Аль-Анам 6:133–144

If They Disobey, They Will Perish

Allah said,

وَرَبُّكَ

(And your Lord...), O Muhammad,

الْغَنِىُّ

(is Al-Ghani) Rich, free from needing His creatures in any way or form, while they stand in need of Him in all situations,

ذُو الرَّحْمَةِ

(full of mercy;) towards creation. Allah said in another Ayah,

إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِالنَّاسِ لَرَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ

(Truly, Allah is full of kindness, the Most Merciful towards mankind.) 2:143

إِن يَشَأْ يُذْهِبْكُمْ

(if He wills, He can destroy you.) if you defy His commandments,

وَيَسْتَخْلِفْ مِن بَعْدِكُم مَّا يَشَآءُ

(And in your place make whom He wills as your successors,) who behave obediently,

كَمَآ أَنشَأَكُمْ مِّن ذُرِّيَّةِ قَوْمٍ ءَاخَرِينَ

(As He raised you from the seed of other people.) and surely, He is able to do this, and it is easy for Him. And just as Allah has destroyed the earlier nations and brought their successors, He is able to do away with these generations and bring other people in their place. Allah has also said;

إِن يَشَأْ يُذْهِبْكُمْ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ وَيَأْتِ بِاخَرِينَ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلَى ذلِكَ قَدِيراً

(If He wills, He can take you away, O people, and bring others. And Allah is Ever Capable over that.) 4:133,

يأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ أَنتُمُ الْفُقَرَآءُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ هُوَ الْغَنِىُّ الْحَمِيدُ - إِن يَشَأْ يُذْهِبْكُمْ وَيَأْتِ بِخَلْقٍ جَدِيدٍ وَمَا ذَلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ بِعَزِيزٍ

(O mankind! It is you who stand in need of Allah. But Allah is Rich (free of all needs), Worthy of all praise. If He willed, He could destroy you and bring about a new creation. And that is not hard for Allah.) 35:15-17, and,

نَّفْسِهِ وَاللَّهُ الْغَنِىُّ وَأَنتُمُ الْفُقَرَآءُ وَإِن تَتَوَلَّوْاْ يَسْتَبْدِلْ قَوْماً غَيْرَكُمْ ثُمَّ لاَ يَكُونُواْ

(But Allah is Rich (free of all needs), and you are poor. And if you turn away, He will exchange you for some other people and they will not be your likes.) 47:38. Muhammad bin Ishaq said that Ya`qub bin `Utbah said that he heard Aban bin `Uthman saying about this Ayah,

كَمَآ أَنشَأَكُمْ مِّن ذُرِّيَّةِ قَوْمٍ ءَاخَرِينَ

(As He raised you from the seed of other people. ) "`The seed' means the offspring and the children." Allah's statement,

إِنَّ مَا تُوعَدُونَ لأَتٍ وَمَآ أَنتُم بِمُعْجِزِينَ

(Surely, that which you are promised, will verily, come to pass and you cannot escape.) means, tell them, O Muhammad, that what they have been promised of Resurrection will surely occur,

وَمَآ أَنتُم بِمُعْجِزِينَ

(and you cannot escape.) from Allah. Rather, He is able to resurrect you even after you become dust and bones. Certainly, Allah is able to do all things and nothing ever escapes His power. Allah said;

قُلْ يَقَوْمِ اعْمَلُواْ عَلَى مَكَانَتِكُمْ إِنِّى عَامِلٌ فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ

(Say: "O my people! Work according to your way, surely, I too am working and you will come to know.") This contains a stern warning and a sure promise, saying; remain on your way, if you think that you are rightly guided, for I will remain on mine. Allah said in another Ayah,

وَقُل لِّلَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ اعْمَلُواْ عَلَى مَكَانَتِكُمْ إِنَّا عَامِلُونَ - وَانْتَظِرُواْ إِنَّا مُنتَظِرُونَ

(And say to those who do not believe: "Act according to Makanatikum, We are acting (in our way). And you wait! We (too) are waiting.") 11:121-122. `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said that,

عَلَى مَكَانَتِكُمْ

(according to Makanatikum...) means, your way.

فَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ مَن تَكُونُ لَهُ عَقِبَةُ الدَّارِ إِنَّهُ لاَ يُفْلِحُ الظَّلِمُونَ

(And you will come to know for which of us will be the (happy) end in the Hereafter. Certainly the wrongdoers will not be successful) 6:135, You will come to know if the happy end will be mine (Muhammad's) or yours (the disbelievers). Allah has indeed kept His promise and allowed Muhammad ﷺ to prevail in the land and rise above those who defied him. He conquered Makkah for him and made him triumphant over his people who rejected and showed enmity towards him. The Prophet's rule soon spread over the Arabian Peninsula, Yemen and Bahrain, and all this occurred during his lifetime. After his death, the various lands and provinces were conquered during the time of his successors, may Allah be pleased with them all. Allah also said,

كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لاّغْلِبَنَّ أَنَاْ وَرُسُلِى إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَوِىٌّ عَزِيزٌ

(Allah has decreed: "Verily, it is I and My Messengers who shall be the victorious." Verily, Allah is All-Powerful, Almighty.) 58:21

إِنَّا لَنَنصُرُ رُسُلَنَا وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ فِى الْحَيَوةِ الدُّنْيَا وَيَوْمَ يَقُومُ الاٌّشْهَدُ - يَوْمَ لاَ يَنفَعُ الظَّلِمِينَ مَعْذِرَتُهُمْ وَلَهُمُ الْلَّعْنَةُ وَلَهُمْ سُوءُ الدَّارِ

(Verily, We will indeed make victorious Our Messengers and those who believe in this world's life and on the Day when the witnesses will stand forth. The Day when their excuses will be of no profit to the wrongdoers. Theirs will be the curse, and theirs will be the evil abode.) 40:51-52 and,

وَلَقَدْ كَتَبْنَا فِى الزَّبُورِ مِن بَعْدِ الذِّكْرِ أَنَّ الاٌّرْضَ يَرِثُهَا عِبَادِىَ الصَّلِحُونَ

(And indeed We have written in the Zabur after the Dhikr that My righteous servants shall inherit the land.) 21:105

Some Acts of Shirk

Allah chastises and criticizes the idolators who invented innovations, Kufr and Shirk, and called on partners and rivals with Allah among His creation, although He created every thing, all praise is due to Him. This is why Allah said,

(And they assign to Allah from that which He has created,)

(of the tilth) meaning, fruits and produce,

(and of the cattle a share) meaning a part and a section.

(and they say: "This is for Allah," according to their claim, "and this is for our partners.") Allah said next,

(But the share of their "partners" reaches not Allah, while the share of Allah reaches their "partners"!) `Ali bin Abi Talhah and Al-`Awfi narrated that Ibn `Abbas said; "When they, the enemies of Allah, would cultivate the land or collect produce, they would assign a part of it to Allah and another part to the idol. They would keep the share for the idol, whether land, produce or anything else, and preserve its division to such an extent that they would collect anything that accidentally falls from the share they assigned to Allah and add it to the share of the idol. If the water that they assigned for the idol irrigated something (a section of land, for instance) that they assigned for Allah, they would add whatever this water irrigated to the idol's share! If the land or produce that they assigned for Allah was accidentally mixed with the share that they assigned for the idol, they would say that the idol is poor. Therefore, they would add it to the share they assigned for the idol and would not return it to the share they assigned for Allah. If the water that they assigned for Allah irrigated what they assigned for the idol they would leave it (the produce) for the idol. They also made some of their other property sacred, like the Bahirah, Sa'ibah, Wasilah and Ham, assigning them to the idols, claiming that they do so as way of seeking a means of approach to Allah. Allah said,

(And they assign to Allah a share of the tilth and cattle which He has created...)." Similar was said by Mujahid, Qatadah, As-Suddi and others. `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam commented; "Every type of slaughter that they would assign for Allah, would never be eaten unless they mentioned the names of their idols when slaughtering it. Yet for what they sacrificed in the names of the idols, they would not mention Allah's Name when slaughtering it." He then recited the Ayah (6:136) until he reached,

(Evil is the way they judge!) This Ayah means, evil is that which they determined, for they committed error in the division. Certainly, Allah is the Lord, Owner and Creator of all things and His is the dominion. All things are His property and under His supreme control, will and decree. There is no deity worthy of worship, or Lord, except Him. And even when the polytheists made this evil division, they did not preserve it, but cheated in it. Allah said in other Ayat,

(And they assign daughters unto Allah -- glory be to Him -- and unto themselves what they desire.) 16:57, and

(Yet, they assign to some of His servants a share with Him. Verily, man is indeed a manifest ingrate!) 43:15, and,

(Is it for you the males and for Him the females That indeed is a division most unfair!) 53:21-22.

