The western education system is known for claiming discoveries that it did not necessarily make. In this light what is to be realized is that when the western textbook says, founder, father etc, it does not mean the first person worldwide to determine this event but rather only signifies the first person in post-dark ages Europe to discover it.
This is the case with Gregor Mendel (1822-1884) who is thumped as the father of modern day genetics. He is the father of western modern day genetics. Others have defined and described several genetic principles as we proceed to prove.
From the East, prophet Mohammed (P) of Islam and the Islamic faith preceded Mendel in defining core principles of Genetics. Islam first described the particulate nature of inheritance, the chromosomes and how they segregate during meiosis in gamete production.
A Hadith
{Recorded narration of Prophet Muhammad(PBUH)}:
Chromosome
“..The wife of a man from the Ansar bore him a black child. He took her by the hand and went to see the Messenger of Allah. She said: “I swear by the One that sent you with the truth! He married me a virgin and I never seated anyone in his place since!” The Prophet said: “You speak the truth. You have ninety-nine strains and so does he. On the time of conception all those strains shudder and there is none but it asks Allah Most High to determine resemblance through it.” Source
Quran says it here:
76:2 We created man from a drop containing strains {nutfatin amshajin} to test him. 76:2 Inna khalaqna alinsana min nutfatin amshajin nabtaleehi fajaAAalnahu sameeAAan baseeran
The word ‘amshajin’ can be translated to show it means- ‘genes’. here
This Hadith clearly in simple terms teaches the following genetic principles:
1. Inheritable strains of equal numbers in both sexes.
2. Phenotypes arising due to these gamete contained and contributed strains/genes.
3. The Hadith also clearly describes ‘penetrance’, and the expression of genes/strains as not being absolute but varying (By Gods will) as science also agrees, though science regards this event ‘random’.
Chromosomes
In science they have discovered an equal number- 23 pairs of chromosomes in both men and women, totaling 46, with unique characteristics that randomly combine to determine the phenotypic appearances.
Islam clearly predated George Mendel and western science in figuring this out. I am sure the best way to categorize inheritable strains in cells is 99 classes, which will be preferable to the 46 chromosome groups as figured out so far in science. And this Hadith clearly describes the penetrance process, whereby the chromosomes ’shudder’ and are selected to express themselves by Allah’s (God) command selecting of the 99 inheritable strains to ‘turn on’ to determine the features of the offspring.
Islam also predates science in recognizing and describing genetic linkages and inheritable traits from the first man(Adam) through all generations.
Hadith:
Rabah ibn Qasir relates the Prophet said to him – upon him blessings and peace: “What child did you get?” He replied, “Messenger of Allah, what else? Either a boy or a girl.” The Prophet said: “Who does he resemble?” He replied, “Who else? Either his mother or his father!” The Prophet said: “None of you should say that. Truly, when the sperm-and-ovum drop settles in the uterus, Allah brings it every lineage between it and Adam. Have you not recited this verse? {Into whatsoever form He will, He casts you (rakkabak)}(82:8). Meaning, ‘threads you’ (salakak).”
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This Hadith describes confidently the fact that in every new being there are genes that can be traced to the first man/Adam. And that phenotypic characters and genes in this individual are not only linked to the immediate parents but all the way to Adam.
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Islam further predates Mendel in relating human patterns of inheritance to other species.
Volume 8, Book 82, Number 830:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
A bedouin came to Allah’s Apostle and said, “My wife has delivered a black child.” The Prophet said to him, “Have you camels?” He replied, “Yes.” The Prophet said, “What color are they?” He replied, “They are red.” The Prophet further asked, “Are any of them gray in color?” He replied, “Yes.” The Prophet asked him, “Whence did that grayness come?” He said, “I thing it descended from the camel’s ancestors.” Then the Prophet said (to him), “Therefore, this child of yours has most probably inherited the color from his ancestors.” Hadith Source
Islam First Defines Hybrid And Abnormality Sterility
Muslim and Ahmad narrate from Ibn Mas`ud t that when someone asked if the apes and swine of that time were descendants of the apish and swinish disfigurement of the Sabbath-breakers (Q 2:65, 5:60, 7:166) the Prophet MHMD replied: Allah Most High never gave offspring nor posterity to the deformed. Hadith Source
This is true in science today where it is known that people with chromosomal abnormalities do not reproduce.
