Translation of the Meanings of the Noble Qur'an - English Translation - Dr. Waleed Bleyhesh Omary * - Translations’ Index
Translation of the meanings Ayah: (143) Surah: Al-An‘ām
ثَمَٰنِيَةَ أَزۡوَٰجٖۖ مِّنَ ٱلضَّأۡنِ ٱثۡنَيۡنِ وَمِنَ ٱلۡمَعۡزِ ٱثۡنَيۡنِۗ قُلۡ ءَآلذَّكَرَيۡنِ حَرَّمَ أَمِ ٱلۡأُنثَيَيۡنِ أَمَّا ٱشۡتَمَلَتۡ عَلَيۡهِ أَرۡحَامُ ٱلۡأُنثَيَيۡنِۖ نَبِّـُٔونِي بِعِلۡمٍ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰدِقِينَ
(143) [1518]˹Now, these livestock are˺ eight mates[1519], two of sheep and two of goats. Say ˹Muhammad˺: “˹Pray you˺ Did He forbid the two males or the two females, or what is contained in the wombs of the two females?[1520] Tell me with knowledge[1521], if you are truthful!”
[1518] This passage delivers a knockout argument and highlights the folly of the heathen laws which, to say the least, lack wisdom and are prone to be derided if looked at critically as in this passage (al-Biqāʿī, Naẓm al-Durar).
[1519] “He created you from a single soul. Then He made from it its mate, and He produced for you from the grazing livestock eight mates...” (39: 6).
[1520] This brings into question the wisdom behind their declaring unlawful some of the mentioned kinds (males, females and embryos) but not all of them, and as to why some of these were made unlawful in particular and not all of them since the same principles apply in all parallel cases (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī). If a male sheep was declared unlawful then why not a he goat?; if a female sheep was declared unlawful then why not a she goat?; if an embryo in the womb of the female sheep was declared unlawful then, by the same token, why was the embryo in the womb of the she goat not declared so? (al-Rāzī, al-Shinqīṭī, al-ʿAdhb al-Namīr).
[1521] That is this peculiar choice is not justified by proper knowledge! (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī). It also mounts a challenge to the Arabs of the time who claimed to follow the creed of Abraham (عليه السلام).
[1519] “He created you from a single soul. Then He made from it its mate, and He produced for you from the grazing livestock eight mates...” (39: 6).
[1520] This brings into question the wisdom behind their declaring unlawful some of the mentioned kinds (males, females and embryos) but not all of them, and as to why some of these were made unlawful in particular and not all of them since the same principles apply in all parallel cases (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī). If a male sheep was declared unlawful then why not a he goat?; if a female sheep was declared unlawful then why not a she goat?; if an embryo in the womb of the female sheep was declared unlawful then, by the same token, why was the embryo in the womb of the she goat not declared so? (al-Rāzī, al-Shinqīṭī, al-ʿAdhb al-Namīr).
[1521] That is this peculiar choice is not justified by proper knowledge! (cf. al-Ṭabarī, Ibn Kathīr, al-Saʿdī). It also mounts a challenge to the Arabs of the time who claimed to follow the creed of Abraham (عليه السلام).
Arabic explanations of the Qur’an:
Translation of the meanings Ayah: (143) Surah: Al-An‘ām
Translation of the Meanings of the Noble Qur'an - English Translation - Dr. Waleed Bleyhesh Omary - Translations’ Index
Translation of the meanings of the Noble Qur’an into English - in progress - translated by Dr. Walid Bleihesh Al-Omari.