Assalamu Alaikum! I am Hayat and writing my first article here. Insha-Allah, this small effort will be a source of Deenful discussion on daughters, the light of every home. We will try to put forward some Ahadith related to this topic in a very simple manner.
In the past, a time has passed when daughters used to be buried alive. Daughters would be perceived as a source of unhappiness, misfortune, and misery.
My dear readers! Islam made a woman’s status more virtuous than that of a father by making her a mother, a sister, and a daughter.
Birth of a Girl Child:
Know that Allah is the Controller of everything that exists and will exist; hence, in no way is a woman blamed in Islam for the birth of a girl child. Allah says:
‘To Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. He creates what He wills; He grants daughters to whom He wills and grants sons to whom He wills. Or grants them both sons and daughters; and He leaves whom He wills barren. Indeed, He is All-Knowing, Most Capable.’ [Quran 42:49-50]
Hence, when a girl child is born in an Islamic environment, she normally does not bear any hostility unless the parents and society are jahil (ignorant) about Islamic teachings.
Allah says about the reactions of disbelievers when a girl child is born to them:
"Whenever one of them is given the good news of a baby girl, his face grows gloomy, as he suppresses his rage. He hides himself from the people because of the bad news he has received. Should he keep her in disgrace, or bury her alive in the ground? Evil indeed is their judgment!" [Quran 16:58-59]
And He further says that a great punishment will be given to those who act with cruelty towards daughters at any stage of life:
"And when baby girls, buried alive, are asked for what crime they were put to death." [Quran 81:8-9]
THE IMPORTANCE OF DAUGHTERS IN ISLAM:
- They are Doors to Jannah:
Allah gave precedence to daughters over sons. Wherever Allah mentioned daughters and sons in the Qur’an, He gave precedence to daughters by mentioning them first.
For example:
"To Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. He creates what He wills; He grants daughters to whom He wills and grants sons to whom He wills." [42:49]
Messenger of Allah said, ‘Do not hate your daughters, for indeed they are precious loving beings.’ [Ahmad 17373; Da’eef]
Still, unfortunately, in our Muslim society, we look at daughters as a burden—especially in the subcontinent, where instead of bride-giving Mahar, the groom's family is asked to give dowry, along with a very lavish wedding feast. This is not part of Islam, and due to our ill mentality of following non-Muslim practices, we have forgotten the role of Mahar and are conducting weddings like non-Muslims.
Allah says:
“Do not kill your children for fear of poverty, for We provide for them and for you. Indeed, killing them is a great sin.” [Quran 17:31]
Hence, when you follow true Islam, nothing prevents you from raising daughters—the gateway to Jannah for parents.
- They are better than sons in hope and rewards:
When Allah mentions a greedy person, He always refers to wanting a son not for Islamic purposes but to have someone on his side. Yet, Allah mocks such delusional mentality:
"Wealth and sons are the adornment of this worldly life, but the lasting righteous deeds are better with your Lord in reward and better in hope." [Quran 18:46]
Imam Qurtubi mentioned that ‘the lasting righteous deeds’ refers to righteous daughters.
- A daughter is a Gateway to Jannah for her mother:
A’ishah (R.A) narrates,
"A poor woman came to me along with her daughters. I gave her three dates. She gave a date to each of them, and then she took up one date and brought it to her mouth to eat, but her daughters expressed desire to eat it. She then divided the date she intended to eat between them. This kind treatment of her impressed me, and I mentioned that to Allah's Messenger (S.A.W). He said: ‘Verily Allah has assured Paradise for her because of this act of hers, or He has rescued her from Hellfire.’"
Hence, if a mother takes care of her children and fills them with Iman and Taqwa, they are the doors to Jannah in the Hereafter for her.
- Daughters prevent their father from entering Hell-fire and land him in Paradise:
Allah's Messenger (S.A.W) said,
"Whoever has three daughters and demonstrates patience on their troubles, sorrow, and happiness; Allah will enter him into Paradise as a result of his mercy towards his daughters." A man asked, ‘O Allah’s Messenger! What about someone who has two daughters?’ He replied, ‘Even if he has two daughters.’ The man asked, ‘What about someone who only has one daughter?’ He said, ‘Even if he has one daughter.’ [Ahmad 8425; Hasan]
This Hadith shows that if a person only has one daughter and raises her well, it will be a cause for him to enter Paradise.
The manners of the Prophet (S.A.W) with his daughters:
Out of all his daughters, the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W) loved Fatimah (R.A) the most.
He said about her, ‘Fatimah is a part of me, and whoever makes her angry, makes me angry.’ [Bukhari 3767]
A'ishah (R.A) narrated that,
"I never saw anyone who resembled the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W) more in speech than Fatimah. When she entered upon him, he would stand up for her and kiss her forehead. He would welcome her, take her hand, and make her sit where he was sitting. When he entered upon her, she would stand up for him, take his hand, kiss him, and make him sit where she was sitting." [Ibn Hibban 6953; Sahih]
It is exemplary how our Prophet (S.A.W) treated his beloved Fatimah (R.A), and it also makes us clear that if such behavior is followed by parents, Allah fills the hearts of children with love and care for their parents.
Islam has never treated girl children like Taliban or other extremist groups try to show (thanks to the propaganda of Western media against Islam). Islam has made it obligatory for every Muslim to acquire knowledge in a halal manner for a halal purpose. What these terrorist groups follow is nothing more than cultural ignorance.
CONCLUSION:
Allah (S.W.T) has gifted this world with daughters. Believers are those who follow Allah's commands and act on them without opposition. Islam has positioned daughters always above every other religion, even before the modern era. May Allah (S.W.T) allow us to appreciate His gifts and blessings through our sisters and daughters.
Allah-Hafiz!