وَلَا تَقْتُلُوٓا۟ أَوْلَـٰدَكُمْ خَشْيَةَ إِمْلَـٰقٍ ۖ نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُهُمْ وَإِيَّاكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ قَتْلَهُمْ كَانَ خِطْـًٔا كَبِيرًا 31
Translations
And do not kill your children for fear of poverty. We provide for them and for you. Indeed, their killing is ever a great sin.
Transliteration
Wa laa taqtuloo awlaadakum khashyata imlaaqi, nahnu narzuquhum wa iyyaakum, inna qatlahum kaana khit'an kabeeran
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah prohibits infanticide, a pre-Islamic Arabian practice driven by fear of poverty, asserting that Allah alone provides sustenance for children and parents alike. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize that killing children out of economic anxiety is a grave sin (khit'ah kabeerah), as it demonstrates both distrust in Allah's provision and the sanctity of human life. Al-Qurtubi notes this ayah addresses the psychological root of the sin—fear of poverty—and counters it with divine reassurance of rizq (sustenance) for all.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in Mecca during a period when infanticide, particularly of female children, was prevalent due to economic hardship and tribal customs. The surah (Al-Isra) addresses fundamental ethical principles of Islamic law, and this verse directly condemns the pre-Islamic practice of wa'd (burying daughters alive) by establishing the principle that fear of poverty cannot justify taking innocent life.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The greatest sin is to associate partners with Allah, then to kill one's child for fear of poverty' (Narrated in Sunan Ibn Majah). Additionally, the Quran reiterates this prohibition in Surah Al-An'am (6:137, 6:151), emphasizing the consistency of Islamic teaching on this matter.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that financial insecurity should never lead to despair or immoral actions, and that believers must trust in Allah's provision while taking reasonable means to earn sustenance. For modern readers, it underscores the Islamic principle that human life is sacred and that ethical principles cannot be compromised by material concerns.