{Indeed, those who killed their children foolishly are lost}—meaning: the foolishness of opinion.
{Without knowledge}—given to them by Allah, commanding them therein to kill their children; and this refers to the female infant buried alive (al-maw'udah). They used to bury their daughters while they were alive out of fear of poverty, and they would say: 'Verily, the angels are the daughters of Allah, and Allah is the possessor of daughters,' thus attributing daughters to Him. {And they forbade what Allah has provided for them}—meaning:
﴿قَدْ خَسِرَ الَّذِينَ قَتَلُوا أَوْلادَهُمْ سفها﴾ يَعْنِي: سَفَهَ الرَّأْيِ.
﴿بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ﴾ أَتَاهُم اللَّهِ يَأْمُرُهُمْ فِيهِ بِقَتْلِ أَوْلَادِهِمْ؛ وَهِيَ الْمَوْءُودَةُ؛ كَانُوا يَدْفِنُونَ بَنَاتَهُمْ وَهُنَّ أَحْيَاءٌ خَشْيَةَ الْفَاقَةِ، وَيَقُولُونَ: إِنَّ الْمَلَائِكَةَ بَنَاتُ اللَّهِ، وَاللَّهُ صَاحِبُ بناتٍ؛ فَأَلْحَقُوا الْبَنَاتَ بِهِ ﴿وحرموا مَا رزقهم الله﴾ يَعْنِي:
