الكافي- ط الاسلامية, volume 6, page 16

6. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il or others who has said the following: “I once asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), saying, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, can a pregnant woman pray to Allah to make the child inside her a well formed boy?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘She can do so from conception up to the fourth month. Up to forty nights it is sperm, for another forty nights it is a clot and for another forty nights it is an embryo, thereafter Allah sends two creative angles who ask, “O Lord, what must we create, a male or female, fortunate or unfortunate?” Their question is then answered. They then ask, “O Lord, what is his sustenance, when is the time of his death and what is the length of his life?” It all then is told to them and his covenant is between his eyes to which he looks. He still is inside his mother until the time of his coming out draws near. Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, sends an angel who drives him out with reproach that sends him into shock and he forgets the covenant?”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

7. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad and Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn Mahbub from ibn Ri’ab from Zurarah ibn ’ A‘yan who has said the following: “I once heard abu Ja‘far (a.s.), saying, ‘When the seed falls in the womb it settles there for forty days, remains as a clot for forty days and as an embryo for another forty days. Allah then sends two creative angels with instruction to create him, as Allah wants it to be. It can be a male or a female. They shape him and write down the duration of his life, the time of his death, that he is a fortunate or unfortunate. The two must write down between his eyes the covenant of Allah, which He has taken from him in the condition of being particles. When the time for his coming out from the belly of his mother draws near; Allah sends an angel called admonisher who admonishes him that sends him into shock. He forgets the covenant and falls on the ground weeping because of the admonition of the angel?”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya and others have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn abu Nasr from ’Isma‘il ibn ‘Umar from Shu’ayb al-‘Aqarqufiy who has said the following: “Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘The womb has four ways in whichever way the seed (water) finds the path thereof comes a child, one child, two children , three children or four children . In (through) one way only one child can come and no more/”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.