(6:141) Allah Created the Produce, Seed Grains and Cattle
Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala reminds us that it is “He” Who 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.
The word ansha-a [أَنشَأَ] is from nash’a which means “to rise or emerge” while in sha ’a is “to cause something to rise”. Primarily, it is used for creating something and making it grow. Whatever Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala has created it grows gradually. It has different stages of growth. A baby or a plant grows in stages.
The word Jannatin [جَنَّـتٍ] refers to Paradise in the Hereafter. Secondly, it is also used to mean a dense garden that is filled with trees so much so that the sunlight doesn’t reach the ground.
The word ma`rushatin [مَّعْرُوشَـتٍ] is from the word arsh which literally means “throne”. A throne is at an elevated position. Therefore, ma`rushtain means “to raise, to make go high”. Here, it refers to vines of plants which are mounted on supports called trellis, such as the grape plant and some vegetables.
The word waghyra ma`rushatin [وَغَيْرَ مَعْرُوشَـتٍ] is the opposite of ma`rushtain. It includes all plants the vines of which are not raised high – whether trees with trunk and without vines or they may be vines which spread on the ground and are not raised, such as strawberry and melon.
Nakhla [نَّخْلَ] means date tree. Zar`a [وَالزَّرْعَ] refers to crops of all kinds. The wordmukh’talifan [مُخْتَلِفًا] means “diverse”. While zaytoon [زَّيْتُون] means olives and ruman [رُّمَّان] is pomegranate.
Mustashabihan [مُتَشَـبِهاً] means similar while ghayra mustashabihin [غَيْرَ مُتَشَـبِهٍ]means dissimilar.
Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala is describing the variety plants that He has created for us to take eat from and share with others. There are some plants that are climbers and wouldn’t grow unless a trellis is provided for their support such as grapes. There are others that don’t require a trellis to grow. They will either grow tall like a tree on their own or spread over the earth such as strawberry plant.
He also made palm trees and different kinds of crops such as wheat, barley, and olives and pomegranates. All of these are edibles but they are different in shape, color, texture and taste. Even two fruits of the same plant might be similar in shape but different in taste. There is so much variety in what Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala has created for us.
Then it was said, “…and give its due on the day of its harvest…” Mujahid commented that this means, “When the poor are present (on the day of harvest), give them some of the produce.”
Meaning, Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala commands us to eat, drink and use these things, but also remember to pay their due at the time of harvesting. The Haq or due denotes giving it as sadaqah or charity to the poor and needy
The word Haqqahu can be understood in two ways. One opinion is that it means that zakat due on the harvest must be given on the day produce is harvested. The Zakat on land is known as Ushr which is from the word ashra meaning “ten”. Therefore, the amount of Zakat on land is one tenth of the produce. The other opinion is that haqqahu refers to the Haq of Allah meaning sadaqah.
When Zakat became obligatory then it became compulsory on the people to give one tenth of the produce in Zakat. Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala has chastised those who harvest without giving away a part of it as charity.
Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala ends this ayah by prohibiting extravagance. When a person overspends he either deprives himself of something or those on whom he has an obligation to spend such as his immediate family and the needy. A person may also be extravagant out of arrogance that is to show off among people. A person may also squander his wealth by wasting it. These are traits that are disliked by Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala. Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala likes moderation.
Prohibiting Extravagance
Even when spending in a good cause apply moderation.
Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala does not like those who waste their wealth by overspending or in sin.
(6:142) Benefits of Cattle
For the Arabs, it was a matter of status if someone owned a grazing livestock because it was complete livelihood. He could drink or sell the milk. Carry load on it. Eat its meal. Use its skin after slaughtering and so on.
Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala created cattle, some of which are suitable for burden such as camels and some are farsh. What is meant by farsh? These are the animals that are smaller in size and are closer to the ground.
1) ...Hamuulatan...Animals that carry load:
2) ...Farsha...grazing livestock:
Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said that ‘animals for burden’ refers to the animals that people ride on, 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).
