Quran Universe
6:137

وَكَذَٰلِكَ زَيَّنَ لِكَثِيرٖ مِّنَ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ قَتۡلَ أَوۡلَٰدِهِمۡ شُرَكَآؤُهُمۡ لِيُرۡدُوهُمۡ وَلِيَلۡبِسُواْ عَلَيۡهِمۡ دِينَهُمۡۖ وَلَوۡ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مَا فَعَلُوهُۖ فَذَرۡهُمۡ وَمَا يَفۡتَرُونَ

Wakathalika zayyana likatheerin mina almushrikeena qatla awladihim shurakaohum liyurdoohum waliyalbisoo AAalayhim deenahum walaw shaa Allahu ma faAAaloohu fatharhum wama yaftaroona

And likewise, to many of the polytheists their partners have made [to seem] pleasing the killing of their children in order to bring about their destruction and to cover them with confusion in their religion. And if Allah had willed, they would not have done so. So leave them and that which they invent.

Word by word
  1. وَكَذَٰلِكَAnd likewise
  2. زَيَّنَmade pleasing
  3. لِكَثِيرٖto many
  4. مِّنَof
  5. ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَthe polytheists
  6. قَتۡلَ(the) killing
  7. أَوۡلَٰدِهِمۡ(of) their children
  8. شُرَكَآؤُهُمۡtheir partners
  9. لِيُرۡدُوهُمۡso that they may ruin them
  10. وَلِيَلۡبِسُواْand that they make confusing
  11. عَلَيۡهِمۡto them
  12. دِينَهُمۡۖtheir religion
  13. وَلَوۡAnd if
  14. شَآءَ(had) willed
  15. ٱللَّهُAllah
  16. مَاnot
  17. فَعَلُوهُۖ(would) they have done so
  18. فَذَرۡهُمۡSo leave them
  19. وَمَاand what
  20. يَفۡتَرُونَthey invent
Al-An'am · 6:137Makkah

Their partners made even killing their children seem right.

How fear and custom can disguise a terrible wrong

How it was made to look fair
fear of poverty
fear of dishonor
made to seem
a reasonable choiceharming their own children
confused religionand ruin
What fear can do
I would never be fooled
fear makes wrong look fairstep by step

Ibn Kathir says the devils made it seem fair to kill their children for fear of poverty, and to bury daughters for fear of dishonor. As-Suddi said it was to destroy them and confuse their religion. Allah disliked these practices, and tells the Prophet ﷺ to leave them with their fabrications.

Fear of money, fear of what people say. These still push parents to choices that hurt their kids: never home, always angry, pressure that crushes. Fear can make something harmful look like responsibility. Look at your children with the eyes of mercy.

Whatever I do out of fear for my family's future must be right.

Fear can make harm look reasonable. I check my choices with Allah's mercy.

Try this

Spend fifteen minutes today fully with a child in your life, phone away.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

And so to many of the idolators, their "partners" have made fair seeming the killing of their children, in order to lead them to their own destruction and cause confusion in their religion. And if Allah had willed, they would not have done so. So leave them alone with their fabrications (137)

Shaytan Lured the Idolators to Kill Their Children

Allah says, just as the Shayatin lured the idolators to assign a share for Allah from what He created of agriculture and cattle - and a share for the idols, they also made it seem fair for them to kill their children, for fear of poverty, and burying their daughters alive, for fear of dishonor.

Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn 'Abbas that he commented;

وَكَذَٰلِكَ زَيَّنَ لِكَثِيرٍ مِّنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ قَتْلَ أَوْلَادِهِمْ شُرَكَاؤُهُمْ

(And so to many of the idolators, their "partners" have made fair seeming the killing of their children...)

"They make killing their children attractive to them."

Mujahid said, "Idolators' partners among the devils ordered them to bury their children for fear of poverty." As-Suddi said, "The devils commanded them to kill their daughters so that they,

لِيُرْدُوهُمْ 

(lead them to their own destruction), and to,

وَلِيَلْبِسُوا عَلَيْهِمْ دِينَهُمْ

(cause confusion in their religion.)" Allah said,

وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ مَا فَعَلُوهُ

(And if Allah had willed, they would not have done so.) meaning, all this occurred by Allah's leave, will and decree, but He dislikes these practices, and He has the perfect wisdom in every decree. He is never questioned about what He does, but they all will be questioned.

فَذَرْهُمْ وَمَا يَفْتَرُونَ

(So leave them alone with their fabrications.) meaning, avoid and abandon them and what they do, for Allah will judge between you and them.