6. Sura al-Anam

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

ثَمَانِيَةَ أَزْوَاجٍ ...

6:143. (Take) eight (head of cattle) in (four) pairs:

C968. The superstitions referred to in vi. 139 and v. 106 are further ridiculed in this verse, and the next.

... مِّنَ الضَّأْنِ اثْنَيْنِ وَمِنَ الْمَعْزِ اثْنَيْنِ...

of sheep a pair,

and of goats a pair;

...قُلْ آلذَّكَرَيْنِ حَرَّمَ أَمِ الأُنثَيَيْنِ أَمَّا اشْتَمَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ أَرْحَامُ الأُنثَيَيْنِ...

say, hath He forbidden the two males, or the two females, or (the young) which the wombs of the two females enclose?

...نَبِّؤُونِي بِعِلْمٍ إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ ﴿١٤٣﴾

Tell me with knowledge if ye are truthful.

وَمِنَ الإِبْلِ اثْنَيْنِ وَمِنَ الْبَقَرِ اثْنَيْنِ...

6:144. Of camels a pair, and of oxen a pair;

...قُلْ آلذَّكَرَيْنِ حَرَّمَ أَمِ الأُنثَيَيْنِ أَمَّا اشْتَمَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ أَرْحَامُ الأُنثَيَيْنِ...

say,

hath He forbidden the two males, or the two females,

or the (the young) which the wombs of the two females enclose?

...أَمْ كُنتُمْ شُهَدَاء إِذْ وَصَّاكُمُ اللّهُ بِهَـذَا...

Were ye present when Allah ordered you such a thing?

...فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرَى عَلَى اللّهِ كَذِبًا لِيُضِلَّ النَّاسَ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ...

But who doth more wrong than one who invents a lie against Allah, to lead astray men without knowledge?

...إِنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ ﴿١٤٤﴾

For Allah guideth not people who do wrong.

Others version:

6: 143

Asad ………….either of the two sexes of sheep and of goats [note 130]“……….Tell me what you know in this respect [note 131], if what you say is true.”

Pickthall Eight pairs: Of the sheep twain, and of the goats twain. Say: Hath He forbidden the two males or the two females, or that which the wombs of the two females contain? Expound to me (the case) with knowledge, if ye are truthful.

Transliteration Sama_niyata azwa_j(in), minad da'nisnaini wa minal ma'zisnain(i), qul a_zzakaraini harrama amil unsayaini ammasytamalat 'alaihi arha_mul unsayain(i), nabbi'u_ni bi'ilmin in kuntum sa_diqin(a).

6: 144

Asad ……………..And who could be more wicked than he who, without any [real] knowledge, attributes his own lying inventions to God, and thus leads people astray?” Behold, God does not grace [such] evildoing folk with His guidance.

Pickthall And of the camels twain and of the oxen twain. Say: Hath He forbidden the two males or the two females, or that which the wombs of the two females contain; or were ye by to witness when Allah commanded you (all) this? Then who doth greater wrong than he who devises a lie concerning Allah, that he may lead mankind astray without knowledge. Lo! Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk.

Transliteration Wa minal ibilisnaini wa minal baqarisnain(i), qul a_zzakaraini harrama amil unsayaini ammasytamalat'alaihi arha_mul unsayain(i), am kuntum syuhada_'a iz wassa_kumulla_hu bi ha_za_, faman azlamu mimmaniftara_ 'alalla_hi kazibal liyudillan na_sa bi gairi 'ilm(in), innalla_ha la_ yahdil qaumaz za_limin(a).

[[ Asad’s note 130 ……The term “zawj” denotes a pair of things as well as each of the two constituents of a pair: hence my rendering of “thamaniyat azwaj” (lit., eight [in] pairs”) as “four kinds of cattle of either sex”. The particular superstition to which this and the next verse refers is probably identical with the one mentioned in 5:103].

note-131 Lit., “tell me with knowledge” – i.e., not on the basis of guesswork but of knowledge….]]

[[ Ruby’s note – All the above verses refer superstitions and how these are devoid of truth and unnecessarily complicate lifestyle. Islam promotes simplicity and if any restriction or prohibition comes in life it should be based on revelation or from knowledge and reason as to whether it is harmful or beneficial, etc. Any action or ritual should not be based on conjecture, past meaningless and false traditions or guesswork. A practice should be based on reason, knowledge and definitely on the injunction of a divine revelation. The serious negativity of superstitions and/ past traditions that are meaningless is raised here through these verses.]]