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Ayah
Word by Word
ثَمَٰنِيَةَ
Eight
أَزۡوَٰجٖۖ
pairs
مِّنَ
of
ٱلضَّأۡنِ
the sheep
ٱثۡنَيۡنِ
two
وَمِنَ
and of
ٱلۡمَعۡزِ
the goats
ٱثۡنَيۡنِۗ
two
قُلۡ
Say
ءَآلذَّكَرَيۡنِ
(Are) the two males
حَرَّمَ
He has forbidden
أَمِ
or
ٱلۡأُنثَيَيۡنِ
the two females
أَمَّا
or what
ٱشۡتَمَلَتۡ
contains
عَلَيۡهِ
[in it]
أَرۡحَامُ
(the) wombs
ٱلۡأُنثَيَيۡنِۖ
(of) the two females
نَبِّـُٔونِي
Inform me
بِعِلۡمٍ
with knowledge
إِن
if
كُنتُمۡ
you are
صَٰدِقِينَ
truthful
ثَمَٰنِيَةَ
Eight
أَزۡوَٰجٖۖ
pairs
مِّنَ
of
ٱلضَّأۡنِ
the sheep
ٱثۡنَيۡنِ
two
وَمِنَ
and of
ٱلۡمَعۡزِ
the goats
ٱثۡنَيۡنِۗ
two
قُلۡ
Say
ءَآلذَّكَرَيۡنِ
(Are) the two males
حَرَّمَ
He has forbidden
أَمِ
or
ٱلۡأُنثَيَيۡنِ
the two females
أَمَّا
or what
ٱشۡتَمَلَتۡ
contains
عَلَيۡهِ
[in it]
أَرۡحَامُ
(the) wombs
ٱلۡأُنثَيَيۡنِۖ
(of) the two females
نَبِّـُٔونِي
Inform me
بِعِلۡمٍ
with knowledge
إِن
if
كُنتُمۡ
you are
صَٰدِقِينَ
truthful
Translation
(Take) eight (head of cattle) in (four) pairs: of sheep a pair, and of goats a pair; say, hath He forbidden the two males, or the two females, or (the young) which the wombs of the two females enclose? Tell me with knowledge if ye are truthful:
Tafsir
Eight pairs, types (thamaaniyata azwaajin substitutes for hamoolatan wa-farshan, 'some for burdens and some for light support'): two of sheep, a male and a female; and of goats (read ma'az or ma'z) two. Say, O Muhammad may peace and salutation be upon him to those who on one occasion deem male cattle forbidden, and on another, the females thereof, and then ascribe such [rules] to God: 'Is it the two males, of the sheep and goats, He has forbidden, you, or the two females, of these two [types], or that which the wombs of the two females contain, be they male or female? Inform Me with knowledge, of the details of such prohibitions, if you speak truly', in this [matter], meaning: on what basis has the prohibition been made? If it is on the basis of maleness, then all males are forbidden; if on the basis of femaleness, then all females are so [forbidden]; if on what the womb may contain, then both genders are prohibited. So, on what basis are such specifications made? (the interrogative is meant as a repudiation).
Allah Created the Produce, Seed Grains and Cattle
Allah states that He created everything, including the produce, fruits and cattle that the idolators mishandled by their misguided ideas, dividing them into various designated parts, allowing some and prohibiting some.
Allah said,
وَهُوَ الَّذِي أَنشَأَ جَنَّاتٍ مَّعۡرُوشَاتٍ وَغَيۡرَ مَعۡرُوشَاتٍ
And it is He Who produces gardens Ma`rushat and not Ma`rushat,
Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas commented,
Ma`rushat refers to what the people trellises, while `not Ma`rushat' refers to fruits (and produce) that grow wild inland and on mountains.
Ata Al-Khurasani said that Ibn Abbas said,
Ma`rushat are the grapevines that are trellised, while `not Ma`rushat' refers to grapevines that are not trellised.
As-Suddi said similarly.
وَالنَّخۡلَ وَالزَّرۡعَ مُخۡتَلِفًا أُكُلُهُ وَالزَّيۡتُونَ وَالرُّمَّانَ مُتَشَابِهًا وَغَيۡرَ مُتَشَابِهٍ
and date palms, and crops of different shape and taste, and olives, and pomegranates, similar, and different.
As for these fruits being similar, yet different, Ibn Jurayj said,
They are similar in shape, but different in taste.
كُلُواۡ مِن ثَمَرِهِ إِذَا أَثۡمَرَ
Eat of their fruit when they ripen,
Muhammad bin Ka`b said that the Ayah means,
(Eat) from the dates and grapes they produce.
