《古兰经》与科学的关系，几个世纪以来一直是学者们讨论的话题。学者们争论是否应当将科学作为解释经文含义的工具。十四世纪的学者沙迪拜（Al-Shatibi）反对运用科学。他认为，《古兰经》是一部宗教典籍，其主要关注点在于神圣意志在人类生存领域中的彰显。沙迪拜写道：

The Qur’an’s relationship with science has been discussed for centuries, with scholars debating whether to use science as an exegetical tool to elucidate its meanings. The 14th Century scholar Al-Shatibi was against using science. He argues the Qur’an is a religious book which is mainly focused on the manifestation of the Divine will in the human sphere of existence. Al-Shatibi writes:

许多人越过了应有的界限，对《古兰经》提出了不当的主张：他们把过去和现在的各类知识，如自然科学、数学和逻辑学，都归于《古兰经》之中。15

Many people have overstepped all bounds and made undue claims about the Qur’an when they assigned to it all types of knowledge of the past and the present such as the natural sciences, mathematics and logic.15

然而，这位11世纪的神学家和哲学家安萨里（Al-Ghazali）主张运用科学来阐明《古兰经》的意义。在他看来，《古兰经》为一切知识类型提供了基础。例如，他指出，一切知识都蕴含于“《古兰经》中的迹象与启示”之中16；在其著作《古兰经的珍宝》（The Jewels of the Qur’an）中，他also论证道，各门科学的原则“并不在《古兰经》之外”17。

However, the 11th Century theologian and philosopher, Al-Ghazali advocates using science to elucidate the meanings of the Qur’an. Al-Ghazali views the Qur’an as providing the foundations to all types of knowledge. He states, for example, that all knowledge is implied “in the signs and indications in the Qur’an”16 and in his book The Jewels of the Qur’an he argues that the principles of various sciences “are not outside the Qur’an.” 17.

学者们还认为，《古兰经》是一部深入介入人内心世界的经典。《古兰经》为实现这一目的所采用的修辞手法包括：提问，以及指向真主的迹象，即其对自然世界的喻示。据估计，《古兰经》中约有750节经文涉及科学与自然现象。18

Scholars also claim the Qur’an is an intrusive text engaging with the inner dimensions of man. Communicative strategies employed by the Qur’an to achieve this include the technique of asking questions and referring to sign-posts to God i.e. its allusions to the natural world. There are an estimated 750 verses concerning science and natural phenomena.18

科学，正如哲学家伯特兰·罗素所定义的那样，是“通过观察以及在观察基础上的推理，去发现关于世界的特定事实，以及将事实彼此联系起来的规律……的尝试”19。

Science, as defined by the philosopher Bertrand Russell, is “the attempt to discover, by means of observation and reasoning based upon it, ...particular facts about the world, and the laws connecting facts with one another...”19.

尽管对于科学的定义尚无共识，但将罗素的定义应用于《古兰经》，似乎能找到大量指向科学研究的经文。以下是一些例子：

Although there is no consensus over the definition of science, it seems that Russell's definition applied to the Qur’an offers an array of verses pointing to scientific study. Some examples include:

是谁创造了万物，并使它们各有精确的尺度。20

And who created all things and made them to an exact measure.20

我们将在地平线的各处以及他们自身之中向他们展示我们的迹象，直到他们清楚地看到这就是真理。21

We shall show them Our signs in every region of the earth and in themselves, until it becomes clear to them that this is the Truth.21

诚然,天地的创造中,以及昼夜的交替中,确有许多迹象,给有理智的人看。22

There truly are signs in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of the night and day, for those with understanding.22

在天地的创造之中，在昼夜的更替之中，在为人们载运货物而航行于大海的船只之中，在真主从天上降下的雨水之中——雨水使已经干枯的大地重获生机，并在大地上散布各种生物——在风和云的变化之中，它们在天与地之间按照被安排的轨道运行：这一切之中都有迹象，给那些运用理智的人。

In the creation of the heavens and earth; in the alternation of the night and day; in the ships that sail the seas with goods for people; in the water which God sends down from the sky to give life to the earth when it has been barren, scattering all kinds of creatures over it; in the changing of the winds and clouds that run their appointed courses between the sky and earth: there are signs in all of these for those who use their minds.

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这并不意味着《古兰经》是一部科学著作；相反，它是一部“阿亚特”（ayaat）之书。这一词通常被解释为“经文”，在语言上还包含多种含义，例如：迹象、证据、凭证和神迹。24 因此，《古兰经》中关于自然界的经文，并非为了详细描述自然，而是为了鼓励人们思考与反思。

This, however, does not imply the Qur’an is a book of science; rather it is a book of ayaat, which is commonly interpreted as ‘verses’ and linguistically conveys various meanings, such as: sign, proof, evidence and miracle.24 Thus, the qur’anic verses pertaining to the natural world are not meant to provide detailed descriptions of nature, but they encourage thinking and reflection.

此外，伊斯兰信仰的教义立场认为，《古兰经》不会否定已被确立的客观事实；而且学者们一致认为，其中关于自然界的论述并不局限于7世纪人们对自然的理解。穆罕默德·阿里（Mohar Ali）教长在其著作《古兰经与东方学家》中对此作了解释：

Moreover, the Islamic creedal position maintains that the Qur’an does not negate established realities, and there is a scholarly consensus that its statements pertaining to the natural world are not confined to a 7th century understanding of nature. This is explained by Shaykh Mohar Ali in his book The Qur’an and the Orientalists:

远非反映或重复公元七世纪阿拉伯盛行的错误世界观，《古兰经》实际上远远超越了当时的科学知识，述及了人类直到近代才发现的科学事实与真理。25

Far from reproducing or reflecting the erroneous world-view prevailing in the seventh century Arabia, the Qur’an indeed goes far beyond the scientific knowledge of the time and speaks of scientific facts and truths that have only recently been discovered by man.25

在思考这一点时，一份写于公元7世纪的文献中包含了否定当时既定科学论断的陈述，并且与现代科学及其发现相符，这一事实清楚地表明《古兰经》是通往超越者的一个迹象。这促使人去沉思，并有助于得出结论：真主是独一的，古兰经的言辞是神圣的。本文将选取第23章第12至14节中的一个迹象，对其关键词作语言学分析，并将每个关键词与现代胚胎学相对照。

In considering this, the fact that a 7th century document contains statements rejecting the established scientific assertions of its time, and complying with modern-day science and its discoveries, makes evident the nature of the Qur’an as a sign-post to the transcendent. This encourages contemplation, and facilitates the arrival at a conclusion that God is One and qur’anic discourse is Divine. This paper will take one of these signs found in chapter 23 verses 12 to 14, and provide a linguistic breakdown correlating each key word with modern embryology.