Sūrat al-Anʿām
Section 17 of 21 · Surah Studies · Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
Killing Their Daughters
وَكَذَٰلِكَ زَيَّنَ لِكَثِيرٍ مِّنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ قَتْلَ أَوْلَـٰدِهِمْ شُرَكَآؤُهُمْ لِيُرْدُوهُمْ وَلِيَلْبِسُوا۟ عَلَيْهِمْ دِينَهُمْ ۖ وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مَا فَعَلُوهُ ۖ فَذَرْهُمْ وَمَا يَفْتَرُونَ
“Similarly, their associate-gods have made the killing of their children seem fair to many mushriks (idolators), so that they may ruin them and may confuse their faith for them. Had Allah so willed, they would not have done that. So, leave them alone with what they fabricate.” (6:137)
The second folly was the killing of their daughters. It is not known whether any other people in the world has done such a thing, slaughtering their daughters alive, for reasons of economy and of pride and honour. Subḥān Allāh. Islam came and did away with it. This is verse 137 — and the previous one was 136, not 126: 136 and 137. And then:
وَقَالُوا۟ هَـٰذِهِۦٓ أَنْعَـٰمٌ وَحَرْثٌ حِجْرٌ لَّا يَطْعَمُهَآ إِلَّا مَن نَّشَآءُ بِزَعْمِهِمْ وَأَنْعَـٰمٌ حُرِّمَتْ ظُهُورُهَا وَأَنْعَـٰمٌ لَّا يَذْكُرُونَ ٱسْمَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْهَا ٱفْتِرَآءً عَلَيْهِ ۚ سَيَجْزِيهِم بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَفْتَرُونَ
“They say, “These are prohibited cattle and produce; none can eat them except those whom we wish” - so they claimed - “and there are cattle whose backs are prohibited (for riding or loading)”, and there are cattle over which they do not pronounce the name of Allah,-all being fabrications against Him. He will soon punish them for what they have been fabricating.” (6:138)
These are specially consecrated animals; none may eat them but those whom we appoint — and so on. And another folly is given in verse 139:
وَقَالُوا۟ مَا فِى بُطُونِ هَـٰذِهِ ٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِ خَالِصَةٌ لِّذُكُورِنَا وَمُحَرَّمٌ عَلَىٰٓ أَزْوَٰجِنَا ۖ وَإِن يَكُن مَّيْتَةً فَهُمْ فِيهِ شُرَكَآءُ ۚ سَيَجْزِيهِمْ وَصْفَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ حَكِيمٌ عَلِيمٌ
“They say, “Whatever is in the wombs of these cattle is purely for our males, and forbidden to our wives.” If it be born dead, then all of them share in it. Soon, He will punish them for what they attribute. Surely, He is All-Wise, All-Knowing.” (6:139)
If an animal were pregnant — if one of the cattle were pregnant — they would say that whatever was within it, the embryo, the new offspring, was for their menfolk only, and not for their women. Hence they say khāliṣatun li-dhukūrinā wa-muḥarramun ʿalā azwājinā: forbidden to our wives; they may not eat it. But should it be stillborn — should the embryo be dead — then fa-hum fīhi shurakāʾ: then both may share it. What manner of logic is that? Hence Allah says:
قَدْ خَسِرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَتَلُوٓا۟ أَوْلَـٰدَهُمْ سَفَهًۢا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ وَحَرَّمُوا۟ مَا رَزَقَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ ٱفْتِرَآءً عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ۚ قَدْ ضَلُّوا۟ وَمَا كَانُوا۟ مُهْتَدِينَ
“Losers are those who kill their children foolishly, without knowledge, and hold as prohibited what Allah has provided them, falsely ascribing it to Allah. They have gone astray, and they are not on the right path.” (6:140)
This notion of folly: no knowledge; unawareness; ignorance. Lost are those who killed their children foolishly, without knowledge; and who forbade what Allah had provided them with — made it unlawful — and did so by slandering Allah, attributing this false notion to Him. Qad ḍallū wa-mā kānū muhtadīn.