Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear brother Burhan, As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

Q-3 ALLAH says in the Quran that there are five things which no ghair ul Allah but Allah has the knowledge. In Aayatul kursi it is stated that human beings are allowed to have only that knowledge which ALLAH wills human beings to know.  Please state the five things. One of the five things is what is in the mother's womb if I am not mistaken. Now a - days doctors, through ultra sound technique give the knowledge of the sex of the child four or five months before it is born. How can we understand this?

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Answer:

Doctor’s Knowledge what is in the womb?

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 6 Surah Anaam verse 73:

73 It is He Who created the heavens and the earth in true (proportions): the day He saith "Be" Behold! it is! His Word is the Truth. His will be the dominion the Day the trumpet will be blown. He knoweth the Unseen as well as that which is open. For He is the Wise well acquainted (with all things)

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 6 Surah Anaam verse 59-60:

59 With Him are the keys of the Unseen the treasures that none knoweth but He. He knoweth whatever there is on the earth and in the sea. Not a leaf doth fall but with His knowledge: there is not a grain in the darkness (or depths) of the earth nor anything fresh or dry (green or withered) but is (inscribed) in a Record Clear.

60 It is He Who doth take your souls by night and hath knowledge of all that ye have done by day. By day doth He raise you up again; that a term appointed be fulfilled; in the end unto Him will be your return then will He show you the truth of all that ye did.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 31 Surah Luqman verse 34:

34 Verily the Knowledge of the Hour is with Allah (alone). It is He Who sends down rain and He Who knows what is in the wombs. Nor does anyone know what it is that he will earn on the morrow: nor does anyone know in what land he is to die. Verily with Allah is full knowledge and He is acquainted (with all things).

Your Question: ALLAH says in the Quran that there are five things which no ghair ul Allah but Allah has the knowledge.  Please state the five things. One of the five things is what is in the mother's womb if I am not mistaken

It is obviously not an accurate statement that there are ‘only’ five things which none but Allah Subhanah Knows!; The Truth is that Allah Subhanah is the All-Knowing, All-Wise, and Possesses Perfect Knowledge of Absolutely Everything in existence.

Maybe you mean to ask the four things stated in the authentic traditions which Allah Subhanah prescribes for every child when still in the womb of the mother.

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 8.594 Narrated by Anas bin Malik

The Prophet said, "Allah puts an Angel in charge of the uterus and the Angel says, 'O Lord, (it is) semen! O Lord, (it is now ) a clot! O Lord, (it is now) a piece of flesh.' And then, if Allah wishes to complete its creation, the Angel asks, 'O Lord,

1. (will it be) a male or a female?
2. A wretched (an evil doer) or a blessed (doer of good)?
3. How much will his provisions be?
4. What will his age be?'

So all that is written while the creature is still in the mother's womb."

Your Question: Now a - days doctors, through ultra sound technique give the knowledge of the sex of the child four or five months before it is born. How can we understand this?

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 13 Surah Raad verse 8:

8 Allah doth know what every female (womb) doth bear, by how much the wombs fall short (of their time or number), or do exceed. Every single thing is before His Sight in (due) proportion.

Beloved sister in Islam, indeed modern science and technology have only recently developed tools that enable them to see what is developing in a mother’s womb; and after studying the formation and creation of the Creator inside the mother’s womb, they are able to predict whether the child will be a male or a female!

But, no science has or can ever develop any machine that can predict whether the child in the womb will grow up to be good or evil, what will his net worth be at every stage of his life, how long will this child live, etc.? The doctors, using their medical knowledge, or through the use of their medical tools, can predict the outcome of a disease, or the sex or physical state of the baby in the mother’s womb. . Even though the doctors, with the help of modern science and tools, and after seeing and studying the formation of the creation might only be able to determine the gender of the child; this cannot even be compared to ‘unseen’ and Perfect Knowledge of the All-Knowing. Is there any doctor who can look at a new born girl, and say that this girl will grow up and have so many children and state the childrens’ gender? Is there any doctor can predict by looking through the ultra-sound whether the child will be good or evil, or what his sustainance will be, or how long will the child live?

They are not declaring the knowledge of the ‘unseen’, but rather their knowledge is absolutely limited which through their experience, education, and tools, they derive a most probable conclusion regarding only the physical or medical state of the child in the womb! Medical science can determine the gender of the unborn child only 4 or 5 months before the birth, but in no way can science predict the gender at the inception level.

In light of the above Aayahs of the Quran and the authentic traditions of the Messenger of Allah (saws), it is obvious that Allah Subhanah’s knowledge is not limited to the gender of the child; but the whole destiny of the child, from its inception, to its life on this earth, to its end in the Hereafter …everything, absolutely everything, is in the Knowledge of the All Wise, All Knowing, Creator!

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan