Does the Qur’an Say Semen Comes From the Backbone and Ribs? Refuting the At-Tariq 86:5–7 Claim
Does the Qur’an Say Semen Comes From the Backbone and Ribs? Refuting the At-Tariq 86:5–7 Claim
Some critics claim that the Qur’an made a scientific mistake when it said that man was created from a gushing fluid that comes out from between the backbone and the ribs.
They argue that semen comes from the testicles, not from the backbone or ribs, and therefore the Qur’an allegedly contains an anatomical error.
This objection is weak because it oversimplifies both the Qur’anic wording and human reproductive anatomy.
The Verse in Question
“So let man consider from what he was created. He was created from a gushing water. It comes out from between the backbone and the ribs.”
Critics claim that this verse says semen comes directly from the spine and ribs, while modern anatomy says semen comes from the testicles. Therefore, they allege that the Qur’an made a scientific error.
This argument is too shallow. It assumes the verse must be read as a crude anatomical statement saying semen is manufactured inside the spine and ribs. The verse does not say that.
The Core Answer
The Qur’an does not deny the known role of the testicles or reproductive organs. It describes the origin or emergence of the gushing reproductive fluid in a broader bodily region. The critic’s objection fails because semen is not produced by the testicles alone, and the reproductive system has embryological and vascular connections in the abdominal region.
The critic’s argument depends on a childish premise:
“If semen involves the testicles, then the Qur’an cannot mention any broader bodily region.”
That premise is false.
Ancient People Already Knew the Role of the Testicles
The idea that people only recently discovered the reproductive role of the testicles is nonsense.
Ancient peoples knew that castration affected reproduction. Arabs and previous nations knew this long before modern medicine.
The source material cites the hadith:
Grade: Sahih.
This proves that the connection between testicles and reproduction was not some hidden modern discovery.
If the Qur’an had meant something obviously contrary to common reproductive knowledge, the earliest Arabs would have noticed. The role of the testicles was not unknown.
So the critic should not pretend that saying “testicles exist” is some devastating modern refutation.
Semen Is Not Only “From the Testicles”
The critic’s own science is too crude.
Sperm cells are produced in the testicles, but semen is not simply “testicle fluid.” Semen is a mixture involving sperm from the testicles and secretions from the accessory glands, including the seminal vesicles, prostate, bulbourethral glands, epididymides, and related ducts.
Modern medical sources explain that semen contains spermatozoa produced in the testes, processed in the epididymides, and mixed with secretions from accessory organs such as the prostate, seminal vesicles, bulbourethral glands, and epididymides.
So the statement “semen comes from the testicles” is already oversimplified.
The testicles produce sperm cells, but semen as ejaculated fluid is a composite fluid involving multiple reproductive structures. Therefore, the critic’s simplistic objection does not accurately describe the biology.
If the critic cannot even distinguish sperm from semen, he should not be lecturing the Qur’an on anatomy.
General Source Vs Immediate Exit
Language often mentions a broader source rather than a precise mechanical point.
For example, if a machine in a factory produces a can of jam, we may still say:
- “This can came from the factory.”
- “This can came from the production line.”
- “This can came from the industrial zone.”
None of these statements deny that a specific machine performed the final process.
Likewise, if the Qur’an speaks of the gushing fluid coming from a broader bodily region, that does not deny the role of particular organs.
Mentioning a broader source or region does not deny a more specific anatomical role. The critic falsely assumes that only the most microscopic description is valid.
The Qur’an is not a modern anatomy textbook. It uses concise, meaningful language to direct man to consider his origin.
The Testicles Are Not Isolated From the Body
The testicles are not independent machines floating outside the body. They are connected to the body through blood vessels, nerves, ducts, lymphatics, and developmental pathways.
Their blood supply, nerve supply, and embryological origin connect them to the abdominal region.
The testes descend into the scrotum during development, but their vessels and nerves reflect their abdominal origin. This is why testicular pain can refer to abdominal regions and why testicular vessels arise from high abdominal levels.
This makes the criticism even weaker. The reproductive system is not limited to the final scrotal location.
Embryological Origin of the Testes
Modern embryology confirms that the testes do not originate in the scrotum. They develop in the abdominal region and descend into the scrotum.
Medical sources explain that the testes begin near the posterior abdominal wall, adjacent to the kidneys, and later descend through stages toward the inguinal canal and scrotum.
The testes begin development near the posterior abdominal wall, adjacent to the kidney region, and then descend. The transabdominal stage moves them from that region toward the internal inguinal ring, while the inguinoscrotal stage later moves them into the scrotum.
This point matters because the critic assumes the current adult position of the testicles is the only relevant anatomical fact. It is not.
Medscape / Medical Source Evidence
The source material cites medical references stating that the testes are embryologically derived from the same level as the kidneys and descend as the fetus matures.
The cited medical material explains that the testes are embryologically derived from the same level as the kidneys and share a common level of innervation. As the fetus matures, the testes descend into the scrotum.
This supports the broader point: the reproductive organs are developmentally connected to an upper abdominal origin, not originally formed in the scrotum.
