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What did the Prophet Say about the Human Embryo?

A new branch of medical science, embryology, which studies development of the embryo in the mother’s womb, has advanced greatly in the last few years.

Now, it has become possible for embryologists and specialists to picture the embryo inside its mother’s womb and trace the different stages of its growth. There are pictures of embryos in the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth weeks of growth.

But what concerns us here is the picture of the embryo at the beginning of its sixth week of growth in its mother’s womb. What can we see?

We can see the nose fused with the mouth and eye. The hand looks like a tiny oar, and the head looks fused with the body. This is how the embryo looks at the beginning of the sixth week of growth. But as soon as the sixth week is over, the head stems off the body, features of the eyes show clearly, and so do features of the nose, mouth, arms, and legs. This is how the embryo looks at the end of the sixth week of growth.

If we multiply six (the number of weeks) by seven (the number of the days of each week), we get the number (42), which represents the age of the embryo in days after its sixth week of growth.

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In this context, Ibn Mas’ud, the venerable companion, quoted Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) as saying:

“When the semen (i.e. fertilized ovule) is forty-two days old, Allah’s sends to it an angel that gives it its (due) form, makes its hearing, sight, skin, flesh, and bones. Then, it (the angel) says:

 ‘O Lord! A male or a female?’ 

Your Lord decrees what He pleases; and the angel writes down (what the Lord decrees). Then, it (the angel) says:

‘O Lord! (What about) its age?’ 

Your Lord decrees what He pleases; and the angel writes down (what the Lord decrees). Then, it (the angel) says: 

‘O Lord! (What about) its sustenance?’ 

Your Lord decrees what He pleases; and the angel writes down (what the Lord decrees). Then, the angel comes out with the Scroll in its (the angel’s) hand, adding nothing (to the Scroll) and omitting nothing (from it).” (Muslim)

Notice the obvious conformity between the above-mentioned authentic Prophetic hadith and the modern science of embryology, particularly pictures of the embryo at the end of its sixth week of growth in its mother’s womb. In this context, Allah, All-Mighty, says in the Quran:

{Nor does he (Muhammad) speak from [his own] inclination.. It is indeed a Revelation revealed.} (53: 3-4)

Source: Nabulsi.com