Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Mu'minun Verse 14

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Then We turned the sperm-drop into a clot, then We turned the clot into a fetus-lump, then We turned the fetus-lump into bones, then We clothed the bones with flesh; thereafter We developed it into another creature. So, glorious is Allah, the Best of the creators.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

then We developed the drop into a clinging clot ˹of blood˺, then developed the clot into a lump ˹of flesh˺, then developed the lump into bones, then clothed the bones with flesh, then We brought it into being as a new creation.[[ This happens when the spirit is breathed into the embryo. ]] So Blessed is Allah, the Best of Creators.

Ruwwad Translation Center

then We made the sperm-drop into a clinging clot, then We made the clinging clot into a lump, then We made the lump into bones, and We clothed the bones with flesh, and then We developed it into another creation. So Blessed is Allah, the Best of Creators.

A. J. Arberry

then We created of the drop a clot then We created of the clot a tissue then We created of the tissue bones then We garmented the bones in flesh; thereafter We produced him as another creature. So blessed be God, the fairest of creators!

Abdul Haleem

then We made that drop into a clinging form, and We made that form into a lump of flesh, and We made that lump into bones, and We clothed those bones with flesh, and later We made him into other forms––glory be to God, the best of creators!––

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

-Thereafter We created the sperm a clot; then We created the clot a lump of flesh; then We created the lump of flesh bones; then We clothed the bones with flesh: thereafter We brought him forth as anot her creature. Blest then be Allah, the Best of creators!

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Then We made the sperm into a clot of congealed blood; then of that clot We made a (foetus) lump; then we made out of that lump bones and clothed the bones with flesh; then we developed out of it another creature. So blessed be Allah, the best to create!

Abul Ala Maududi

then We made this drop into a clot, then We made the clot into a lump, then We made the lump into bones, then We clothed the bones with flesh, and then We caused it to grow into another creation. Thus Most Blessed is Allah, the Best of all those that create.

Ahmed Ali

Then We fashioned the sperm into an embryo, then fashioned the embryo into a shapeless lump of flesh; then from the lump of flesh We fashioned bones, then clothed the bones with flesh. Thus We formed him into a new creation. So blessed be God the best of Creators.

Ahmed Raza Khan

We then turned the drop of fluid into a clot of blood, then the clot into a small lump of flesh, then the lump into bones, then covered the bones with flesh; then developed it in a different mould; therefore Most Auspicious is Allah, the Best Creator.

Ali Quli Qarai

Then We created the drop of fluid as a clinging mass. Then We created the clinging mass as a fleshy tissue. Then We created the fleshy tissue as bones. Then We clothed the bones with flesh. Then We produced him as [yet] another creature. So blessed is Allah, the best of creators!

Ali Ünal

Then We have created of the fertilized ovum a clot clinging (to the womb wall), and (afterwards in sequence) We have created of the clinging clot a (chew of) lump, and We have created of (a chew of) lump bones, and We have clothed the bones in flesh. Then We have caused it to grow into another creation. So Blessed and Supreme is God, the Creator Who creates everything in the best and most appropriate form and has the ultimate rank of creativity.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Then We form the sperm into a clot; then We develop the clot into a lump of flesh; then We fashion bones out of this lump of flesh, then We clothe the bones with flesh, thereafter We evolve him into another being. Therefore blessed be Allâh the Best of Creators.

English Literal

Then We created the drop/male`s or female`s secretion (into) a blood clot/sperm/ semen , so We created the blood clot/sperm/semen (into) a piece of something chewable of flesh or other , so We created the piece of something chewable of flesh or other (into) bones , so We dressed/clothed the bones (with) flesh/meat, then We originated/developed him (into) another creation, so blessed (is) God, best (of) the creators.

Faridul Haque

We then turned the drop of fluid into a clot of blood, then the clot into a small lump of flesh, then the lump into bones, then covered the bones with flesh; then developed it in a different mould; therefore Most Auspicious is Allah, the Best Creator.

Hamid S. Aziz

Then We made him a drop (sperm) in a safe depository (the womb);

Hilali & Khan

Then We made the Nutfah into a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood), then We made the clot into a little lump of flesh, then We made out of that little lump of flesh bones, then We clothed the bones with flesh, and then We brought it forth as another creation. So blessed be Allah, the Best of creators.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Then We make him a small life-germ in a firm resting-place,

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Then We made the seed a clot, then We made the clot a lump of flesh, then We made (in) the lump of flesh bones, then We clothed the bones with flesh, then We caused it to grow into another creation, so blessed be Allah, the best of the creators.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Then fashioned We the drop a clot, then fashioned We the clot a little lump, then fashioned We the little lump bones, then clothed the bones with flesh, and then produced it as another creation. So blessed be Allah, the Best of creators!

Muhammad Sarwar

The living germ, then, was turned into a shapeless lump of flesh from which bones were formed. The bones, then, were covered with flesh. At this stage, We caused it to become another creature. All blessings belong to God, the best Creator.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Then We created of the drop, a clot (of congealed blood) and We created the clot into bitesize tissue, then We created the bitesize tissue into bones, thenWe clothed the bones with flesh, and then produced it an other creation. Blessed is Allah, the Best of creators!

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Then We made the Nutfah into a clot, then We made the clot into a little lump of flesh, then We made out of that little lump of flesh bones, then We clothed the bones with flesh, and then We brought it forth as another creation. So Blessed is Allah, the Best of creators.

