The response to the doubt in the hadith: “If the man’s semen rises above the woman’s semen, the child will resemble his paternal uncles, and if the woman’s semen rises above the man’s semen, the child will resemble his maternal uncles.”

 

Response to the doubt about the hadith: “If the man’s semen rises above the woman’s semen, the child will resemble his paternal uncles, and if the woman’s semen rises above the man’s semen, the child will resemble his maternal uncles.”

The hadith deals with the subject of resemblance between a child and his relatives in a brief and simple manner, but it does not contradict modern science. Rather, it is consistent with the genetic principles that we know today, taking into account the language of the era in which the hadith was mentioned.

1. Explanation of the hadith and its terminology
• “The man’s semen”: refers to the seminal fluid that contains sperm, which are responsible for transferring genetic material
(X or Y chromosomes). • “The woman’s semen”: refers to the reproductive secretions that prepare the egg for fertilization, or the egg itself that contains the woman’s genetic material (X chromosome).
• “The water’s rise”: is understood as the predominance or the strongest influence in determining the genetic characteristics of the child.

2. The relationship between the hadith and modern science

The hadith refers to the subject of resemblance, which is determined based on the genetic interaction between the father and mother. This is in perfect harmony with the principles of modern genetics:

Hereditary traits and how they are transmitted:
• Hereditary traits are determined by DNA, which consists of 23 chromosomes from the father and 23 chromosomes from the mother.
• Some genes are dominant, meaning their traits are clearly expressed, while others are recessive and only appear in the absence of the dominant genes.

The height of a man or woman’s sperm and its effect on resemblance:
• If the dominant genes from the father are stronger, the child will resemble the father or his uncles.
• If the dominant genes from the mother are stronger, the child will resemble the mother or his uncles.

Scientific sources that support this explanation:
1. An article from MedlinePlus Genetics explaining the role of dominant and recessive genes in determining hereditary traits:
Understanding Dominant and Recessive Genes.
2. An article from Genome.gov explaining how hereditary traits are transmitted between generations:
How Genetics Determine Traits.

3. Scientific interpretation of the hadith
• “The man’s or woman’s semen is high”: refers to the superiority of the dominant genes from one party (the father or the mother) in determining genetic traits.
• Apparent traits such as facial features, eye color, or hair color are determined based on the dominant genes.

A recent scientific example:
• A study published in Nature magazine confirms that the resemblance between a child and the father’s or mother’s relatives depends on a complex combination of genetic genes, as the dominant genes affect the appearance of certain traits.
Genetic Influence on Traits.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2649-2

4. Why is the hadith miraculous?
• The hadith accurately describes a genetic mechanism that was not known at the time of the Prophet (PBUH).
• The connection between “the man’s semen” and resemblance reflects a simplified understanding of what we know today about the influence of dominant and recessive genes.
• The Prophet (PBUH) used simple language that suited those he addressed at the time, but the scientific meaning matches what modern science has proven.

5. Response to the doubt and conclusion
• The hadith does not contradict modern science, but rather is completely consistent with the rules of genetics, which show that resemblance is determined by the dominant genes from the father or mother.
• “The height of the water” expresses the influence of the stronger genes, and has nothing to do with the amount of semen or the woman’s secretions.
• This agreement between the hadith and science proves that it is a divine revelation, because this information was not known to humans at the time the hadith was revealed.

For expansion:
• Understanding Dominant and Recessive Genes
• How Genetics Determine Traits
• Genetic Influence on Traits (Nature).

In the human cell there are 23 pairs of chromosomes, one pair is what determines the sex of the fetus.
The genetic makeup of the male (chromosomes) is xy,
while the genetic makeup of the female is xx.

Fertilization occurs when the male fluid (sperm) meets the female fluid (ovum) .
If the man’s fluid carries the y trait, the baby will be a boy, God willing (x + y).
However, if the man’s fluid carries the x trait, the baby will be a girl, God willing (x + x).

