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Surah Al-An'aam 6:139

سُورَةُ الأَنۡعَامِ“The Cattle”

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Qur'an 6:139

وَقَالُوا مَا فِى بُطُونِ هَٰذِهِ ٱلْأَنْعَٰمِ خَالِصَةٌ لِّذُكُورِنَا وَمُحَرَّمٌ عَلَىٰٓ أَزْوَٰجِنَا وَإِن يَكُن مَّيْتَةً فَهُمْ فِيهِ شُرَكَآءُ سَيَجْزِيهِمْ وَصْفَهُمْ إِنَّهُ حَكِيمٌ عَلِيمٌ

Wa qaaloo maa fee butooni haazihil an'aami khaalisatul lizukoorinaa wa muharramun 'alaaa azwaajinaa wa iny yakum maitatan fahum feehi shurakaaa'; sa yajzeehim wasfahum; innahoo Hakeemun 'Aleem

Translation

And they say, "What is in the bellies of these animals is exclusively for our males and forbidden to our females. But if it is [born] dead, then all of them have shares therein." He will punish them for their description. Indeed, He is Wise and Knowing.

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Tafsir of this Ayah Ibn Kathir

And they say: "What is in the bellies of such and such cattle is for our males alone, and forbidden to our females, but if it is born dead, then all have shares therein." He will punish them for their attribution (of such false orders to Allah). Verily, He is All-Wise, All-Knower (139)

Abu Ishaq As-Subay'i narrated that 'Abdullah bin Abi Al-Hudhayl reported that Ibn 'Abbas said that,

وَقَالُوا مَا فِي بُطُونِ هَٰذِهِ الْأَنْعَامِ خَالِصَةٌ لِّذُكُورِنَا

(And they say: "What is in the bellies of such and such cattle is for our males alone...") refers to milk. 'Awfi said that Ibn 'Abbas said about this Ayah,

وَقَالُوا مَا فِي بُطُونِ هَٰذِهِ الْأَنْعَامِ خَالِصَةٌ لِّذُكُورِنَا

(And they say: "What is in the bellies of such and such cattle is for our males alone...")

"It is about milk, which they prohibited for their females and allowed only their males to drink. When a sheep would give birth to a male sheep, they would slaughter it and feed it to their males, but not to their females. If the newly born lamb was a female, they would not slaughter it, but if it was stillborn, they would share in it (with their females)! Allah forbade this practice." Similar was said by As-Suddi.

Ash-Sha'bi said, "The Bahirah's milk was only given to the men. But if any cattle from the Bahirah died, both men and women would share in eating it." Similar was said by 'Ikrimah, Qatadah and 'Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam. Mujahid commented;

وَقَالُوا مَا فِي بُطُونِ هَٰذِهِ الْأَنْعَامِ خَالِصَةٌ لِّذُكُورِنَا وَمُحَرَّمٌ عَلَىٰ أَزْوَاجِنَا

(And they say: "What is in the bellies of such and such cattle is for our males alone, and forbidden to our females...")

"It refers to the 'Sā'ibah' and the 'Baḥīrah'." Abu Al-'Aliyah, Mujahid and Qatadah said that Allah's statement,

سَيَجْزِيهِمْ وَصْفَهُمْ

(He will punish them for their attribution.) means, uttering such falsehood. This is explained by Allah's statement,

وَلَا تَقُولُوا لِمَا تَصِفُ أَلْسِنَتُكُمُ الْكَذِبَ هَٰذَا حَلَالٌ وَهَٰذَا حَرَامٌ لِّتَفْتَرُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ لَا يُفْلِحُونَ

(And say not concerning that which your tongues falsely utter: "This is lawful and this is forbidden." so as to invent lies against Allah. Verily, those who invent lies against Allah will never prosper.)[16:116] Allah said,

إِنَّهُ حَكِيمٌ

(Verily, He is All-Wise.) in His actions, statements, Law and decree,

عَلِيمٌ

(All-Knower), in the actions of His servants, whether good or evil, and He will recompense them for these deeds completely.