İKİNCİ FEN · ÜÇÜNCÜ BÂB · İKİNCİ FASIL · Altıncı Madde
Article Six
Concerning the muscles and benefits of the hand's palm.
O Noble One! Know that anatomists have stated: The reason the forearm muscles allow the thumb to be controlled by a single muscle while the other four fingers are controlled by two each, is this: for the four fingers’ most important function is grasping. Whereas the thumb's most important function is opening, and also remaining separate from the middle and index fingers.
Eighteen muscles have been found within the palm, arranged in two rows upon one another, neatly ordered. The lower row resides within the interior of the hand's palm. The upper row lies on the exterior of the hand’s palm. The seven muscles arrayed in the lower row (the deep layer muscles) raise the fingers upwards to open them. The thumb’s muscle originates from the wrist bones. The palm’s sixth muscle is short and broad, composed of inclined fibers which originate from the middle finger's wrist bone. It causes flexion of the thumb with a single muscle. The seventh muscle originates from the little finger’s wrist bone and proceeds to cause flexion of the little finger. None of these seven mentioned muscles are for holding the fingers; five are for raising them, and two for lowering them.
The eleven muscles arranged in the upper row (the superficial layer muscles) are paired. Eight of them are doubled, attached to the first joint of the four finger joints, one upon the other, thus firmly securing the first joint. Three belong exclusively to the thumb: one secures the first joint, and two secure the second joint. Three protective muscles have been assigned to the thumb and little finger, while the remaining three fingers receive two each. Each finger has four holding muscles, and one raising muscle, as created.
“We exonerate [Allah] from all imperfection; He is the Self-Existent. His glory is exalted, and His power is perfect.” [126/b]