Sura -17 [Al-Israa, Mecca 50]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s version:

وَلاَ تَقْتُلُواْ أَوْلادَكُمْ خَشْيَةَ إِمْلاقٍ...   

17:31.  Kill not your children for fear of want:

C2214. The Arabs were addicted to female infanticide. In a society perpetually at war a son was a source of strength whereas a daughter was a source of weakness. Even now infanticide is not unknown in other countries for economic reasons.

This crime against children's lives is here characterized as one of the greatest of sins.

...نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُهُمْ وَإِيَّاكُم...

We shall provide sustenance for them as well as for you:

...إنَّ قَتْلَهُمْ كَانَ خِطْءًا كَبِيرًا ﴿٣١﴾

verily the killing of them is a great sin.

Other versions:

17: 31 [al-Israa, Mecca 50]

Yusuf Ali Kill not your children for fear of want: We shall provide sustenance for them as well as for you: verily the killing of them is a great sin.

Pickthall Slay not your children, fearing a fall to poverty, We shall provide for them and for you. Lo! the slaying of them is great sin.

Transliteration Wa la_ taqtulu_ aula_dakum khasy-yata imla_q(in), nahnu narzuquhum wa iyya_kum, inna qatlahum ka_na khit'an kabira_(n).

[[Ali’s note-

2214 The Arabs were addicted to female infanticide. In a society perpetually at war a son was a source of strength whereas a daughter was a source of weakness. Even now infanticide is not unknown in other countries for economic reasons. This crime against children's lives is here characterised as one of the greatest of sins. (17.31)]]