6.143
Abbas - Tanwîr al-Miqbâs min Tafsîr Ibn ‘Abbâs
(Eight pairs) He created eight pairs: (Of the sheep twain) male and female, (and of the goats twain) male and female. (Say) to Malik, O Muhammad: (Hath He forbidden the two males or the two females) is the prohibition of the Bahirah and Wasilah because of the fluids of the two males or those of the two females, (or that which the wombs of the two females contain) before copulation? (Expound to me (the case) with knowledge, if ye are truthful) that Allah has made unlawful that which you claim.
Eight pairs types thamāniyata azwājin substitutes for hamūlatan wa-farshan ‘some for burdens and some for light support’ two of sheep a male and a female; and of goats read ma‘az or ma‘z two. Say O Muhammad (s) to those who on one occasion deem male cattle forbidden and on another the females thereof and then ascribe such rules to God ‘Is it the two males of the sheep and goats He has forbidden you or the two females of these two types or that which the wombs of the two females contain be they male or female? Inform Me with knowledge of the details of such prohibitions if you speak truly’ in this matter meaning on what basis has the prohibition been made? If it is on the basis of maleness then all males are forbidden; if on the basis of femaleness then all females are so forbidden; if on what the womb may contain then both genders are prohibited. So on what basis are such specifications made? the interrogative is meant as a repudiation.
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,
(What is in the bellies of such and such cattle is for our males alone, and forbidden to our females.) 6:139 Allah said,
نَبِّئُونِي بِعِلْمٍ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـدِقِينَ
(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,
(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
نَبِّئُونِي بِعِلْمٍ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـدِقِينَ
(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
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَهْدِى الْقَوْمَ الظَّـلِمِينَ
(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.
6.141-144
Maududi - Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi - Tafhim al-Qur'an
The original Arabic words Jannat-im-ma iushat-in literally mean gardens of creepers, trellised, and has been translated into vineyards; wa ghaira ma 'rushat-in literally mean gardens of plants that are un-trellised and has been translated into gardens of up-right trees.
The original Arabic word farsh refers to animals (like sheep etc.,) in the sense that they are of small size and almost touch the ground while they are moving about, or in the sense that they are laid on the ground at the time of slaughter, or in the sense that beds are made of their skins and hair.
From the context in which this verse (142) occurs, it is obvious that Allah wills to impress three things: (1) "The gardens, the fields and the animals you possess, have all been bestowed by Allah, and none else has any share in this favor and, therefore, none else is entitled to any gratitude for this." (2) "As none else has any share in this favor, these should be used in accordance with the Law of Allah, and none else has any right to prescribe limits for their use; therefore the one who observes the rituals prescribed by any one other than Allah, transgresses the limits prescribed by Allah and follows the ways of Satan." (3) "All these things have been created by Allah for food and other uses for mankind and none has any right to make these unlawful without "knowledge." Therefore Allah does not approve of the restrictions that have been imposed on these things, as a result of superstitions and presumptions.
That is, "Your answer should be based on knowledge and not on mere presumptions, superstitions or the traditions of your forefathers."
The question whether some animals of the same family are lawful and others unlawful, has been posed with such a detail so that the absurdity of their superstitions may become obvious even to them. It is absurd on the face of it that the male of the same family should be lawful and the female unlawful, or conversely, the female should be lawful and the male unlawful, or the animal should be lawful, but the young one of the same be unlawful: This is such a nonsensical thing that no right thinking person, nay, no man in his senses, can imagine that Allah could ever impose such unreasonable restrictions. It should be noted that the method applied by the Qur'an to show the absurdity of the superstitious practices of the Arabs can also be applied with equal force to expose the folly of the superstitious practices of the other nations of the world, which have imposed unreasonable restrictions on food and adopted inhuman indiscriminations against other human beings.
