سُوْرَةُ الْاَنْعَامِ
Surah Al-An'aam (6) — Ayah 143
ثَمَـٰنِيَةَ أَزْوَٰجٍ ۖ مِّنَ ٱلضَّأْنِ ٱثْنَيْنِ وَمِنَ ٱلْمَعْزِ ٱثْنَيْنِ ۗ قُلْ ءَآلذَّكَرَيْنِ حَرَّمَ أَمِ ٱلْأُنثَيَيْنِ أَمَّا ٱشْتَمَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ أَرْحَامُ ٱلْأُنثَيَيْنِ ۖ نَبِّـُٔونِى بِعِلْمٍ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ ﴿143﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Eight pairs: of the sheep two (male and female), and of the goats two (male and female). Say: "Has He forbidden the two males or the two females, or (the young) which the wombs of the two females enclose? Inform me with knowledge if you are truthful."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
ثَمَـٰنِيَةَ
thamāniyata
Eight
أَزْوَٰجٍۢ ۖ
azwājin
pairs
مِّنَ
mina
of
ٱلضَّأْنِ
l-ḍani
the sheep
ٱثْنَيْنِ
ith'nayni
two
وَمِنَ
wamina
and of
ٱلْمَعْزِ
l-maʿzi
the goats
ٱثْنَيْنِ ۗ
ith'nayni
two
قُلْ
qul
Say
ءَآلذَّكَرَيْنِ
āldhakarayni
(Are) the two males
حَرَّمَ
ḥarrama
He has forbidden
أَمِ
ami
or
ٱلْأُنثَيَيْنِ
l-unthayayni
the two females
أَمَّا
ammā
or what
ٱشْتَمَلَتْ
ish'tamalat
contains
عَلَيْهِ
ʿalayhi
[in it]
أَرْحَامُ
arḥāmu
(the) wombs
ٱلْأُنثَيَيْنِ ۖ
l-unthayayni
(of) the two females
نَبِّـُٔونِى
nabbiūnī
Inform me
بِعِلْمٍ
biʿil'min
with knowledge
إِن
in
if
كُنتُمْ
kuntum
you are
صَـٰدِقِينَ
ṣādiqīna
truthful
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 144,143) ➊ {ثَمٰنِيَةَ اَزْوَاجٍ:} This is the object (maf’ul bihi) of {’’ اَنْشَاَ ‘‘} in verse (141). {’’ اَزْوَاجٍ ‘‘’’ زَوْجٌ ‘‘} is the plural. In Arabic, each of the two individuals in a pair is called “zawj,” whether male or female. Therefore, the meaning of “zawjain” (a pair) will be (male and female, two kinds), i.e., one pair, not two pairs. Accordingly, the translation “eight kinds” has been given.
➋ {قُلْ ءٰٓالذَّكَرَيْنِ۠ حَرَّمَ …… : } When the polytheists declared certain specific animals among camels, cows, and sheep/goats as forbidden, and among their unborn offspring, the living ones as forbidden for women and the dead ones as lawful for all, Allah Almighty is now demanding proof from them for this: if their reasoning is rational, then tell us, is the reason for prohibition that both are males? If so, then why do you eat many of their males? Or is it because they are females? Then why do you consider many of their female animals lawful? Or is it because of the unborn offspring? Then why do you yourselves eat many unborn offspring? And if the reasoning is based on revelation, then bring a command from Allah in which He has declared any male or female or unborn offspring of these animals as lawful or unlawful according to your claim, or were you yourselves present when Allah issued this command of making lawful or unlawful? Then tell, who is a greater wrongdoer than the one who neither heard himself, nor heard through any messenger, but is fabricating a lie against Allah from his own side? The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “I saw ‘Amr bin Luhayy dragging his intestines in Hell; he was the first to set free animals (Bahira, Sa’iba, Wasila, and Hami) in the name of idols.”[ بخاری، التفسیر، باب : « ما جعل اﷲ من بحيرة ولا سائبة……» : ۴۶۲۳ ]
The purpose is to refute the prohibition of animals that the polytheists themselves declared unlawful, that Bahira, Sa’iba, etc., are animals they have forbidden from their own side, whereas Allah Almighty has made these animals lawful.
➌ { وَ مِنَ الْاِبِلِ اثْنَيْنِ وَ مِنَ الْبَقَرِ اثْنَيْنِ :} Deer is included in the species of goat, and buffalo, nilgai, and wild ass (onager) are of the species of cow and ox. These animals are not so common in Arabia. The four well-known kinds of livestock are those mentioned here.
➋ {قُلْ ءٰٓالذَّكَرَيْنِ۠ حَرَّمَ …… : } When the polytheists declared certain specific animals among camels, cows, and sheep/goats as forbidden, and among their unborn offspring, the living ones as forbidden for women and the dead ones as lawful for all, Allah Almighty is now demanding proof from them for this: if their reasoning is rational, then tell us, is the reason for prohibition that both are males? If so, then why do you eat many of their males? Or is it because they are females? Then why do you consider many of their female animals lawful? Or is it because of the unborn offspring? Then why do you yourselves eat many unborn offspring? And if the reasoning is based on revelation, then bring a command from Allah in which He has declared any male or female or unborn offspring of these animals as lawful or unlawful according to your claim, or were you yourselves present when Allah issued this command of making lawful or unlawful? Then tell, who is a greater wrongdoer than the one who neither heard himself, nor heard through any messenger, but is fabricating a lie against Allah from his own side? The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “I saw ‘Amr bin Luhayy dragging his intestines in Hell; he was the first to set free animals (Bahira, Sa’iba, Wasila, and Hami) in the name of idols.”[ بخاری، التفسیر، باب : « ما جعل اﷲ من بحيرة ولا سائبة……» : ۴۶۲۳ ]
The purpose is to refute the prohibition of animals that the polytheists themselves declared unlawful, that Bahira, Sa’iba, etc., are animals they have forbidden from their own side, whereas Allah Almighty has made these animals lawful.
➌ { وَ مِنَ الْاِبِلِ اثْنَيْنِ وَ مِنَ الْبَقَرِ اثْنَيْنِ :} Deer is included in the species of goat, and buffalo, nilgai, and wild ass (onager) are of the species of cow and ox. These animals are not so common in Arabia. The four well-known kinds of livestock are those mentioned here.
