Meccan · Surah 17 of 114

Al-Israa 17:31

The Night Journey · ayah 31 of 111

وَلَا تَقْتُلُوٓا۟ أَوْلَٰدَكُمْ خَشْيَةَ إِمْلَٰقٍۢ ۖ نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُهُمْ وَإِيَّاكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ قَتْلَهُمْ كَانَ خِطْـًۭٔا كَبِيرًۭا

Wala taqtuloo awladakumkhashyata imlaqin nahnu narzuquhum wa-iyyakuminna qatlahum kana khit-an kabeera

"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."

Saheeh International translation

Recitation by Mishary Alafasy

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Other English translations

Abdel Haleem (Oxford)+

"Do not kill your children for fear of poverty––We shall provide for them and for you––killing them is a great sin."

Pickthall (classic)+

"Slay not your children, fearing a fall to poverty, We shall provide for them and for you. Lo! the slaying of them is great sin."

Yusuf Ali (classic)+

"Kill not your children for fear of want: We shall provide sustenance for them as well as for you. Verily the killing of them is a great sin."

Tafsīr · classical commentary

Ibn Kathir

Abridged English, public domain

Prohibition of killing Children

This Ayah indicates that Allah is more compassionate towards His servants than a father to his child, because He forbids killing children just as He enjoins parents to take care of their children in matters of inheritance. The people of Jahiliyyah would not allow their daughters to inherit from them, and some would even kill their daughters lest they make them more poor. Allah forbade that and said:

وَلاَ تَقْتُلُواْ أَوْلادَكُمْ خَشْيَةَ إِمْلَـقٍ

(And kill not your children for fear of poverty.) meaning, lest they may make you poor in the future. This is why Allah mentions the children's provision first:

نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُكُمْ وَإِيَّاهُمْ

(We shall provide for them as well as for you.) In Surat Al-An`am, Allah says:

وَلاَ تَقْتُلُواْ أَوْلَـدَكُمْ مِّنْ إمْلَـقٍ

(kill not your children because of poverty.) 6:151

نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُهُمْ وَإِيَّاكُم

(We provide sustenance for you and for them) 6:151 and,

إنَّ قَتْلَهُمْ كَانَ خِطْئًا كَبِيرًا

(Surely, the killing of them is a great sin.) means, a major sin. In Two Sahihs it is recorded that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud said: "I said, `O Messenger of Allah, which sin is the worst' He said,

«أَنْ تَجْعَلَ لِلّهِ نِدًّا وَهُوَ خَلَقَكَ . قُلْتُ: ثُمَّ أَيٌّ؟ قَالَ: أَنْ تَقْتُلَ وَلَدَكَ خَشْيَةَ أَنْ يَطْعَمَ مَعَكَ . قُلْتُ: ثُمَّ أَيٌّ؟ قَالَ: أَنْ تُزَانِيَ بِحَلِيلَةِ جَارِك»

(To appoint rivals of Allah when He has created you.) I asked, `Then what' He said, (To kill your child lest he should eat with you.) I asked, `Then what' He said, (To commit adultery with your neighbor's wife.)"

Tafsir Saʿdi

English translation, public domain

Аллах проявляет к людям больше сострадания, чем родители к собственному ребенку, и это свидетельствует о Его милосердии по отношению к творениям. Он запретил родителям убивать детей, опасаясь нищеты и бедности, и обязался прокормить и детей, и родителей. Он также сообщил, что детоубийство является тяжким грехом. Оно лишает сердце человека жалости и сострадания и свидетельствует о его величайшей непокорности Аллаху, ибо только такой человек осмелится убить невинное дитя, которые не совершило ни греха, ни проступка.

Read full Surah Al-Israa All 114 surahs

Barakahبركة

Meccan · Surah 17 of 114

Al-Israa 17:31

The Night Journey · ayah 31 of 111

Wala taqtuloo awladakumkhashyata imlaqin nahnu narzuquhum wa-iyyakuminna qatlahum kana khit-an kabeera

"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."

Saheeh International translation

Recitation by Mishary Alafasy

Free, no login. Tap play.

Other English translations

Abdel Haleem (Oxford)+

"Do not kill your children for fear of poverty––We shall provide for them and for you––killing them is a great sin."

Pickthall (classic)+

"Slay not your children, fearing a fall to poverty, We shall provide for them and for you. Lo! the slaying of them is great sin."

Yusuf Ali (classic)+

"Kill not your children for fear of want: We shall provide sustenance for them as well as for you. Verily the killing of them is a great sin."

Tafsīr · classical commentary

Ibn Kathir

Abridged English, public domain

Prohibition of killing Children

وَلاَ تَقْتُلُواْ أَوْلادَكُمْ خَشْيَةَ إِمْلَـقٍ

(And kill not your children for fear of poverty.) meaning, lest they may make you poor in the future. This is why Allah mentions the children's provision first:

نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُكُمْ وَإِيَّاهُمْ

(We shall provide for them as well as for you.) In Surat Al-An`am, Allah says:

وَلاَ تَقْتُلُواْ أَوْلَـدَكُمْ مِّنْ إمْلَـقٍ

(kill not your children because of poverty.) 6:151

نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُهُمْ وَإِيَّاكُم

(We provide sustenance for you and for them) 6:151 and,

إنَّ قَتْلَهُمْ كَانَ خِطْئًا كَبِيرًا

(Surely, the killing of them is a great sin.) means, a major sin. In Two Sahihs it is recorded that `Abdullah bin Mas`ud said: "I said, `O Messenger of Allah, which sin is the worst' He said,

Tafsir Saʿdi

English translation, public domain

Read full Surah Al-Israa All 114 surahs

Maʿārif al-Qur'ān

Mufti Shafi Usmani, English

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.