Why does the Quran say that sperm is created between the backbone and the ribs? This is where I find this supposed error in the Quran: Yusuf Ali Translation: He is created from a drop emitted― (6) Proceeding from between the backbone and the ribs:

1) I don't think personally that *any* valid scientific knowledge can be gained from *any* sacred text. We have to use the scientific method to clear those things. People who lived at the time where those texts were written had a limited knowledge about those issues anyway.

Any school of though trying to interpret old texts as saying things that only modern science discovered is unscientific.

Further information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bucailleism


2) Here is what an Islamic scholar says to this verse:

"A Christian man named David Wood is claiming that the Quran says that semen is created from between the male’s backbone and his ribs. Modern science, however, tells us that semen comes from the testicles. David Wood is claiming that this proves that Prophet Muhammad was a false prophet. He, along with others, are making fun of the Prophet for not knowing where semen comes from.

The verse that David Wood cites is as follows:
Now let man but think From what he is created! He is created from A drop emitted—Proceedings from between the backbone (sulb) and the ribs (tara’ib). (Quran, 86:5-7)"

"Answer by Dr. Ibn al-Hashimi"

The translation used by Mr. David Wood is horribly inaccurate. The correct translation of ‘sulb’ is not backbone, nor does the word ‘tara’ib’ indicate the man’s ribs. Let us review the verse in question:

So let man consider from what he is created. He is created from an emitted fluid that issued from between the sulb and the tara’ib. (86:5-7)
Mr. Wood has understood the verse to mean that both ‘sulb’ and ‘tara’ib’ refer to the male. In other words, the fluid emitted refers to the semen, and it comes out from in between the sulb and the tara’ib. However, the truth of the matter is that the word ‘tarai’b’—according to the Arabic—is actually referring to a female body part. Much like the English word ‘penis’ can only be ascribed to a male, the word ‘tara’ib’ can only be applied to a female.
This is not apologetic modernism or revisionism; the classical works of Quranic commentary throughout the last 1400 years confirm this view categorically. In other words, the sulb belongs to the male, and the tara’ib belongs to the female. This is the view of the Muslims since the last fourteen hundred years, and there is consensus (ijma) on this matter, since the time of the Sahabah (the Prophet’s disciples) until today.

Shaykh `Abd al-Wahhâb al-Turayrî of IslamToday.com writes:
The phrase “mâ’ dâfiq” (emitted fluid) is not restricted in meaning to sperm but is used in Arabic for both the sperm and the egg. Ibn Kathîr, in his commentary on this verse, writes: “It emanates from the man and the woman, and with Allah’s permission, the child comes forth as a product of both.”

…The words translated as “backbone” (sulb) and “ribs” (tarâ’ib) are not understood in Arabic to belong to the same person. Arabs understand the “sulb” to refer to a part of the male body and the “tarâ’ib” to a part of the female. Ibn Kathîr states: “It refers to the ‘sulb’ of the man and the ‘tarâ’ib’ of the woman…” He then quotes this interpretation on the authority of the Prophet’s companion Ibn `Abbâs. This same understanding is given in all the major classical works of Qur’anic commentary.
Many non-Arabs misinterpret this verse because they think that sulb and tara’ib refer to different body parts of the male. In reality, tara’ib is feminine, and refers to the female’s body part. For fourteen hundred years, all of the scholars have held this belief, and not a single classical scholar has ever differed on this point. The reason is that the Arabic makes it clear that tara’ib refers to a feminine body part, and not a male one.

Lane’s Lexicon says:
Tara’ib: … most of the authors on strange words affirm decidedly that it (tara’ib) is peculiar to women. (Lane’s Lexicon, p.301)
All of the major commentaries of the Quran confirm that the tara’ib is peculiar to women. Ibn Katheer writes in his tafseer (commentary) of the Quran:

It (fluid) emanates from the man and the woman, and with Allah’s permission, the child comes forth as a product of both. (Tafseer Ibn Katheer)

Tafseer al-Jalalayn says:
Issuing from between the sulb, of the man, and the tara’ib, of the woman. (Tafseer Al-Jalalayn)
Tanwir al-Miqbas min Tafseer Ibn Abbas says:
That issued from between the sulb of the man and the tara’ib of a woman.
(Tanwir al-Miqbas min Tafseer Ibn Abbas)"
Source and further information:
http://www.ahlalhdeeth.com/vbe/showthread.php?t=2602

