Author: Allama Abdullah bin Abdul Rahman Al-Jibreen (May Allah protect him)
"There are five matters of the unseen that no one knows except Allah."
[Saheeh Bukhari, Book of Faith, Hadith 50]
Among these, the verse mentions:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ عِندَهُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ وَيُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِي الْأَرْحَامِ
"Indeed, Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hour, sends down the rain, and knows what is in the wombs."
[Surah Luqman: 34]
When the fetus is in the womb, its features—such as its face turned towards the mother’s back, and its tightly curled posture—make its complete form hidden and unknown. This concealment emphasizes the impossibility of determining its reality through mere thought or observation.
قُلِ لَا يَعْلَمُ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ الْغَيْبَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ
"Say: None in the heavens and earth knows the unseen except Allah."
[Surah An-Naml: 65]
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) himself acknowledged this limitation, stating:
"If I had knowledge of the unseen, I would have acquired much good and no harm would have touched me."
[Surah Al-A’raf: 188]
Thus, medical findings derived through observable means are distinct from the divine knowledge of the unseen.
Allah knows best!
Question:
Modern medical science can determine the condition of a fetus in the womb. How should we understand Allah's statement in the Qur’an: "وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِي الْأَرْحَامِ" ("And He knows what is in the wombs")?Answer:
There is no doubt that humans have no independent knowledge about what is in a woman’s womb—whether the fetus is male or female, fair or dark-skinned, short or tall. All such knowledge is beyond human capacity and is based only on observation and assumptions. Allah, in His wisdom, has kept this knowledge concealed, reserving it for Himself alone.The Knowledge Reserved for Allah Alone
Allah has classified this knowledge as part of the Mafatih al-Ghayb (Keys of the Unseen), which the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) declared are known only to Allah. He stated:"There are five matters of the unseen that no one knows except Allah."
[Saheeh Bukhari, Book of Faith, Hadith 50]
Among these, the verse mentions:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ عِندَهُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ وَيُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِي الْأَرْحَامِ
"Indeed, Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hour, sends down the rain, and knows what is in the wombs."
[Surah Luqman: 34]
When the fetus is in the womb, its features—such as its face turned towards the mother’s back, and its tightly curled posture—make its complete form hidden and unknown. This concealment emphasizes the impossibility of determining its reality through mere thought or observation.
Modern Science and the Knowledge of the Womb
- Medical Techniques (e.g., Ultrasound):
Technologies like ultrasound and lab tests can provide some details about the fetus, such as its gender or condition. However, this knowledge is not part of the unseen (ilm al-ghayb). Rather, it is based on human efforts, experiments, and technology that reveal physical realities within the limits of human understanding.
This is similar to physically opening the womb to observe the fetus, which does not qualify as knowledge of the unseen. - Limitations of Modern Science:
Even with advanced technology, science cannot determine the deeper aspects of the fetus’s reality that Allah alone knows, such as its future life, deeds, sustenance, or lifespan.
Clarifying Misunderstandings
The knowledge that Allah has reserved for Himself encompasses unseen realities beyond the observable, as indicated in the Qur’an:قُلِ لَا يَعْلَمُ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ الْغَيْبَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ
"Say: None in the heavens and earth knows the unseen except Allah."
[Surah An-Naml: 65]
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) himself acknowledged this limitation, stating:
"If I had knowledge of the unseen, I would have acquired much good and no harm would have touched me."
[Surah Al-A’raf: 188]
Thus, medical findings derived through observable means are distinct from the divine knowledge of the unseen.
Conclusion
It is incumbent upon Muslims to submit humbly to the decrees of Allah and avoid interference in matters beyond their scope. They must accept Allah's wisdom and the boundaries He has set between the observable world and the unseen.Allah knows best!