Eat the Meat of These Cattle, But Do Not Follow Shaytan's Law Concerning Them
After describing the types of grazing livestock, Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala said,“…eat of what Allah has provided for you…” meaning of fruits, produce and cattle that Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala created and provided us with as provision. Why was this mentioned here? It is because, as we read in Ayah 138, the Mushrikeen had made certain animals haram upon themselves. It is Shaytan that incites man to make haram that which is halal. Shaytan is our enemy he doesn’t want us to take benefit from the halal and tayab things that Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala created for us.
Generally, an enemy remains hidden. A person with evil intentions conceals his feelings but in Shaytan’s case his enmity towards mankind is clear and apparent.
(6:143) These Ayat demonstrate the ignorance of the Arabs before Islam.
In this Ayah, Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala refutes the claim of the Mushrikeen stated in Ayah 139, “What is in the bellies of these animals is exclusively for our males and forbidden to our females.”
Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala says that He has created Anaam in pairs. There is one male and one female. So is the male that He has forbidden, the female or that which is in their bellies?
He challenges the idolators to inform Him with sure knowledge, how and when did Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala prohibit what they claim to be prohibited. Where did the evidence come from? If a male of an animal is halal then so is the female. Similarly, if the female is halal so is the male. Both have same characteristics. We cannot make things halal and haram out of personal choice. The authority of halal and haram was also not given to the Prophet sallAllahu `alayhi wa sallam, it only lies with Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala.
Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala says, He created eight mates from the grazing livestock, two from the sheep, two from the goats, two from the camels, and two from the cattle. One male and one female. All of them are permissible for human consumption. When did Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala make them impermissible? Were they present when Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala ordered such a thing? Here, Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala is the mocking their innovations and their lies.
Eight mates of grazing stock:
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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 subhanahu wa ta`ala 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 indiscrimination against other human beings.
“Then who is more unjust than one who invents a lie about Allah to mislead the people by [something] other than knowledge?” Here, we learn that people mislead others out of their own lack of knowledge and misguidance. Therefore, it is pertinent for us to evaluate our sources of knowledge. Who and from where do we take our guidance?
“Indeed, Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.” The wrongdoing people are those who lie, fabricate, innovate and misguide others.
Ibn Katheer writes in his tafseer that these Ayaat were revealed about `Amr ibn Luhay ibn Qum`ah. He was the first person to change the religion of Ibraheem `alayhi salaam and designate the Sa`ibah. Waseelah and Haam.
Abu Hurayrah radhiAllahu `anhu said that the Messenger of Allah, sallAllahu `aalyhi wa sallam said, “I saw Amr bin Amir Al-Khuza`i pulling his intestines behind him in the Fire, and he was the first to start the practice of Sa’ibah.” Why? It is because he was the first person to innovate something that caused harm to other people.
Lessons to learn:
1. Eat the produce when it yields. Some people believe that it is an act of piety to abstain from fruits. On the contrary, it is an act of gratitude when we eat from the pure and halal that Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala has provided us. The produce of the earth is the most tayyab (pure) fruit.
2. We should give Ushr (Zakat of land) on the day of harvest. It is the day when the produce is fresh and the hungry are waiting for their share. When people are stingy no one can benefit. Zakat purifies the wealth and increases it.
3. We learn about the prohibition of extravagance. Do not waste. Do not be excessive in charity as well as consumption. A hadeeth in Saheeh Bukhari states,“Eat, drink and clothe yourselves without extravagance or arrogance.”
– We learn that Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala has created various types of animals that benefit us in different ways. Some provide us milk. Some provide us transport. Some provide wool and so on. If a person dedicates them to idols and makes them haram upon himself then he is depriving himself from what Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala offered him.
– It is of the plot of Shaytan that he inspires people to make things halal and haram without any evidence from Qur’an. Some people do not eat meat stating it is against animal rights. They say slaughtering animals is barbaric. Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala created them for us. They were not created to graze and die.
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