Islam - Its Meaning for Modern Man — Page 250
250 offspring” (17:32), is that the development of their faculties and capacities should not be neglected inasmuch as that would amount to destroying them. Infanticide, which was a common practice during certain periods of human history, is prohibited (17:32). The practice, prevailing in certain Arab families who prided themselves on their noble status, of infanticide of female children is severely condemned (81:9 ⎯ 10). As women and female children were generally held in low esteem among the Arabs, the Prophet was very emphatic on proper upbringing of girls, and due consideration being shown to women. He has said: “A person who is blessed with a daughter or daughters and makes no discrimination between them and his sons and brings them up with kindness and affection, will be as close to me in Paradise as my forefinger and middle finger are to each other. ” While stressing kindness and affection toward children and uniformly treating all children tenderly, he did not approve of undue indulgence. He had laid it down as a rule for himself and his family and all his descendants that they should never accept charity. On one occasion when a quantity of dates was brought to him to be distributed in charity, a small grandson of his took one of the dates and put it into his mouth. The Prophet, putting his finger into the child’s mouth and gently extracting the date, observed with a smile: “My