Islam’s Miracles, Quranic Embryology
14:44
9 Apr 2011
Embryology, Miracles / Ijaz
Keith L. Moore
The title given in the video is “The Quran on Embryology” by Dr. Keith L. Moore. In this video Moore draws together verses from throughout the Qurʾān to present modern understanding of embryos and fetuses.
This video is apparently from the International Conference on Scientific Signs of the Qurʾān and Sunnah, held in 1989 in Cairo, Egypt. There are many copies of this video on YouTube and elsewhere.
See also the video “Proof Islam is from God” on this Portal for a different version.
Evaluation:
The material on Islam is within the bounds of what Muslims have historically understood as acceptable.
The scientific material here on fetal development generally conforms with at least Moore’s scientific understanding. However, the application of this scientific material as proof of the divine origin of the Qurʾān is generally not an accepted approach by scholars. It has also been questioned elsewhere by other developmental biologists; search for videos including PZ Myers in the Portal for more on this.
There is insufficient historical material on which to base an evaluation.
About Keith L. Moore
Keith L. Moore is a professor specializing in embryology who was born in Ontario, Canada in October of 1925. He earned a bachelor’s degree (1949), Masters of Science (1951), and a Ph.D. in microanatomy (1954) all from the University of Western Ontario. Moore has held several teaching positions in universities across Canada, though has been at the University of Toronto since 1976 where he was a Professor of Anatomy, Chair of the Anatomy Department and Associate Dean for Basic Medical Sciences. Moore is now recognized as a professor emeritus at the University of Toronto.
Moore’s work revolves around embryology and writing science textbooks that are accessible to students. He has a long list of publications (his most recent publication is from 1994). He received an award from the American Medical Writers Association in 1974 for excellence in medical publications. At the intersections of Islam and science, Moore is known for having worked with King Abdulaziz University in Saudi Arabia on embryology in the Qurʾān. This work included a special 1983 edition of his textbook co-written with Sheikh Abdul Majeed Zindani, alternating the standard material with discussions from the Qurʾān.
As of 2015, Moore operates no social media pages or personal websites, but still seems to be somewhat active in the academic field as he won the R. Benton Adkins, Jr. Distinguished Service Award in 2012.
Selected Bibliography:
“American Association of Clinical Anatomists (AACA) – Keith L. Moore, Ph.D.” American Association of Clinical Anatomists. American Association of Clinical Anatomists, n.d. Accessed 03 June 2015.
“Keith L(eon) Moore.” Contemporary Authors Online. Detroit: Gale, 2001. Biography in Context. Accessed 3 June 2015.
“Keith Leon Moore.” American Men & Women of Science: A Biographical Directory of Today’s Leaders in Physical, Biological, and Related Sciences. Detroit: Gale, 2008. Biography in Context. Accessed 3 June 2015.
“Science Islam – Scientists Comment on the Quran.” Science Islam – Scientists Comment on the Quran. Islam Tomorrow, n.d. Accessed 03 June 2015.
Golden, Daniel. “Western Scholars Play Key Role in Touting ‘Science’ of the Quran.” Wall Street Journal, 23 Jan 2002. Accessed 08 June 2015.