Allah said next,
وَاتُواۡ حَقَّهُ يَوۡمَ حَصَادِهِ
but pay the due thereof on the day of their harvest,
Mujahid commented,
When the poor people are present (on the day of harvest), give them some of the produce.
Abdur-Razzaq recorded that Mujahid commented on the Ayah,
When planting, one gives away handfuls (of seed grains) and on harvest, he gives away handfuls and allows them to pick whatever is left on the ground of the harvest.
Ath-Thawri said that Hammad narrated that Ibrahim An-Nakhai said,
One gives away some of the hay.
Ibn Al-Mubarak said that Shurayk said that Salim said that Sa`id bin Jubayr commented;
وَاتُواۡ حَقَّهُ يَوۡمَ حَصَادِهِ
(but pay the due thereof on the day of their harvest),
This ruling, giving the poor the handfuls (of seed grains) and some of the hay as food for their animals, was before Zakah became obligatory.
Allah has chastised those who harvest, without giving away a part of it as charity. Allah mentioned the story of the owners of the garden in Surah Nun, (68:18-33)
إِنَّا بَلَوۡنَـهُمۡ كَمَا بَلَوۡنَأ أَصۡحَـبَ الۡجَنَّةِ...
لَوۡ كَانُواۡ يَعۡلَمُونَ
When they swore to pluck the fruits of the (garden) in the morning. Without saying:If Allah wills. Then there passed by on the (garden) a visitation (fire) from your Lord at night, burning it while they were asleep. So the (garden) became black by the morning, like a pitch dark night (in complete ruins). Then they called out one to another as soon as the morning broke. Saying:Go to your tilth in the morning, if you would pluck the fruits.
So they departed, conversing in secret low tones (saying). No poor person shall enter upon you into it today. And they went in the morning with strong intention, thinking that they have power (to prevent the poor taking anything of the fruits therefrom). But when they ﷺ the (garden), they said:Verily, we have gone astray. (Then they said):Nay! Indeed we are deprived of (the fruits)!
The best among them said:Did I not tell you, why say you not:`If Allah wills'. They said:Glory to Our Lord! Verily, we have been wrongdoers.
Then they turned one against another, blaming. They said:Woe to us! We have transgressed. We hope that our Lord will give us in exchange a better (garden) than this. Truly, we turn to our Lord.
Such is the punishment (in this life), but truly, the punishment of the Hereafter is greater if they but knew. (68:18-33)
Prohibiting Extravagance
Allah said,
وَلَا تُسۡرِفُواۡ إِنَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الۡمُسۡرِفِينَ
And waste not by extravagance. Verily, He likes not the wasteful.
It was said that;
the extravagance prohibited here refers to excessive charity beyond normal amounts.
Ibn Jurayj said,
This Ayah was revealed concerning Thabit bin Qays bin Shammas, who plucked the fruits of his date palms. Then he said to himself, `This day, every person who comes to me, I will feed him from it.'
So he kept feeding (them) until the evening came and he ended up with no dates. Allah sent down,
وَلَا تُسۡرِفُواۡ إِنَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الۡمُسۡرِفِينَ
(And waste not by extravagance. Verily, He likes not the wasteful).
Ibn Jarir recorded this statement from Ibn Jurayj.
However, the apparent meaning of this Ayah, and Allah knows best, is that;
كُلُواۡ مِن ثَمَرِهِ إِذَا أَثۡمَرَ وَاتُواۡ حَقَّهُ يَوۡمَ حَصَادِهِ
وَلَا تُسۡرِفُواۡ
(Eat of their fruit when they ripen, but pay the due thereof on the day of their harvest, and waste not...) refers to eating,
meaning, do not waste in eating because this spoils the mind and the body.
Allah said in another Ayah,
وكُلُواۡ وَاشۡرَبُواۡ وَلَا تُسۡرِفُواۡ
And eat and drink but waste not by extravagance. (7:31)
In his Sahih, Al-Bukhari recorded a Hadith without a chain of narration;
كُلُوا وَاشۡرَبُوا وَالۡبَسُوا مِنۡ غَيۡرِ إِسۡرَافٍ وَلَا مَخِيلَة
Eat, drink and clothe yourselves without extravagance or arrogance.
Therefore, these Ayat have the same meaning as this Hadith, and Allah knows best.
Benefits of Cattle
Allah's statement
وَمِنَ الَانۡعَامِ حَمُولَةً وَفَرۡشًا
And of the cattle (are some) for burden and (some smaller) for Farsh.
means, He created cattle for you, some of which are suitable for burden, such as camels, and some are Farsh.
