FRIDAY NOTES (3/07/26) FROM THE QURAN : DO NOT KILL YOUR CHILDREN

 

There are several verses in the Qur'an that strongly condemn killing one's own children, particularly the pre-Islamic practice of infanticide out of fear of poverty or shame.

The most direct verses are:

6:151    وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا أَوْلَادَكُم مِّنْ إِمْلَاقٍ ۖ نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُكُمْ وَإِيَّاهُمْ
"Do not kill your children because of poverty. We provide for you and for them."

17:31     وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا أَوْلَادَكُمْ خَشْيَةَ إِمْلَاقٍ ۖ نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُهُمْ وَإِيَّاكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ قَتْلَهُمْ كَانَ خِطْئًا كَبِيرًا
"Do not kill your children for fear of poverty. We provide for them and for you. Indeed, killing them is a great sin."

Another verse condemns child sacrifice:

6:137   وَكَذَٰلِكَ زَيَّنَ لِكَثِيرٍ مِّنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ قَتْلَ أَوْلَادِهِمْ شُرَكَاؤُهُمْ لِيُرْدُوهُمْ وَلِيَلْبِسُوا عَلَيْهِمْ دِينَهُمْ
"Likewise, their associates made the killing of their children seem attractive to many of the polytheists (mushrikeen), to destroy them and to confuse them in their religion."

And regarding the killing of infant girls:

81:8–9      وَإِذَا الْمَوْءُودَةُ سُئِلَتْ • بِأَيِّ ذَنبٍ قُتِلَتْ
"And when the baby girl who was buried alive is asked: For what sin was she killed?"

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.