17:31 Al-Israa (The Night Journey)

وإذا علمتم أن الرزق بيد الله سبحانه فلا تقتلوا -أيها الناس- أولادكم خوفًا من الفقر؛ فإنه -سبحانه- هو الرزاق لعباده، يرزق الأبناء كما يرزق الآباء، إنَّ قَتْلَ الأولاد ذنب عظيم.

وهذا من رحمته بعباده حيث كان أرحم بهم من والديهم، فنهى الوالدين أن يقتلوا أولادهم خوفا من الفقر والإملاق وتكفل برزق الجميع. وأخبر أن قتلهم كان خطأ كبيرا أي: من أعظم كبائر الذنوب لزوال الرحمة من القلب والعقوق العظيم والتجرؤ على قتل الأطفال الذين لم يجر منهم ذنب ولا معصية.

هذه الآية الكريمة دالة على أن الله تعالى أرحم بعباده من الوالد بولده لأنه نهى عن قتل الأولاد كما أوصى الآباء بالأولاد في الميراث وكان أهل الجاهلية لا يورثون البنات بل كان أحدهم ربما قتل ابنته لئلا تكثر عيلته فنهى الله تعالى عن ذلك وقال "ولا تقتلوا أولادكم خشية إملاق" أي خوف أن تفتقروا في ثاني الحال ولهذا قدم الاهتمام برزقهم فقال "نحن نرزقهم وإياكم" وفي الأنعام "ولا تقتلوا أولادكم من إملاق" أي من فقر "نحن نرزقكم وإياهم" وقوله "إن قتلهم كان خطئا كبيرا" أي ذنبا عظيما وقرأ بعضهم" كان خطأ كبيرا" وهو بمعناه. وفي الصحيحين عن عبدالله بن مسعود قلت يا رسول الله أي الذنب أعظم؟ قال "أن تجعل لله ندا وهو خلقك - قلت ثم أي؟ قال أن تقتل ولدك خشية أن يطعم معك - قلت ثم أي؟ قال أن تزاني بحليلة جارك".

And do not slay your children by burying them alive fearing penury poverty. We shall provide for them and for you. Slaying them is truly a great sin.

Commentary

Previous verses carried a series of instructions regarding human rights. The sixth injunction appearing here is to correct a cruel custom prevailing among the people of Arabs of Jahiliyyah. During that period of time, some people used to kill their children, particularly daughters, at birth in fear of having to face the expenses on their maintenance. In the verse cited above, Allah Ta` ala has admonished them for their ignorance in assuming the responsibility of providing sustenance - who are you to do that?' This is the exclusive domain of Allah Ta’ ala. He is the One who gives you your sustenance. Now, He who gives it to you shall be the One who would give it to them as well. Why then, do you have to take the onus of killing children on yourselves because of this concern? In fact, by making the children precede as recipients of sustenance at this place, Allah Ta` ala has subtly indicated that He shall give to the children first, then give it to the parents. It really means that Allah Ta’ ala, when He sees His servant supporting his family or helping others poor and weak, He gives him liberally in proportion to enable him to meet his needs as well as help others. In a Hadith, the Holy Prophet ﷺ has been reported to have said, اِنَّمَا تُنصِرُونَ وَ تُرزَقُونَ بضُعفَایٔکُم which means: 'It is because of the poor and weak among you that you are provided by Allah with your sustenance.' This tells us that parents who support their family get, whatever they do, for the sake of weak women and children alone.

Ruling

This statement of the Qur'an also sheds light on an issue which holds the modern world in its grip. Its movers and shakers are so scared of what they call 'population explosion' that they are frantically promoting birth control and planned parent-hood. This is also based on the same false assumption that they are the ones responsible for sustenance. May be, this approach is not a sin equal in gravity to that of the killing of children, but there is no doubt about its being blameworthy.