Shaytan Lured the Idolators to Kill Their Children

Allah says, just as the Shayatin lured the idolators to assign a share for Allah from what He created of agriculture and cattle - and a share for the idols, they also made it seem fair for them to kill their children, for fear of poverty, and burying their daughters alive, for fear of dishonor. `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported from Ibn `Abbas that he commented;

(And so to many of the idolators, their "partners" have made fair seeming the killing of their children...) "They make killing their children attractive to them." Mujahid said, "Idolators' partners among the devils ordered them to bury their children for fear of poverty." As-Suddi said, "The devils commanded them to kill their daughters so that they,

(lead them to their own destruction), and to,

(cause confusion in their religion.)" Allah said,

(And if Allah had willed, they would not have done so.) meaning, all this occurred by Allah's leave, will and decree, but He dislikes these practices, and He has the perfect wisdom in every decree. He is never questioned about what He does, but they all will be questioned.

(So leave them alone with their fabrications.) meaning, avoid and abandon them and what they do, for Allah will judge between you and them.

The Idolators Forbade Certain Types of Cattle

`Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "Hijr refers to what they forbade, such as the Wasilah, and the like." Similar was said by Mujahid, Ad-Dahhak, As-Suddi, Qatadah, `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam and others. Qatadah commented on,

(They say that such and such cattle and crops are Hijr,) "It is a prohibition that the Shayatin appointed for their wealth, and a type of exaggeration and extremism that did not come from Allah." `Abdur-Rahman Ibn Zayd bin Aslam said that, d

(Hijr,) refers to what the idolators designated for their deities. As-Suddi said that the Ayah,

(And none should eat of them except those whom we allow, they claimed...) means, "They said, only those whom we choose can eat of them., and the rest are prohibited from eating them." Similar to this honorable Ayah, Allah said,

(Say: "Tell me, what provision Allah has sent down to you! And you have made of it lawful and unlawful." Say: "Has Allah permitted you (to do so), or do you invent a lie against Allah") 10:59, and,

(Allah has not instituted things like Bahirah or a Sa'ibah or a Wasilah or a Ham. But those who disbelieve invent lies against Allah, and most of them have no understanding.) 5:103 As-Suddi said that cattle forbidden to be used for burden were the Bahirah, Sa'ibah, Wasilah and Ham, as well as cattle for which the idolators did not mention Allah's Name when slaughtering them nor when they were born. Abu Bakr bin `Ayyash said that `Asim bin Abi An-Najud said, "Abu Wa'il said to me, `Do you know the meaning of the Ayah,

(And (they say) there are cattle forbidden to be used for burden, and cattle on which the Name of Allah is not pronounced.) I said, `No.' He said, `It is the Bahirah, which they would not use to for Hajj (either by riding it or carrying things on it)."' Mujahid also said that they were some of the camels belonging to idolators on which Allah's Name was not mentioned when riding, milking, carrying things, copulation or any other action.

(lying against Him.) against Allah. The idolators indeed lied when they attributed this evil to Allah's religion and Law; He did not allow them to do that nor did He approve of it,

(He will recompense them for what they used to fabricate.) against Him, and falsely attribute to Him.

(And they say: "What is in the bellies of such and such cattle is for our males alone...") refers to milk. `Awfi said that Ibn `Abbas said about this Ayah,

(And they say: "What is in the bellies of such and such cattle is for our males alone...") "It is about milk, which they prohibited for their females and allowed only their males to drink. When a sheep would give birth to a male sheep, they would slaughter it and feed it to their males, but not to their females. If the newly born lamb was a female, they would not slaughter it, but if it was stillborn, they would share in it (with their females)! Allah forbade this practice." Similar was said by As-Suddi. Ash-Sha`bi said, "The Bahirah's milk was only given to the men. But if any cattle from the Bahirah died, both men and women would share in eating it." Similar was said by `Ikrimah, Qatadah and `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam. Mujahid commented;

(And they say: "What is in the bellies of such and such cattle is for our males alone, and forbidden to our females...") "It refers to the Sa'ibah and the Bahirah." Abu Al-`Aliyah, Mujahid and Qatadah said that Allah's statement,

(He will punish them for their attribution. ) means, uttering such falsehood. This is explained by Allah's statement,

(And say not concerning that which your tongues falsely utter: "This is lawful and this is forbidden." so as to invent lies against Allah. Verily, those who invent lies against Allah will never prosper.) 16:116 Allah said,

(Verily, He is All-Wise.) in His actions, statements, Law and decree,

(All-Knower), in the actions of His servants, whether good or evil, and He will recompense them for these deeds completely.

Allah says that those who committed these evil acts have earned the loss of this life and the Hereafter.