Descent of the Testes
Embryological references describe testicular descent as a staged process.
The testes descend from the abdominal region toward the scrotum. One stage involves movement toward the internal inguinal ring, and a later stage involves passage through the inguinal canal into the scrotum.
This is why the verse should not be attacked as if the only relevant fact is the adult scrotal location.
The reproductive system’s origin and connections are more complex than the critic admits.
John Wiley / Prenatal MRI Evidence
The source material also cites a John Wiley medical study on testicular descent using prenatal MRI.
The cited John Wiley source charts the time course of testicular descent on prenatal MRI and notes that this can help identify normal male sexual development and congenital abnormalities such as cryptorchidism.
This supports the fact that testicular descent is a real developmental process, not a theological invention.
Scielo / Brazilian Journal of Urology Evidence
The source material cites another medical paper stating that the human testis develops in the abdomen and migrates to the scrotum during gestation.
The cited medical paper states that the human testis develops in the abdomen and migrates to the scrotum during the second trimester, completing the process near the thirtieth week after conception. It describes testicular migration in two phases: first toward the internal inguinal ring, then through the inguinal canal to the scrotum.
This is directly relevant against the simplistic claim that the testicles are merely “in the scrotum” and therefore nothing can be connected to the upper body region.
Do Not Overstate the Argument
There is a weak version of this argument that should not be used.
Do not say:
“The fetus’s sex is not determined until after the third month.”
That is imprecise. Chromosomal sex is determined at fertilization. What develops later is anatomical differentiation and external visibility.
Do not claim that sex itself is not determined until after the third month. The safer point is that the reproductive organs develop and descend through stages, and the testicles do not originate in the scrotum.
This correction matters. One sloppy sentence gives critics an easy target.
Does the Verse Refer to Male Fluid Only?
Some interpretations discuss the verse as referring to the male fluid, while others discuss human creation more broadly. The Arabic expression māʾ dāfiq means gushing water or emitted fluid.
The phrase:
مِن بَيْنِ الصُّلْبِ وَالتَّرَائِبِ
is often translated as:
“from between the backbone and the ribs.”
Some scholars discussed ṣulb as the backbone or loins, and tarāʾib as the chest/ribs/upper front body region.
English translations such as “backbone and ribs” are approximate. The Arabic terms carry their own range, and the verse should not be reduced to one crude English anatomical image.
This is another reason the objection is weaker than critics claim.
The Verse Is Not Saying Semen Is Manufactured in the Spine
The Qur’an does not say:
“Semen is manufactured inside the spinal column.”
Nor does it say:
“The testicles have no role.”
Nor does it say:
“The scrotum does not exist.”
It says man was created from a gushing water that comes out from between ṣulb and tarāʾib.
The verse speaks about the emergence of the reproductive fluid from a bodily region connected to human reproductive origin. It does not deny the role of the testicles, ducts, glands, or embryological development.
The critic is attacking a strawman.
Why the Objection Fails
The objection fails for several reasons.
First, ancient people already knew that testicles were connected to reproduction.
Second, semen is not produced by the testicles alone; it is a composite fluid involving multiple organs and glands.
Third, the testicles are connected to the body through vessels, nerves, and ducts.
Fourth, the testes develop near the posterior abdominal wall/kidney region and later descend.
Fifth, language can mention a broader source or region without denying a more specific mechanism.
Sixth, the verse is not a modern anatomy diagram and should not be forced into a crude anatomical caricature.
The critic reduces semen to “testicle fluid,” reduces Arabic to one English image, ignores embryology, ignores anatomy, and then accuses the Qur’an of error.
That is not science. It is shallow polemics.
External Medical Sources
Final Refutation
The claim that At-Tariq 86:5–7 contains a scientific error is false.
The Qur’an does not deny the role of the testicles. Ancient peoples already knew the connection between testicles and reproduction through castration. The critic’s claim that semen simply “comes from the testicles” is itself incomplete, because semen is a mixed fluid involving sperm cells and secretions from several reproductive glands.
Modern embryology also shows that the testes do not originate in the scrotum. They develop in the abdominal region near the kidney/posterior abdominal wall and descend into the scrotum through stages.
The Qur’an’s wording is broad and concise. It directs man to reflect on his origin from gushing fluid, not to read the verse as a crude claim that semen is manufactured inside the spine.
At-Tariq 86:5–7 is not scientifically false. The objection depends on oversimplifying semen, ignoring embryological descent, and forcing the Arabic wording into a crude anatomical reading. The verse does not contradict known anatomy; the critic’s interpretation does.
Source Notes
Adapted from the provided material on the allegation that the Qur’an made a scientific error by saying man was created from fluid emerging between the backbone and ribs.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 4788.
- Medscape, “Testicle and Epididymis Anesthesia,” embryology section.
- John Wiley / ISUOG, prenatal MRI study on testicular descent.
- SciELO / Brazilian Journal of Urology, article on the position of the testis during the fetal period.
- NCBI Bookshelf, “Semen Analysis.”
- NCBI Bookshelf, “Embryology, Testicle.”