سُوْرَةُ النَّحْلِ
Surah An-Nahl (16) — Ayah 59
يَتَوَٰرَىٰ مِنَ ٱلْقَوْمِ مِن سُوٓءِ مَا بُشِّرَ بِهِۦٓ ۚ أَيُمْسِكُهُۥ عَلَىٰ هُونٍ أَمْ يَدُسُّهُۥ فِى ٱلتُّرَابِ ۗ أَلَا سَآءَ مَا يَحْكُمُونَ ﴿59﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
He hides himself from the people because of the evil of that whereof he has been informed. Shall he keep her with dishonour or bury her in the earth? Certainly, evil is their decision.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
يَتَوَٰرَىٰ
yatawārā
He hides himself
مِنَ
mina
from
ٱلْقَوْمِ
l-qawmi
the people
مِن
min
(because) of
سُوٓءِ
sūi
the evil
مَا
mā
of what
بُشِّرَ
bushira
he has been given good news
بِهِۦٓ ۚ
bihi
about
أَيُمْسِكُهُۥ
ayum'sikuhu
Should he keep it
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
in
هُونٍ
hūnin
humiliation
أَمْ
am
or
يَدُسُّهُۥ
yadussuhu
bury it
فِى
fī
in
ٱلتُّرَابِ ۗ
l-turābi
the dust
أَلَا
alā
Unquestionably
سَآءَ
sāa
evil
مَا
mā
(is) what
يَحْكُمُونَ
yaḥkumūna
they decide
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
59. He hides himself from the people because of the bad news he has received, (wondering) whether he should keep her in disgrace or bury her in the earth. Behold, how evil is the judgment they make!
[56]
Burying Daughters Alive:
For this reason, it became a common practice among the Arab polytheists that as soon as daughters were born, they would bury them alive. ﴿اَيُمْسِكُهُ عَليٰ هُوْنٍ﴾ can have two meanings. One is that he himself remains humiliated in the eyes of people and lets the girl live, and the second is that if he lets the girl live, he keeps her so humiliated and helpless as if she is not even his child, nor even a human being. Ultimately, Islam put an end to this vile custom, declared burying alive as unlawful killing, and gave the rightful status of women in society.
[56]
Burying Daughters Alive:
For this reason, it became a common practice among the Arab polytheists that as soon as daughters were born, they would bury them alive. ﴿اَيُمْسِكُهُ عَليٰ هُوْنٍ﴾ can have two meanings. One is that he himself remains humiliated in the eyes of people and lets the girl live, and the second is that if he lets the girl live, he keeps her so humiliated and helpless as if she is not even his child, nor even a human being. Ultimately, Islam put an end to this vile custom, declared burying alive as unlawful killing, and gave the rightful status of women in society.
