-->
This rendering conforms with the interpretation of the phrase mukhallaqah wa-ghayr mukhallaqah by Ibn 'Abbas and Qatadah (the latter quoted by Tabari and the former by Baghawi), alluding to the various stages of embryonic development. In addition, Tabari explains the expression ghayr mukhallaqa as denoting the stage at which the embryonic lump (mudghah) has as yet no individual life - or, in his words, "when no soul has as yet been breathed into it" (la yunfakh fiha ar-ruh). - As regards the expression "created out of dust", it is meant to indicate man's lowly biological origin and his affinity with other "earthy" substances; see in this connection the second half of note [47] on 3:59 , and note [4] on 23:12 .
See note [79] on 16:70 .
Your father, Adam.
Nuṭfah refers to the union of male and female gametes (sperm and egg) which results in the zygote after fertilization.
’Alaqah, meaning the embryo resembles a leech.
Muḍghah, meaning it resembles a chewed morsel.
Fully formed or defected, evolving into a healthy embryo or ending in miscarriage.
If they really have doubts in their minds about the life after death, they have only to tum their attention either to their own nature, or to the nature around. How wonderful is their own physical growth, from lifeless matter, to seed, fertilised ovum, foetus, child youth, age, and death! How can they doubt that the Author of all these wonderful stages in their life here can also give them another kind of life after the end of this life? Or, if they look at external nature, they see the earth dead and barren and Allah's fertilising showers bring it in to life, growth and beauty in various forms. The Creator of this great pageant of Beauty can surely create yet another and a newer world.
The stages of man's physical growth from nothing till he completes the cycle of this life are described in words whose accuracy, beauty, and comprehensiveness can only be fully understood by biologists. Parallel to the physical growth, may be understood man's inner growth, also by stages and by Allah's creative artistry.
That is, a male or a female child, a fair or an ugly child, a good or a rebellious child, etc., involving countless mysteries of genetics and heredity.
Cf. xvi 70. In that passage the mystery of our life was used to illustrate Allah's abundant mercies and favours to us. Here it is used to illustrate Allah's power in giving us a future Life of even greater promise.
A beautiful nature passage so pregnant in meaning that the earnest student wonders what magic and truth have been conveyed in so few words. M.P.'s Egyptian colleague Prof. Ghamrawi (see M.P.'s note on this passage) was but expressing the feelings of every careful student of the Qur-an. The "subtlety and wealth of meaning" are indeed marvellous.