Questioning the Female Infant Who was buried Alive

Allah says,

وَإِذَا الْمَوْؤُودَةُ سُئِلَتْ ﴿٨﴾

بِأَيِّ ذَنبٍ قُتِلَتْ ﴿٩﴾

And when the female infant (Al-Maw'udah) buried alive is questioned: For what sin was she killed?

The majority have recited it as Su'ilat (she is questioned), as it is here.

Al-Maw'udah is the female infant that the people of the pre-Islamic time of ignorance would bury in the dirt due to their hatred of girls.

Therefore, on the Day of Judgement, the female infant will be asked what sin she committed that caused here to be murdered. This will be a means of frightening her murderer. For verily, if the one who was wronged is questioned, what does the wrongdoer (the one who is guilty of the oppression) think then.

Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said, وَإِذَا الْمَوْؤُودَةُ سُئِلَتْ And when the female infant (Al-Maw'udah) buried alive Su'ilat:

"This means that she will ask.''

Abu Ad-Duha made a similar statement when he said,

"She will ask, meaning she will demand restitution for her blood.''

The same has been reported from As-Suddi and Qatadah.

Hadiths have been reported concerning the Maw'udah. Imam Ahmad recorded from A'ishah, who reported from Judamah bint Wahb, the sister of Ukkashah, that she said, "I was in the presence of the Messenger of Allah when he was with some people, and he said,

لَقَدْ هَمَمْتُ أَنْ أَنْهَى عَنِ الْغِيلَةِ فَنَظَرْتُ فِي الرُّومِ وَفَارِسَ، فَإِذَا هُمْ يُغِيلُونَ أَوْلَادَهُمْ، وَلَا يَضُرُّ أَوْلَادَهُمْ ذلِكَ شَيْئًا

I was about to prohibit sexual relations with breast feeding women, but then I saw that the Romans and the Persians have sexual relations with their women who breast feed their children and it does not harm the children at all.

Then they asked him about interruption of sexual intercourse to prevent the male discharge from entering the womb of the woman, and he said,

ذلِكَ الْوَأْدُ الْخَفِيُّ،وَإِذَا الْمَوْؤُودَةُ سُئِلَتْ

That is the minor infanticide and it is the female infant buried alive (Maw'udah) that will be questioned.''

Muslim, Ibn Majah, Abu Dawud, At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i, all recorded this Hadith as well.

The Atonement for burying Infant Girls Alive

Abdur-Razzaq said that Isra'il informed them from Simak bin Harb, from An-Nu`man bin Bashir, who reported from Umar bin Al-Khattab that he said concerning Allah's statement, وَإِذَا الْمَوْؤُودَةُ سُئِلَتْ And when the female infant buried alive is questioned.

"Qays bin `Asim came to the Messenger of Allah and said, `O Messenger of Allah! Verily, I buried some daughters of mine alive in the period of pre-Islamic ignorance.'

The Messenger of Allah said,

أَعْتِقْ عَنْ كُلِّ وَاحِدَةٍ مِنْهُنَّ رَقَبَة

Free a slave for each one of them.

Then Qays said, `O Messenger of Allah! Verily, I am an owner of camels.'

The Prophet said,

فَانْحَرْ عَنْ كُلِّ وَاحِدَةٍ مِنْهُنَّ بَدَنَة

Then sacrifice a camel for each one of them.''