Ath-Thawri narrated that Abu Ishaq said that Abu Al-Ahwas said that Abdullah said that;
`animals for burden' are the camels that are used for carrying things, while, `Farsh', refers to small camels.
Al-Hakim recorded it and said, Its chain is Sahih and they did not record it.
Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said that;
`animals for burden' refers to the animals that people ride, while, `Farsh' is that they eat (its meat) and milk it. The sheep is not able to carry things, so you eat its meat and use its wool for covers and mats (or clothes).
This statement of Abdur-Rahman is sound, and the following Ayat testify to it,
أَوَلَمۡ يَرَوۡاۡ أَنَّا خَلَقۡنَا لَهُم مِمَّا عَمِلَتۡ أَيۡدِينَأ أَنۡعـماً فَهُمۡ لَهَا مَـلِكُونَ
وَذَلَّلۡنَـهَا لَهُمۡ فَمِنۡهَا رَكُوبُهُمۡ وَمِنۡهَا يَأۡكُلُونَ
Do they not see that We have created for them of what Our Hands have created, the cattle, so that they are their owners. And We have subdued them unto them so that some of them they have for riding and some they eat. (36:71-72)
and,
وَإِنَّ لَكُمۡ فِى الاٌّنۡعَـمِ لَعِبۡرَةً نُّسۡقِيكُمۡ مِّمَّا فِى بُطُونِهِ مِن بَيۡنِ فَرۡثٍ وَدَمٍ لَّبَنًا خَالِصًا سَأيِغًا لِلشَّارِبِينَ
And verily, in the cattle, there is a lesson for you. We give you to drink of that which is in their bellies, from between excretions and blood, pure milk; palatable to the drinkers. (16:66) until,
وَمِنۡ أَصۡوَافِهَا وَأَوۡبَارِهَا وَأَشۡعَارِهَأ أَثَـثاً وَمَتَـعاً إِلَى حِينٍ
And of their wool, fur and hair, furnishings and articles of convenience, comfort for a while. (16:80)
Eat the Meat of These Cattle, But Do Not Follow Shaytan's Law Concerning Them
Allah said,
كُلُواۡ مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ اللّهُ
Eat of what Allah has provided for you,
of fruits, produce and cattle. Allah created all these and provided you with them as provision.
وَلَا تَتَّبِعُواۡ خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيۡطَانِ
and follow not the footsteps of Shaytan.
meaning, his way and orders, just as the idolators followed him and prohibited fruits and produce that Allah provided for them, claiming that this falsehood came from Allah.
إِنَّهُ لَكُمۡ
Surely, he is to you,
meaning; Shaytan, O people, is to you,
عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ
an open enemy.
and his enmity to you is clear and apparent. Allah said in other Ayat,
إِنَّ الشَّيۡطَـنَ لَكُمۡ عَدُوٌّ فَاتَّخِذُوهُ عَدُوّاً إِنَّمَا يَدۡعُو حِزۡبَهُ لِيَكُونُواۡ مِنۡ أَصۡحَـبِ السَّعِيرِ
Surely, Shaytan is an enemy to you, so take (treat) him as an enemy. He only invites his Hizb (followers) that they may become the dwellers of the blazing Fire. (35:6)
and,
يَـبَنِى ادَمَ لَا يَفۡتِنَنَّكُمُ الشَّيۡطَـنُ كَمَأ أَخۡرَجَ أَبَوَيۡكُم مِّنَ الۡجَنَّةِ يَنزِعُ عَنۡهُمَا لِبَاسَهُمَا لِيُرِيَهُمَا سَوۡءَتِهِمَأ
O Children of Adam! Let not Shaytan deceive you, as he got your parents out of Paradise, stripping them of their raiment, to show them their private parts. (7:27)
and,
أَفَتَتَّخِذُونَهُ وَذُرِّيَّتَهُ أَوۡلِيَأءَ مِن دُونِى وَهُمۡ لَكُمۡ عَدُوٌّ بِيۡسَ لِلظَّـلِمِينَ بَدَلاً
Will you then take him (Iblis) and his offspring as protectors and helpers rather than Me while they are enemies to you What an evil is the exchange for the wrongdoers. (18:50)
There are many other Ayat on this subject.
