Child Gender

The Quran dictates that the semen determines the baby's gender.

[Quran 53:45] He is the One who created the two kinds, male and female— [Quran 53:46] from a tiny drop of semen.

(٤٥) وَأَنَّهُ خَلَقَ الزَّوْجَيْنِ الذَّكَرَ وَالْأُنْثَىٰ (٤٦) مِنْ نُطْفَةٍ إِذَا تُمْنَىٰ

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حَدَّثَنِي الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْحُلْوَانِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو تَوْبَةَ، - وَهُوَ الرَّبِيعُ بْنُ نَافِعٍ - حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاوِيَةُ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ سَلاَّمٍ - عَنْ زَيْدٍ، - يَعْنِي أَخَاهُ - أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا سَلاَّمٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو أَسْمَاءَ الرَّحَبِيُّ، أَنَّ ثَوْبَانَ، مَوْلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَدَّثَهُ قَالَ كُنْتُ قَائِمًا عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَجَاءَ حَبْرٌ مِنْ أَحْبَارِ الْيَهُودِ فَقَالَ السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ ‏.‏ فَدَفَعْتُهُ دَفْعَةً كَادَ يُصْرَعُ مِنْهَا فَقَالَ لِمَ تَدْفَعُنِي فَقُلْتُ أَلاَ تَقُولُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ الْيَهُودِيُّ إِنَّمَا نَدْعُوهُ بِاسْمِهِ الَّذِي سَمَّاهُ بِهِ أَهْلُهُ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ إِنَّ اسْمِي مُحَمَّدٌ الَّذِي سَمَّانِي بِهِ أَهْلِي ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ الْيَهُودِيُّ جِئْتُ أَسْأَلُكَ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ أَيَنْفَعُكَ شَىْءٌ إِنْ حَدَّثْتُكَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَسْمَعُ بِأُذُنَىَّ فَنَكَتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِعُودٍ مَعَهُ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ سَلْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ الْيَهُودِيُّ أَيْنَ يَكُونُ النَّاسُ يَوْمَ تُبَدَّلُ الأَرْضُ غَيْرَ الأَرْضِ وَالسَّمَوَاتُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ هُمْ فِي الظُّلْمَةِ دُونَ الْجِسْرِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَمَنْ أَوَّلُ النَّاسِ إِجَازَةً قَالَ ‏"‏ فُقَرَاءُ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ الْيَهُودِيُّ فَمَا تُحْفَتُهُمْ حِينَ يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ قَالَ ‏"‏ زِيَادَةُ كَبِدِ النُّونِ ‏"‏ قَالَ فَمَا غِذَاؤُهُمْ عَلَى إِثْرِهَا قَالَ ‏"‏ يُنْحَرُ لَهُمْ ثَوْرُ الْجَنَّةِ الَّذِي كَانَ يَأْكُلُ مِنْ أَطْرَافِهَا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَمَا شَرَابُهُمْ عَلَيْهِ قَالَ ‏"‏ مِنْ عَيْنٍ فِيهَا تُسَمَّى سَلْسَبِيلاً ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ صَدَقْتَ ‏.‏ قَالَ وَجِئْتُ أَسْأَلُكَ عَنْ شَىْءٍ لاَ يَعْلَمُهُ أَحَدٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الأَرْضِ إِلاَّ نَبِيٌّ أَوْ رَجُلٌ أَوْ رَجُلاَنِ ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ يَنْفَعُكَ إِنْ حَدَّثْتُكَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَسْمَعُ بِأُذُنَىَّ ‏.