Ya-Sin 36:71
Ya Sin · Juz 23 · Page 445
أَوَلَمۡ يَرَوۡاْ أَنَّا خَلَقۡنَا لَهُم مِّمَّا عَمِلَتۡ أَيۡدِينَآ أَنۡعَٰمٗا فَهُمۡ لَهَا مَٰلِكُونَ ٧١
Do they not see that We have created for them from what Our hands1 have made, grazing livestock, and [then] they are their owners?
1 translator’s note
- See footnote to 2:19. ↩
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Ma'arif al-Qur'an
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Commentary on 36:71
In verse 71, it was said: أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّا خَلَقْنَا لَهُم مِّمَّا عَمِلَتْ أَيْدِينَا أَنْعَامًا فَهُمْ لَهَا مَالِكُونَ (Did they not see that We have created for them cattle, among things made (directly) by Our hands, then they are their owners?). Along with the mention of the Divine novelty and beneficence in the creation of the cattle in this verse, yet another great favor of Allah Ta’ ala has been identified. It has been said that man has played no role in the creation of these cattle. Allah Ta’ ala made them, exclusively, by His own hands, so to say. Then, He not only let human beings benefit from these cattle with His permission, but also made them their owners, so that they could dispose them off in any manner they chose - use them to their advantage or sell them off and use the money thus acquired.
Gift of God - not capital or labor - is the real wisdom behind the ownership of things
In our day, debate is still going on between various economic theories as to the basis of production of things and their ownership. Is it wealth, or is it labor? The votaries of the capitalist economic system declare capital and wealth as its basis. The protagonists of the socialist and communist system support labor as the real reason or justification behind production of things and their ownership. This decree of the Qur'an tells us that none of these two has any role to play in the creation of things and their ownership. The creation of anything does not rest in the possession or control of human beings. That is an act of Allah Ta’ ala, directly. Then, reason demands that the one who creates something should also be its owner. Therefore, when it comes to things of this world, the essential and real ownership is that of Allah Ta’ ala. The ownership of human beings in anything whatsoever can take effect only when Allah Ta’ ala passes it on to them in His mercy. Allah Ta’ ala has already revealed the law of the proof and transfer of ownership through his prophets. Counter to this law, no one can become the owner of anything.
Page 445
36:71
أَوَلَمۡ يَرَوۡاْ أَنَّا خَلَقۡنَا لَهُم مِّمَّا عَمِلَتۡ أَيۡدِينَآ أَنۡعَٰمٗا فَهُمۡ لَهَا مَٰلِكُونَ ٧١
Do they not see that We have created for them from what Our hands1 have made, grazing livestock, and [then] they are their owners?
1 translator’s note
- See footnote to 2:19. ↩
36:72
وَذَلَّلۡنَٰهَا لَهُمۡ فَمِنۡهَا رَكُوبُهُمۡ وَمِنۡهَا يَأۡكُلُونَ ٧٢
And We have tamed them for them, so some of them they ride, and some of them they eat.
36:73
وَلَهُمۡ فِيهَا مَنَٰفِعُ وَمَشَارِبُۚ أَفَلَا يَشۡكُرُونَ ٧٣
And for them therein are [other] benefits and drinks, so will they not be grateful?
36:74
وَٱتَّخَذُواْ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ ءَالِهَةٗ لَّعَلَّهُمۡ يُنصَرُونَ ٧٤
But they have taken besides Allāh [false] deities that perhaps they would be helped.
36:75
لَا يَسۡتَطِيعُونَ نَصۡرَهُمۡ وَهُمۡ لَهُمۡ جُندٞ مُّحۡضَرُونَ ٧٥
They are not able to help them, and they [themselves] are for them soldiers in attendance.1
1 translator’s note
- Maintaining and protecting their "gods." Another interpretation is that they (i.e., the gods) will be soldiers set against them in Hellfire. ↩
36:76
فَلَا يَحۡزُنكَ قَوۡلُهُمۡۘ إِنَّا نَعۡلَمُ مَا يُسِرُّونَ وَمَا يُعۡلِنُونَ ٧٦
So let not their speech grieve you. Indeed, We know what they conceal and what they declare.
36:77
أَوَلَمۡ يَرَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ أَنَّا خَلَقۡنَٰهُ مِن نُّطۡفَةٖ فَإِذَا هُوَ خَصِيمٞ مُّبِينٞ ٧٧
Does man not consider that We created him from a [mere] sperm-drop - then at once1 he is a clear adversary?
1 translator’s note
- i.e., as soon as he becomes self-sufficient. ↩
36:78
وَضَرَبَ لَنَا مَثَلٗا وَنَسِيَ خَلۡقَهُۥۖ قَالَ مَن يُحۡيِ ٱلۡعِظَٰمَ وَهِيَ رَمِيمٞ ٧٨
And he presents for Us an example1 and forgets his [own] creation. He says, "Who will give life to bones while they are disintegrated?"
1 translator’s note
- Attempting to establish the finality of death. ↩
36:79
قُلۡ يُحۡيِيهَا ٱلَّذِيٓ أَنشَأَهَآ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٖۖ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ خَلۡقٍ عَلِيمٌ ٧٩
Say, "He will give them life who produced them the first time; and He is, of all creation, Knowing."
36:80
ٱلَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنَ ٱلشَّجَرِ ٱلۡأَخۡضَرِ نَارٗا فَإِذَآ أَنتُم مِّنۡهُ تُوقِدُونَ ٨٠
[It is] He who made for you from the green tree, fire, and then from it you ignite.
36:81
أَوَلَيۡسَ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ بِقَٰدِرٍ عَلَىٰٓ أَن يَخۡلُقَ مِثۡلَهُمۚ بَلَىٰ وَهُوَ ٱلۡخَلَّٰقُ ٱلۡعَلِيمُ ٨١
Is not He who created the heavens and the earth Able to create the likes of them? Yes, [it is so]; and He is the Knowing Creator.
36:82
إِنَّمَآ أَمۡرُهُۥٓ إِذَآ أَرَادَ شَيۡـًٔا أَن يَقُولَ لَهُۥ كُن فَيَكُونُ ٨٢
His command is only when He intends a thing that He says to it, "Be," and it is.
36:83
فَسُبۡحَٰنَ ٱلَّذِي بِيَدِهِۦ مَلَكُوتُ كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ وَإِلَيۡهِ تُرۡجَعُونَ ٨٣
So exalted is He in whose hand is the realm of all things, and to Him you will be returned.