How does islam define gender?

The fundamental teaching of Islam is that Allah has created human beings as two sexes: male and female. This is not merely a social identity; rather, it is part of Allah's creation and divine decree.

Allah says:

﴿وَأَنَّهُ خَلَقَ الزَّوْجَيْنِ الذَّكَرَ وَالْأُنثَىٰ ۝ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ إِذَا تُمْنَىٰ﴾

«"And that He created the two mates, the male and the female, from a drop of semen when it is emitted."

(Surah An-Najm 53:45–46)»

He also says:

﴿يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُم مِّن نَّفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا﴾

«"O mankind, fear your Lord, who created you from a single soul and created from it its mate."

(Surah An-Nisa 4:1)»

And He says:

﴿وَلَيْسَ الذَّكَرُ كَالْأُنثَىٰ﴾

«"And the male is not like the female."

(Surah Aal 'Imran 3:36)»

These verses clearly show that male and female are two distinct realities created by Allah.

Does the Qur'an or the Sunnah provide a detailed biological definition of a male and a female?

The purpose of the Qur'an and the Sunnah is not to serve as textbooks of medicine or biology. Therefore, they do not define males and females through chromosomes, reproductive organs, or other scientific terminology.

However, the Qur'an and the Sunnah affirm the fundamental reality that whomever Allah creates as a male is a male, and whomever He creates as a female is a female. Accordingly, Islam bases a person's sex not on personal desires, feelings, or self-identification, but on Allah's act of creation.

For this reason, Muslim jurists have also regarded a person's innate biological sex, as indicated by the physical characteristics present from birth, as the basis for determining whether someone is male or female, since these characteristics are the outward manifestation of Allah's creation.

What if someone feels they are the opposite gender?

Islam does not deny that a person may experience psychological struggles or feelings of identifying with the opposite sex. However, feelings do not alter the reality of Allah's creation.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

«لَعَنَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ الْمُتَشَبِّهِينَ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ بِالنِّسَاءِ، وَالْمُتَشَبِّهَاتِ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ بِالرِّجَالِ»

«"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ cursed the men who imitate women and the women who imitate men."

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 5885)»

This hadith demonstrates that Islam recognizes the distinction between men and women as real and meaningful.

What if a child is born with ambiguous sex characteristics (Intersex / Khunthā)?

This is a separate medical condition known in Islamic jurisprudence as Khunthā (intersex). In such cases, Muslim jurists have laid down specific rulings based on the principles of the Qur'an and the Sunnah, considering the individual's physical characteristics and, where appropriate, the assessment of qualified medical experts to determine the person's sex. This is not regarded as a third gender; rather, it is a rare congenital medical condition for which Islamic law provides specific rulings.