Short answer
Paradise and closeness to the Prophet ﷺ. He said that whoever raises two girls until they come of age will be with him on the Day of Judgement like two joined fingers, and that daughters raised well become a shield from the Fire. Treating daughters as well as sons is required, and favouring sons is against the sunnah.
Raising daughters well is a great act of reward. Neglecting or mistreating daughters is sinful. In gifts during life, the relied-upon view in the Hanafi school, that of Abu Yusuf, is equal shares for sons and daughters, and favouring one child without a valid reason is makruh.
Other madhhabs
- Hanbali
- Gifts to children during life follow the inheritance ratio, a son receiving twice a daughter's share; this is also the view of Imam Muhammad among the Hanafis.
Explanation
Before Islam some Arabs buried baby girls alive, and the Quran describes a man whose face darkens with grief when told of a daughter. Islam overturned this. The Prophet ﷺ said Allah has forbidden burying daughters, and he promised great reward for raising them.
What the hadith promise:
- Whoever raises two girls until they reach maturity will come on the Day of Judgement with the Prophet ﷺ like this, and he joined his fingers.
- When a poor mother split a single date between her two daughters, the Prophet ﷺ said that whoever is tested with daughters and treats them well, they will be a shield for him from the Fire.
What raising them well means:
- Welcoming a girl's birth with the same joy as a boy's.
- Equal love, food, clothing, education and gifts.
- Teaching her faith, giving her a good education, and protecting her.
- Seeking a good husband for her with her consent, and never forcing her.
The same reward is hoped for an uncle, brother or grandparent who looks after girls in the family. For fairness between children and other rights see rights of children, and see women in Islam.
The evidence
Quran, Surah An-Nahl 16:58
وَإِذَا بُشِّرَ أَحَدُهُم بِٱلْأُنثَىٰ ظَلَّ وَجْهُهُۥ مُسْوَدًّۭا وَهُوَ كَظِيمٌۭ ﴿٥٨﴾
And when one of them is informed of [the birth of] a female, his face becomes dark, and he suppresses grief.
The Quran condemns the pre-Islamic dismay at a daughter's birth.
Quran, Surah Ash-Shura 42:49
لِّلَّهِ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُ ۚ يَهَبُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ إِنَٰثًۭا وَيَهَبُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ ٱلذُّكُورَ ﴿٤٩﴾
To Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth; He creates what he wills. He gives to whom He wills female [children], and He gives to whom He wills males.
Daughters are a gift from Allah, mentioned first in this ayah.
Sahih Muslim 2631
Sahih... من عال جاريتين حتى تبلغا جاء يوم القيامة أنا وهو ...
"Whoever raises two girls until they come of age, he and I will come on the Day of Resurrection like this."
The promise of closeness to the Prophet for raising daughters.
Sahih al-Bukhari 1418
Sahih... من ابتلي من هذه البنات بشيء كن له سترا من النار ...
"Whoever is tested with any of these daughters, they will be a shield for him from the Fire."
Daughters raised well protect their parents from the Fire.
Sahih al-Bukhari 2408
Sahih... إن الله حرم عليكم عقوق الأمهات ووأد البنات ...
"Allah has forbidden you to disobey mothers and to bury daughters alive."
Islam ended the mistreatment of daughters.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Fatawa al-Hindiyya, Kitab al-Hibah, chapter on gifts to children. Equality between sons and daughters in gifts, per Abu Yusuf.
- al-Mughni (Ibn Qudama), Kitab al-Hibah, gifts to children. The Hanbali view of gifts by inheritance shares.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.