran 23:14: https://quran.com/23/14?translations=20 - DiGirolamo et al. (PMC/NIH): https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4892934/ - Bonewald (PMC/NIH): https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6360108/ - Hill (UNSW Textbook): https://embryology.med.unsw.edu.au/embryology/index.php/Musculoskeletal_System_-_Muscle_Development - Breeland et al. (NCBI): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK539718/ - Sahih Muslim 311: https://sunnah.com/muslim:311 - Sahih Bukhari 3329: https://sunnah.com/bukhari:3329 - Sahih Bukhari 130: https://sunnah.com/bukhari:130 - Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari 7/273: https://shamela.ws/book/1673/4101#p1 - Sahih Bukhari 3208: https://sunnah.com/bukhari:3208 - Sahih Muslim 2645c: https://sunnah.com/muslim:2645c - Al-Mu'jam al-Saghir 16: https://hadithweb.com/saghir:16 - Ibn Kathir commentary: https://shamela.ws/book/23604/2360 --- Markdown mirror of https://islamsproblems.com/quran-embryology-errors/ · Full site map for agents: https://islamsproblems.com/llms.txt