Surah At-Takwir 81:8
سُورَةُ التَّكۡوِيرِ · Meccan · Verse 8 of 29
وَإِذَا ٱلْمَوْءُۥدَةُ سُئِلَتْ
Translation
when the baby girl buried alive is asked
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
This powerful verse, "وَإِذَا ٱلْمَوْءُۥدَةُ سُئِلَتْ" (And when the buried girl is asked), paints a vivid picture of a terrifying event on the Day of Judgment. Allah Himself is speaking here, describing the ultimate reckoning awaiting humanity after the world as we know it ceases to exist. The tone is one of profound warning and exposes a grave injustice committed in the pre-Islamic era.
The Buried Girl
The central figure of this verse is "ٱلْمَوْءُۥدَةُ" (al-maw'udah), which literally means "the buried one" or "the heavily burdened one." The word comes from the root *wa'ada*, meaning to bury alive, or to make something heavy. Scholars like al-Razi and Ibn Ashur explain this refers to the horrific practice of burying infant girls alive. This was prevalent in some pre-Islamic Arab tribes, driven by fears of poverty or the perceived shame that daughters might bring. The word itself, evoking the "burden" of being covered with earth, subtly hints at the immense physical and emotional weight of this crime.
Why She is Asked
The verse uses the passive voice, "سُئِلَتْ" (su'ilat), meaning "she was asked." This is a crucial linguistic detail. One might expect her killers to be questioned directly. However, as scholars such as al-Zamakhshari, al-Razi, and Ibn Ashur point out, the question is not for *her* to answer, but serves as a profound "تبكيت" (tabkeet), a shaming and severe admonishment, for those who committed this heinous act.
The follow-up question in the next verse, "بِأَيِّ ذَنْبٍ قُتِلَتْ" (For what sin was she killed?), further clarifies this. It's a rhetorical question, not seeking information, but rather underscoring her absolute innocence. Ibn Ashur explains this interrogative, "بِأَيِّ ذَنْبٍ", is affirmative, meant to confirm that there was no sin at all. The very act of asking the innocent victim, rather than her oppressor, strips the killer of any possible excuse, amplifying the horror and injustice of their deed in the most public and humiliating way on the Day of Judgment. This choice of wording highlights Allah's absolute justice and His condemnation of such cruelty.
Sources: al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), al-Jalalayn, al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir)
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah At-Takwir 81:8 is discussed in 8 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
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