The Quran Does NOT Say that Sperm is Created from between the Backbone and Ribs


Understanding Verse 86:7 According to the Prophet’s Disciples, the Salaf, and the Classical Scholars. Read the truth if you are honestly interested to know the truth (click here) http://www.ahlalhdeeth.com/vbe/showthread.php?t=2602

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Listen to Scientists’ Comments on the Scientific Miracles in the Holy Quran (To view the RealPlayer video of a comment, click on the link at the end of that comment.) http://www.islam-guide.com/frm-ch1-1-h.htm :

1) Dr. T. V. N. Persaud is Professor of Anatomy, Professor of Pediatrics and Child Health, and Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences at the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

2) Dr. Joe Leigh Simpson is the Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Professor of Molecular and Human Genetics at the Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA. Formerly, he was Professor of Ob-Gyn and the Chairman of the Department of Ob-Gyn at the University of Tennessee, Memphis, Tennessee, USA. He was also the President of the American Fertility Society.

3) Dr. E. Marshall Johnson is Professor Emeritus of Anatomy and Developmental Biology at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. There, for 22 years he was Professor of Anatomy, the Chairman of the Department of Anatomy, and the Director of the Daniel Baugh Institute. He was also the President of the Teratology Society.

4) Dr. Gerald C. Goeringer is Course Director and Associate Professor of Medical Embryology at the Department of Cell Biology, School of Medicine, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA.

5) Professor Tejatat Tejasen is the Chairman of the Department of Anatomy at Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand. Previously, he was the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the same university.
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Question: Allah says: “So let man see from what he is created. He is created from a water gushing forth - proceeding from between the backbone and the ribs” [Sûrah al-Târiq: 5-7]

This verse states that sperm originates from between the ribs and the spine. The problem is that it is a known fact sperm is created in the testicles. What is more disturbing is that this same idea was espoused in ancient Greece by Hippocrates about 1100 years before the time of Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Please clarify this matter for me.


Answered by the Scientific Research Committee - IslamToday.net http://www.islamtoday.com/show_detail_section.cfm?q_id=11&main_cat_id=31

It is inconceivable that the true word of Allah could ever contradict scientific fact, since the universe is Allah's creation, and Allah fully knows what He created. A Muslim, when faced with what appears to be a contradiction between the Qur’ân and a scientific fact knows there can only be two possibilities:
1. That which is being construed as a scientific “fact” is not in actuality a fact.

2. The verse that is being construed as being in conflict with science is being misinterpreted, misapplied, or misunderstood.
Any claim being made that there is a contradiction between science and the Qur’ân has to be evaluated individually. The factuality of the scientific claim needs to be assessed as well as the true meaning of the verse that is supposedly at variance with it.

It is an inarguable fact that sperm is created in the testicles. Therefore, we must make sure we are understanding these verses correctly. We must look carefully at the verses to ascertain exactly what the Qur’ân is saying and – more importantly – what it is not saying.

There are some serious problems with this translation and the assumptions made therein.

To begin with, these verses say nothing whatsoever about the creation of sperm or the creation of anything else. Consequently, they do not inform us of where the creation of sperm takes place. They merely say that the substances under discussion come out form the places being described. The word being used is “yakhruj” meaning “to exit, leave, come out, emerge”. It in no way implies anything related to creation or origination.

Secondly, the phrase “mâ’ dâfiq” (emitted fluid) is not restricted in meaning to sperm but is used in Arabic for both the sperm and the egg. Ibn Kathîr, in his commentary on this verse, writes: “It emanates from the man and the woman, and with Allah’s permission, the child comes forth as a product of both.”

Thirdly, the words translated as “backbone” (sulb) and “ribs” (tarâ’ib) are not understood in Arabic to belong to the same person. Arabs understand the “sulb” to refer to a part of the male body and the “tarâ’ib” to a part of the female. Ibn Kathîr states: “It refers to the ‘sulb’ of the man and the ‘tarâ’ib’ of the woman, which is the area of her chest.” He then quotes this interpretation on the authority of the Prophet’s companion Ibn `Abbâs. This same understanding is given in all the major classical works of Qur’anic commentary.

