Surah 6

Surah 6:143

"Eight pairs: two of the sheep, and two of the goats. Say: ‘Has He forbidden the two males or the two females? Or what the wombs of the two females contain? Inform me with knowledge, if you are truthful.’"
Tafsir Ibn Kathir Verses 6:143-144
Show Full Scripture Context (6:143-144) — 2 Verses
Verse 143

ثَمَٰنِيَةَ أَزۡوَٰجٖۖ مِّنَ ٱلضَّأۡنِ ٱثۡنَيۡنِ وَمِنَ ٱلۡمَعۡزِ ٱثۡنَيۡنِۗ قُلۡ ءَآلذَّكَرَيۡنِ حَرَّمَ أَمِ ٱلۡأُنثَيَيۡنِ أَمَّا ٱشۡتَمَلَتۡ عَلَيۡهِ أَرۡحَامُ ٱلۡأُنثَيَيۡنِۖ نَبِّـُٔونِي بِعِلۡمٍ إِن كُنتُمۡ صَٰدِقِينَ

Eight pairs: two of the sheep, and two of the goats. Say: ‘Has He forbidden the two males or the two females? Or what the wombs of the two females contain? Inform me with knowledge, if you are truthful.’

Verse 144

وَمِنَ ٱلۡإِبِلِ ٱثۡنَيۡنِ وَمِنَ ٱلۡبَقَرِ ٱثۡنَيۡنِۗ قُلۡ ءَآلذَّكَرَيۡنِ حَرَّمَ أَمِ ٱلۡأُنثَيَيۡنِ أَمَّا ٱشۡتَمَلَتۡ عَلَيۡهِ أَرۡحَامُ ٱلۡأُنثَيَيۡنِۖ أَمۡ كُنتُمۡ شُهَدَآءَ إِذۡ وَصَّىٰكُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِهَٰذَاۚ فَمَنۡ أَظۡلَمُ مِمَّنِ ٱفۡتَرَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبٗا لِّيُضِلَّ ٱلنَّاسَ بِغَيۡرِ عِلۡمٍۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهۡدِي ٱلۡقَوۡمَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ

And two of the camels, and two of the cows. Say: ‘Has He forbidden the two males or the two females? Or what the wombs of the two females contain? Or were you witnesses when God charged you with this (command)? Who is more evil than the one who forges a lie against God, in order to lead the people astray without (their) realizing (it)? Surely God does not guide the people who are evildoers.’

143. Eight pairs: of the sheep two (male and female), and of the goats two (male and female). Say: "Has He forbidden the two males or the two females, or (the young) which the wombs of the two females enclose? Inform me with knowledge if you are truthful.
144. And of the camels two (male and female), and of oxen two (male and female). Say: "Has He forbidden the two males or the two females or (the young) which the wombs of the two females enclose? Or were you present when Allah ordered you such a thing? Then who does more wrong than one who invents a lie against Allah, to lead mankind astray without knowledge. Certainly, Allah guides not the people who are wrongdoers."

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, WasUah and Ham etc.?

Al-‘Awfi said that Ibn ‘Abbas said, “Allah’s statement,

Eight pairs : of the sheep two, and of the goats two. . .} these are four pairs,

Say : " Has He forbidden the two males or the two females .. ."}

I (Allah) did not prohibit any of these.

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?

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 idolaters ’ 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

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, Wasdah and Ham, as mentioned in the Sahib.

— from Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Vol. 4, Page 494)

About this Source & Scholarly Authority (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Universal Sunni Consensus: Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim by Hafiz Ibn Kathir (701–774 AH / 1301–1373 AD) is universally regarded across all major schools of Sunni Islam (traditional, Salafi, Ash'ari) as the most authoritative classical exegesis. It is prized because it relies on Tafsir bil-Ma'thur—interpreting the Quran using the Quran itself, authentic Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad, and recorded statements of the early Companions (Sahabah).

Standard English Edition: This text is from the standard 10-volume English abridgment published by Dar-us-Salam Publications (supervised by Shaykh Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri), which is the official, most widely distributed English Quranic commentary in mosques and Islamic libraries worldwide today.