The document summarizes the developmental periods of humans as described in the Quran. It discusses: 1. The prenatal periods of embryo and fetus, with Quranic terms like nutfah, 'alaqah, and mudghah used to describe stages of development. 2. The postnatal periods of neonatal, infancy, childhood, puberty, adolescence, adulthood, and old age. 3. Key physical and developmental milestones during each period such as tooth development, sexual maturity, and physical growth.

1. DEVELOPMENTAL PERIODS

2. The developmental
stages of insan (human
being) are described in
Qur’an by the Creator
Himself. HE says.

4. • O people, if you have any doubt about
Life-after-death,
• you should know that
• WE first created you of clay,
• then of a sperm-drop,
• then of a clot of blood,
• then a lump of flesh, shaped or shapeless.

5. • (WE are telling you this)
• so that WE make the reality plain to you.
• And WE cause whom WE will to remain in
the wombs for a fixed period,
• then WE bring you out as an infant;
• then (WE nourish you) so that you may
attain to your full youth.

6. • And there may be among you one
• who is returned to the most
abject/miserable age so that he should
know nothing even after knowing all he
could.

7. •Teleanatomy.com

8. What is the matter with you that you do not expect
for ALLAH any dignity, although HE has created
you in successive stages.
Al-Nuh. Surah 71. Ayyaat 13-14. Para 29.

9. Human life, in all its stages, is glorified
and honored in Islam.
Customarily development of human
being is divided into:
Prenatal period. The period before birth.
Postnatal period. The period after birth.

10. •Prenatal Period
•EMBRYO
(Gr. Embryon)
•FETUS
(L. unborn offspring)

11. • Embryo
• The developing structure of Insan between
third to eighth weeks is called embryo.
• By this time the beginning (Primordia of
organs) of all major structures are present.

12. • Fetus
• After 8th week the developing human
being is called fetus. Fetal period is 9th
week to birth.
• Here there is differentiation and growth of
the structures formed during embryonic
period.

13. • Qur’an has also used many terms
regarding the development of Insan.
Understanding the origin of embryological
terms used by our Creator Himself in the
Qur’an adds clarity and often serves as a
memory key.
• The Qur’anic terms used for development
during prenatal period are as follows.

14. NUTFAH
Does not insan see that it is We Who
created him from sperm?
Yet behold! He (stands forth) as an open
adversary!
Yaseen. Surah 36. Ayat 77. Para 23.

15. NUTFAH
 It is a comprehensive term used in the Qur’an
and includes
1. male and female gametes,
2. zygote,
3. morula,
4. and blastocyst before implantation
5. and part of fluid in their natural environments.
(The Developing Human Third Edition With Islamic
Additions 1983 Page 12f)

16. • So the sperms with seminal fluid, products
of ovulation, fertilized egg and the state of
Insan during first 6 to 7 days or 1st week
after fertilization in intrauterine life are
included in the term Nutfah.
• So according to Keith L. Moore and Abdul-
Majeed A. Azzindani following are the
components of Nutfah.

17. Components of Nutfah
Secondary Oocyte
• This is the female germ cell produced in
ovaries.
• It develops in the period between the first and
second maturation division.
• It is derived from primary oocyte shortly before
ovulation.
• It is the secondary oocyte that ovulates.
• If fertilized, the secondary oocyte divides and
form ovum (L. ovum, egg) or ootid;
• otherwise it perishes.

18. Sperm (Gr. Sperma, seed)
• This is the mature male germ cell produced in
testes.

19. Zygote (Gr. Zgotos, yoked together)
• This is a fertilized egg capable of developing
into a new individual.

20. Morula (L. morus, mulberry).
• A mulberry-shaped mass of 12 or more cells is
called morula.
• The cells are called blastomeres. The blastomeres
change their shape and tightly align themselves
against each other to form a compact ball of cells.
This phenomenon – compaction – is probably
mediated by cell surface adhesion glycoproteins
(Gilbert, 1997).
• When 12 or more blastomeres have formed, the
spherical group of cells is called a morula. It was
given this name because of its resemblance to the
fruit of a mulberry tree.
• The morula stage occurs 3 to 4 days after
fertilization, just as the developing human enters
the uterus.

22. Blastocyst (Gr. Blastos, germ + Kistis, bladder).
• Blastocyst is a follicle – like structure
containing a fluid filled cavity, surrounded by
cells.
• When morula enters the uterine cavity, fluid
starts entering the morula and a fluid-filled
cavity – the blastocyst cavity – develops
inside it.
• The inner cell mass is shifted to one side
forming embryonic pole of the blastocyst.

