وَمِنَ ٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِ حَمُولَةً وَفَرْشًا ۚ كُلُوا۟ مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا۟ خُطُوَٰتِ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ 142
Translations
And of the grazing livestock are carriers [of burdens] and those [too] small. Eat of what Allāh has provided for you and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy.
Transliteration
Wa min al-an'ami hamulatan wa farshan. Kulu mimma razaqakumu Allah wa la tattabi'u khutuati ash-shaytani. Innahu lakum 'aduwwun mubin.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah commands believers to consume from the livestock (camels, cattle, sheep, goats) that Allah has provided as sustenance, distinguishing between hamulah (beasts of burden used for carrying heavy loads) and farsh (smaller animals used for riding or breeding). Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi explain that this verse encourages the lawful enjoyment of Allah's provisions while warning against following Shaytan's whispers regarding forbidden foods and practices, emphasizing that Shaytan is an open and manifest enemy who seeks to lead humanity astray through deception about what is permissible.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-An'am, a Meccan chapter that comprehensively discusses monotheism and the signs of Allah's creation. It follows verses about livestock as signs of Allah's power and precedes regulations about permissible and forbidden foods, serving to clarify the balance between enjoying Allah's provisions and adhering to His divine guidance.
Related Hadiths
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'The best of your provisions are the offspring of your camels' (Sunan Abu Dawud). Additionally, Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Prophet said: 'Eating the meat of livestock is a blessing from Allah' (Tirmidhi - thematically related).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to enjoy the blessings Allah has provided while remaining vigilant against Shaytan's temptations to consume the forbidden or transgress divine boundaries. It reminds us that true gratitude lies in using Allah's gifts according to His guidance, not according to our desires or societal pressures.
Related Ayahs
وَكَذَٰلِكَ نُرِىٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ مَلَكُوتَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَلِيَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُوقِنِينَ
And thus did We show Abraham the realm of the heavens and the earth that he would be among the certain [in faith].
وَقَالُوا۟ هَـٰذِهِۦٓ أَنْعَـٰمٌ وَحَرْثٌ حِجْرٌ لَّا يَطْعَمُهَآ إِلَّا مَن نَّشَآءُ بِزَعْمِهِمْ وَأَنْعَـٰمٌ حُرِّمَتْ ظُهُورُهَا وَأَنْعَـٰمٌ لَّا يَذْكُرُونَ ٱسْمَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْهَا ٱفْتِرَآءً عَلَيْهِ ۚ سَيَجْزِيهِم بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَفْتَرُونَ
And they say, "These animals and crops are forbidden; no one may eat from them except whom we will," by their claim. And there are those [camels] whose backs are forbidden [by them] and those upon which the name of Allāh is not mentioned - [all of this] an invention of untruth about Him. He will punish them for what they were inventing.
فَقُطِعَ دَابِرُ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ ۚ وَٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
So the people that committed wrong were eliminated. And praise to Allāh, Lord of the worlds.
وَلَوْ تَرَىٰٓ إِذْ وُقِفُوا۟ عَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ ۚ قَالَ أَلَيْسَ هَـٰذَا بِٱلْحَقِّ ۚ قَالُوا۟ بَلَىٰ وَرَبِّنَا ۚ قَالَ فَذُوقُوا۟ ٱلْعَذَابَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْفُرُونَ
If you could but see when they will be made to stand before their Lord. He will say, "Is this not the truth?" They will say, "Yes, by our Lord." He will [then] say, "So taste the punishment for what you used to deny."