A Comparative Study of the word Alaqa in Quran and Embryology

With the passage of time and developments of science, a change in the meaning of some words in Quran is seen. 'Alaqa' is one of these words which is mentioned in the verses related to embryo growth as the second phase of development. Surveying several exegesis, lexicons and translations of holy Quran, we come across a great variety of meanings in this regards. Developments in embryology have made embryo growth process clearer. Some exegetes have explained this process in scientific words. The pioneer interpreters have not given the meaning of this word or have limited themselves to the existing meanings in lexicons. Briefly studying the growth of the embryo in the preliminary stages, we are trying to recognize the scientific concept of this word. At the time Quran was revealed, people did not know about embryology and Quran used expressions that were intelligible for the common people of that era. 'Alaqa' means leech or something that attaches somewhere. Considering the characteristics of leech, the meaning becomes closer to human understanding. It seems that preliminary embryo can be appropriate meaning for 'Alaqa'. Blood clot, wet blood, red Object and leech also seem justifiable meanings. From the scientific point of view this phase corresponds to the beginning of blastocyst's sticking to uterine tissue and the rush towards it. In this stage blastocyst sticks to endometrium like a leech and starts to nest in it as deep as possible. The interior cell mass forms two layers; hypoblast and epiblast and continues to form the embryo and fetal membrane. The placenta the source of hormones secretion and embryo feeding remains attached to the wall of uterus until the end of pregnancy. The embryo remains overhanging of the placenta by umbilical cord.