CHEWED LUMP OF FLESH

14- Then We developed the drop into a hanging, then developed the hanging into a chewed
lump of flesh.
23-The Believers, 14

The Quran continues displaying its miracles in its description of “alaq” succeeded by the
“mudga” (chewed lump of flesh) stage. As a matter of fact, the embryo in the uterus has the
appearance of a chewed lump of flesh, a tiny piece of flesh. Sura 22-The Pilgrimage, verse 5,
speaks “of chewed lump of flesh, partly formed and partly unformed,”
which is a good description of the aspect of the fetus. The aspect presented to our sight is of
an indented figure whose head, feet and internal organs have begun to develop (partly
formed, partly unformed).
Prof. Keith L. Moore says that he had a model made in plastic in the shape of an embryo and
bit on it, leaving the marks of his teeth; this seemed to be an exact reproduction of an
embryo, and explained the indentation referred to in the Quran.

ADVENTURE OF THE CHEWED LUMP OF FLESH

A single cell undergoes many stages in forming the various organs and tissues of the body. A
chewed lump of flesh at one stage, it is transformed into organs, muscles, skeleton, brain,
eyes and ears, until in time man finally emerges. To review all the stages of this development

renders our awe still greater at the presence of God’s artistry. There is a time when the lump
turns into a heart, a heart that beats 100,000 times a day without our being aware of it and
without any conscious contribution on our part. Blood that comes to the heart and leaves it
does not get mixed together. Blood is distributed in the body in perfect proportions. The
ventricles and atriums of the heart are wonders of creation. The organized movement of
blood within the arteries and veins presents matchless complexity and would take pages to
describe. The day comes when this “chewed lump of flesh” is transformed into a liver, the
organ that assumes more than 400 functions. This tiny lump becomes muscles to help us in
our numerous movements like eating, running, walking, sitting and laughing. The muscles
function within the framework of an extremely complex net of coordination.

Merely smiling requires the coordinated functioning of 17 muscles. Our brains, hands, feet,
intestines, kidneys, respiratory systems and the blood circulating in our veins and arteries
owe their origins to this tiny lump of flesh, once a drop of liquid. The story of our creation
would take up a whole encyclopedia. The Quran invites us to study these phenomena and
meditate upon them. The prayer and ritual enjoined to man in the Quran have been a topic
of long discussion. The verses that refer to ratiocination and meditation, which, although
superior in number to those of the rituals, have received less attention.

6- O human beings! What has seduced you from your Lord, Most Beneficent?
7- The One who created you, designed you in due proportion, and disposed you aright.
8- In whatever design He chose, He constructed you.
82-The Shattering, 6-8