An explanation of chapter 31, verse 34

This is an investigative look at the verse 34 of chapter 31 of Quran. Read different translations and word by word translation of this verse.

Pickthall translation: Lo! Allah! With Him is knowledge of the Hour. He sendeth down the rain, and knoweth that which is in the wombs.

Notice that Yusuf Ali, Mohsin Khan and Sahih International all added the word "alone" in their translation.

Tafsir al Jalalayn

Lo! God, with Him lies knowledge of the Hour, when it will come to pass; and He sends down (read yunzilu, or yunazzilu) the rain, at times which [only] He knows; and He knows what is in the wombs, whether it is a male or a female; and not one of the three things is known by anyone other than God, exalted be He.

Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi:

This verse was revealed about al-Harith ibn ‘Amr ibn Harithah ibn Muharib ibn Hafsah, from the desert, who asked the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, about the Hour and its exact timing. He also asked: ‘Our land has dried up, when is it going to rain? And I left my wife pregnant, when is she going to give birth? And I know in which land I was born, but in which land am I going to die?’ And so Allah, exalted is He, revealed this verse...

...The man asked: ‘What is in the womb of this mare of mine?’ The prophet said: ‘This is of the unseen, and none knows the unseen except Allah’...

...Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, said: “The keys of the unseen are five and none knows them except Allah, exalted is He: none knows the timing of the Hour except Allah; none knows what is hidden in wombs except Allah...

Tafsir Ibn Abbas

He knows when the rain comes down but this is hidden from people, (and knoweth that which is in the wombs) whether it is a male or female, felicitous or damned while this is hidden from the servants.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir:

Qatadah said, "There are some things which Allah has kept to Himself, and they are not known to any angel who is close to Him or any Prophet who was sent by Him. No one among mankind knows when the Hour will come, in which year or month, or whether it will come at night or during the day. And no one knows when rain will come, night or day. No one knows what is in the wombs, male or female, red or black or what it is. Whether it will be good or bad. You do not know, O son of Adam, when you will die. You might die tomorrow, you might be stricken by calamity tomorrow...