w-a-d

Description

The Arabic root و-ء-د (w-ʾ-d) refers to the pre-Islamic practice of burying infant daughters alive, known as waʾd. In the Quran, this root appears most notably in reference to the mawʾūdah (the buried female infant) who will be asked on the Day of Judgment for what sin she was killed, highlighting the grave injustice of this practice. The Quranic usage condemns this jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic) custom and emphasizes the sanctity of life, particularly defending the rights of female children who were considered burdensome by some Arab tribes.