Surah An-Nahl (16) — Ayah 8

(Ayah8) ➊ {وَ الْخَيْلَ وَ الْبِغَالَ وَ الْحَمِيْرَ لِتَرْكَبُوْهَا …:’’ زِيْنَةً ‘‘} is a maf’ul li-ajlih (object of purpose). {’’ وَ يَخْلُقُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُوْنَ ‘‘} means, apart from those animals already mentioned, Allah continues to create for you things which you do not know. This includes the countless animals which Allah continues to create anew, sometimes through the mixing of different species, sometimes anew in deserts, forests, seas, and in human laboratories, and also all the means of transport and machines that will be invented until the Day of Judgment, which did not exist at the time of the revelation of this verse, including cars, airplanes, and engine-powered ships, etc. And Allah knows best what further inventions there will be. The Qur’an mentioned these things but kept them ambiguous, because if they had been named, many people might have denied them. It is said: {’’اَلنَّاسُ اَعْدَاءٌ لِمَا جَهِلُوْا‘‘} “People oppose that which they do not have knowledge of,” and if they had not been mentioned, then the mention of means of transport faster, more comfortable, and more adorned than animals would have been left out as a proof of Allah’s oneness and favor, which are even more applicable to {’’ سُبْحٰنَ الَّذِيْ سَخَّرَ لَنَا هٰذَا ‘‘} than to animals, and the author of “Zilal al-Qur’an” has written that Allah indicated this so that people would not see any harm in riding new inventions, thinking that our elders only rode camels and horses and only these are mentioned in the Qur’an.

➋ There is consensus on the prohibition of mule and donkey meat, but there is a difference of opinion regarding horse meat. From authentic (Sahih) hadiths of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), its permissibility is established. Some people who consider it forbidden say that Allah here mentioned these three animals separately for riding, apart from other animals, so if eating them were permissible, the blessing of eating them would also have been mentioned along with riding. If this argument is accepted, then since riding is not mentioned among the benefits of the earlier animals, riding them should not be permissible either. (Tabari) Al-Baghawi said that these verses have nothing to do with the statement of halal and haram. Allama al-Sham Jamal al-Din al-Qasimi (may Allah have mercy on him) says that everyone knows this surah is Makki, and if the prohibition of horse meat were established from this, then the prohibition of donkey meat would also be established, whereas donkey meat remained permissible even after these verses. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) prohibited it at the time of Khaybar, and at the same time maintained the permissibility of horse meat. Thus, in Sahih Bukhari, it is narrated from Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) forbade the meat of domestic donkeys and permitted horses. [ بخاري، المغازی، باب غزوۃ خیبر : ۴۲۱۹ ] Asma’ (may Allah be pleased with her) says, “We slaughtered a horse during the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and ate it.” [ بخاری، الذبائح والصید، باب النحر و الذبح : ۵۵۱۰۔ مسلم، الصید و الذبائح، باب إباحۃ أکل لحم الخیل : ۱۹۴۲ ] Similarly, Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) states that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) permitted us to eat horse meat and forbade the meat of domestic donkeys. [ ترمذي، الأطعمۃ، باب ما جاء في أکل لحوم الخیل : ۱۷۹۳۔ نسائی : ۴۳۳۳ ]

Allama Qasimi says that in Abu Dawud, al-Nasa’i, etc., the hadith narrated from Khalid bin Walid (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) forbade every predatory animal with fangs and the meat of horses, mules, and donkeys, its chain contains Salih bin Yahya, about whom there is criticism. Imam Bukhari said: {’’فِيْهِ نَظْرٌ‘‘} and it is not correct to take hadith from such a narrator. Then, even if it is assumed to be authentic, it cannot be presented against the authentic hadiths mentioned above, and it is also possible that this ruling was before Khaybar and was abrogated.