23. ALAQAH
• This is a Qur’anic term.
• It is the presomite embryo,
• It starts with implantation (7th
day) to the beginning (20th day)
of the formation of somites.
• (The Developing Human Third Edition
With Islamic Additions 1983 Page 12f).

24. MUDGHAH
• This is again a Qur’anic term.
• It is the somite formation period.
• It starts on 20th day when first pair of
somites appears and ends on 35th
day when all somites have
developed.
• (The Developing Human Third Edition With
Islamic Additions 1983 Page 12f).

25. EMBRYO (Gr. Embryon)
• The developing structure of Insan
between 3rd to 8th weeks is
called embryo.
• By this time the beginning
(Primordia of organs) of all major
structures are present.

26. FETUS (L. unborn offspring)
• After 8th week the developing
human being is called fetus.
• Fetal period is 9th week to birth.
• Here there is differentiation and
growth of the structures formed
during embryonic period.

27. Postnatal Period
ALLAH brought you out of your mothers’ wombs in this
state that you knew nothing: HE gave you ears and eyes
and thinking minds so that you may be grateful.
Al-Nahl. Surah 16. Ayat 78. Para 14.

29. • He is Who created you from dust, then from a
sperm, then from a clot of blood, then He
delivers you as an infant, then He makes you to
grow up to attain to full strength (adulthood),
then makes you to grow further to reach old
age. And someone of you is recalled earlier so
that you may reach an appointed time and may
understand the reality.
• HE is WHO gives life and ordains death.
Whatever HE decrees, HE only commands it to
be and it is.
Al-Mu’min, Surah 40. Ayat 67-68. Para 24.

30. • The terms used for different stages of life
in postnatal period are explained below:
• Development does not stop at birth.
Important changes, in addition to growth
occur after birth (e.g., development of
teeth and female breasts). The brain
triples in weight between birth and 16
years; most developmental changes are
completed by the age of 25.

31. NEONATAL PERIOD:
First four weeks after birth is neonatal period.
Insan is called neonate.
INFANCY:
First year after birth is infancy. Insan is called
infant.
By the end of first year
– The total length of body has increased by about
one-half.
– The weight increases three times.
– There are six to eight deciduous or primary teeth.
[L. Deciduus, to fall of]

32. • CHILDHOOD:
The period of Insan from the beginning of second year
to the onset of puberty is called childhood.
During childhood primary teeth are replaced by
secondary or permanent teeth.
• PUBERTY:
[L. Pubertas, development of sex characteristics]
It is sexual maturity. It is the period of the development
of secondary sexual characteristics and the growing
Insan attains the capability of sexual reproduction.
In girls it is between 12 and 15 years.
In boys it is between 13 to 16 years.

33. • ADOLESCENCE:
This is the period of life beginning with the appearance
of secondary sexual characteristics and terminating
with the cessation of somatic growth.
It is the period from about 11 to 19 years of age. It
extends from the earliest signs of sexual maturity to
the attainment of physical, mental and emotional
maturity.
Pubertal period is included in the adolescence. Thus
adolescence is the period between childhood and
adulthood.
• ADULTHOOD:
The fully-grown and mature Insan is called adult.
The adulthood starts by the 20 years of age, its peak
is at 40 years of age and ends at 60 years of age.
Ossification and growth are virtually completed during
early adulthood, 25 years.

35. • We have enjoined on man to treat his parents with
kindness. His mother bore him with pain and she gave
him birth with pain. And his bearing (pregnancy) and
his weaning (lactation) took thirty months. Till, when
he attained to the age of his full strength and reached
forty years of age; he said "O my RUBB! Arouse me
(grant me the grace) that I may be grateful for your
favor you have bestowed upon me and upon my
parents and that I may do such good work as may
please you and make my children also good to
comfort me. Truly I have turned to you in repentance
and truly I am of those who have surrendered to you
as Muslims."
• Al-Ahqaf. Surah 46. Ayat 15. Para 26.

36. • OLD AGE:
• Sixty onward is old age.
• Regarding this stage of life Qur’an tells us.
• Whomsover WE grant a long life, WE just
reverse him in nature and constitution. Do
they not understand anything (from this).
• Yasin, Surah 36. Ayat 68. Para 23