Islam Guidance

Verse138

(138) وَ قالُوا هذِهِ أَنْعامٌ وَ حَرْثٌ حِجْرٌ لا يَطْعَمُها إِلاَّ مَنْ نَشاءُ بِزَعْمِهِمْ وَ أَنْعامٌ حُرِّمَتْ ظُهُورُها

وَ أَنْعامٌ لا يَذْكُرُونَ اسْمَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْها افْتِراءً عَلَيْهِ سَيَجْزِيهِمْ بِما كانُوا يَفْتَرُونَ

138. " And they said: ' These are cattle and tillage prohibited. None may eat them except whom we please' - so they assert - 'and (there are) cattle whose backs are forbidden and cattle over which they do not mention Allah's name' - forging a lie against Him. Soon He will requite them for what they used to forge."

Commentary :
The Qur'an has referred to another false belief of idolaters' notion in this verse. They considered camels, cows, sheep, and tilth unlawful, with their own imagination, and they divided them for gods. They said that none could eat from their meat unless they would let.
" And they said: ' These are cattle and tillage prohibited. None may eat them except whom we please ' - so they assert - ..."
When the holy verse says "So they assert" it means that they had no reason for this action of theirs, but they encumbered themselves only imaginarily.
"... 'and (there are) cattle whose backs are forbidden ..."
The objective meaning of the cattle on whose backs they believed was unlawful to ride, were as follows :
A she-camel which had brought forth ten she-camel issues; and a she-camel which had brought forth five issues and her ears were slit; and a male camel which had caused ten issues. (Refer to the commentary of verse 103 from Sura 5, too.)
"... and cattle over which they do not mention Allah's name' ِ forging a lie against Him ..."
Mujahid, a commentator, says that there were some cattle over which, and over their limbs, they did not mention the name of Allah, and they did not perform pilgrimage rites on them as well. Or, when slaughtering them, they mentioned the names of idols over them, not the name of Allah. They used to do these things with the reason that Allah had commanded them to do so. But that was a lie and a calumny.
"... Soon He will requite them for what they used to forge."
Allah will give them soon their retribution for the lies and calumnies they used to forge against Him.
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