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Lecture to 2nd year students, Kulliyah of Medicine, International Islamic University, Kuantan, Malaysia on 20th November 1999.
OUTLINES
7.1.1 ORIGINS
A. Basic elements
B. Recycling
C. The nutfat:
D. Ontogenesis
E. Common origin:
7.1.2 CONCEPTION
A. Fertlization:
B. Start of life:
C. Gender determination:
D. Inheritable characteristics:
E. Non-inheritable characteristics
7.1.3 EMBRYOLOGICAL CORRELATIONS
A. Wisdom of consecutive embryological stages:
B. Embryological stages: biological information
C. Embryological stages: Qur'anic
D. Correlations
E. The period of gestation (ajal al janiin):
7.1.4 EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL ENVIRONMENTS
A. Fetal-placental circulation:
B. Blood-placental barrier
C. Amniotic cavity
D. Sensory function
E. Motor function
7.1.5 DISORDERS OF INTRA-UTERINE GROWTH
A. Intra-uterine growth retardation:
B. Immaturity of organ systems:
C. Malformations
D. Fetal disease
E. Fetal death
1.0 ORIGINS
A. BASIC ELEMENTS
Human creation did not start from another life (19:67). Adam was created de novo and not from any previous life. The rest of humans start life when maternal and paternal DNA are combined in the process of fertilization. The rest of the human body is then built from basic elements of the earth.
The Qur'an has described the basic elements of the earth from which the human body is created.. The Qur'an has described water and soil as those basic elements. Water was described as the origin of human life and all other forms of biological life (25:54). Soil in various forms has also been described as the second component (38:81, 15:26, 30:20-21). Ibn al Qayim described the components of the body as mentioned in the Qur’an being: water(mau), soil (turab), wet clay (tiin) which is a mixture of soil and water, and dry clay (salsal).
The Qur'anic explanation of the origin of life is understandable because the basic elements that make up human cells are water and simple molecules made up of elements easily found in the earth. The range of elements that constitute the human body is very narrow when we consider that the periodic table of elements has more than 100 elements. The basic elements are: hydrogen, carbon, oxygen, calcium, phosphorus, and sulphur.
B. RECYCLING
Human biological life manifests cyclicity that is one of the sunan. The human physical body is derived from the environment around. When human cells die and are shed they return to the earth on a daily basis. On death and burial the whole body is returned to the earth. Thus elements found in one body will eventually end up in a plant, another human body, or just be part of the physical habitat thus completing the cycle. Islam does not accept the doctrine of reincarnation which states that humans die and come back to earth as animals.
C. THE NUTFAT:
The Qur'an has described the nutfat as a basic constituent of life (16:4, 36:77, 80:18-19, 76:2, 86:5-7). Our best understanding of the term nutfat is that it represents the primary germinal cells, the sperm in the male and the ovum in the female. In essence nutfat is parental DNA.
D. ONTOGENESIS
The term ontogenesis refers to the growth of the organism through different stages. The prophet in many hadiths described the formation of the fetus (KS p. 105). Some of them give very detailed description that is akin to what we find in modern textbooks of embryology and the information is anatomically correct.
E. COMMON ORIGIN:
Study of biology enables us understand human diversity despite a common origin. All humans are sons of Adam and Adam was from created from elements of the earth.
The common origin from Adam and creation of all humans from the same basic elements of the earth are evidence of a common origin. Humans of various races constitute one species. They can interbreed among themselves but not with primates or any other animals.
Humans however have different colors and structures (KS p. 106). Variations among humans from different regions of the world may reflect differences in the biological interactions with the physical environment. This interaction starts from the moment of conception and continues throughout the intra-uterine period. The biological differences among humans were created in a deliberate fashion by Allah and did not arise by chance.
2.0 CONCEPTION
A. FERTLIZATION:
The male gamete is the sperm and the female gamete is the ovum. Gametes are produced by mitotic division and are haploid. Millions of sperms are deposited in the vagina but only one will eventually fertilize the ovum. The ovum secretes a sperm attractant. About 50-100 sperms reach the ovum. Once one sperm penetrates the others can not penetrate in order to prevent poly-spermy. The statistical probabilities of fertilization of is very low given the total number of sperms. The statistical probability of a particular genetic individual is also quite low given the selection of only one sperm out of so many and also the fact that chromosomal rearrangements are millions of possible combinations and permutations. Thus an individual human is a unique creation of Allah selected out of trillions of possibilities
B. START OF LIFE:
Study of embryology raises a very natural question of when life starts. The start of a new human life legally recognized is at conception. However from a purely biological point of view there was life in the gametes even before conception.
C. GENDER DETERMINATION:
Sex determination involves the X and Y chromosomes. It is not a random process but a deliberate design by Allah to make some offspring male or female. The initial zygote formed differentiates into female or male due to hormonal and other influences.
D. INHERITABLE CHARACTERISTICS:
The prophet explained that the offspring resembles both parents because they both contribute to its heredity. He also explained that the resemblance to one parent may be more than to the other. (MB # 1400 p 658-659). The resemblance varies from characteristic to another. The offspring may resemble one parent in one aspect and the other in another aspect. The resemblance may not be recognized if it does not involve external or detectable phenotypic features. Thus the offspring may in appearance resemble a grand parent.