Wahiduddin Khan

then We developed that drop into a clinging form, and We developed that form into a lump of flesh, and We developed that lump into bones, and clothed the bones with flesh. Then We brought him into being as a new creation, glory be to God, the best of creators,

Talal Itani

Then We developed the seed into a clot. Then We developed the clot into a lump. Then We developed the lump into bones. Then We clothed the bones with flesh. Then We produced it into another creature. Most Blessed is God, the Best of Creators.

Tafsir jalalayn

Then We transformed the drop [of semen] into a clot, congealed blood. Then We transformed the clot into a [little] lump of flesh (mudgha), a piece of flesh, about the size of what one would be able to chew (m yumdagh). Then We transformed the lump of flesh into bones. Then We clothed the bones with flesh (a variant reading in both instances [instead of the plurals `izman and al-`izma, `the bones'] is [singular] `azman [and `al-`azma], `the bone'; and in all three instances above khalaqn, means `We made it become' [as opposed to `We created']). Then We produced him as [yet] another creature, by breathing into him [Our] Spirit. So blessed be God, the best of creators!, that is, [the best of] determiners (the specificier noun for ahsana, `the best', has been omitted because it is obvious; khalqan, `in terms of creation').

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

ثُمَّ خَلَقْنَا النُّطْفَةَ عَلَقَةً

Then We made the Nutfah into a clot,

meaning, `then We made the Nutfah, which is the water gushing forth that comes from the loins of man, i.e., his back, and the ribs of woman, i.e., the bones of her chest, between the clavicle and the breast. Then it becomes a red clot, like an elongated clot.'

Ikrimah said, "This is blood."

فَخَلَقْنَا الْعَلَقَةَ مُضْغَةً

then We made the clot into a little lump of flesh,

which is like a piece of flesh with no shape or features.

فَخَلَقْنَا الْمُضْغَةَ عِظَامًا

then We made out of that little lump of flesh bones,

meaning, `We gave it shape, with a head, two arms and two legs, with its bones, nerves and veins.'

فَكَسَوْنَا الْعِظَامَ لَحْمًا

then We clothed the bones with flesh,

meaning, `We gave it something to cover it and strengthen it.'

ثُمَّ أَنشَأْنَاهُ خَلْقًا اخَرَ

and then We brought it forth as another creation.

means, `then We breathed the soul into it, and it moved and became a new creature, one that could hear, see, understand and move.

ثُمَّ أَنشَأْنَاهُ خَلْقًا اخَرَ
(and then We brought it forth as another creation).

Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn Abbas said,

"We change it from one stage to another until it emerges as an infant, then it grows up through the stages of being a child, adolescent, youth, mature man, old man and senile man."

Imam Ahmad recorded in his Musnad that Abdullah -- Ibn Mas`ud -- said,

"The Messenger of Allah, the Truthful One, told us;

إِنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ لَيُجْمَعُ خَلْقُهُ فِي بَطْنِ أُمِّهِ أَرْبَعِينَ يَوْمًا نُطْفَةً ثُمَّ يَكُونُ عَلَقَةً مِثْلَ ذلِكَ ثُمَّ يَكُونُ مُضْغَةً مِثْلَ ذلِكَ ثُمَّ يُرْسَلُ إِلَيْهِ الْمَلَكُ فَيَنْفُخُ فِيهِ الرُّوحَ وَيُوْمَرُ بِأَرْبَعِ كَلِمَاتٍ رِزْقِهِ وَأَجَلِهِ وَعَمَلِهِ وَهَلْ هُوَ شَقِيٌّ أَوْ سَعِيدٌ فَوَ الَّذِي لَا إِلهَ غَيْرُهُ إِنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ لَيَعْمَلُ بِعَمَلِ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ حَتَّى مَا يَكُونُ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَهَا إِلاَّ ذِرَاعٌ فَيَسْبِقُ عَلَيْهِ الْكِتَابُ فَيُخْتَمُ لَهُ بِعَمَلِ أَهْلِ النَّارِ فَيَدْخُلُهَا وَإِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَعْمَلُ بِعَمَلِ أَهْلِ النَّارِ حَتَّى مَا يَكُونُ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَهَا إِلاَّ ذِرَاعٌ فَيَسْبِقُ عَلَيْهِ الْكِتَابُ فَيُخْتَمُ لَهُ بِعَمَلِ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ فَيَدْخُلُهَا

The creation of anyone of you is gathered for forty days in his mother's stomach as a Nutfah, then he becomes a clot for a similar period of time, then he becomes a little lump of flesh for a similar length of time.

Then the angel is sent to him and he breathes the soul into it, and four things are decreed;

his provision,

his life-span,

his deeds, and

whether he will be wretched or blessed.

By the One besides Whom there is no other god, one of you may do the deeds of the people of Paradise until there is no more than a forearm's length between him and it, then the decree will overtake him and he will do the deeds of the people of Hell and thus enter Hell.

And a man may do the deeds of the people of Hell until there is no more than a forearm's length between him and it, then the decree will overtake him and he will do finally the deeds of the people of Paradise and thus enter Paradise.
This was recorded by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.

فَتَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنُ الْخَالِقِينَ



So Blessed is Allah, the Best of creators.

means, when Allah mentions His ability and subtlety in creating this Nutfah and taking it from stage to stage until it takes the shape of a perfectly formed human being, He says,
فَتَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنُ الْخَالِقِينَ
(So Blessed is Allah, the Best of creators).

ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمْ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ لَمَيِّتُونَ