Pregnancy and Parenting

Having many children

Q: In Islam, it is recommended to have many kids and offspring, but, the increase in population is also a sign of the coming of the day of judgement, so does this not contradict? A good command which represents the coming of bad days?

Finding out the gender of the foetus

Q:

  1. My wife is pregnant so she goes for ultrasound every month (because there is a little problem with pregnancy so doctors want to keep there eyes on it). Every time we go for ultrasound the dr ask us if we know the gender of the baby but I always tell them we don't want to know because this is blessing from Allah so boy or girl doesn't make a different as long as it's healthy but now somebody told my wife that it is ok to know the gender before birth so now she want's to know it which I totally don't agree. Please tell me if it permissible in Islam or not because it's a blessing from Allah?
  2. Once one find out that she's pregnant then until what time they can share the bed or we should stop as soon we find out what does Islam says about these two things please tell us?

Treating one's children equally

Q: I'm very sorry, but this is quite a long message. I was wondering if you could spend a moment reading this and make clear for me an issue that I have insha’Allah.  It has been troubling me for a long time and is causing me great distress.  I just feel I need to explain where I’m coming from with this and feel you would better be suited to give me an answer, based on a more detailed explanation. 

I believe I try to be a just person and feel people should be treated fairly, and I would like to know if I am doing right by my situation detailed below. 

I know this is quite long, but I would be very grateful if you could answer  me I just don't know where to go for this.