Islam honors the woman in the most excellent manner which is exemplified in the following ways: -Her excellent reception at birth During the pre-Islamic period, the Arabs used to receive news of the birth of a female contemptuously. Their faces would become overcast with worriment, and in a depressed state they would hide away from society. Such behavior stemmed from their regard of a female child as a source of poverty and disgrace, feelings which led them to bury their daughters alive. Their disdain for female children was also manifest by the fact that an Arab would rather spend on his (male) slaves or animals than his daughter. So, due to such depraved behavior, Allah forbade the Muslims from this heinous practice explaining that whoever committed such a horrific act would find himself with nothing but loss.
He says,
"Indeed lost are they who have killed their children, from folly, without knowledge'' Al-An'am 6:140 Islam also called to the attention of mankind the right of existence, and that life is a blessed gift from Allah, regardless of its gender.
He says,
"He bestows female (offspring) upon whom He wills, and bestows male (offspring) upon whom He wills.'' Ash-Shoora 42:49.
Ibn Al-Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah said, "Allah gives precedence in mentioning that which was delayed during the time of ignorance. Then, the people would bury female newborns alive. It is as if Allah is telling them in this verse: 'That debased sex whose mentioning you delay is given precedence in my estimation'. The purpose is that feeling vexed and irritated at having a female child is one of the characteristics of the age of ignorance. Allah says,
"And when the news of (the birth of) a female (child) is brought to any of them, his face becomes dark, and he is filled with inward grief! He hides himself from the people because of the evil of that whereof he has been informed. Shall he keep her with dishonor or bury her in the earth? Certainly, evil is their decision.'' An-Nahl 16:58-59.
Qatadah said, "Allah informs us about the heinousness of their action. As for the believer, it befits him to be pleased by what Allah has apportioned to him. The decision of Allah (for him) is far better than his own. By Allah, he does not know that it is better for him! Many a girl is better for her family than a boy! Allah only informed you of the deeds of the people of Jahiliyyah so that you might avoid it. One of them would feed his dog yet bury his daughter alive in a bid not to feed her)!'' Islam requires a Muslim not only to repeal from the horrific act of burying one's daughter alive, but also seeks to elevate the Muslim to the highest degree of humanity by discouraging him from being upset and grimaced when a girl is born to him. Instead, he should receive her with gratification and recognition of the bounty of God. Salih, son of Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal said, "Whenever a baby-girl was born to Ahmad, he would say, "Prophets are fathers of girls'', as well as, "you already know what the texts (Qur'an and hadiths) mention about girls.''
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