سُوْرَةُ الزُّخْرُفِ
Surah Az-Zukhruf (43) — Ayah 17
وَإِذَا بُشِّرَ أَحَدُهُم بِمَا ضَرَبَ لِلرَّحْمَـٰنِ مَثَلًا ظَلَّ وَجْهُهُۥ مُسْوَدًّا وَهُوَ كَظِيمٌ ﴿17﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And if one of them is informed of the news of (the birth of a girl) that which he sets forth as a parable to the Most Gracious (Allâh), his face becomes dark, and he is filled with grief!
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَإِذَا
wa-idhā
And when
بُشِّرَ
bushira
is given good news
أَحَدُهُم
aḥaduhum
(to) one of them
بِمَا
bimā
of what
ضَرَبَ
ḍaraba
he sets up
لِلرَّحْمَـٰنِ
lilrraḥmāni
for the Most Gracious
مَثَلًۭا
mathalan
(as) a likeness
ظَلَّ
ẓalla
becomes
وَجْهُهُۥ
wajhuhu
his face
مُسْوَدًّۭا
mus'waddan
dark
وَهُوَ
wahuwa
and he
كَظِيمٌ
kaẓīmun
(is) filled with grief
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.
17. And when any one of them is given the glad tidings of what they attribute to the Most Merciful (i.e., a daughter), his face becomes darkened [15] and he is filled with grief.
[15]
The Reaction of the People of Makkah Upon the News of a Daughter:
Was it not enough injustice that they declared Allah to have children? On top of that, they committed even greater injustice by assigning only daughters to Allah from among the children—those whom he himself intensely dislikes for themselves. And if it is told to one of them that a daughter has been born to him, his expression changes at once. Out of shame and embarrassment, he hides from people and is consumed with grief within himself over this matter. And when he can do nothing else, he buries her alive. It should be clear that the Arabs used to consider the angels as daughters of Allah. They would make imaginary idols of them in the form of women and then worship them. Al-‘Uzza, Al-Lat, and Manat were such goddesses of theirs.
[15]
The Reaction of the People of Makkah Upon the News of a Daughter:
Was it not enough injustice that they declared Allah to have children? On top of that, they committed even greater injustice by assigning only daughters to Allah from among the children—those whom he himself intensely dislikes for themselves. And if it is told to one of them that a daughter has been born to him, his expression changes at once. Out of shame and embarrassment, he hides from people and is consumed with grief within himself over this matter. And when he can do nothing else, he buries her alive. It should be clear that the Arabs used to consider the angels as daughters of Allah. They would make imaginary idols of them in the form of women and then worship them. Al-‘Uzza, Al-Lat, and Manat were such goddesses of theirs.
