The Reality of Cow and Buffalo
Firstly, Cow:
Since the buffalo is a species of cow, it is appropriate to first understand the reality and essence of the cow, so that it becomes easier to understand the reality and essence of the buffalo and the similarity between the two.
Cow: In Urdu, Hindi, and Persian languages:
Cow: It is a word in Urdu and Hindi languages, which is used for the famous domesticated cattle found in the world.
Its male is called bull.
Similarly, in Sanskrit, it is called Goya.
Whereas in Persian language, both male and female are called “Gao”.
Cow in Arabic language:
In Arabic, the cow is called “Baqar”, and the summary of its meaning and concept is as follows:
1. “Baqr” is a generic noun, used for both masculine and feminine; for one of them, “Baqrah” is used. Its plural is “Baqrat.” Then the word “Thawr” began to be used for the masculine. Accordingly, Arabic lexicographers write:
(البقر) اسم جنس ، و (البقرة) تقع على الذكر والأنثى ، والھاء للإفراد ، والجمع البقرات
2. It is used for both domestic and wild types.
3. The male of Baqarah is called “Thawr” (bull).
4. Its calf is called “Ajl.”
5. Its meat has coolness and dryness.
6. The cow is a very powerful and “kathir al-manfah” (of great benefit) animal.
Allama Muhammad bin Musa Kamal al-Din Damiri says:
والبقر حيوان شديد القوة كثير المنفعة ، خلقه الله ذلولا
The cow is a very powerful and highly beneficial animal; Allah has made it obedient and subordinate.
And Allama Abu al-Fath Abshihi says:
بقر: هو حيوان شديد القوة خلقه الله تعالى المنفعة الإنسان
The cow is a very powerful animal; Allah created it for the benefit of humans.
7. It has many types, among which one kind is the buffalo, which is the heaviest and produces the most milk.
Allama Kamal al-Din Damiri says:
وهي أجناس: فمنها الجواميس وهى أكثرها ألبانا وأعظمها أجساما
It has many varieties, among which are buffaloes, which produce the most milk and have the largest bodies.
And Allama Abshihi states:
وهو أنواع: الجواميس وهى أكثر ألبانا وكل حيوان إناثه أرق أصواتا من ذكوره إلا البقر
There are many types of cows, buffaloes, which produce the most milk, and the sounds of the throats of all animals are finer than those of males except for the cow.
8. They have colors.
“Etymology of ‘Baqr'”:
Linguists, jurists, and scholars of Hadith and Tafsir have clarified that the meaning of “Baqr” is to dig, tear, open, and expand, and “Baqr” is derived from this. It is called “Baqr” because it “baqrs” the earth, meaning it plows and tears it. Accordingly, the well-known linguistic scholar Ibn Manzur Al-Afriki, may Allah have mercy on him, states:
أصل البقر: الشق والفتح والتوسیعتہ ، بقرت الشيء بقراً: فتحتہ ووسعتہ
The original meanings of Baqr are to tear, open, and expand, بقرت الشيء بقراً meaning I opened and expanded something.
O Muhammad Mulla Khasar, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
(البقر) . . . وسمیت بقراً ؛ لأنها تبقر الأرض بحوافرها أى تشقها والبقر هو الشق
“Al-Baqarah: … It is called ‘Baqar’ because it plows the earth with its hooves, meaning it tears it apart. ‘Baqar’ means to tear apart.”
Imam Nawawi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
والبقر يقع على الذكر والأنثي سمیت بقرة لأنها تبقر الأرض أی تشقھا بالحرائة والبقر الشق
“Baqr: It is said for both masculine and feminine. It is called Baqarah because it plows and tears the earth. Baqr means to tear apart
Similarly, many scholars have explicitly stated that Hazrat Muhammad bin Ali bin Hussain was also called “Baqir” because he opened up knowledge and delved deeply into it.
Thus, Allama Muhammad Ahmad Harawi says:
وكان يقال لمحمد بن على بن الحسين: (الباقر) لأنہ بقر العلم وعرف أصله واستنبط فرعه ، وأصل البقر الشق والفتح
Hazrat Muhammad bin Ali bin Hussain was also called “Baqir” because he opened up knowledge, understood its essence, and derived branches from it. The original meaning of “Baqir” is to split and open.
