Is it haraam to find out the sex of an unborn child?
ASA,
My older sister is pregnant at the moment and her Mother-in-law has told her that finding the sex of the baby before birth is Haraam according to Islam and her explanation is it is considered as finding out the future. I would like to know what the ruling is on this in Islam? Thank you.
8 Responses »
Leave a Response
Entries(RSS)
Salaams,
I have never heard anything about this being haraam, and the logic being used is faulty as well. How can that be finding out the "future", when the baby's sex is already determined and apparent by the time the ultrasound would be done? To me, that sounds more like finding out the "present". Knowing the sex of the baby now doesn't change anything about how it will be born in the future.
However, if the purpose of finding out the sex of the baby is to abort it should it be the "wrong" gender, that would be a haraam intention to be sure. I would also like to add that there are varying medical views on the prenatal safety of getting ultrasounds at all (unless they are medically needed).
If your sister never finds out the gender of the baby before birth, it won't kill her. Even if she does get an ultrasound, there's a chance the baby won't "cooperate" and the tech wouldn't be able to tell the gender. There have even been times where the gender given by ultrasound is wrong, and the opposite gender is what's born! If your sister wants to go ahead and do it for the sake of planning the nursery she can, but she should also be aware that it's not a foolproof method either. Always buy some clothes in green or yellow just in case there's an unexpected surprise!
-Amy
IslamicAnswers.com Editor
Asalaam alaikum,
Before ultrasound, giving gifts for newborns was tricky, so thank God for yellow ducks!
I am confused about the mother-in-law's reaction, as well. For example, if someone suspected they had tumors, would they not be able to determine whether it was lethal or benign? That would eliminate all biopsies, pregnancy tests, etc. It sounds more like superstition than Islamic practice.
Sallam, brothers and sisters we have to be carefull in all we do islam has ben govern by the qouran and hadiths they all have answers to our qouestion, for you to say you think nothing is wrong with know the sex of an unborn child is ok, and without backing ur fact with a single verse, charpter of the holy book or according to the teaching and sayings of our beloved prophet
. I think thats your view not an islamic view and perspective.
I'm an expected father. This is our first child. I was desperate to know the baby's gender. I find it fair because I can dream how I'm going spend my time with my child as he/she is growing up. Definitely it's logical that you can know the gender. There was no ultrasound when Islam was founded. You have to use your conscience which is right and which is not. I find this is right to know my baby's gender as early as possible. Ma'shallah!
We're going to have a boy. We're very excited to welcome him to this world. Everyone please pray for our unborn son.
I don't really know people say all different kind if things, when I was pregrent my mother told me just find out keep it between you and your husband plues my family ontill the baby is born. Good luck.
You're mom was totally right. I shouldn't have mentioned my unborn baby's gender in the last post. Pray for him anyway.
Brothers an sisters am still emphasys on we should not act base on our on view and favours if we are confuse and need answers we should asks the ulama's (the islamic leaders) among us because the have knowledge of qouran and hadiths, i did not see sense in you given some one respond and without any islamic backing by qouted verse or hadiths you will end up given the person wrong anwsers and impresion there arare also a lot of people who are nor real muslims but they claim it and go net to confuse people with there evil minds, may allah protect us ammeen salam.
it isnt haram. when u can have an ultra sound to ensure the healty growth of the fetus and the position and the Estimated Delivery Date then why cant u also know the sex of ur child when it is clearly detectable?
there is a reason y its banned in my country and that is simply because most people kill their unborn daughters in their preference for sons. the sex ratio has shown a sharp fall in the females in recent yrs so its ok i guess to ban the practitioners from revealing it to their patients in fact even necessary but if ur intention is not evil and u simply want to know out of curiosity then u should b more than happy to use the modern technology.
11 yrs ago it wasnt banned and i figured i was carrying my daughter towards the end of my 1st trimester so i shopped for a baby girl and thought of girly names and we were happy and we were ready but by the time i conceived my son it was banned and since it was big suspence our baby shopping was all about unisex stuff. we didnt buy a pink frock with stuff like ' daddy's princess' or a blue shirt with ' mommy's little monster' written over it.