Rights Of Women- Islam raised the status of Women

Status of daughter in pre-Islamic Era

Before Islam, girls [daughters] were treated worse than animals; sometimes they were buried alive as soon as they were born because in that barbaric society, the birth of a daughter was considered to be a cause of embarrassment. At times, when someone would find out that a baby girl had been born at his home, he would not face people for many days contemplating what he should do in this matter. Should I bear the disgrace and bring up the daughter or should I bury her alive to save myself from the embarrassment? It is stated in the 58th and 59th Ayah of Surah An-Nahl, part 14:

وَ اِذَا بُشِّرَ اَحَدُهُمْ بِالْاُنْثٰى ظَلَّ وَجْهُهٗ مُسْوَدًّا وَّ هُوَ كَظِیْمٌ (58)یَتَوَارٰى مِنَ الْقَوْمِ مِنْ سُوْٓءِ مَا بُشِّرَ بِهٖؕ-اَیُمْسِكُهٗ عَلٰى هُوْنٍ اَمْ یَدُسُّهٗ فِی التُّرَابِؕ-اَلَا سَآءَ مَا یَحْكُمُوْنَ(59)

Translation from Kanz-ul-Iman:

And when one of them receives the glad tidings of a daughter, his face turns black for the day, and he remains seething. Hiding from the people because of the evil of the tidings, ‘Will he keep her with disgrace, or bury her beneath the earth? Very evil is the judgement they impose!

The Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ has said: The one who brings up three daughters or sisters in a way that he teaches them manners and treats them with kindness until Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ makes them independent (e.g., they get married), Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ makes Paradise Wajib for him. Upon hearing this, a blessed companion asked, ‘Ya Rasoolallah صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ If someone brings up two girls?’ The Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ replied, ‘Same is the reward for him. (The narrator has said) Even if people had asked about one girl, the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ would have said the same about it.