Imam Nawawi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
ومنها قيل لمحمد بن على بن الحسين بن على بن أبى طالب رضي الله عنهم الباقر لأنه بقر العلم فدخل فيه مدخلا بليغا
Muhammad bin Ali bin Hussain bin Ali bin Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, was called “Baqir” from the word “Baqr” because he split open knowledge and delved deeply into it.
Comprehensive Definition of Cow:
Many scholars have given the technical definition of “Baqara”. For example, consider the definition by the Modern Arabic Language Council:
بقرة: . . . وهو جنس حيوانات من ذوات الظلف ، من فصيلة البقريات ، ويشمل البقر والجاموس ، ويطلق على الذكر والأنثى ، منه الميستأنس الذى
يتخد للبن واللحم ويستخدم للحرث ، ومنه الوحشي ، أنثي الثور {إن الله يأمركم أن تذبحو بقراة
Cow: It is the genus of cloven-hoofed animals of the grade of “Baqariyat” (earth-digging animals), which includes both cows and buffaloes, and is used for both masculine and feminine. It includes the familiar type kept for milk and meat, and used for farming, and there is also a wild type, which resembles an ox. Allah’s command is: (Allah commands you to slaughter a cow).
Secondly: Buffalo
Buffalo in Urdu, Hindi, and Persian languages
Buffalo / Bhainsa: This is a commonly used word in Urdu and Hindi languages, referring to a famous livestock found in the Indian subcontinent and other countries, usually black in color. The female is called Bhains and the male is called Bhainsa.
Similarly, in Urdu and Hindi, the calf of a buffalo is called “Katta”.
In Persian, buffalo is known as “Gav Mish”.
It should be noted that “Gav Mish” is a compound of two words: “Gav” and “Mish”.
“Gav” is a feminine word in Persian, meaning the words used in Hindi for cow and bull.
In Sanskrit, cow is known as “Gau”.
“Mish” is a Persian word meaning sheep, ewe, ram, or lamb.
From the details of these various languages, it is understood that the compound word “Gav Mish” includes the combined meaning of cow and sheep. Further explanation will follow in the light of Arabic dictionaries.
Buffalo in the Arabic Language:
Since “Gawmish,” buffalo (i.e., a black breed of cattle similar to sheep or wolves) was found in Persia and other non-Arab regions, this breed was not introduced in Arabia, so the Arabs were not familiar or acquainted with it.
Rather, after some time, this breed reached Arabia, and people became familiar and acquainted with it. Therefore, when the Arabs saw this sheep-like or sheep-featured cattle
, they named it “Jamūs.” Similarly, sometimes it was also called “Kawmish” and “Kawmash,” etc.
However, the term “Jamūs” was used abundantly.
Reason for the naming of Jamus:
Studying authentic Arabic lexicons and dictionaries reveals that there are two possible bases for the Arabs naming this Persian-origin buffalo as “Jamus”: 1. Arabization or 2. Derivation
1. Arabization:
Arabization means that since this word is originally not Arabic but borrowed, the Arabs adapted its Persian name into Arabic letters and familiar words, thus incorporating it into their Arabic language and naming it accordingly. Hence, by replacing “گ” (G) with “ج” (J) and “ش” (Sh) with “س” (S) to facilitate pronunciation, they formed “Jamus” on the pattern of “فاعول”
, whose plural follows the pattern of “فوائل” as “Jawamis”. Consider the statements and explanations of the linguists in this regard:
Allama Laith (may Allah have mercy on him) says:
”الجاموس: دخيل ، ویجمع جواميس ، تسميه الفرس: كاوميش
“Al-Jamus” is a borrowed word, its plural is “Jawamis”, and it is called “Gawmesh” in Persian.
Allama Sahib al-Ain Halil Farahidi says:
الجاموس دخيل تسمية العجم كاؤميش
Jamūs is Dakhil, non-Arab people call it Gāwmēsh.
Allama Abu Nasr Johari Farabi says:
الجاموس: واحد الجواميس ، فارسي معرب
Jamūs is the singular of Jawāmīs, it is a Persian loanword.
Imam Nawawi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
الجواميس معروقة واحدها جاموس فارسي معرب
Jawāmīs (buffaloes) are well-known, its singular is Jamūs, which is a Persian word Arabized.
Allama Muhammad bin Muhammad Zabidi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
الجاموس: . . . معروف ، معرب كاوميش ، وهى فارسية ، ج الجواميس ، وقد تكلمت به العرب
Jamūs: well-known, which is the Arabized form of Gāwmēsh, and it is a Persian word; its plural is Jawāmīs, and the Arabs have also used this word in their speech.
