Is knowing the s*x of the baby part of the knowledge of the unseen? ?

Question

How can we reconcile between the fact that doctors can find out whether the foetus is male or female, and the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “and [He] knows that which is in the wombs” [Luqmaan 31:24], and what was narrated in Tafseer Ibn Jareer from Mujaahid, that a man asked the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) what his wife would give birth to, and Allaah revealed this aayah, and what was narrated from Qutaadah (may Allaah have mercy on him)? Is there any aayah or hadeeth to make the general meaning of this aayah (“what is in the wombs”) more specific?

Answer 1

It is described further "what he or she would be in his/her life"

31:34. 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 any one know what it is that he will earn on the morrow: Nor does any one know in what land he is to die. Verily with Allah is full knowledge and He is acquainted (with all things).

Knowledge of unseen means to know without the help of any instrument, otherwise through cc tv system you can know who entered in the building.

Answer 2

Allah is the One Who "Knows that which is in the wombs!" He Knows the gender of fetus (male or female). He Knows whether this fetus will be a good person or a bad one, whether he will live happily or otherwise. The fact that doctors can now know the s*x of the fetus while in the womb is not in contradiction with the verse: {"And (He) Knows that which in the wombs"} : The Knowledge of Allah regarding this fetus is anterior to the fetus' formation in its mother's womb. In fact, doctors can define the s*x of the fetus only in the build up stage but not in the emanation one. The s***n goes through two stages. Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {Allâh knows what every female bears, and by how much the wombs fall short (of their time or number) or exceed. …} [13: 8].

SubhanAllah,My Allah is indeed aware of everything.

Allah says:{Verily Allah, with Him (Alone) is the knowledge of the Hour, He sends down the rain, and knows that which is in the wombs. No person knows what he will earn tomorrow, and no person knows in what land he will die. Verily, Allah is All-Knower, All-Aware (of things).} [31: 34].

Rest Allah knows the best~!

Answer 3

The purpose of the ultrasound is to check the growth and position of the fetus the added bonus is that the s*x of the fetus can be (most of the time) apparent but never 100% accurate. Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is the only one who will decide weather he wants us to know and when.

Answer 4

Well, even with today's technology, you still can't know the s*x of the baby from the very beginning of the pregnancy but after a certain period of time (at about 20 weeks gestation).

I think, there is more wisdom behind these verses. I haven't conducted a thorough research but when God states what means:

030.030 So set thou thy face steadily and truly to the Faith: (establish) Allah's handiwork according to the pattern on which He has made mankind: no change (let there be) in the work (wrought) by Allah: that is the standard Religion: but most among mankind understand not.

Al-Qur'an, 030.030 (Ar-Room [The Romans, The Byzantines])

I think when it says "La Tabdeela Li Khalqy Allah" it could mean that there is nothing better than the creation of Allah, i.e. anything that man will do in whatever sort of science in trying to replace God's creation will not be better and will eventually go down.

Anyways, science still cannot predict the s*x of the baby from an early stage and only God knows what gender will you be and how will you look.

003.006 He it is Who shapes you in the wombs as He pleases. There is no god but He, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.

Al-Qur'an, 003.006 (Aal-E-Imran [The Family of Imran])

There is still a lot for humans to learn and there are many many years more needed to be able to alter babies in the wombs or determine their s*x from an earlier stage; however, God reminds us in the Qur'an that by the time man thinks he has control over the earth, the hour will come.

Allah knows best.

Answer 5

Well I'm against it anyway, not gonna find out the s*x of my baby if I ever get pregnant InshaAllah, otherwise it just spoils the fun.

Answer 6

No, I don't think knowing the s*x of the baby is part of the knowledge of the unseen.  Ultrasounds aren't 100% accurate anyway.  If you've ever seen one, you'll see how it's fuzzy and not clear.  The doctors can't always even make a guess as to whether it's a boy or girl.  

There's more to know about a baby in the womb than just the s*x of the baby.  The soul of that baby is breathed into the body while in the womb, so I think the verse is referring to that...Referring to the spiritual being inside the womb more so then the physical being in the womb.  Allah knows our heart and our path in life before we're ever born.

Because there was no ultrasound technology at the time of the verse and the time when the tafseer was probably written, it's easy for people to take the verse as meaning purely physical, but we have to remember that Allah knows all, which includes our spiritual side.