Surah Thunder

In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.

[Surah Thunder (13): Verse 8]

“Allah knows what every female bears, what the wombs lose and what they gain. Everything with Him is in due measure.” (8)

Ibn ‘Abbās, may Allah be pleased with them both, said: “‘What the wombs lose’ means the time by which pregnancy falls short of nine months; ‘what they gain’ means the time added to them.” His students, including Mujāhid and Sa‘īd ibn Jubayr, agreed with him on this.

Mujāhid also said: “If a woman menstruates while carrying her child, this diminishes the child.” Regarding “what they gain,” he said: “If the pregnancy exceeds nine months, that makes up for what the child has lost.”

He also said: “Any blood a pregnant woman sees during her pregnancy represents a loss to the child. The increase is whatever exceeds nine months, making up for that loss.”

Al-Hasan said: “‘What the wombs lose’ refers to miscarriage; ‘what they gain’ refers to a woman giving birth at ten months.”

‘Ikrima said: “‘What the wombs lose’ refers to menstruation after conception. For every day on which she sees blood while pregnant, a corresponding day free of bleeding is added to her pregnancy. Thus, every day she menstruates adds a day to her pregnancy.”