Collection: Human Senses

Development of Senses in a Fetus:

• Modern scientific research has shown that hearing is one of the first senses to develop in a fetus. A fetus can hear sounds, including its mother's voice, several weeks before it is born.

• Vision, on the other hand, develops later. A baby's eyes start to form early in pregnancy, but the ability to see clearly develops much after birth.

Quranic References to Hearing and Seeing:

• In Surah Al-Insan, Verse 2, it states: "We created man from a fertilizing sperm, to test him; and We made him hearing and seeing" (إِنَّا خَلَقْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ مِنْ نُطْفَةٍ أَمْشَاجٍ نَبْتَلِيهِ فَجَعَلْنَاهُ سَمِيعًا بَصِيرًا).

• Similarly, in Surah Al-Mu'minun, Verse 78, it says: "It is He who produced for you the hearing, and the eyesight, and the feelings. But little gratitude you show" (وَهُوَ الَّذِي أَنْشَأَ لَكُمُ السَّمْعَ وَالْأَبْصَارَ وَالْأَفْئِدَةَ ۚ قَلِيلًا مَا تَشْكُرُونَ).

• In both verses, "hearing" is mentioned before "seeing," which aligns with the developmental sequence in fetuses.

Significance of Quranic Description:

• The Quran's mention of hearing developing before seeing, over 1400 years ago, is seen as noteworthy, especially since this order was only confirmed by modern science relatively recently.

• The specific sequence of mentioning hearing before sight in these verses is seen by many as an indication of the Quran's insight into human development.

Interpretation:

• For believers, this correlation is often cited as an example of the Quran's divine origin and its profound understanding of human physiology.

• The accuracy with which the Quran describes the development of senses in the correct order is viewed as a sign of its authenticity and the deep knowledge it contains.

In summary, the Quranic verses that refer to hearing before seeing, in alignment with the actual order of sensory development in a fetus, are seen by many as an example of the Quran's profound insights into human development, aligning with scientific discoveries made much later.