Quran on DNA & ‘Alaq: Science + Quran Explained

Clear science. Respectful Quranic reflection. This page reviews basics of DNA, RNA, and gene expression, and offers readers an alternative interpret of ‘alaq.

Scientific Background (Brief)

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) stores genetic information in four bases: A, T, C, G. RNA (ribonucleic acid) uses A, U, C, G. Cells copy DNA into messenger RNA (mRNA) in transcription, then “read” mRNA in groups of three bases (codons) to build proteins in translation. Regulatory sequences and epigenetic marks control when and where genes turn on. This code‑and‑control system guides development from a single cell to complex tissues.

  • Flow of information: DNA → RNA → protein (central dogma).
  • Coding: 64 codons specify 20 amino acids and start/stop signals.
  • Dynamic bonds: base‑pairing (A–T/U, C–G) forms and breaks during replication and gene expression.
  • Regulation: promoters, enhancers, transcription factors, and epigenetics shape timing and cell fate.
  • Evidence: microscopy, genetics, biochemistry, and comparative genomics.

Quranic Verses Often Discussed

اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ
خَلَقَ الْإِنسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ
اقْرَأْ وَرَبُّكَ الْأَكْرَمُ
الَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِ
عَلَّمَ الْإِنسَانَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ

Read in the name of your Lord who created —
created man from ‘alaq (DNA).
Read, and your Lord is the Most Generous —
the One who taught by the pen —
taught man what he did not know. (Quran 96:1–5)

The first revealed verses emphasize reading, writing, and learning — with ‘alaq placed at the center of the theme. As seen below, there isn't a uniformly accepted meaning for 'alaq.
Translator Rendering of ‘alaq in 96:2 Reference
Sahih International“a clinging substance”Quran 96:2
Yusuf Ali“a clot of congealed blood”Quran 96:2
Muhammad Asad“a germ-cell”Quran 96:2
Marmaduke Pickthall“a clot”Quran 96:2
Abdel Haleem“a clinging form”Quran 96:2
Muhsin Khan“a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood)”Quran 96:2
Dr. Mustafa Khattab (Clear Quran)“a clinging clot”Quran 96:2

FAQ

Does “‘alaq” precisely map to DNA?
DNA is a possible meaning for 'alaq given the similarity between 'alaq's linguistic origin and its context in the Quran 96:2
Is DNA specifically mentioned in the Quran?
Not by name. DNA is a scientific discovery and its name includes its chemical composition; However, 'alaq describes an embriological and evolutionary substance that resembles the function and properties of DNA / RNA, and so it is a possible interpretation.

Transcript Summary

The first revealed words of the Quran (96:1–5) center on reading and learning. Right between two commands to “Read,” we meet the word ‘alaq. Translators render it in different ways, from “clot” to “clinging substance.” Arabic dictionaries trace it to a root meaning “to cling, hang, or attach,” and even “to write down,” which fits the passage’s focus on decoding and recording knowledge.

The script invites us to notice that the surrounding verses are about code: reading, the pen, and teaching what was unknown. Modern biology also works with code. DNA is a double‑stranded molecule that carries instructions for building and running living things. Those strands can temporarily separate during replication and gene expression, then pair again. In that sense, DNA shows a pattern of non‑permanent binding and intertwining.

Projects like the Human Genome Project mapped the human DNA sequence and showed that people are overwhelmingly similar at the genetic level. The small differences help explain our individual traits. Seeing life through this lens deepens our sense of shared origin, while opening doors for medicine and biology.

The point of the video is simple: ‘Alaq and DNA share three ideas — (1) non‑permanent binding and intertwining, (2) a role in what humans are “made from,” and (3) the importance of reading code for the benefit of humankind. Alongside other possible readings of ‘alaq, it is reasonable to consider DNA as another meaningful lens.