E. NON-INHERITABLE CHARACTERISTICS
The fetus and child can acquire biological features not inherited from either parents due to environmental effect on the genotype. There are some behavioral characteristics transmitted from the parent as learning and culture but not as inheritance.
3.0 EMBRYOLOGICAL CORRELATIONS
A. WISDOM of CONSECUTIVE EMBRYOLOGICAL STAGES:
Intra-uterine growth and development have been described by the Qur’an (22:5, 23:12-14, 32:7-9, 39:6, 40:67, 71:14, 75:36-39) and hadith (Muslim #6390, 6392, 6395, 6397) as occurring in stages. Allah had the power to make an adult de novo as He did with Adam and Hawa. Therefore there must be some wisdom in this staged growth. It is most likely due to the need to allow gradual interaction of the growing fetus with the external environment.
B. EMBRYOLOGICAL STAGES: BIOLOGICAL INFORMATION
The zygote is formed by fusion of the male and female gametes. The diploid structure is restored in the zygote. The zygote divides into 2 blastomeres. If the two separate monozygotic twins result. In most cases the blastomeres stay together and continue dividing diving rise to the morula. Two distinct parts of the morula become formed: the embryonic knot or disc and the trophoblast. The trophoblast later becomes the placenta. The embryonic disc becomes specialized into three tissues which together constitute the embryo: ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm. The embryo develops into the fetus. The placental trophoblast separates fetus from mother immunologically to prevent graft rejection reactions.
The primordial organ systems are laid down quite early in embryological life. They grow, differentiate, and start functioning on a limited scale in the intra-uterine period in preparation for full functioning at birth. The CNS develops fastest to become fully grown by the age of two years. This is understandable because the human has the most developed intellect and because the CNS is needed for motor and sensory functions of all organs.
C. EMBRYOLOGICAL STAGES-QUR'ANIC
IMPLANTATION: 77:20-23
‘ALAQAT (96:2):
MUDHGHAT:
‘IDHAAM:
NASH'AT: stage of establishment (nash’at) 82:7-8: It is at the stage of nash'at that the spirit is inspired, nafkh al ruh
D. CORRELATIONS
Several studies have been published of the correlation between descriptions of intra-uterine growth by the Qur'an and embryological sciences. They fall under the general rubric of the study of the miracles of the Qur'an. iijaaz al Qur'an.
E. THE PERIOD OF GESTATION (AJAL AL JANIIN):
Allah pre-determines the length of gestation (KS p. 575). Some pregnancies end early as abortions. Some are born as premature babies who then have to complete the rest of the intra-uterine course outside the womb. Recent developments in medical technology enable more premature infants to survive today than in previous generations. Pregnancy termination may be full-term and post-term.
4.0 EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL ENVIRONMENTS
A. FETAL-PLACENTAL CIRCULATION:
Uterine circulation in increased several-fold in pregnancy. The placenta mediates between maternal and fetal circulations. The placental circulation is responsible for fetal respiration, fetal nutrition, and removal of fetal wastes. Changes in the circulatory and respiratory systems of the newborn at birth are necessary to adapt to terrestrial life.
The placenta enables exchange between the fetus and the external environment. It also enables the fetus to satisfy its respiratory, circulatory, and excretory needs without laboring its growing organs. The organs still play a role because they need testing and preparation for later independent existence.
B. BLOOD-PLACENTAL BARRIER
The blood-placental barrier protects the fetus from environmental toxins by being very selective in what molecules are allowed to transit. It also protects the mother from some fetal products that could give rise to immune reactions.
C. AMNIOTIC CAVITY
The amniotic membranes provide some mechanical protection. The amniotic fluid absorbs mechanical forces and thus cushions the fetus from harm. The fluid in the amniotic cavity plays a role in regulation of temperature.
D. SENSORY FUNCTION
The growing fetus can respond to environmental stimuli. Scientific research in this area will yield more information in the future. The fetus is calmed and is reassured by hearing and feeling the maternal heart beat.
E.MOTOR FUNCTION
The fetus exercises all its muscles constantly. This is necessary for their growth.
5.0 DISORDERS OF INTRA-UTERINE GROWTH
A. INTRA-UTERINE GROWTH RETARDATION:
IUGR can be due to fetal, placental, or maternal factors. The fetal factors are: congenital anomalies and congenital infections. Placental insufficiency develops in the third trimester. It is caused by: abruptio placenta, placenta previa, placental thrombosis, placental infarctions, and multiple pregnancy. Maternal causes of IUGR are: toxemia, HT, maternal malnutrition, narcotic abuse, alcohol intake, and cigarette smoking.
B. IMMATURITY OF ORGAN SYSTEMS:
Some organ systems do not reach full maturity by the time of birth. This most often affects lungs, kidneys, the brain, and the liver.
C. MALFORMATIONS
Congenital malformations are due to genetic factors, environmental factors, or an interaction between the two.
D. FETAL DISEASE
Fetii succumb to genetic and environmental disease. Progress in medical science is now enabling the intra-uterine diagnosis and treatment of such diseases.
E. FETAL DEATH
Fetii who die intra-uterine are usually aborted as still-birth.