Surah Al-An'aam (6) — Ayah 146

(Ayah 146) ➊ {وَ عَلَى الَّذِيْنَ هَادُوْا حَرَّمْنَا كُلَّ ذِيْ ظُفُرٍ ……:} By every animal with claws is meant those animals or birds whose toes are not split, that is, not separated, such as the camel, ostrich, duck, etc., meaning only those birds or animals were lawful whose claws are open.

➋ { اَوِ الْحَوَايَاۤ :} This is the plural of {’’حَوِيَّةٌ ‘‘} just as {’’عِطْيَةٌ‘‘} is the plural of {’’عَطَايَا‘‘} and {’’خَطِيَّةٌ‘‘} is the plural of {’’خَطَايَا‘‘}, or it is the plural of {’’ حَاوِيَةٌ ‘‘}, just as { ’’ ضَارِبَةٌ ‘‘ } is the plural of { ’’ ضَوَارِبٌ ‘‘}. The meaning is those intestines in which droppings are found.

➌ { ذٰلِكَ جَزَيْنٰهُمْ بِبَغْيِهِمْ وَ اِنَّا لَصٰدِقُوْنَ:} That is, just as these things are not forbidden in the Shariah of Muhammad (peace be upon him), they were not forbidden before either; however, as a punishment for their rebellion, We temporarily made them forbidden for the Jews. (See Nisa: 160) The purpose is to refute the claim of the Jews that Allah did not forbid anything for us except those things which Israel (Yaqub, peace be upon him) himself made forbidden upon himself. (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir) And the meaning of {’’ اِنَّا لَصٰدِقُوْنَ ‘‘} (Indeed, We are surely truthful) is that the claim of the Jews is false and the correct statement is what We have mentioned; also see Surah Al-Imran (93).

But the Jews still made one form of fat lawful through trickery. Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) says that I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) in Makkah in the year of the conquest of Makkah, he said: "May Allah destroy the Jews, when fat was made unlawful for them, they melted it and then consumed its price." [ بخاری، البیوع، باب بیع المیتۃ والأصنام : ۲۲۳۶ ] This is just like how nowadays many Muslims do not drink alcohol themselves or eat pork, etc., but sell it through the hands of disbelievers and consume the price.

146. 1. By animals with nails is meant those animals with hands whose toes are not split, that is, not separated from each other. For example, camel, ostrich, duck, goose, cow, and goat, etc. All such animals and birds were forbidden. Thus, only those animals and birds were lawful for them whose claws are open.

146. 2. That is, the fat of the cow or goat that is on the back (such as the fat tail of a sheep) or in the intestines (or stomach) or mixed with the bones. The amount of such fat was lawful.

146. 3. These things We made forbidden to them as a punishment, that is, the claim of the Jews is not authentic that these things were made forbidden by Yaqub (علیہ السلام) upon himself and that they consider them forbidden in his following.

146. 4. This means that the Jews were certainly lying in their aforementioned claim.

146. And to those who adopted Judaism, We forbade every animal with claws. And of cattle and sheep, We forbade them their fat, except what is attached to their backs or their intestines or what is mixed with bone. [159] We imposed this on them as a punishment for their rebellion, and surely, We speak the truth.

[159]
The Items Forbidden to the Children of Israel:

The statement regarding the items from animal foods forbidden to the Children of Israel is also mentioned in Surah Al-Imran, verse 93, and Surah An-Nisa, verse 160. Reflecting on all these verses reveals that, fundamentally, the same things that are forbidden in the Shariah of Muhammad were also forbidden to the Children of Israel. In Surah Al-Imran, it is stated that apart from these fundamental things, all other things were lawful for the Children of Israel. However, those things which Israel (Sayyiduna Yaqubؑ) himself had forbidden upon himself, and this situation remained until the time of the revelation of the Torah. But the Children of Israel continued to consider those things forbidden which Sayyiduna Yaqubؑ had forbidden upon himself due to his illness or personal aversion. There was no command for their prohibition in the Torah, nor was such a command recorded in the Torah until the time of the Quran’s revelation. Because the Quran challenged that if the prohibition of these items is mentioned in the Torah, then bring forth the Torah and show it. But the Jews did not accept this challenge. From this, it is understood that the current circulated Torah contains additions that were made at some later time. Also, from this verse, it is understood that besides these four fundamental things, some other things were also made forbidden to the Jews, such as every animal with claws—that is, whose toes are not split—like the camel, ostrich, duck, or every animal with a hoof, like the wild ass, etc. And the fat of cows and goats was also forbidden to them. And although these things were not fundamentally forbidden, they were made forbidden as a punishment for their rebellion. From this, it is understood that these items were made forbidden at some time long after Sayyiduna Musaؑ. And until the time of the Quran’s revelation, no such addition of prohibition was made in the Torah. Later, such forbidden things were also included in the Torah.