‏ قَالَ جِئْتُ أَسْأَلُكَ عَنِ الْوَلَدِ قَالَ ‏"‏ مَاءُ الرَّجُلِ أَبْيَضُ وَمَاءُ الْمَرْأَةِ أَصْفَرُ فَإِذَا اجْتَمَعَا فَعَلاَ مَنِيُّ الرَّجُلِ مَنِيَّ الْمَرْأَةِ أَذْكَرَا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ وَإِذَا عَلاَ مَنِيُّ الْمَرْأَةِ مَنِيَّ الرَّجُلِ آنَثَا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ الْيَهُودِيُّ لَقَدْ صَدَقْتَ وَإِنَّكَ لَنَبِيٌّ ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ فَذَهَبَ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ لَقَدْ سَأَلَنِي هَذَا عَنِ الَّذِي سَأَلَنِي عَنْهُ وَمَا لِي عِلْمٌ بِشَىْءٍ مِنْهُ حَتَّى أَتَانِيَ اللَّهُ بِهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Thauban, the freed slave of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), said: While I was standing beside the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) one of the rabbis of the Jews came and said: Peace be upon you, O Muhammad. I pushed him backwith a push that he was going to fall. Upon this he said: Why do you push me? I said: Why don't you say: O Messenger of Allah? The Jew said: We call him by the name by which he was named by his family. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: My name is Muhammad with which I was named by my family. The Jew said: I have come to ask you (something). The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Should that thing be of any benefit to you, if I tell you that? He (the Jew) said: I will lend my ears to it. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) drew a line with the help of the stick that he had with him and then said: Ask (whatever you like). Thereupon the Jew said: Where would the human beings be on the Daywhen the earth would change into another earth and the heavens too (would change into other heavens)? The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: They would be in darkness beside the Bridge. He (the Jew) again said: Who amongst people would be the first to cross (this bridge).? He said: They would be the poor amongst the refugees. The Jew said: What would constitute their breakfast when they would enter Paradise? He (the Holy Prophet) replied: A caul of the fish-liver. He (the Jew) said. What would be their food alter this? He (the Holy Prophet) said: A bullockwhich was fed in the different quarters of Paradise would be slaughtered for them. He (the Jew) said: What would be their drink? He (the Holy Prophet) said: They would be given drink from the fountain which is named" Salsabil". He (the Jew) said: I have come to ask you about a thing which no one amongst the people on the earth knows except an apostle or one or two men besides him. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Would it benefit you if I tell you that? He (the Jew) said: I would lend ears to that. He then said: I have come to ask you about the child. He (the Holy Prophet) said: The water of the man is white, and the water of the woman is yellow. If they meet and the water of the man prevails over the water of the woman, it will be a male, by Allah's leave. If the water of the woman prevails over the water of the man, it will be a female by God's leave. The Jew said: What you have said is true; verily you are an Apostle. He then returned and went away. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: He asked me about such and such things of which I have had no knowledge till Allah gave me that.

