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Qur'ân

Sûrah al Baqarah 2:233
No mother shall expose her own child to harm, nor shall any father expose his child to harm. 

Sûrah 
"When news is brought to one of them, of the birth of a female, his face darkens and he is filled with inward grief.  He hides himself with shame, from the people, because of the bad news he has had. (Asking himself): shall he keep it in contempt or bury in the dust.  Ah: What an evil choice they decide."

Ahadith

The Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam has said "No father gives a better gift to his children than good manners and good character."

It is related by Anas (R.A.) that the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said "Show respect to your children and adorn them with good manners."  Showing of respect to one's children denotes that they should be treated not as a burden, but a blessing and trust of Allah, and brought up with care and affection.

Abdullah ibn Abbas (R.A.) reports that the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said "Whoever becomes the father of a girl, he should neither hurt her nor treat her with contempt nor show preference over her to his sons in kindness and affection. (Both boys and girls should be treated alike.) Allah will grant him Paradise in return for kind treatment towards the daughter."

It is narrarated that a very poor woman, with two daughters, came to Ayesha's (R.A.) place to beg.  By chance, Ayesha (R.A.) had only one date with her, at that time, which she gave to the woman.  The woman broke the date into two parts and gave one part each to the girls. She did not eat anything of it herself.  When after some time, the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam came, Ayesha (R.A.) related the incident to him, upon which he remarked:
"The believing man or woman upon whom there is the responsibility of daughters and he or she discharges it well and treats them with affection, the daughters will become a means of freedom, for him or her, in the hereafter."

It is related by Anas (R.A.) that the Prophet (S.A.W.) said "The believer who bears the responsibility of two daughters and supports them till they attain Puberty, he and I will be close to one another like this on the Day of Judgement." Anas (R.A.), adds that the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam showed, by joining the fingers of his (the fingers were close to one another), in the same way will the believer be close to him on the Day of Judgement.

Abu Saeed Khudri (R.A.) relates that the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said "Whoever bears the responsibility of three daughters or sisters or even of two daughters or sisters, and bears it well, and looks after their training and welfare properly, and then, gets them married, Allah will reward him with Paradise."

Narrates No'man ibn Bashir (R.A.), "My father took me to the Prophet (S.A.W.) and said (to him), "I have given a slave to this son of mine." The Prophet enquired, "Have you given the same to all of your sons?" "No," my father replied.  The Prophet, thereupon, said, "It is not correct.  Take it back.""

In another version, of the same hadîth, The Prophet asked, "Do you want all your children to be equally devoted to you?"  "Yes, of course," he replied.  The Prophet said "Then do not act like that (let it not be that you give some property to one child and exclude the others.)"

In yet another version it is added that the Prophet remarked, "I cannot be a witness to an act of injustice."

In a hadîth, the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam says, "Treat all your children equally in regard to free gifts.  If I were to show preference in this matter, I would show it to daughters. (If equality was not necessary and binding, I would have declared that more be given to daughters than to sons.)"