III. WOMAN IN ISLAM-2-The Social Aspect- As a Child and an Adolescent

a) as a child and an adolescent

despite the social acceptance of female infanticide among some arabian tribes, the quran forbade this custom, and considered it a crime like any other murder.

"and when the female (infant) buried alive - is questioned, for what crime she was killed."[noble quran 81:8-9]

criticizing the attitudes of such parents who reject their female children, the quran states:

"when news is brought to one of them, of (the birth of) a female (child), his face darkens and he is filled with inward grief! with shame does he hide himself from his people because of the bad news he has had! shall he retain her on (sufferance) and contempt, or bury her in the dust? ah! what an evil (choice) they decide on?" [noble quran 16:58-59]

far from saving the girl's life so that she may later suffer injustice and inequality, islam requires kind and just treatment for her. among the sayings of prophet muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) in this regard are the following:

whosoever has a daughter and he does not bury her alive, does not insult her, and does not favor his son over her, god will enter him into paradise. [ibn hanbal, no. 1957]

whosoever supports two daughters till they mature, he and i will come in the day of judgment as this (and he pointed with his two fingers held together).

a similar hadith deals in like manner with one who supports two sisters. [ibn-hanbal, no. 2104]

the right of females to seek knowledge is not different from that of males. prophet muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

"seeking knowledge is mandatory for every muslim". [al-bayhaqi]

muslim as used here including both males and females.