Qur'an 86:7 says that sperm originates from the backbones and the ribs, a theory similar to another erroneous theory proposed by Hippocrates in 5th century BC (1000 years before Islam).

Hippocrates taught that semen comes from all the fluid in the body, diffusing from the brain into the spinal marrow, before passing through the kidneys and via the testicles into the penis.

Surah 86:6-7


Pickthal: He is created from a gushing fluid


Quran 86:6


Arabic: خُلِقَ مِن مَّآءٍ دَافِقٍ


Transliteration: Khuliqa min main dafiqin


Literal: He is created from a water gushing out



Maa' (water) was a common Arab euphemism for semen.


TRANSLATIONS


Yusuf Ali: proceeding from between the backbone and the ribs.


Pickthal: that issued from between the loins and ribs.


Arberry: issuing between the loins and the breast-bones.


Shakir: coming from between the back and the ribs.


Sarwar: which comes out of the loins and ribs.


Khalifa: from between the spine and the viscera.


Hilali/Khan: proceeding from between the back-bone and the ribs.


Malik: that is produced from between the loins and the ribs.


QXP: that issued from between tough rocks and mingled dust.


Maulana Ali: coming from between the back and the ribs.


Free Minds: it comes out from between the spine and the testicles.


Qur'an Text/Transliteration 86:7

Supporting evidence in other verses and hadith


Independent corroboration that sulb in the Qur'an refers to the back or backbone is found in another verse on the same subject using a different word for back. Verse 7:172 says that the offspring of the children of Adam are from their backs (loins). Instead of sulb, the word here is thahr, which means the back, as is clearly the case in other verses such as Quran 6:31.


When thy Lord drew forth from the Children of Adam - from their loins - their descendants...


Quran 7:172


Arabic: مِنۢ بَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ مِن ظُهُورِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ


Transliteration: min banee adama min thuhoorihim thurriyyatahum


Literal: from the children of Adam, from their backs their offspring


One other verse in the Qur'an uses the word sulb. In this case there is no mention of tara'ib. It is an example of the simple Arabic phrase mentioned in Lane's Lexicon (see above), based on the belief that the seed of men proceed from their backs.


Forbidden unto you are your mothers, and your daughters, and your sisters [...] and the wives of your sons who (spring) from your own loins


Quran 4:23


And slightly more explicitly, a hadith in Sahih Bukhari (also in Sahih Muslim 39:6733) uses sulb to say that the source of Adam's future progeny was in his back before they were even conceived.


The Prophet (pbuh) said, "Allah will say to the person who will have the minimum punishment in the Fire on the Day of Resurrection, 'If you had things equal to whatever is on the earth, would you ransom yourself (from the punishment) with it?' He will reply, Yes. Allah will say, 'I asked you a much easier thing than this while you were in the backbone of Adam, that is, not to worship others besides Me, but you refused and insisted to worship others besides Me."'


Sahih Bukhari 8:76:562

Mr Abdulrahman1987, what is your old Monika?