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Let people then consider what they were created from!86:5
˹They were˺ created from a spurting fluid,86:6
stemming from between the backbone and the ribcage.86:7
These verses describe the creation of man in a way that has puzzled many scientists and scholars. To understand them, it's important to know a little about the human anatomy.
The sperm is produced in the testicles and moves through various parts of the reproductive system before exiting the body. The term "As-Sulb" (backbone) refers to the spinal column and pelvic bones, which also control sexual functions through the nervous system. The nerves in this area help with actions that relate to this. The term "Tara'ib" has been interpreted in different ways by scholars. Some believe it refers to the ribs, while others say it means bones in the lower body. For this explanation, we accept that it refers to the bones between the legs, which are part of the reproductive system.
The verse describes "water gushing forth" as the sperm, which comes from the area between the backbone and the bones of the legs. This means that the sperm is released through the coordinated action of the nervous system (from the backbone) and the reproductive organs (in the lower body).
This description matches what scientists have discovered about how sperm is released, including the role of the seminal vesicles, which produce a fluid that helps sperm "gush forth." The verse is remarkable because it accurately describes the process of sperm release long before science had the tools to understand it.
The Qur'anic verse beautifully describes the scientific process of sperm being released from the body, highlighting how both anatomy and the nervous system work together. This shows the incredible knowledge in the Qur'an, long before it was understood by modern science.