وَإِذَا بُشِّرَ أَحَدُهُم بِالْأُنثَىٰ ظَلَّ وَجْهُهُ مُسْوَدًّا وَهُوَ كَظِيمٌ يَتَوَارَىٰ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ مِن سُوءِ مَا بُشِّرَ بِهِ ۚ أَيُمْسِكُهُ عَلَىٰ هُونٍ أَمْ يَدُسُّهُ فِي التُّرَابِ ۗ أَلَا سَاءَ مَا يَحْكُمُونَ
“When news is brought to one of them, of (the birth of) a female (child), his face darkens, and he is filled with inward grief!
With shame does he hide himself from his people, because of the bad news he has had! Shall he retain it on (sufferance and) contempt, or bury it in the dust? Ah! what an evil (choice) they decide on?”
Some people in the time of ignorance use to despise the having of female offspring. They would think it as a fault to have a girl, and others would also scorn at them for that same very reason. Thats why they would feel embarrassed and ashamed to spread the news of a new born ‘baby girl’.
They would go to the extent in burying the girl alive as the Quran states.
When Rasulullah صلي الله عليه و سلم came, he nullified all of these thoughts and changed the thinking of the people. He taught them that the same way boys are a blessing, girls are too. And both are from Allah, so be thankful because some people have neither. Allah says,
يهب لمن يشاء اناثا و يهب لمن يشاء الذكور
Allah gives whom he wishes girls and whom he wishes boys. And some he gives both and to some he gives none.
Rasulullah s.a.w raised the status of girls so much that he said,
من عال جاريتين حتي تبلغا جاء يوم القيامة أنا و هو كهاتين رواه مسلم
“Whosoever looks after two girls until they reach the age of puberty, such a person and me would be together like this on the day of judgement (he raised his middle and index fingers and joined them).”
In another Hadith he said,
“Whosoever has 3 girls, and he bares patience with them, and he feeds them and clothes them from his own wealth, they will be a barrier between him and hell.” (Ahmed)
In Adabul Mufrad it’s written that in the time of Aisha RA, whenever she got the news of a new born, she wouldn’t ask if it’s a boy or girl but rather she would ask is the child healthy or not.
And that should be the case. Having a healthy child. Whether it be s boy or girl, is a great blessing.
Nowadays, you still find some people with the same ignorant mentality. They say “you only have girls? It’s time to get a boy”. Whereas from the teachings of Rasulullah صلي الله عليه و سلم the reward for the upbringing of girls is far more than boys.
May Allah give us the correct understanding of the Deen and protect us from ignorant thoughts.
Mufti Usama Mahmad
https://www.tafseer-raheemi.com/1256...0%2C9271328232