سُوْرَةُ النَّحْلِ
Surah An-Nahl (16) — Ayah 8
وَٱلْخَيْلَ وَٱلْبِغَالَ وَٱلْحَمِيرَ لِتَرْكَبُوهَا وَزِينَةً ۚ وَيَخْلُقُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿8﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And (He has created) horses, mules and donkeys, for you to ride and as an adornment. And He creates (other) things of which you have no knowledge.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَٱلْخَيْلَ
wal-khayla
And horses
وَٱلْبِغَالَ
wal-bighāla
and mules
وَٱلْحَمِيرَ
wal-ḥamīra
and donkeys
لِتَرْكَبُوهَا
litarkabūhā
for you to ride them
وَزِينَةًۭ ۚ
wazīnatan
and (as) adornment
وَيَخْلُقُ
wayakhluqu
And He creates
مَا
mā
what
لَا
lā
not
تَعْلَمُونَ
taʿlamūna
you know
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
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.
[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.