Note: The author of “al-Hidayah” has narrated from Imam Abu Hanifah the dislike (karahah) of horse meat, not its prohibition, and has written: “Some have said that according to him, it is karahah tahrimi (prohibitively disliked), and some have said it is karahah tanzihi (mildly disliked). (In the opinion of the author of al-Hidayah, the first view is more authentic.) However, regarding its milk, it is said that there is no harm in it, because it does not reduce the number of horses used for jihad.” From all this discussion, the difference between horses, donkeys, and mules becomes clear, and also that the reason Imam Abu Hanifah considered horse meat disliked is that they are instruments of jihad, and slaughtering them would reduce their number.

➌ { وَ زِيْنَةً:} From the mention of beauty in the previous verses and adornment in this verse, it is understood that human needs are not limited to eating, drinking, clothing, and riding, but the sense of beauty and adornment is also placed in human nature, and if it is not through forbidden means, then benefiting from it is also a great blessing of Allah.

8. 1 That is, the real purpose and benefit of their creation is for you to ride upon them, however, they are also a source of adornment. Some jurists have deduced from the separate mention of horses, mules, and donkeys that the horse is also prohibited just as the donkey and mule are. Moreover, the mention of edible cattle has already occurred earlier. Therefore, the three animals mentioned in this verse are only for (riding).

8. 2 In the lower parts of the earth, likewise in the sea, and in waterless deserts and forests, Allah continues to create creatures whose knowledge is known to none but Allah. Included in this are also those things made by humans, who, by utilizing the intellect and abilities given by Allah, combine His created things in various ways to prepare them, such as buses, cars, trains, ships, airplanes, and countless such things, and those expected in the future.

8. And He created horses, mules, and donkeys for you to ride and as an adornment [7] for you. And He creates that which you do not know [8].

[7] In these verses, Allah Almighty has stated the reality that He has created livestock also for the service of mankind, from which humans derive various benefits. Some animals are such whose meat is used as food. Milk, butter, and ghee are also obtained from them. Warm clothing is provided from the wool of these livestock. They are also used for carrying loads and for riding. From their hides, many valuable items are made. Even their bones are put to use. Furthermore, they are also a means of adornment and a symbol of prestige. In today’s mechanical age, although the value of livestock for riding and carrying loads has greatly diminished, their necessity still remains. However, it has not been more than three hundred years since the beginning of this mechanical era. Just consider, before this mechanical age, if these animals did not exist, humans—especially in the matter of carrying loads—would have faced considerable hardship. Even this mechanical age has only reduced one aspect of the benefits of these animals, namely riding and carrying loads. Even today, in difficult and inaccessible paths, these animals are still used for riding and carrying loads. All the other benefits of these animals still remain, and all these favors Allah Almighty has bestowed upon mankind so that they may assist in the preservation of his physical life. In the above verses, where Allah Almighty mentioned riding and adornment, He named horses, mules, and donkeys, and where He mentioned carrying loads and beauty, He used the word “An‘am.” “An‘am” is the plural of “Na‘am,” and although it applies to all animals except predators, it is mostly used for camels, because for the Arabs, there was no greater blessing than the camel, for several reasons. For example, the camel can carry more load than all other animals. According to general estimates, a donkey can carry 5 maunds or 2 sacks of grain, horses and mules can carry 3 sacks, while a camel can easily carry 4 sacks. Secondly, all other animals are loaded while standing, but the camel is the only animal that is loaded while sitting. Allah Almighty has placed such strength in its long neck that it stands up with its load. The third quality of the camel in terms of carrying loads is that it can easily travel in the vast deserts of Arabia, and fourthly, it can continue its journey for several days without water. Because of these qualities, the camel is called the “ship of the desert.” Even in today’s mechanical age, where petrol vehicles do not work, this desert ship is still useful.

[8]
The Benefits of Livestock:

This phrase also has two meanings: one is that Allah Almighty has created many such things for you that are appointed to serve you, but you do not know them or have not yet come to know them; and the second meaning is that Allah Almighty will, in the future, create many such things for your riding, carrying loads, and other benefits, which you cannot even imagine at present. For example, for riding, Allah Almighty has created buses, trains, and airplanes, and who knows what else He will create in the future. The same is the case in other fields of life, with ever-new inventions.