Allama Hasan bin Muhammad Adwi Qureshi Hanafi says:
“Al-Jamus: singular of Al-Jawamis, a Persian Arabized word, which in Persian is ‘Kaumish’, and Arabs have used it in their speech.”
Jamus: singular of Jawamis, a Persian Arabized word, in Persian it is called “Gaumish”, Arabs have used it in their speech.
Allama Muhammad bin Abu Bakr Razi says:
(الجاموس) واحد (الجواميس) فارسي معرب
Jamus is the singular of Jawamis, a Persian Arabized word.
Allama Feroz Abadi says:
الجاموس: معرب كاؤميش ، ج: الجواميس ، وهى جاموسة
Jamus (buffalo): is the Arabized form of “Gaumish”, its plural is Jawamis, the feminine form is called Jamusah.
Allama Abu Hilal Askari says:
والجاموس فارسي معرب ، وقد تكلمت به العرب
Jamus is a Persian Arabized word, Arabs have used it in their speech.
2. Etymology:
The meaning of etymology is that the word “Jamoos” is Arabic and derived from the principles and root of the Arabic language, and that is that “Jamoos” (ج، م، س) is derived from “Jamas,” and in the Arabic language, the word “Jamas” indicates the solidity and firmness of something. Therefore, when the Arabs became acquainted with this cattle, seeing its form, size, strength, and condition, they named it “Jamoos.” In this regard, consider the explanations of the lexicographers, etc.:
Allama Ahmad bin Muhammad Fayyumi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
جمس الودك جموسا ، من باب قعد جمد ، والجاموس نوع من البقر ، كأنه مشتق من ذلك لانه ليس فيه لين البقر فى استعماله فى الحرث والزرع والدياسة
“Jamas al-wadak jamoosan” means the fat of the meat has solidified; it is from the chapter of “Qa’d” meaning “Jamid” (solidified), and “Al-Jamoos” is a type of cow, meaning this word is derived from it because in plowing, farming, and grinding grains, etc., it does not have the softness of a cow.
Imam Ishaq bin Mansoor Al-Kawsaj says:
الجاموس نوع من البقر ، كأنه مشتق من ذلك ، لأنه ليس فيه لين البقر فى استعماله فى الحرث والزرع والدياسية
“Jamūs” is a type of cow, apparently derived from “Jams,” because in plowing, cultivation, and grinding grains, it does not have the softness of a cow.
From the above detailed explanation, it is clear that whether Jamūs (buffalo) is an Arabized form of “Gau-Mesh” or derived from “J, M, S,” in both cases it is not excluded from being a cow; rather, it is also in the form of a cow, as is evident from the explanation of “Gau” and “Mesh.”
And precisely this point has been clarified by the well-known Mu’tazilite scholar Abu Uthman Jahiz Basri (d. 255 AH) in several places in his famous book “Al-Hayawan,” where he writes:
والجواميس ھى ضأن البقر ، يقال للجاموس الفارسية: كاوماش
Jawamis (buffaloes) are sheep-cows; in the Persian language, Jamus is called “Gau-Mesh.”
Saying “sheep-cow” should not create the suspicion in anyone’s mind that the buffalo is a hybrid of sheep and cow; rather, this statement is merely based on apparent similarity and resemblance. Therefore, to clarify further and remove this doubt, it is stated:
فالجاموس بالفارسية كاوماش ، وتأويله ضأني بقري ، لأنهم وجدوا فيه مشابھة الكبش وكثيرا من مشابھة الثور ، وليس أن الكباش ضربت فى البقر فجاءت بالجواميس
“Jamūs” (buffalo) in Persian is called “Gāwmīsh,” which means similar to sheep and cow, because they saw resemblance in it to rams and much of the bull. This does not mean that “Jamāmis” (buffaloes) were produced by the mixing of rams and cows.
Further explaining, he says:
ويقولون: ”اشتر مرك“ للنعامة ، على التشبيه بالبعير والطائر ، يريدون تشابه الخلق ، لا على الولادة . ويقولون للجاموس: ”كاوماش“ على أن الجاموس يشبه الكبش والثور ، لا على الولادة ، لأن كاو بقرة ، وماش اسم للضأن . . . قالوا: كاوماش على شبه الجواميس بالضأن ، لأن البقر والضأن لا يقع بينهما تلاقح
They liken “Na’amatah” to an ostrich (or ostrich), camel, and bird, meaning similarity in outward creation, not based on birth. And “Jamūs” (buffalo) was called “Gawmesh” simply because the buffalo resembles a ram and bull, not because of birth, since “Gaw” refers to cow and “Māsh” to ram… Thus, buffaloes were called “Gawmesh” merely due to their outward resemblance to rams, because cows and rams do not mate.
