İKİNCİ FEN · İKİNCİ BÂB · ÜÇÜNCÜ FASIL · Dördüncü Madde
**Article Four**
Concerning the Phalanges (Finger Bones)
Beloved! It is known that anatomists have said: The fingers of the hand are instruments assisting in grasping and holding objects. The flesh of the fingers was not created separately from their bones. Although the fingers possess certain movements, such as those of leeches and fish, these movements must be strong and robust, rather than weak like tremors, so they were created together with the bones. The fingers are not made of a single bone but of multiple bones—specifically three—so that their movement is not difficult. For if there were more than three [119/b], they would be unable to grasp heavy objects and become feeble. And if there were fewer than three, the fingers’ movements would be insufficient.
The head of the finger bones is slender, while their bases are broad. The lower bones have been created progressively larger than those above, so that the relationship between the supporting bone and the supported bone is secure. And these bones have been fashioned in a cylindrical shape to protect against misfortune and calamity. Their interiors are void of marrow and hollows, so they may find strength and durability in their pulling and grasping movements. The exterior of the finger bones is curved and their interior concave, so that gripping and rubbing may be easy. Even the sides without fingers—such as those of the thumb and little finger—are curved. Thus, during constriction, they resemble a rounded shape which protects against dangers. Their inner flesh is scant, thereby protecting and covering them. The flesh beneath what is grasped and touched inclines downwards. Their outer surfaces remain devoid of flesh, so that they may not become heavy but find lightness.
The tips of the fingers have been created with nails, so that their heads serve as effective weapons. The flesh on the fingertips is abundant, so that when they approach one another, they appear to be joined. The metacarpophalangeal joints of the middle finger are the longest, followed by those of the ring finger, then the index finger, and finally the little finger. This arrangement ensures that the tips of the fingers come together during grasping, leaving no space in the palm and ensuring a smooth surface. When a round object is grasped, the palm and fingers cup around it, making contact from all sides. The thumb has been created shorter and thicker than the other fingers, so that it may be equal to them in strength.
If the thumb were placed outside of its proper position, it would lose its present benefits and become superfluous. For example, if the thumb were located on the palm, much of the work performed by the palm could not be done. And if it were positioned alongside the little finger, the two hands grasping a single object would not be mutually agreeable or helpful; one could not assist the other. If it were outside the hand, it would remain too distant and would be useless.
The thumb is not attached to the metacarpal bone, so that the distance between itself and the four fingers may not diminish. Thus, when the four fingers encompass an object from one side, and the thumb opposes them, the hand can grasp and hold a large thing. In one aspect, the thumb is like a member of the palm which covers the object it holds. All finger joints are moist and adhesive, attached to cartilaginous surfaces with damp and sticky properties. Thus, they retain moisture continuously, preventing dryness due to their movements. Strong ligaments envelop their joints, along with cartilage coverings, so that they may be exceedingly firm. Furthermore, the spaces within the joints have been filled with small bones called *sumsuniyyat*, thereby providing strength. These are also known as *semsaniye*.
The fingernails have been created to provide four benefits: Firstly, they support the fingers in firmly grasping an object. Secondly, they afford strength and power for gathering and collecting small things. Thirdly, they facilitate scraping [120/a] and cleanliness. Fourthly, it is possible to use them as weapons to take revenge on one’s enemies when necessary. The edges of the nails have been rounded so that they may be protected from potential harm caused by impacts. They are made of soft bone so that they can easily bend and turn when encountering hard and rigid substances, preventing them from splitting or breaking through resistance. Because the nails are located in areas of scraping, carving, and damage, they grow continuously. Therefore, when they break in a collision, they regenerate. As they lengthen, they are trimmed to maintain their normal size.
“We praise Allah who fashions all these things perfectly and gives them form.”