Moreover, the word “sulb” should not necessarily be translated as “backbone”. This word has many possible meanings and backbone is only one of them. It is also quite commonly used to mean the loins of a man. This is how it is used elsewhere in the Qur’ân. Allah says: “Prohibited to you (for marriage) are…wives of your sons proceeding from your loins (aslâb, the plural of sulb).” [Sûrah al-Nisâ’: 23] There can be no problem with sperm coming out from the area of a man's loins.

Likewise, when we look at the word being translated as “ribs” (tarâ’ib, the plural of tarîbah) we find that it is used linguistically for the general are of the chest and the abdomen. In al-Qâmûs, the famous classical dictionary of al-Fayrûzabâdî it is defined as a number of things: “the bones of the chest or what comes after the two collarbones or what comes between the collarbones and the chest or the four ribs to the right of the chest or the four ribs to the left of the chest or the hands, eyes and feet or the collarbones.” Some Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and some Successors had also provided many possible meanings, like the lower ribs and al-Dahhâk’s statement that it is the area between the breasts and feet and the eyes (a mere indication of centrality).

This word clearly has a very broad and diverse definition. It is so ambiguous a word that the Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) could not give it a precise definition. Scholars of Qur’ânic commentary have consistently admitted to there being at least three different possible meanings for this word as it is used in the verse. This is an admission that they do not know for certain what the tarâ’ib are, except that they generally agree it refers to an area of the woman’s body. It can apply to any region nearing the ribcage. Therefore, the area of the ovaries, the fallopian tubes, or the uterus can easily fit into the general area that is being indicated by these verses.

What we are dealing with here is a gross error in translation and not a scientific error at all.

There's no contradiction.

The fluid mentioned in the Quran emits from between the backbone and the rib.

When intercourse occurs between a man and woman, the space in the middle equidistant
between the backbone of a man and the ribs of a woman is where the male organ ejaculates and semen gushes forth.
The Quran never claimed sperm is made between the backbone and the ribs, it just says that sperm is emitted.

The Quran is very subtle and every letter and word of it is perfect. There is no deviancy or crookedness in it. The Book itself claims it. Consider every word carefully and do not replace one for another from your own vocabulary.

Chapter 4 Verse 82. "Do they not then consider the Qur'an carefully? Had it been from other than Allah, they would surely have found therein much contradictions."

Consider it carely, because if you are invited to read the book of Allah, your Creator and Cherisher, then you should strive to consider it carefully.

If I invited you to see Allah, you would not decline. Ok, here is His speech: The Glorious Infallible Quran (recitation). Everyone owes it to Him and to themselves to at least consider it carefully.

Peace be on all those who follow true guidance and the messenger Muhammad and all the messengers. Ameen.

In the name of Allah the Most Mercyful the Bestower of Mercy

THE QURAN DOES NOT SAY SPERM IS CREATED BETWEEN THE BACKBONE AND THE RIBS!

If you read the verse that you quoted you will see that there is no mentioning of the sperms creation. Rather it mentions the semens ejaculation, only. And that it procceds from between the backbone and the ribs.

And that is excatly what happens.

The semen which ejaculates can be split in to two catagories:

1. The sperm, which is from 2.5% to 5% of the semen

2. Seminal fluides, which is 95% to 98.5% of the semen.

As for the sperm it is created in the testicles.

And as for the rest of the seminal fluides they are created inbetween the backbone and the ribs, HOWEVER, even though the majority of the water that gushes forward, which the Qur'aan is speaking about, although the majority IS created inbetween the backbone and the ribs that's not what the Qur'aan speaknig about.

It mearly say it ejacults from there and that is scientificaly true.

As the final mix between the sperm and seminal fluides takes place between the backbone and the ribs and then from there the Semenal vescles ejaculate them, and where are the seminal vescles? Inbetween the backbone and the ribs.

So there is no controdiction the Quran say's that the 'ejaculted water' ejaculates from inbetween the backbone and ribs and that is excatly what happens.

There are at least 7 or 8 different Muslim interpretations of this and they all contradict each other.(http://www.scribd.com/doc/24526458/The-Quran-and-Semen-Production)

In reality, the Koran is Plagairising Hippocrates.He thought that men and women both produce semen which garhers in the spine and passes through the kidneys on the way to the genitals.

Of coarse, this is scientificaly innaccurate.