The Sperm (Science and Signs in the Qur’an)

“So let man observe from what he was created. He was created from a fluid, ejected, emerging from between the backbone and the ribs.” (Qur’an 86:5-7)

“It emerges from between the backbone and the ribs” – The Scientific Miracle of the Holy Qur’an

By A.S.M Razan

Questions about human origin and birth have long awed humanity. Scholars remain fascinated by how the Noble Qur’an, over 1,400 years ago, precisely articulated biological facts that modern science discovered only with advanced microscopes and technologies. In Surah At-Tariq (Chapter 86, Verses 5-7), Allah Almighty states: “So let man observe from what he was created. He was created from a fluid, ejected, emerging from between the backbone and the ribs.” (Qur’an 86:5-7)

The concept mentioned in these verses, that man is created from a fluid originating from between the backbone and the ribs, aligns remarkably with modern embryological and neurological evidence.

When observing the development of the male reproductive system during embryonic life, the testes (the primary organs that produce sperm) do not initially lie outside the body. Around the 6th to 7thweek of gestation, these organs originate in the upper abdominal region near the developing kidneys, specifically between the spinal column (backbone) and the ribs. As fetal development progresses toward the 7th or 8th month, the testes gradually descend into the scrotum outside the abdominal cavity. Even after this descent, their primary blood supply (testicular artery and vein) and nerve connections continue to originate from that same upper abdominal region where the backbone meets the lower ribs.

Furthermore, from a physiological and neurological perspective, the sympathetic nerve impulses required for fluid secretion and ejaculation originate directly from the spinal cord. Specifically, the thoracic spinal segments T10 and T11 (10th and 11th thoracic levels), along with L1 – L2 (lumbar levels), give rise to the lesser and least splanchnic nerves that trigger seminal vesicle contractions and ejaculation. The T10 and T11 nerves originate precisely where the 10th and 11th ribs connect to the vertebral column exactly between the backbone and the ribs, as expressed in the verse.

Additionally, examining the Arabic linguistic context, many classical and contemporary commentators explain that ‘Sulb’ (ﺻﻠﺐ) refers to the male backbone/loins, while ‘Tara’ib’ refers to the female ribs/chest area. Under this interpretation, the verse (ﺗﺮاﺋﺐ) comprehensively encapsulates the biological contributions of both parents, the origin of both the sperm and the ovum.

In an era devoid of medical technology or scientific instruments, the Noble Qur’an’s accurate reflection of embryonic origin, vascular pathways, and the T10-T11 neurological region underscores divine wisdom and the miraculous nature of the text.T

Scientific References:

1.  Sadler, T. W. (2018). Langman’s Medical Embryology (14th ed.). Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Context: Embryological origin and descent of the testes from the upper posterior abdominal region to the scrotum.

2.  Moore, K. L., Persaud, T. V. N., & Torchia, M. G. (2019). The Developing Human: Clinically Oriented Embryology (11th ed.). Elsevier.

Context: Development of the mesonephros and gonadal ridges near the posterior abdominal wall.

3.  Standring, S. (2020). Gray’s Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice (42nd ed.). Elsevier.

Context: Testicular arteries arise from the abdominal aorta around the L2 level, reflecting the testes’ embryological origin.

4.  Waxman, S.G. (2020). Clinical Neuroanatomy (29th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.

Context: T10–L2 sympathetic pathways involved in ejaculation and emission.

5.  Brindley, G. S. (1981). Electroejaculation and the fertility of paraplegic men. Scottish Medical Journal, 26(2), 124–125.

Context: Evidence for the role of thoracic and lumbar spinal networks in ejaculation.

About the Author:
A.S.M. Razan (Abdul Salam Mohamed Razan) writes on Islam and science, with particular interest in the relationship between Qur’anic revelation and discoveries in biology, astronomy and cosmology. He is a physiotherapy student at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka, and has a background in Biological Sciences. He is a guest writer for PEACE Magazine.

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