Allama Ibn Qutaybah Dinawari says:
”وقد قالوا: أشتر مرك على التشبيه بالبعير والطائر ، لا على الولادة ، كما قالوا: جاموس كاوميش أى بقر وضأن وليس بين البقر والضأن سفاد
The Arabs likened the ostrich (or ostrich) to camel and bird, not based on birth. Similarly, Gawmesh was called “Jamūs” due to the outward resemblance to cow and ram, because cows and rams do not mate.
In summary, the buffalo and ram have only an outward similarity.
A comprehensive definition of “Jamūs” (buffalo)
(1) Definition from Mu’jam al-Lugha al-Arabiya al-Mu’asira:
”جاموس: حيوان أهلي من جنس البقر من مزدوجات الأصابع المجترة ، ضخم الجثة ، قرونه محنية إلى الخلف وإلى الداخل ، يرى للحرث ودر اللبن
Buffalo: Among the cloven-hoofed animals, it is a domestic animal of the cattle genus, with a heavy body, horns curved backward and inward, raised for plowing and milking.
(2) Definition by Allama Saeed Khoury Shartouni Lebanese:
الجاموس ضرب من كبار البقر يحب الماء والتمرغ فى الأوحال معرب كاؤميش بالفارسية ، ومعناًًه بقر الماء ، ج جواميس
Buffalo: A type of large cattle that likes to wallow in water and mud; it is the Arabized form of the Persian word “Gavmish,” meaning water cow; the plural is Jawamis.
(3) Allama Muhammad Alish Maliki states:
جاموس: بقر سود ضخام بطي الحركة يديم المكث فى الماء إن تيسر لہ
Buffalo: A heavy, black, slow-moving cow that, if possible, remains standing in water for a long time.
(4) Allama Ahmad bin Ahmad Zarouq, may Allah have mercy on him, describes the buffalo as “cow” in his commentary on الرسالة لابن أبى زيد القير واني and writes: (والجواميس) بقر سود ضخام صغيرة الأعين طويلة الخراطيم مرفوعة الرءوس إلى قدام بطيئة الحركة قوية جدا لا تكاد تفارق الماء بل ترقد فيه غالب أوقاتها يقال إنما إذا فارقت الماء يوما فأكثر ھزلت رأيناها بمصر وأعمالها
Jawaamis: plural of Jamus, these are heavy and bulky
black cows, whose eyes are small and mouth is long, then it is raised towards the front, they are slow-moving but very strong and powerful
, they rarely separate from water, rather they mostly sleep in water, and it is said that if they are separated from water for one day or more, they become thin. We have seen them in Egypt and the deeds of Egypt.
Summary of the Discourse:
The summary of all discussions is that while defining cow and buffalo, scholars have included buffalo in the definition of cow, and in the definition of buffalo, it has been explicitly stated that it belongs to the genus of cow, and there is no opposition or contradiction to these statements. Therefore, no doubt or suspicion remains regarding their similarity and unity.
For reassurance, consider a few more statements:
Baqr is a generic name that includes both Arabic cows and buffaloes.
Allama Ibn Qasim states:
والبقر اسم جنس يشمل العراب والجواميس والذكور والإناث
Baqr (cow) is a generic name that includes Arabic cows, buffaloes, and both male and female.
Sheikh Abdul Latif Ashour states:
البقر: جنس من فصيلة البقريات ، يشمل الثور والجاموس ، ويطلق على الذكر والأنثي
Baqr: It is a genus of the bovine grade, including both bull and buffalo, and is used for both male and female.
The rulings and characteristics of buffalo and cow are the same.
الجاموس: واحد الجواميس . . . حكمه وخواصه: كالبقر
The buffalo (Bhains) is singular of Jawamis… Its rulings and characteristics are like those of the cow.
The calves of both cow and buffalo are called “Ajl.”
Allama Rashid Raza Misri states:
والعجل وله البقرة سواء كان من العراب أو الجواميس
Ajl: (calf) refers to the young of the cow, whether Arabic or buffalo.
