وَٱلْأَنْعَـٰمَ خَلَقَهَا ۗ لَكُمْ فِيهَا دِفْءٌ وَمَنَـٰفِعُ وَمِنْهَا تَأْكُلُونَ 5
Translations
And the grazing livestock He has created for you; in them is warmth and [numerous] benefits, and from them you eat.
Transliteration
Wal-an'ama khalaqaha, lakum fiha difun wa manafi'u wa minha ta'kulun
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah created livestock (cattle, sheep, goats, camels) for humanity's benefit, providing warmth through their wool, fur, and hides, along with numerous other benefits including transportation, milk, and meat for sustenance. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize that this ayah demonstrates Allah's mercy and provision for mankind, highlighting how these animals serve multiple essential purposes in human life. The verse is part of a broader discussion of Allah's signs (ayat) in creation that should inspire gratitude and recognition of divine providence.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah An-Nahl (The Bee), a Meccan surah that focuses extensively on Allah's signs and blessings in creation. The surah uses the bee as a primary example of Allah's wisdom, and this particular ayah fits within a sequence listing various blessings Allah has created for humanity—the context emphasizes recognizing divine favor through observable creation.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever is merciful, even to the creatures on earth, Allah will be merciful to him on the Day of Judgment' (Sunan At-Tirmidhi). Additionally, the Prophet encouraged kindness to animals, stating 'In every creature's body there is a reward for charity' (Sahih Bukhari).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to recognize and appreciate the multiple blessings Allah has woven into creation, particularly the livestock that sustain human life, and encourages gratitude through proper treatment and ethical use of these creatures. For modern readers, it underscores the responsibility to be mindful stewards of animal resources, using them with gratitude and without waste.
Related Ayahs
إِنَّمَا قَوْلُنَا لِشَىْءٍ إِذَآ أَرَدْنَـٰهُ أَن نَّقُولَ لَهُۥ كُن فَيَكُونُ
Indeed, Our word to a thing when We intend it is but that We say to it, "Be," and it is.
لِلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ مَثَلُ ٱلسَّوْءِ ۖ وَلِلَّهِ ٱلْمَثَلُ ٱلْأَعْلَىٰ ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ
For those who do not believe in the Hereafter is the description [i.e., an attribute] of evil; and for Allāh is the highest attribute. And He is Exalted in Might, the Wise.
وَمَا ذَرَأَ لَكُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مُخْتَلِفًا أَلْوَٰنُهُۥٓ ۗ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يَذَّكَّرُونَ
And [He has subjected] whatever He multiplied for you on the earth of varying colors. Indeed in that is a sign for a people who remember.
وَٱصْبِرْ وَمَا صَبْرُكَ إِلَّا بِٱللَّهِ ۚ وَلَا تَحْزَنْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا تَكُ فِى ضَيْقٍ مِّمَّا يَمْكُرُونَ
And be patient, [O Muḥammad], and your patience is not but through Allāh. And do not grieve over them and do not be in distress over what they conspire.