Hi, i've just compiled the tafsir/explanation of ibn kathir regarding these verses which may be of some help insha'Allaah.

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Originally Posted by chris4336 Hello, I am wondering if someone could please explain for me the verses dealing with the duration of a pregnancy that say: Sura 46:15 And We have enjoined on man doing of good to his parents; with trouble did his mother bear him and with trouble did she bring him forth; and the bearing of him and the weaning of him was thirty months Sura 31:14 And We have enjoined man in respect of his parents-- his mother bears him with faintings upon faintings and his weaning takes two years-- saying: Be grateful to Me and to both your parents; to Me is the eventual coming. I'm sure most of you are aware the the refutation is that when you take these verses together the 30 months - 2 years (24) months = only 6 months for a pregnancy. I have read the explanation that this the generally accepted age at which a fetus can survive outside the mother. Does anyone have any further explanation, because to be very honest this explanation seems a little weak. I just find it odd because it would have been known back then that pregnancies last on average 9 months. Also, how can we know what infant mortality rates were like in the time of the prophet? Could Sura 46:15 be refering to a particular person? Is there are question of translation? I have also read that this verse was meant to be used in matters of law - for example if a women gave birth less than 6 months after getting married she is considered an adulterer. Any other ideas?

This is the tafsir [explanation] of the Qur'an by the great muffasir [scholar of Qur'an - Ibn Kathir]:



[Surah Luqmaan 31:14]



[وَوَصَّيْنَا الإِنْسَـنَ بِوَلِدَيْهِ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُ وَهْناً عَلَى وَهْنٍ]

(And We have enjoined on man (to be dutiful and good) to his parents. His mother bore him in weakness and hardship upon weakness and hardship,) Mujahid said: "The hardship of bearing the child.'' Qatadah said: "Exhaustion upon exhaustion.'' `Ata' Al-Khurasani said: "Weakness upon weakness.''



[وَفِصَالُهُ فِى عَامَيْنِ]

(and his weaning is in two years) means, after he is born, he is breastfed and weaned within two years. This is like the Ayah,



[وَالْوَلِدَتُ يُرْضِعْنَ أَوْلَـدَهُنَّ حَوْلَيْنِ كَامِلَيْنِ لِمَنْ أَرَادَ أَن يُتِمَّ الرَّضَاعَةَ]

(The mothers shall give suck to their children for two whole years, for those who desire to complete the term of suckling)(2:233). On this basis, Ibn `Abbas and other Imams understood that the shortest possible period of pregnancy was six months, because Allah says elsewhere:




[وَحَمْلُهُ وَفِصَـلُهُ ثَلاَثُونَ شَهْراً]

(and the bearing of him, and the weaning of him is thirty months) (46:15).



[وَقُل رَّبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِى صَغِيرًا]

(and say: "My Lord! Bestow on them Your mercy as they did bring me up when I was young.'') (17:24). Allah says here:



[أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِى وَلِوَلِدَيْكَ إِلَىَّ الْمَصِيرُ]

(give thanks to Me and to your parents. Unto Me is the final destination.)



http://www.theholybook.org/en/a.47498.html






-----


[Surah Jaathiya [46:15]


(His mother bears him with hardship.) which means that the mother suffers hardship because of her child, such as fatigue, sickness, vomiting, heaviness, distress, and other forms of hardship that the pregnant women suffer.




[وَوَضَعَتْهُ كُرْهاً]



(And she delivers him with hardship.) meaning, she also delivers him with hardship, suffering the pains of labor and their severity.




[وَحَمْلُهُ وَفِصَـلُهُ ثَلاَثُونَ شَهْراً
]
(And (the period of) his gestation and weaning is thirty months,) `Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, used this Ayah along with the following two Ayat to prove that the minimum period of pregnancy (gestation) is six months:





[وَفِصَالُهُ فِى عَامَيْنِ]



(And his weaning is in two years.) (31:14) and





[وَالْوَلِدَتُ يُرْضِعْنَ أَوْلَـدَهُنَّ حَوْلَيْنِ كَامِلَيْنِ لِمَنْ أَرَادَ أَن يُتِمَّ الرَّضَاعَةَ]



(The mothers suckle their children two complete years -- for those who desire to complete the term of suckling. ) (2:233) This is a strong and valid conclusion, and it was approved by `Uthman and a number of the Companions. Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Yasar narrated from Ba`jah bin `Abdullah Al-Juhani that a man from his tribe (Juhaynah) married a woman from Juhaynah. She delivered a baby after six months. So her husband went to `Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, and told him about that. Thus, `Uthman summoned her. When she was getting dressed, her sister started crying. She asked her: "Why do you cry By Allah, no one has ever approached me (for sexual relations) of Allah's creation except him (my husband). So let Allah decree (for me) as He wills.'' When she was brought before `Uthman, he commanded that she be stoned to death (for adultery). `Ali heard of this, came to `Uthman, and said: "What are you doing'' He (`Uthman) said: "She delivered after six months! Can this ever happen'' `Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "Don't you read the Qur'an'' He said: "Yes, of course!'' He (`Ali) then said: `Haven't you heard Allah's saying,






[وَحَمْلُهُ وَفِصَـلُهُ ثَلاَثُونَ شَهْراً

]
(and his gestation and weaning is thirty months), and;





[حَوْلَيْنِ كَامِلَيْنِ]



( two complete years) (2:233) (Subtracting the two numbers) we are only left with six months.'' `Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "By Allah, I did not see that! Bring the woman back.'' But they found that she had already been killed. Ba`jah continued: "By Allah, no two crows and no two eggs are more similar than that child turned out to be to his father! When his father saw that he said, `By Allah! This is my son without any doubt.' Later on, Allah afflicted him with a skin abscess in his face (because of his false accusation to his wife). It kept eating him up until he died.'' Ibn Abi Hatim related from his father that Farwah bin Abi Al-Maghra' told them that `Ali bin Mushir narrated to them from Dawud bin Abi Hind, who narrated from `Ikrimah that Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "When a woman delivers after nine months, the baby will only need twenty-one months of suckling. When she delivers after seven months, the baby will need twenty-three months of suckling. When she delivers after six months, the baby will need two full years of suckling, because Allah says,





[وَحَمْلُهُ وَفِصَـلُهُ ثَلاَثُونَ شَهْراً حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَ أَشُدَّهُ

]
(and his gestation and weaning is thirty months, till when he attains full strength).'' meaning, he becomes strong, youthful, and attains full ability.




[وَبَلَغَ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً]




(and reaches forty years,) meaning, his complete intellect, understanding, and patience reach the level of maturity. It has also been said that usually one will not change his ways once he reaches the age of forty.





[قَالَ رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِى]



(he says: "My Lord! Grant me the power and ability) meaning, `inspire me.'





[أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ الَّتِى أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَىَّ وَعَلَى وَالِدَىَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَـلِحاً تَرْضَـهُ]



(that I may be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents, and that I may do righteous good deeds, such as please You,) meaning, in the future.





[وَأَصْلِحْ لِى فِى ذُرِّيَّتِى]



(and make my offspring good.) meaning, my offspring and descendants.



http://www.theholybook.org/en/a.47877.html

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I have tried doing some searchs from this and not found too much so any help would be greatly appreciated. I have found a lot of help on this board that has cleared up my previous questions. I am a science oriented person so verses like these are very important to me. Hopefully there will come a day when I don't have anymore

We keep learning in life, so realise that you'll keep asking insha'Allaah. Remember the saying 'the one who asks may be a fool for a day, but the one who never asks will be a fool for life.'



Allaah Almighty knows best.




Peace.