وَلَوْ أَنَّنَا 308 الأنعام

وَمِنَ الْأَنْعَامِ حَمُولَةً وَفَرْشًا كُلُوا مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ اللَّهُ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُبِينٌ ﴿۱۴۲﴾ ثَمَانِيَةَ أَزْوَاجٍ مِنَ الضَّأْنِ اثْنَيْنِ وَمِنَ الْمَعْزِ اثْنَيْنِ قُلْ آلذَّكَرَيْنِ حَرَّمَ أَمِ الْأُنْثَيَيْنِ أَمَّا اشْتَمَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ أَرْحَامُ الْأُنْثَيَيْنِ نَبِّئُونِي بِعِلْمٍ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ ﴿۱۴۳﴾ وَمِنَ الْإِبِلِ اثْنَيْنِ وَمِنَ الْبَقَرِ اثْنَيْنِ قُلْ آلذَّكَرَيْنِ حَرَّمَ أَمِ الْأُنْثَيَيْنِ أَمَّا اشْتَمَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ أَرْحَامُ الْأُنْثَيَيْنِ أَمْ كُنْتُمْ شُهَدَاءَ إِذْ وَصَّاكُمُ اللَّهُ بِهَذَا فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرَى عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا لِيُضِلَّ النَّاسَ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ ﴿۱۴۴﴾

﴾142﴿ Wa minal an'aami hamoolatanw wa farshaa; kuloo mimmaa razaqakumul laahu wa laa tattabi'oo khutuwaatish Shaitaan; innahoo lakum 'aduwwum mubeen
﴾143﴿ Samaaniyata azwaajim minad da'nisnaini wa minal ma'zis nain; qul 'aaazzaka raini harrama amil unsaiyayni ammash tamalat 'alaihi arhaamul unsayayni nabbi 'oonee bi'ilmin in kuntum saadiqeen
﴾144﴿ Wa minal ibilis naini wa minal baqaris nain; qul 'aaazzakaraini harrama amil unsayaini ammash tamalat 'alaihi arhaamul unsayaini am kuntum shuhadaaa'a iz wassaakumul laahu bihaazaa; faman azlamu mimmanif taraa 'alal laahi kazibal liyuddillan naasa bighairi 'ilm; innal laaha laa yahdil qawmaz zaalimeen

﴾142﴿ And (He has created) some of the livestock as beasts of burden and others as small. Eat of what Allah has provided for you as lawful, and do not follow the footsteps of Satan; indeed, he is a clear enemy to you.
﴾143﴿ He created eight pairs: of sheep two (male and female), and of goats two (male and female). Say, “Has Allah forbidden the two males, or the two females, or what the wombs of the females contain? Inform me with knowledge, if you are truthful.”
﴾144﴿ And of camels, two (male and female), and of cattle, two (male and female). Say, “Did Allah forbid the two males, or the two females, or what the wombs of the two females contain? Or were you witnesses when Allah commanded you with this?” So who is more unjust than one who invents a lie against Allah to mislead people without knowledge? Surely, Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people.

[142] This is another argument to refute active shirk, and the verb "ansha’a" (to produce or create) is implied though not explicitly mentioned.
(Ḥamūlah) — refers to livestock that carry loads on their backs and are elevated from the ground, such as horses, mules, and donkeys.
(Farshan) — refers to sheep and goats that cannot carry loads and stay close to the ground, or it refers to the fact that carpets and coverings are made from their hides.
(Kulū) — the point is: do not declare these animals unlawful by yourselves.
(Wa lā tattabi‘ū) — the point is: do not make vows in the name of others besides Allah.
[143] This is another rational argument. (Thamāniyah) — “eight” — is an appositive referring to ḥamūlah and farshan, and the explanation follows the method of laf wa nashr ghayr murattab (unstructured order of listing and explanation).
(Azwāj) — is the plural of zawj, which refers to anything paired with another of its kind. Sometimes zawj refers to a single entity; here, that meaning is intended — i.e., male and female of each kind.
This presents a challenge to the polytheists: you declare some livestock unlawful for yourselves — so is the reason for its prohibition that the animal is male? Or female? Or that it was carried in the womb?
If the first reason is the basis, then all male livestock would be forbidden. If the second, then all females. And if the third, then both males and females should be forbidden. So why do you differentiate — declaring some lawful and others unlawful?
This is a rational demand for a consistent explanation, but they have no answer.
(Nabbi’ūnī bi-‘ilm) — this is a demand for textual (revealed) evidence, because ‘ilm here refers to knowledge established through divine revelation from Allah the Exalted — and this is the definition of ‘ilm in Islamic law.
[144] This verse is similar to the previous one. First, it presents a rational challenge, and then — with the phrase (am kuntum shuhadā’) — it presents a textual (revealed) challenge. That is: if Allah the Exalted truly gave you this ruling, were you present and did you hear it from Him? This is a call for evidence based on revelation.
With (fa-man aẓlamu) — it is a warning against the one who associates others with Allah and invites others to do the same. This includes figures like ‘Amr ibn Luhayy ibn Qam‘ah al-Khuzā‘ī, who was the first to introduce shirk among the Arabs.
Al-Sharbīnī said: this threat includes anyone who introduces into the religion of Allah something that does not belong to it.
By (al-ẓālimīn) — “the wrongdoers” — those individuals are meant who commit such innovations and distortions in religion.