یٰۤاَیُّہَا النَّاسُ اِنۡ کُنۡتُمۡ فِیۡ رَیۡبٍ مِّنَ الۡبَعۡثِ فَاِنَّا خَلَقۡنٰکُمۡ مِّنۡ تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ مِنۡ نُّطۡفَۃٍ ثُمَّ مِنۡ عَلَقَۃٍ ثُمَّ مِنۡ مُّضۡغَۃٍ مُّخَلَّقَۃٍ وَّ غَیۡرِ مُخَلَّقَۃٍ لِّنُبَیِّنَ لَکُمۡ ؕ وَ نُقِرُّ فِی الۡاَرۡحَامِ مَا نَشَآءُ اِلٰۤی اَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّی ثُمَّ نُخۡرِجُکُمۡ طِفۡلًا ثُمَّ لِتَبۡلُغُوۡۤا اَشُدَّکُمۡ ۚ وَ مِنۡکُمۡ مَّنۡ یُّتَوَفّٰی وَ مِنۡکُمۡ مَّنۡ یُّرَدُّ اِلٰۤی اَرۡذَلِ الۡعُمُرِ لِکَیۡلَا یَعۡلَمَ مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِ عِلۡمٍ شَیۡئًا ؕ وَ تَرَی الۡاَرۡضَ ہَامِدَۃً فَاِذَاۤ اَنۡزَلۡنَا عَلَیۡہَا الۡمَآءَ اہۡتَزَّتۡ وَ رَبَتۡ وَ اَنۡۢبَتَتۡ مِنۡ کُلِّ زَوۡجٍۭ بَہِیۡجٍ ﴿۵﴾
5. O people! If you are in doubt about the Resurrection, then (remember that) We (initially) created you from dust (i.e. your chemical genesis was from the extract of clay).* Then (your biological genesis was) from a fertilised egg (i.e. a zygote**). Then, from a clinging mass (i.e. an embryo).*** And then from a lump of flesh looking chewed (i.e. the foetus in the early stages of its development), partly shaped and partly unshaped (having some parts recognisable and others unrecognisable), so that We may manifest (Our power) to you. And We cause whom We are pleased to stay in the wombs till a specified term. Then We bring you out as an infant. Then (We rear you) so that you may attain maturity. And among you, some are caused to die (before old age). And among you, some are brought back to the most senile age so that he knows nothing after (having possessed) some knowledge. Likewise, you see the earth completely sterile (appearing lifeless), yet when We shower water upon it, it stirs (with freshness), swells (with fertility) and produces all kinds of beautiful pairs of plants.
* Dust comprises minerals, metals, salts and other chemical elements such as calcium, sodium, phosphorus, potassium, silicon, chlorine, iodine, fluorine, magnesium, zinc, sulphur, iron, etc. These and other clay elements also form a balanced diet essential for nourishment. The animals whose meat and milk we consume graze upon vegetation. The grains, vegetables and fruits that constitute our diet benefit from the soil they grow in and absorb all its chemicals.
** In Arabic, the word ‘al-nutfa’ is mentioned, and it refers to a zygote, which is a mixture of male and female gametes. It is the new single cell formed after the union of a sperm and ovum.
*** The word ‘alaqa’ in this verse describes the human embryo from days 7–24, which clings to the endometrium of the uterus in the same way that a leech clings to the skin. Just as the leech derives blood from the host, the human embryo derives blood from the decidua or pregnant endometrium. It is remarkable how much the embryo of 23–24 days resembles a leech. No microscopes were available in the 7th century, so none would have known that the human embryo at this stage was clinging to the endometrium and had a leech-like appearance.
يا أيها الناس إن كنتم في ريب من البعث فإنا خلقناكم من تراب ثم من نطفة ثم من علقة ثم من مضغة مخلقة وغير مخلقة لنبين لكم ونقر في الأرحام ما نشاء إلى أجل مسمى ثم نخرجكم طفلا ثم لتبلغوا أشدكم ومنكم من يتوفى ومنكم من يرد إلى أرذل العمر لكيلا يعلم من بعد علم شيئا وترى الأرض هامدة فإذا أنزلنا عليها الماء اهتزت وربت وأنبتت من كل زوج بهيج