(Say: "Verily, those who invent a lie against Allah will never be successful." (A brief) enjoyment in this world! And then unto Us will be their return, then We shall make them taste the severest torment because they used to disbelieve.) 10:69-70 Al-Hafiz Abu Bakr bin Marduwyah recorded that Ibn `Abbas commented, "If it pleases you to know how ignorant the Arabs used to be, then recite the Ayat beyond Ayah one hundred and thirty in Surat Al-An`am,

(Indeed lost are they who have killed their children, foolishly, without knowledge, and they have forbidden that which Allah has provided for them, inventing a lie against Allah. They have indeed gone astray and were not guided.)" Al-Bukhari also recorded this in the section of his Sahih on the virtues of the Quraysh.

Allah Created the Produce, Seed Grains and Cattle

Allah states that He created everything, including the produce, fruits and cattle that the idolators mishandled by their misguided ideas, dividing them into various designated parts, allowing some and prohibiting some. Allah said,

(And it is He Who produces gardens Ma`rushat and not Ma`rushat,) `Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas commented, "Ma`rushat refers to what the people trellise, while `not Ma`rushat' refers to fruits (and produce) that grow wild inland and on mountains." `Ata' Al-Khurasani said that Ibn `Abbas said, "Ma`rushat are the grapevines that are trellised, while `not Ma`rushat' refers to grapevines that are not trellised." As-Suddi said similarly. As for these fruits being similar, yet different, Ibn Jurayj said, "They are similar in shape, but different in taste." Muhammad bin Ka`b said that the Ayah,

(Eat of their fruit when they ripen,) means, "(Eat) from the dates and grapes they produce." Allah said next,

(but pay the due thereof on the day of their harvest, ) Mujahid commented, "When the poor people are present (on the day of harvest), give them some of the produce." `Abdur-Razzaq recorded that Mujahid commented on the Ayah,

(but pay the due thereof on the day of their harvest.) "When planting, one gives away handfuls (of seed grains) and on harvest, he gives away handfuls and allows them to pick whatever is left on the ground of the harvest." Ath-Thawri said that Hammad narrated that Ibrahim An-Nakha`i said, "One gives away some of the hay." Ibn Al-Mubarak said that Shurayk said that Salim said that Sa`id bin Jubayr commented;

(but pay the due thereof on the day of their harvest,) "This ruling, giving the poor the handfuls (of seed grains) and some of the hay as food for their animals, was before Zakah became obligatory." Allah has chastised those who harvest, without giving away a part of it as charity. Allah mentioned the story of the owners of the garden in Surat Nun,

(When they swore to pluck the fruits of the (garden) in the morning. Without saying: "If Allah wills." Then there passed by on the (garden) a visitation (fire) from your Lord at night, burning it while they were asleep. So the (garden) became black by the morning, like a pitch dark night (in complete ruins). Then they called out one to another as soon as the morning broke. Saying: "Go to your tilth in the morning, if you would pluck the fruits." So they departed, conversing in secret low tones (saying). "No poor person shall enter upon you into it today." And they went in the morning with strong intention, thinking that they have power (to prevent the poor taking anything of the fruits therefrom). But when they saw the (garden), they said: "Verily, we have gone astray." (Then they said): "Nay! Indeed we are deprived of (the fruits)!" The best among them said: "Did I not tell you, why say you not: `If Allah wills'." They said: "Glory to Our Lord! Verily, we have been wrongdoers." Then they turned one against another, blaming. They said: "Woe to us! We have transgressed. We hope that our Lord will give us in exchange a better (garden) than this. Truly, we turn to our Lord." Such is the punishment (in this life), but truly, the punishment of the Hereafter is greater if they but knew.) 68:18-33.

Prohibiting Extravagance

Allah said,

(And waste not by extravagance. Verily, He likes not the wasteful.) It was said that the extravagance prohibited here refers to excessive charity beyond normal amounts. Ibn Jurayj said, "This Ayah was revealed concerning Thabit bin Qays bin Shammas, who plucked the fruits of his date palms. Then he said to himself, `This day, every person who comes to me, I will feed him from it.' So he kept feeding (them) until the evening came and he ended up with no dates. Allah sent down,

(And waste not by extravagance. Verily, He likes not the wasteful.)" Ibn Jarir recorded this statement from Ibn Jurayj. However, thhe apparent meaning of this Ayah, and Allah knows best, is that;

(Eat of their fruit when they ripen, but pay the due thereof on the day of their harvest, and waste not...) refers to eating, meaning, do not waste in eating because this spoils the mind and the body. Allah said in another Ayah,

(And eat and drink but waste not by extravagance.) 7: 31 In his Sahih, Al-Bukhari recorded a Hadith without a chain of narration; a

(Eat, drink and clothe yourselves without extravagance or arrogance.) Therefore, these Ayat have the same meaning as this Hadith. and Allah knows best.

