Ornaments of Gold
IN THE NAME OF GOD, THE MOST GRACIOUS, THE DISPENSER OF GRACE[43:18]
"What! [Am I to have a daughter –] one who is to be reared [only] for the sake of ornament?" – and thereupon he finds himself torn by a vague inner conflict.

---

* v.18 : I.e., one who, from the viewpoint of the pre-Islamic Arabs, would have no function other than “embellishing” a man’s life.
* Lit., “he finds himself in an invisible (ghayr mubīn) conflict” – i.e., an inner conflict which he does not quite admit to his consciousness: cf. 16:59 – “[he debates within himself:] Shall he keep this child despite the contempt [which he feels for it] – or shall he bury it in the dust?” (See also, in particular, the corresponding note 66.)