وَيَجْعَلُونَ لِلَّهِ ٱلْبَنَـٰتِ سُبْحَـٰنَهُۥ ۙ وَلَهُم مَّا يَشْتَهُونَ 57
Translations
And they attribute to Allāh daughters - exalted is He - and for them is what they desire [i.e., sons].
Transliteration
Wa yaj'alūna lillāhi al-banāti subḥānahu wa lahum mā yashtahūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah criticizes the pagan Arabs who attributed daughters to Allah while reserving sons for themselves, considering daughters inferior—a practice contradicting both divine wisdom and human decency. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that this reflects the Arabs' jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic ignorance) attitudes toward female children, while the phrase 'Subḥānahu' (Glory be to Him) underscores Allah's absolute transcendence from such illogical and unjust attributions. The ayah highlights the hypocrisy of those who claim to honor Allah while despising what they falsely ascribe to Him.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of a broader Meccan passage (16:57-59) addressing the pre-Islamic Arab practice of female infanticide and their discriminatory treatment of daughters. The context reflects the social customs of Meccan society where daughters were considered a burden and shame, while sons were prized as a source of honor and wealth. This passage serves as a moral indictment of such practices within the framework of correcting theological and ethical understanding.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Whoever has daughters and treats them kindly, they will be a screen for him from the Fire' (Sunan Ibn Majah). Additionally, 'The best of you are those who are best to their families, and I am the best among you to my family' (Sunan At-Tirmidhi)—emphasizing kind treatment of all family members, particularly daughters.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that assigning inferior status to daughters based on cultural preferences contradicts both divine wisdom and human decency; believers must recognize the equal worth and dignity of all children regardless of gender, reflecting true submission to Allah's perfect justice.
Related Ayahs
وَإِذَا رَءَا ٱلَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا۟ شُرَكَآءَهُمْ قَالُوا۟ رَبَّنَا هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ شُرَكَآؤُنَا ٱلَّذِينَ كُنَّا نَدْعُوا۟ مِن دُونِكَ ۖ فَأَلْقَوْا۟ إِلَيْهِمُ ٱلْقَوْلَ إِنَّكُمْ لَكَـٰذِبُونَ
And when those who associated others with Allāh see their "partners," they will say, "Our Lord, these are our partners [to You] whom we used to invoke [in worship] besides You." But they will throw at them the statement, "Indeed, you are liars."
وَإِذَا رَءَا ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ ٱلْعَذَابَ فَلَا يُخَفَّفُ عَنْهُمْ وَلَا هُمْ يُنظَرُونَ
And when those who wronged see the punishment, it will not be lightened for them, nor will they be reprieved.
وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ لَجَعَلَكُمْ أُمَّةً وَٰحِدَةً وَلَـٰكِن يُضِلُّ مَن يَشَآءُ وَيَهْدِى مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَلَتُسْـَٔلُنَّ عَمَّا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
And if Allāh had willed, He could have made you [of] one religion, but He sends astray whom He wills and guides whom He wills. And you will surely be questioned about what you used to do.
وَأَقْسَمُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ جَهْدَ أَيْمَـٰنِهِمْ ۙ لَا يَبْعَثُ ٱللَّهُ مَن يَمُوتُ ۚ بَلَىٰ وَعْدًا عَلَيْهِ حَقًّا وَلَـٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلنَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
And they swear by Allāh their strongest oaths [that] Allāh will not resurrect one who dies. But yes - [it is] a true promise [binding] upon Him, but most of the people do not know.