The coming of the fetus, male or female, has a cause after God Almighty’s permission, and this cause is connected to the man and the woman together, and not to one of them without the other.
There are hadiths about this, including:

The first: On the authority of Anas, may God be pleased with him, with the wording: ((If the man’s fluid precedes the woman’s fluid, the child is born, and if the woman’s fluid precedes the child, the woman is born)) [Bukhari 4480/ and others].

The second: On the authority of Thawban, may God be pleased with him, with the wording: “The man’s water is white, and the woman’s water is yellow. If they come together and the man’s water rises above the woman’s water, they will be a boy, God willing. If the woman’s water rises above the man’s water, they will be a girl, God willing.” [Muslim 315]

The third: On the authority of Aisha, may God be pleased with her, that a woman said to the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace: “Does a woman have to perform ghusl if she has a wet dream and sees water?” He said: “Yes.” Aisha said to her: “May your hands be covered with dust and be swayed.” She said, so the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Leave her, and how can the resemblance be except from before that? If her water prevails over the man’s water, the child will resemble his maternal uncles, and if the man’s water prevails over her water, he will resemble his paternal uncles.” [Muslim 314]

Fourth: On the authority of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) with the wording: “The two waters meet, so if the man’s water prevails over the woman’s water, the child will be a boy, and if the woman’s water prevails

over the man’s water, the child will be a girl.” [Ahmad 2483 and Sheikh Shu’ayb classified it as hasan in his commentary on Al-Musnad] The common meaning between these words, which is intended: predominance and encompassing. If the man’s water prevails over the woman’s water and encompasses it, the child will be a boy. When the opposite happens, the opposite happens.
It is not possible that what is intended is the precedence of ejaculation, meaning that if the man’s ejaculation precedes it, the child will be a boy, and if the woman’s ejaculation precedes it, the child will be a girl, because this meaning does not agree with the word “predominantly” on the one hand, and is not supported by certain reality on the other hand.

Al-Hafiz has similar words in which he says: What is meant is encompassing. He said: ((And it is as if what is meant by the height is that which is the cause of the resemblance according to the abundance, such that the other becomes immersed in it, and thus the resemblance occurs)) [Fath 7/273]

And Al-Hafiz said: ((Al-Qurtubi said: It is necessary to interpret the hadith of Thawban that what is meant by the height is precedence. I said: What appears is what I said, which is the interpretation of the height in the hadith of Aisha. As for the hadith of Thawban, the height in it remains as it appears, so the precedence is a sign of masculinity and femininity, and the height is a sign of resemblance, so the problem is removed. And it is as if what is meant by the height is that which is the cause of the resemblance according to the abundance, such that the other becomes immersed in it, and thus the resemblance occurs. And that is divided into six sections: The first is that the man’s semen precedes, and is more, so it becomes masculine and similar. The second is the opposite. The third is that the man’s semen precedes, and the woman’s semen is more, so masculinity and similarity occur for the woman. The fourth is the opposite. The fifth is that the man’s semen precedes and they are equal, so it is masculine and not specific. And the sixth is the opposite. His words ended, may God have mercy on him. [Fath 7/273]

Ibn al-Qayyim said in his book (Tuhfat al-Mawdud bi-Ahkam al-Mawlud) [p. 221]:
The second matter: The precedence of one of the two waters is a reason for the resemblance of the one whose water came first, and the elevation of one of them is a reason for the child’s similarity to the one whose water came first. So here there are two matters: precedence and elevation, and they may agree or differ. If the man’s water comes first and rises above the woman’s water, the child will be a boy, and the resemblance is for the man. If the woman’s water comes first and rises above the man’s water, the child will be a girl, and the resemblance is for the mother. If one of them comes first and the other rises, the resemblance is for the one whose water came first, and the males and females are for the one whose water came first. End of his words, may God have mercy on him.