Surah At-Tariq Verses 6 and 7 – “backbone and ribs”

[Aisha]

Salam, peace to all.

He was created from a fluid, ejected,  86:6 At-Tariq
Emerging from between the backbone and the ribs.  86:7 At Tariq


In above verses the ref is to male semen.  How would that emerge amd eject from backbone and ribs.  Backbone is along the spine, and ribs are in the lungs, I mean, ribs are the skeletal protection for the lungs and the chest cavity.  Unless I am not seeing something here, can you kindly interpret these verses for my knowledge?

[Heba E. Husseyn]

Walaikum As-Salaam.  Sure, Insh’Allah.  I will focus directly on V.86:7 of Surah At-Tariq.

Such confusions usually arise from the direct translation from Arabic to English and thus, the various terminologies of English language we are accustomed to interpret don’t fit-in according to our understanding of English.

”That issued from between the loins and ribs.”  86:7 (Translation M. Pickthall).

“.. emerges from between the backbone and breastbone.” 86:7  (Translation A. Haleem).

For other translations of this Verse visit the following link:  Islam awakened /Quran

Analyzing Verse 86:7 of Surah At-Tariq as follows:

(٨٦:٧)  يَخْرُجُ مِنْ بَيْنِ الصُّلْبِ وَالتَّرَائِبِ

"Emerging from between the loins and the ribs."  (86:7).

يَخْرُجُ (yakhruju) = which is the original Arabic of emerging or coming forth). 

مِنْ بَيْنِ  (min bayni) = from between.

الصُّلْبِ وَالتَّرَائِبِ (al-sul'bi wal-taraibi)  =   al-sulbi denotes anything hard, which several translations have mentioned as “backbone” and is not an accurate interpretation.  In this case it refers to the loins which is that part of the body centered between both sides of the spine, below the lowest  ribs and between the hipbones. That is the sense referred in the Verse on focus. Please keep in mind the original Quranic term “min bayni” which means “from between” positioned slightly vertically below; NOT from the precise locations of the ribs and spinal area.   And the Arabic word taraibi refers to the bodily contents (including blood) surrounding the loins.

The diagram below helps clarification.




Thus, the semen is ejected carrying the sperm. The sperm is the male reproductive cell contained within the semen which fertilizes the female cell in the ovaries.  Male sperm is produced within the testes. Each of the two testes has a few hundreds of small tubes.  Each of these tubes are approximately 2 feet long. That takes it quite close to between the lower spine and not too far from between the lowest ribs.  Over 200 million sperms are produced each day.  Additionally, the urethra it is the duct carrying urine out of the body from the bladder ..  in male vertebrates urethra also carries the semen which is stored with the help of 2 valves around urethra.

Briefly put,  Allah Almighty states that sperm comes to the testes from between the loins.

Alhumdulilah.  Praise be to Allah Almighty alone for such perfect and planned construction of the human system.

You can double-check these facts from any medical science journal.

[Aisha]

Thanks a lot sister Heba.  So this verse is like a summary right?

[Heba E. Husseyn]

Yes, a summary because let us not forget that The Almighty in conveying one of the very intricate functions of the human anatomy (male in this case) as designed and approved by Him.  Allah Almighty gives this information to the world at a time when no one anywhere in this planet knew anything about these scientific functions of the human physiology. Therefore, scientific information is generally conveyed in the Noble Quran in a nutshell, which, with the progress of human knowledge (with the will of Allah) can be compared with the practical and elaborated studies of the human body.  It also helps in the understanding of animal biology which carries many similarities in comparison with the biology of humans.

[Aisha]

Thank you again really.  This is helpful detailing with the science of bodily facts.