Sahih Muslim 315a https://sunnah.com/muslim:315a

ArabicTransliterationTranslation

مَاءُ

Ma'u

The fluid

الرَّجُلِ

ar-rajul

of the man

أَبْيَضُ

abyadu

is white

وَمَاءُ

wa-ma'u

and the fluid

الْمَرْأَةِ

al-mar'ati

of the woman

أَصْفَرُ

asfaru

is yellow

فَإِذَا

fa'idha

So when

اجْتَمَعَا

ijtama'a

they come together

فَعَلاَ

fa'ala

they act

مَنِيُّ

maniyu

the fluid

الرَّجُلِ

ar-rajul

of the man

مَنِيَّ

maniyya

the fluid

الْمَرْأَةِ

al-mar'ati

of the woman,

أَذْكَرَا

adhkara

it becomes male

بِإِذْنِ

bi-idhni

by the permission

اللَّهِ

Allahi

of Allah

وَإِذَا

wa'idha

And when

عَلاَ

'ala

it overcomes

مَنِيُّ

maniyu

the fluid

الْمَرْأَةِ

al-mar'ati

of the woman

مَنِيَّ

maniyya

the fluid

الرَّجُلِ

ar-rajul

of the man,

آنَثَا

'antha

it becomes female

بِإِذْنِ

bi-idhni

by the permission

اللَّهِ

Allahi

of Allah

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حَدَّثَنِي حَامِدُ بْنُ عُمَرَ، عَنْ بِشْرِ بْنِ الْمُفَضَّلِ، حَدَّثَنَا حُمَيْدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَنَسٌ، أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ سَلاَمٍ، بَلَغَهُ مَقْدَمُ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم الْمَدِينَةَ، فَأَتَاهُ يَسْأَلُهُ عَنْ أَشْيَاءَ، فَقَالَ إِنِّي سَائِلُكَ عَنْ ثَلاَثٍ لاَ يَعْلَمُهُنَّ إِلاَّ نَبِيٌّ مَا أَوَّلُ أَشْرَاطِ السَّاعَةِ وَمَا أَوَّلُ طَعَامٍ يَأْكُلُهُ أَهْلُ الْجَنَّةِ وَمَا بَالُ الْوَلَدِ يَنْزِعُ إِلَى أَبِيهِ أَوْ إِلَى أُمِّهِ قَالَ ‏"‏ أَخْبَرَنِي بِهِ جِبْرِيلُ آنِفًا ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ ابْنُ سَلاَمٍ ذَاكَ عَدُوُّ الْيَهُودِ مِنَ الْمَلاَئِكَةِ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ أَمَّا أَوَّلُ أَشْرَاطِ السَّاعَةِ فَنَارٌ تَحْشُرُهُمْ مِنَ الْمَشْرِقِ إِلَى الْمَغْرِبِ، وَأَمَّا أَوَّلُ طَعَامٍ يَأْكُلُهُ أَهْلُ الْجَنَّةِ، فَزِيَادَةُ كَبِدِ الْحُوتِ، وَأَمَّا الْوَلَدُ، فَإِذَا سَبَقَ مَاءُ الرَّجُلِ مَاءَ الْمَرْأَةِ نَزَعَ الْوَلَدَ، وَإِذَا سَبَقَ مَاءُ الْمَرْأَةِ مَاءَ الرَّجُلِ نَزَعَتِ الْوَلَدَ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَنَّكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ‏.‏ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، إِنَّ الْيَهُودَ قَوْمٌ بُهُتٌ، فَاسْأَلْهُمْ عَنِّي قَبْلَ أَنْ يَعْلَمُوا بِإِسْلاَمِي، فَجَاءَتِ الْيَهُودُ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ أَىُّ رَجُلٍ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَلاَمٍ فِيكُمْ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالُوا خَيْرُنَا وَابْنُ خَيْرِنَا وَأَفْضَلُنَا وَابْنُ أَفْضَلِنَا‏.‏ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ أَسْلَمَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَلاَمٍ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالُوا أَعَاذَهُ اللَّهُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ‏.‏ فَأَعَادَ عَلَيْهِمْ، فَقَالُوا مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ، فَخَرَجَ إِلَيْهِمْ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ‏.‏ قَالُوا شَرُّنَا وَابْنُ شَرِّنَا‏.‏ وَتَنَقَّصُوهُ‏.‏ قَالَ هَذَا كُنْتُ أَخَافُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ‏.‏

Narrated Anas: When the news of the arrival of the Prophet (ﷺ) at Medina reached Abdullah bin Salam, he went to him to ask him about certain things, He said, "I am going to ask you about three things which only a Prophet can answer: What is the first sign of The Hour? What is the first food which the people of Paradise will eat? Why does a child attract the similarity to his father or to his mother?" The Prophet (ﷺ) replied, "Gabriel has just now informed me of that." Ibn Salam said, "He (i.e. Gabriel) is the enemy of the Jews amongst the angels. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "As for the first sign of The Hour, it will be a fire that will collect the people from the East to the West. As for the first meal which the people of Paradise will eat, it will be the caudate (extra) lobe of the fish-liver. As for the child, if the man's discharge proceeds the woman's discharge, the child attracts the similarity to the man, and if the woman's discharge proceeds the man's, then the child attracts the similarity to the woman." On this, Abdullah bin Salam said, "I testify that None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, and that you are the Messenger of Allah." and added, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Jews invent such lies as make one astonished, so please ask them about me before they know about my conversion to I slam . " The Jews came, and the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "What kind of man is Abdullah bin Salam among you?" They replied, "The best of us and the son of the best of us and the most superior among us, and the son of the most superior among us. "The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "What would you think if Abdullah bin Salam should embrace Islam?" They said, "May Allah protect him from that." The Prophet (ﷺ) repeated his question and they gave the same answer. Then Abdullah came out to them and said, "I testify that None has the right to be worshipped except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah!" On this, the Jews said, "He is the most wicked among us and the son of the most wicked among us." So they degraded him. On this, he (i.e. Abdullah bin Salam) said, "It is this that I was afraid of, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ).

Sahih al-Bukhari 3938 https://sunnah.com/bukhari:3938

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