Benefits of Cattle

Allah's statement,

(And of the cattle (are some) for burden and (some smaller) for Farsh.) means, He created cattle for you, some of which are suitable for burden, such as camels, and some are Farsh. Ath-Thawri narrated that Abu Ishaq said that Abu Al-Ahwas said that `Abdullah said that `animals for burden' are the camels that are used for carrying things, while, `Farsh', refers to small camels. Al-Hakim recorded it and said, "Its chain is Sahih and they did not record it." `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said that `animals for burden' refers to the animals that people ride, while, `Farsh' is that they eat (its meat) and milk it. The sheep is not able to carry things, so you eat its meat and use its wool for covers and mats (or clothes). This statement of `Abdur-Rahman is sound, and the following Ayat testify to it,

(Do they not see that We have created for them of what Our Hands have created, the cattle, so that they are their owners. And We have subdued them unto them so that some of them they have for riding and some they eat.) 36:71-72, and,

(And verily, in the cattle, there is a lesson for you. We give you to drink of that which is in their bellies, from between excretions and blood, pure milk; palatable to the drinkers.) 16:66, until,

(And of their wool, fur and hair, furnishings and articles of convenience, comfort for a while.) 16:80.

Eat the Meat of These Cattle, But Do Not Follow Shaytan's Law Concerning Them

Allah said,

(Eat of what Allah has provided for you,) of fruits, produce and cattle. Allah created all these and provided you with them as provision.

(and follow not the footsteps of Shaytan.) meaning, his way and orders, just as the idolators followed him and prohibited fruits and produce that Allah provided for them, claiming that this falsehood came from Allah.

(Surely, he is to you) meaning; Shaytan, O people, is to you,

(an open enemy) and his enmity to you is clear and apparent. Allah said in other Ayat,

(Surely, Shaytan is an enemy to you, so take (treat) him as an enemy. He only invites his Hizb (followers) that they may become the dwellers of the blazing Fire. ) 35:6 and,

(O Children of Adam! Let not Shaytan deceive you, as he got your parents out of Paradise, stripping them of their raiment, to show them their private parts.) 7:27 and,

(Will you then take him (Iblis) and his offspring as protectors and helpers rather than Me while they are enemies to you What an evil is the exchange for the wrongdoers.)18:50 There are many other Ayat on this subject.

These Ayat demonstrate the ignorance of the Arabs before Islam.

They used to prohibit the usage of some of their cattle and designate them as Bahirah, Sa'ibah, Wasilah and Ham etc. These were some of the innovations they invented for cattle, fruits and produce. Allah stated that He has created gardens, trellised and untrellised, and cattle, as animals of burden and as Farsh. Allah next mentioned various kinds of cattle, male and female, such as sheep and goats. He also created male and female camels and the same with cows. Allah did not prohibit any of these cattle or their offspring. Rather, they all were created for the sons of Adam as a source for food, transportation, work, milk, and other benefits, which are many. Allah said,

(And He has sent down for you of cattle eight pairs...) 39:6 Allah said;

(...or (the young) which the wombs of the two females enclose...) This refutes the idolators' statement,

(What is in the bellies of such and such cattle is for our males alone, and forbidden to our females.) 6:139 Allah said,

(Inform me with knowledge if you are truthful.) meaning, tell me with sure knowledge, how and when did Allah prohibit what you claimed is prohibited, such as the Bahirah, Sa'ibah, Wasilah and Ham etc. Al-`Awfi said that Ibn `Abbas said, "Allah's statement,

(Eight pairs: of the sheep two, and of the goats two...) these are four pairs,

(Say: "Has He forbidden the two males or the two females...") I (Allah) did not prohibit any of these.

(or (the young) which the wombs of the two females enclose) and does the womb produce but males and females So why do you prohibit some and allow some others

(Inform me with knowledge if you are truthful. ) Allah is saying that all of this is allowed." Allah said,

(Or, were you present when Allah ordered you such a thing) mocking the idolators' innovations, and their lies that Allah made sacred what they have prohibited.

(Then who does more wrong than one who invents a lie against Allah, to lead mankind astray without knowledge.) Therefore, no one is more unjust than the people described here and

(Certainly, Allah guides not the people who are wrongdoers.) The person most worthy of this condemnation is `Amr bin Luhay bin Qum`ah. He was the first person to change the religion of the Prophets and designate the Sa'ibah, Wasilah and Ham, as mentioned in the Sahih.