أَمِ ٱتَّخَذَ مِمَّا يَخْلُقُ بَنَاتٍ وَأَصْفَىٰكُم بِٱلْبَنِينَ 16
Translations
Or has He taken, out of what He has created, daughters and chosen you for [having] sons?
Transliteration
Am ittakhadha mimma yakhluqu banatin wa asfakum bil-banin
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refutes the pagan Arabs' false attribution of daughters to Allah while claiming sons for themselves, highlighting the contradiction and illogical nature of their beliefs. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the ayah emphasizes that if Allah were to have offspring (which He does not), it would be illogical for Him to choose daughters—the very thing the Arabs themselves considered inferior—while reserving sons for themselves. This serves as both a logical argument against shirk and a subtle social critique of their devaluation of daughters.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Az-Zukhruf's broader refutation of pagan Arabian polytheism, specifically addressing their claim that angels are Allah's daughters. The surah was revealed in Mecca during the period of intense opposition to the Islamic message, when polytheists clung to pre-Islamic traditions and false religious claims.
Related Hadiths
The theme of honoring daughters is addressed in the hadith: 'Whoever has a daughter and does not bury her alive, does not insult her, and does not favor his son over her, Allah will enter him into Paradise' (Sunan Ibn Majah and Sunan Abu Dawud). Additionally, Sahih Bukhari records the Prophet's statement emphasizing the virtue of raising daughters well.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to examine the logical inconsistencies in false beliefs and to recognize that our own prejudices and cultural biases may lead us away from truth. It also reminds us that valuing daughters equally to sons reflects divine wisdom and justice, challenging us to uphold ethical principles even when they contradict cultural norms.