Cloning and Holy Qura'n

The discoveries of modern science is underlining the matters which the holy Quran had proclaimed 1400 years ago. Dr. Balakrishnan writes in the books "Heredity and Cloning", published by Kerala Language Institute in 1999: "Everybody knows the common way of re-production and growth. But even scientists were ignorants of the fact that both man and woman have equal share in the sexual reproduction" Till recent years science kept on saying that human beings were created only from male sperms. The Quran has taught 1400 years before, that both male and female have roles in the root cell of the infant. Revealing the new scientific truth that the offspring is born from the zygote created out of the joining of ovum and sperm.

Holy Qur'an says: Indeed, we have created man from 'Nuthfathun Amshaj' in order to him. Thus we made him able to hear and see."What does 'Nuthfathun Amshaj' mean? Nutfathun Amshaj is the liquid mixture of both ovum and sperm. This is the meaning given by famous interpretators of the holy Quran such as Ikrima, Mujahid, Hasan, Rabee' etc (May Allah mercy upon them). The following Hadith will clearly illustrate the above mentioned idea. "Once a Jew was walking beside our Prophet (Peace be upon him). The Prophet (PBH) was talking to his followers at that time. Then the Quraish told to the jew. "Oh, Jew, this man argues that he is a Prophet." At that time the jew said: "I will ask him about a matter, which nobody other than a Prophet will be able to understand". Then he came to the Prophet (PBH) and asked "Oh, Muhammad, Out of what does human beings is created? "O Jew, he is created out of both; the male cell and female cell" Our beloved Rasul (PBH) replied. It is not a challenge at all, that a cloning baby was born among human beings, instead it emphasizes some statements made by the Quran. It does not pose a challenge to any theory or principle of Islam. The Quran teaches by citing the instances of the birth of both prophet Isa (PBH) and Prophet Adam (PBH) that creation of man without male and female intercourse and mixture of sperm and ovum is not impossible: Quran says:

Allah, created Adam (PBH) without having father and mother just as he created Prophet Isa (PBH) without father. Lets say that this is a cloning made by the creator of the universe. The evolutionary creation of Adam (PBH) from clay can be described as cloning only figuratively. But what about the creation of prophet Isa from Maryam? If splitting birth and growth can be called cloning, then this also can be called as cloning.

Now lets see another cloning in Qura'n. Taking a part from the body of Adam, Allah created Hawwa, the first woman and second human being. If regeneration and physical birth can be called cloning this definitely can be called cloning. Holy Qura'n says about this "O mankind, you fear Allah, who created you from the same person and spread many men and women from both of them".

This cloning was done from the rib of Adam (Allah Mercy upon him). Allah had made him sleep in order not to feel the pain to him. Both Bukhari and Muslim have reported the statement of the prophet that woman was created from a rib. But no fault or weakness can be seen in the cloning of the creator, as it can be seen in the cloning of man. Imam Razi says: To create all human beings from a man is an evidence for the excellence of the creation of Allah. If the creation was just because of nature, all human beings would have become same in shape and physical features. We can see that there are different types of human beings such as black, white, red, brown, handsome, ugly looking, long, short etc. So this diversity is an evidence for the fact that their creator and controller is an independent worker and not a machine or nature. Now it became very evident that this creator is an almighty and all-knowing one. Thus it is obvious that it is our duty to abide by his rules and orders.

The holy Qura'n has mentioned about a cloning which is going to happen. This cloning is the resurrection of man from a cell of his body which remains in the earth after it became part of the soil from which he was created. The summary of this happening can be read in Holy Qura'n as follows:

We created you from the earth. We will return you to it; and from it itself we will bring you back.

Just as the seeds of plants take their birth when suitable occasion comes, man resurrects himself from a single cell, kept by Allah from millions of cells. Both low and high temperature prevent the regeneration and growth of seeds. When the seeds, which were lying inactive in the absence of moisture, come to life when they get water. Allah says: 'You can see the earth lying dry and stubble. But when we shower rain on it, it will rejoice, develop and produce all magnificent plants". Actually who creates the sperm? It is nobody but Allah, the Almighty. The creator who can create the living objects from living objects and non-objects from living objects.

Qura'n says "Allah is the one who splits the seeds of dates and the sperms of grains. Indeed, he brings back living things from the dead ones, and the dead ones from the living things. Then how do you guide astray?

This is same with the case of the resurrection of man. The micro cell of the body remains for millions of years in the earth. Then at the time of resurrection there showers a drizzling. Thus happens the growth of the cell. When Israfeel (May Allah Mercy upon him) makes the call for resurrection as per the order of Allah, man states to resurrect. The prophet says: "Allah showers a drizzle when all people die due to the first call in 'Soor'. Then starts the sprouting of human beings. Then with the second call, all stand and gaze each other. "Just see the consequences of the blessings of Allah. How does he make the earth active after it became dead? One who does it can enliven the dead ones. Indeed, he is the Almighty who is powerful to do anything".

According to the science, it is not implausible to surest a cell after lying inactive for millions of years. The seeds and spores can overcome the opposite circumstances when favorable occasion comes. Thus truth has been recorded by Encyclopedia Britanica as follows: (There are seeds and spores that remain, so far as is known, perfectly dormant and totally without metabolic activity at low temperatures for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years.)

The emergence of genetic science elucidates this principle of resurrection a bit more through the technique of science. We have already mentioned that after the death of man, a very small part of his body will remain without decay. It is from this part of body that his resurrection and re-organisation occure . The prophet says: Everything from the body of a man will decay except a bone. The part which will not undergo decay is 'Ujbudhanab'. The prophet was asked "O the messenger of Allah, what is Ujbudhanab?. He replied: It is mustard like part of the body". It is the minute part of the bone on the bottom of the back bone. In animals its position is on the top end of the tail. It is just like the creation of a tree from a spore or that of a man from a single cell. In the term of cloning of modern science, this resurrection is the cloning of a man from a single cell. The gist of what we have described so far is that the birth of an infant without the mixture of sexual cells is not a challenge to Holy Qura'n or the religion or ideology which holy Qur'an represents. At the same time the question whether cloning is allowed or not, is another discussion.