Pregnancy and Parenting

Q: I am the eldest child of my family (a male), and have 4 younger sisters Alhamdulilah. I am also Alhamdulilah married and have 2 children (1 boy and 1 girl). However, when I was younger I always wanted to have brothers but never did.

Is it permissible to pray to Allah Ta'ala for Him to bless me with more son’s or only sons if I have future children inshaAllah? Before my daughter was born, I made a lot of dua to Allah Ta'ala to bless me with another son but I was still very happy Alhamdulilah to be blessed with a daughter. But I would really want my other children to be sons InshaAllah. Please advise what I should do?

Q: I need advice on a few of the following issues relating to my new born baby.

I am due in a few weeks time inshAllah and my husband has requested for his grandfather to give the adhaan and perform the tahneek of our baby... After doing some research and finding out from a few aalims, I have come to the conclusion that the person who performs the tahneek and adhaan of the baby should be someone of piety. Now I'm not saying that I'm a brilliant Muslim but my husbands grandfather does not even read one salaah, and he poses no good qualities.

1. I wanted to know if there was a way to allow my grandfather in law to give the babies adhaan and avoid the tahneek and make my niyyah that an aalim of my choice perform the two at a later stage.

2. Or will it be possible if I as the mother perform it myself, both the adhaan and tahneek? I do understand that it is the most important part of my baby being brought into this world but I am stuck in a position of making everyone happy. If I have to tell my husband that I chose someone else, his whole family will have an issue because his grandfather performs all the adhaan and tahneek of all the babies being born in their families. And they dont choose the old man based on a deeni perspective, instead they choose him based strictly on the fact that hes the eldest living family member. 

Q: Is it permissible for a pregnant woman to find out the gender of her baby.

Q: I wanted to know what does shariah say about a girl riding bicycle? Because my small daughter is insisting to buy one.

Q: What do we do with the placenta after birth?

Q: What does the Ulama say about umbilical cord banking? Nowadays some people from hospital take away the newborn childs umbilical cord by saying that it will be preserved and used for the same baby in case of any serious disease in the future. How is this right for society and upto what extent?

Q: There are 4 sons, youngest son lives with parents, father is alive and decides to give youngest son 50% of the house share and 50% remaining to the other 3 sons. The youngest son has also purchased another house, but is living in the current one.

The other sons are not happy as they say that it was unfair for our dad to give more to the youngest, on the basis that he lives with him and in tradition the elder brothers should give youngest most.

The brother's refused the 50% share as they wanted full share, not half. Is there any sin on the father because he decided he wanted to choose who he likes to give?

Q: Is it jaiz for someone to show others pictures of a baby scan (when baby is in the stomach, pictures are taken through ulstasound scan etc.)?

Q: What to read when pregnant:

1-3 month (Surah Luqman)

As the brains are formed - for a wise and clever child

3-6 month (Surah Yusuf)

As the face is formed - for a beautiful child

6-9 months (Surah Muhammad)

As the body is formed - Good manners and qualities of Nabi (sallallahu alaihi wasallam)

Surah Maryam throughout the pregnancy for easy pregnancy and easy labour

Surah Al-Haaqqah - no defects and healthy child and baby will be saved from all calamities. 

Q: How can we inculcate Islamic values in our child (as a teacher or mother) and how do we preserve it in them?