Chromosomes coming from the parents exist in an egg cell newly fertilized in the mother’s womb. This cell starts dividing rapidly, and the newly formed cells differentiate as they continue to divide. They start to assume different tasks and reach the parts of the body where they belong. That is to say, rather than remaining as lumps of meat made up of similar cells, some of them become, for instance, eye cells or others heart cells and go to their respective places. Alternatively, if it is a skin cell, it covers the body.
During this stage of division, cells work and cooperate very closely and meticulously like a very good working team. Each one of the cells is aware of the entire plan and work in cooperation and communication. How does such an advanced level of order and coordination come true?
The answer to these questions isvery explicit: Living beings are created flawlessly and the artistry and might in their creation belongs to the Almighty Allah. In one verse of the Qur’an, Allah states the following:
“He created the heavens and the earth with truth and formed you, giving you the best of forms. And He is your final destination. (Qur’an, 64:3)
How do the cells know where they will go, which organ they will be a part of and what will they accomplish there?
How do they interact with other cells in such harmony?
Proteins produced in various forms for different cells
While an embryo develops in the woman’s womb, the DNA that would make up the eyes of that embryo produce only the proteins related to the eye. Similarly the DNA strands that make up the brain of the embryo only produce the proteins related with the brain.
The important point here is the following: The DNA of any cell in the body –whether it may be a bone cell, liver cell or a kidney cell – contains all the information that make up all the organs of the human being. However in all this information, only the related proteins are produced. In other words, in every cell there exists the information related to all organs in the body but not all the proteins are produced. Only that protein of the related organ is produced. For this end, histone, a special protein, packagesthe DNA in order to prevent the production of unnecessary proteins. Today one of the greatest secrets that baffle scientists is how histones in the cells know which genes to suppress and which ones are allowed to continue operating. Proteins are also molecules that are made up of non-living atoms. It is evident that unconscious and unintelligent atoms can not bring such a tremendous creation into being.
Coordination during restructuring of the cells
DNA itself is neither a biochemist nor a super computer capable of accomplishing trillions of calculations per second. DNA is simply a molecule made up of carbon, phosphate, nitrogen, hydrogen and oxygen.
Now let’s think; each and every cell that multiplies by division contains all the genetic information in a human being. That is to say, every cell actually has the capability to make up the heart muscle, a red blood cell or any other tissue of the body. Although every cell has DNA, at different stages of development, only some genes become active in different organs. For instance, kidney formation and its functioning codes exist in each cell; but during development only the related genes become active in this organ at some particular times.
Who gives the order to divide and of being specialized in different tasks following the division? Furthermore, how do the cells have the sense of obeying these orders? How do they work in such discipline and organization? It is obvious that none of these are random systems that come into existence by chance. They all come into existence by the might of our Lord. (Qur’an, 32:5)
Perfection in man’s creation
is not limited to cells
Cells must also exist at the right stage of life in accurate amounts. Some “maintenance” genes work in all cells at almost all times. Other genes function only for a couple of hours and then remain in standby mode until the next task. For instance, during nursing milk production is accelerated by genes. Available information is activated at the right time, in the right amount and at the appropriate location. It is impossible to explain away such planned, conscious, calculated and rational use of billions of information existing in the DNA as “chance.” Attributing the extraordinarily planned and organized incidents taking place on the microscopic level to chance is an account without rhyme or reason. Scientists acknowledge that they are still quite unable to give an account for this differentiation of cells and the flawless distribution of tasks in the cells. The Turkish microbiologist Ali Demirsoy admits this fact as follows:
“That many cell groups with different structures and functions come into existence from a fertilized egg could not be satisfactorily explained so far.” (Ali Demirsoy, Heritage and Evolution, Meteksan Publishing, Ankara, 1984, p.158)
It is obvious that all these extraordinary incidents could not have been the work of chance or the cell itself. Then to Whom does the Might and Intelligence that administers all these incidents and create them for a particular purpose belong? There is one single answer to this: Our Lord, with His infinite mercy, created man in his current flawless form and incessantly endows him with endless blessings. In one verse of the Qur’an Allah relates thus: “He has given you everything you have asked Him for. If you tried to number Allah’s blessings, you could never count them. Man is indeed wrongdoing, ungrateful.” (Qur’an, 14:34)
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The writer has authored more than 300 books translated in 73 languages on politics, religion and science.
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