03 - Women in Pre-Islamic Arabia: Grief at having a daughter - Ramadan Reflections 2023

On the third day of Ramadan 2023/1444, we review the theme of "Women in Pre-Islamic Arabia: Grief at having a daughter."

The second major theme we review from the Quran is the attitude and way that the pre-Islamic Arabs thought of girls – most notably their daughters. Not only did some of the pre-Islamic Arab tribes bury their daughters alive out of a fear of the unknown, as we mentioned yesterday, but they also had strange notions about Allah and the Angels and daughters.

Before we go into the discussion on the grief that some Arab men in the pre-Islamic era would show when they wife would deliver a girl, let us have a quick glance at the verses for today from Sūrah al-Zukhruf (43), Verses 16-19:

"What! has He taken to Himself daughters out of all that He creates, and “honored” you with sons? When any of them is given the news of the birth of what he accepts as appropriate for the All-Merciful, his face darkens, choking with anger. ”What! (Am I to have a daughter –) one who is brought up in adornments, and unable to be clear in disputation?” And yet they have judged the angels, who are themselves the servants of the All-Merciful, to be females (whom they judge to be of little value, and yet regard as His daughters). Did they witness their creation? This testimony of theirs will be recorded, and they will be called to account (for this falsehood in the Hereafter)."

This selection of verses presents us with some of the most twisted thought-patterns of the Arabs of Jahiliyyah era.

So what were some of the beliefs that these people had? Tune in to this episode to find out more...