سُوْرَةُ المَآئِدَةِ
Surah Al-Maaida (5) — Ayah 103
مَا جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ مِنۢ بَحِيرَةٍ وَلَا سَآئِبَةٍ وَلَا وَصِيلَةٍ وَلَا حَامٍ ۙ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلْكَذِبَ ۖ وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ ﴿103﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Allâh has not instituted things like Bahîrah, or Sâ’ibah, or Wasîlah, or Hâm, (all these animals were liberated in honour of idols as practised by pagan Arabs in the pre-Islâmic period). But those who disbelieve invent lies against Allâh, and most of them have no understanding.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
مَا
mā
Not
جَعَلَ
jaʿala
has (been) made
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
(by) Allah
مِنۢ
min
of
بَحِيرَةٍۢ
baḥīratin
a Bahirah
وَلَا
walā
and not
سَآئِبَةٍۢ
sāibatin
a Saibah
وَلَا
walā
and not
وَصِيلَةٍۢ
waṣīlatin
a Wasilah
وَلَا
walā
and not
حَامٍۢ ۙ
ḥāmin
a Hami
وَلَـٰكِنَّ
walākinna
[And] but
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
كَفَرُوا۟
kafarū
disbelieved
يَفْتَرُونَ
yaftarūna
they invent
عَلَى
ʿalā
against
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
ٱلْكَذِبَ ۖ
l-kadhiba
the lie
وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ
wa-aktharuhum
and most of them
لَا
lā
(do) not
يَعْقِلُونَ
yaʿqilūna
use reason
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 103) {مَا جَعَلَ اللّٰهُ مِنْۢ بَحِيْرَةٍ …:} In the above verses, it was forbidden to probe into such matters and ask such questions that were not made obligatory upon the people; now in this verse, it is forbidden to make such acts obligatory upon oneself that Allah has not made obligatory. (Kabir)
The Arabs in the time of ignorance used to set animals free in the name of idols, then considered it forbidden to benefit from them. Here, four types of animals are mentioned. Sa'id bin Musayyib (may Allah have mercy on him) says: (1) "Bahira" is the animal whose milk is reserved for the idols, then no one among the people would milk it. (2) "Sa'iba" is the one that they would set free for their deities and nothing would be loaded upon it. (3) "Wasilah" is the she-camel that gives birth to a female for the first time, then again gives birth to a female the second time, they would set it free in the name of their idols (because Wasilah is derived from Wasl), this name was given because it gave birth to two females consecutively, with no male in between. (4) "Ham" is the stud camel by whose mating a specific number of she-camels become pregnant, they would set it free in the name of their idols and nothing would be loaded upon it and its name would be "Hami." Sa'id bin Musayyib (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I saw 'Amr bin 'Amir Khuza'i dragging his intestines in the Fire, he was the first person who started the custom of setting Sa'iba free." [ بخاری، التفسیر، باب : «ما جعل اللہ من بحیرۃ …» : ۴۶۲۳ ] This explanation of Bahira, Sa'iba, etc., has been given by Sa'id bin Musayyib (may Allah have mercy on him). The polytheists of Arabia were not united upon one religion, especially innovations were different for every tribe, therefore, other explanations of these four have also come from the Tabi'in, so some have said that Bahira is the one whose ear is slit in the name of idols. This is from "Bahr" {’’ فَعِيْلَةٌ ‘‘} meaning {’’ مَفْعُوْلَةٌ ‘‘}, which means to split or tear. Sa'iba is the one set free; if a she-camel gave birth to ten offspring, all female, she would be set free, she was neither ridden, nor would anyone drink her milk except for her offspring and a guest. Wasilah is the one that gives birth to two female offspring seven times consecutively. Hami means the one who protects itself; the camel from whose back ten offspring are born, it is made a stud and set free, as it has protected its back, then it is neither ridden, nor loaded, nor prevented from water or fodder. The further injustice was that they would declare such acts as Allah's command. Allah refuted this by saying {’’ مَا جَعَلَ اللّٰهُ ‘‘}. Their other explanations are also mentioned in the books of Tafsir, and the reason has already been mentioned above that every ignorant Arab had his own way. The practice of setting animals free in the name of other than Allah still continues among so-called Muslims besides the disbelievers, for example, cows of saints, or animals in the name of various shrines, wherever they roam, no one says anything to them.
The Arabs in the time of ignorance used to set animals free in the name of idols, then considered it forbidden to benefit from them. Here, four types of animals are mentioned. Sa'id bin Musayyib (may Allah have mercy on him) says: (1) "Bahira" is the animal whose milk is reserved for the idols, then no one among the people would milk it. (2) "Sa'iba" is the one that they would set free for their deities and nothing would be loaded upon it. (3) "Wasilah" is the she-camel that gives birth to a female for the first time, then again gives birth to a female the second time, they would set it free in the name of their idols (because Wasilah is derived from Wasl), this name was given because it gave birth to two females consecutively, with no male in between. (4) "Ham" is the stud camel by whose mating a specific number of she-camels become pregnant, they would set it free in the name of their idols and nothing would be loaded upon it and its name would be "Hami." Sa'id bin Musayyib (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I saw 'Amr bin 'Amir Khuza'i dragging his intestines in the Fire, he was the first person who started the custom of setting Sa'iba free." [ بخاری، التفسیر، باب : «ما جعل اللہ من بحیرۃ …» : ۴۶۲۳ ] This explanation of Bahira, Sa'iba, etc., has been given by Sa'id bin Musayyib (may Allah have mercy on him). The polytheists of Arabia were not united upon one religion, especially innovations were different for every tribe, therefore, other explanations of these four have also come from the Tabi'in, so some have said that Bahira is the one whose ear is slit in the name of idols. This is from "Bahr" {’’ فَعِيْلَةٌ ‘‘} meaning {’’ مَفْعُوْلَةٌ ‘‘}, which means to split or tear. Sa'iba is the one set free; if a she-camel gave birth to ten offspring, all female, she would be set free, she was neither ridden, nor would anyone drink her milk except for her offspring and a guest. Wasilah is the one that gives birth to two female offspring seven times consecutively. Hami means the one who protects itself; the camel from whose back ten offspring are born, it is made a stud and set free, as it has protected its back, then it is neither ridden, nor loaded, nor prevented from water or fodder. The further injustice was that they would declare such acts as Allah's command. Allah refuted this by saying {’’ مَا جَعَلَ اللّٰهُ ‘‘}. Their other explanations are also mentioned in the books of Tafsir, and the reason has already been mentioned above that every ignorant Arab had his own way. The practice of setting animals free in the name of other than Allah still continues among so-called Muslims besides the disbelievers, for example, cows of saints, or animals in the name of various shrines, wherever they roam, no one says anything to them.
