9بِأَيِّ ذَنبٍ قُتِلَتAli UnalFor what crime she was killed;1Many pagan Arabs buried their daughters alive during the pre-Islamic era of Ignorance (sūrah 16: 58–59). Women were despised, not only in pre-Islamic Arabia, but almost throughout the world, including in Roman and Sassanid lands. The Qur’ān openly declares that people will be questioned concerning this. After God’s Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, had declared his Messengership, a Companion told him what he had done with his daughter: O Messenger of God, I had a daughter. One day I told her mother to dress her, for I was taking her to her uncle. My poor wife knew what this meant, but could do nothing but obey and weep. She dressed the girl, who was very happy that she was going to see her uncle. I took her near a well, and told her to look down into it. While she was looking into the well, I kicked her into it. While she was rolling down, she was shouting: “Daddy, Daddy!” As he was recounting this, the Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, sobbed (as if he had lost one of his nearest kinsfolk) (ad-Dārimī, “Muqaddimah,” 7–8). Hearts had become hard. Pits were dug in the desert for innocent girls to be buried in. Human beings were more brutal and cruel than hyenas. The powerful crushed the weak. Brutality was taken for humanity, cruelty received approval, the bloodthirsty were exalted, bloodshed was considered a virtue, and adultery and fornication were more common than legal marriage. In short, the family structure had been destroyed. This dark period was followed by Islam, whereupon all these evils were eradicated. People who had once been extremely cruel were transformed into such compassionate people that they inquired about the penalty to be paid for accidentally trampling locusts. (For details, see The Messenger of God.) Islam also forbade abortion, particularly after the seventh week of pregnancy, unless there were pressing medical reasons. This verse also includes this.