These Ayat demonstrate the ignorance of the Arabs before Islam
Allah says;
ثَمَانِيَةَ أَزۡوَاجٍ مِّنَ الضَّأۡنِ اثۡنَيۡنِ وَمِنَ الۡمَعۡزِ اثۡنَيۡنِ قُلۡ الذَّكَرَيۡنِ حَرَّمَ أَمِ الاُنثَيَيۡنِ
Eight pairs:of the sheep two (male and female), and of the goats two (male and female). Say:Has He forbidden the two males or the two females,
They used to prohibit the usage of some of their cattle and designate them as Bahirah, Sa'ibah, Wasilah and Ham etc. These were some of the innovations they invented for cattle, fruits and produce. Allah stated that He has created gardens, trellised and untrellised, and cattle, as animals of burden and as Farsh.
Allah next mentioned various kinds of cattle, male and female, such as sheep and goats. He also created male and female camels and the same with cows. Allah did not prohibit any of these cattle or their offspring. Rather, they all were created for the sons of Adam as a source for food, transportation, work, milk, and other benefits, which are many.
Allah said,
وَأَنزَلَ لَكُمۡ مِّنَ الاٌّنۡعَـمِ ثَمَـنِيَةَ أَزۡوَجٍ
And He has sent down for you of cattle eight pairs... (39:6)
Allah said;
أَمَّا اشۡتَمَلَتۡ عَلَيۡهِ أَرۡحَامُ الاُنثَيَيۡنِ
or (the young) which the wombs of the two females enclose...
This refutes the idolators' statement,
مَا فِي بُطُونِ هَـذِهِ الَانۡعَامِ خَالِصَةٌ لِّذُكُورِنَا وَمُحَرَّمٌ عَلَى أَزۡوَاجِنَا
(What is in the bellies of such and such cattle is for our males alone, and forbidden to our females). (6:139)
Allah said,
نَبِّوُونِي بِعِلۡمٍ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَادِقِينَ
Inform me with knowledge if you are truthful.
meaning, tell me with sure knowledge, how and when did Allah prohibit what you claimed is prohibited, such as the Bahirah, Sa'ibah, Wasilah and Ham etc.
Al-Awfi said that Ibn Abbas said, Allah's statement,
ثَمَانِيَةَ أَزۡوَاجٍ مِّنَ الضَّأۡنِ اثۡنَيۡنِ وَمِنَ الۡمَعۡزِ اثۡنَيۡنِ
(Eight pairs:of the sheep two, and of the goats two...),
these are four pairs,
قُلۡ الذَّكَرَيۡنِ حَرَّمَ أَمِ الاُنثَيَيۡنِ
Say:Has He forbidden the two males or the two females...
I (Allah) did not prohibit any of these.
أَمَّا اشۡتَمَلَتۡ عَلَيۡهِ أَرۡحَامُ الاُنثَيَيۡنِ
or (the young) which the wombs of the two females enclose,
and does the womb produce but males and females! So why do you prohibit some and allow some others!
نَبِّوُونِي بِعِلۡمٍ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَادِقِينَ
Inform me with knowledge if you are truthful.
Allah is saying that all of this is allowed.
Allah said
وَمِنَ الاِبۡلِ اثۡنَيۡنِ وَمِنَ الۡبَقَرِ اثۡنَيۡنِ قُلۡ الذَّكَرَيۡنِ حَرَّمَ أَمِ الاُنثَيَيۡنِ أَمَّا اشۡتَمَلَتۡ عَلَيۡهِ أَرۡحَامُ الاُنثَيَيۡنِ
And of the camels two, and of oxen two. Say:Has He forbidden the two males or the two females or (the young) which the wombs of the two females enclose!
أَمۡ كُنتُمۡ شُهَدَاء إِذۡ وَصَّاكُمُ اللّهُ بِهَـذَا
Or, were you present when Allah ordered you such a thing!
mocking the idolators' innovations, and their lies that Allah made sacred what they have prohibited.
فَمَنۡ أَظۡلَمُ مِمَّنِ افۡتَرَى عَلَى اللّهِ كَذِبًا لِيُضِلَّ النَّاسَ بِغَيۡرِ عِلۡمٍ
Then who does more wrong than one who invents a lie against Allah, to lead mankind astray without knowledge.
Therefore, no one is more unjust than the people described here and
إِنَّ اللّهَ لَا يَهۡدِي الۡقَوۡمَ الظَّالِمِينَ
Certainly, Allah guides not the people who are wrongdoers.
The person most worthy of this condemnation is `Amr bin Luhay bin Qum`ah. He was the first person to change the religion of the Prophets and designate the Sa'ibah, Wasilah and Ham, as mentioned in the Sahih.
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