147 Page Notes

06 Surah Al-Anam (continued)

Page 147 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

6:143

6:144

6:145

6:146

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 147 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 147 of the Quran contains Surah Al-An'am (The Cattle), verses 143 through 146. This block of text is the ultimate rhetorical showdown against the dietary superstitions of the pagan Arabs. Using strict logical deduction, God interrogates the pagans about their arbitrary bans on specific livestock. It then transitions into verse 145—one of the most famous, legally binding dietary verses in Islamic jurisprudence—and concludes with the historical context of Jewish dietary laws in verse 146.

1. Verses 143–144: The "Eight Mates" Interrogation

"Eight mates - of the sheep two and of the goats two... Of the camels two and of the cattle two. Say, 'Is it the two males He has forbidden or the two females or that which the wombs of the two females contain?'..." (Quran 6:143–144)

In these verses, God challenges the pagans' complex bans on livestock (the Bahirah, Sa'ibah, etc., discussed on previous pages) by breaking down the animals into four species, consisting of eight distinct types (male and female of sheep, goats, camels, and bovines). He asks: If God forbade these animals, did He forbid the males, the females, or the unborn fetuses?

• The Sunnah of Exposing False Intellectualism: The Prophet Muhammad modeled his debates with opponents on this exact Quranic method—using flawless logic to dismantle deeply ingrained societal taboos. The Sunnah underscores that making standard, healthy livestock unlawful is a direct invention of mankind, not a command from God.

• The Status of the Eight Mates: The Sunnah establishes that these specific eight categories of livestock are the premier animals meant for human benefit, sacrificial rituals (Udhiyah/Qurbani), and economic trade. The Prophet strictly allowed the consumption of all eight types, fundamentally shattering the pagan system (Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Slaughters and Hunting).

2. Verse 145: The Definitive Meccan Dietary Core

"Say, 'I do not find within that which was revealed to me [anything] forbidden to one who would eat it unless it be a dead animal or blood spilled out or the flesh of swine - for indeed, it is impure - or it be [that slaughtered in] disobedience, dedicated to other than Allah...'" (Quran 6:145)

This verse is a monumental pillar of Islamic law (Fiqh). It explicitly lists the core prohibitions of the Meccan period. The Sunnah expands, clarifies, and provides exceptions to this exact verse.

• The Two Dead Animals and Two Bloods (The Exception Hadith): Verse 145 strictly forbids "dead animals" (carrion) and "spilled blood." However, the Prophet provided a crucial legal exception to this verse, which is vital for daily life:
  "Two types of dead animals and two types of blood have been made lawful for us. The two dead animals are fish and locusts, and the two types of blood are the liver and the spleen." (Sunan Ibn Majah, Book of Food, Hadith 3314; Musnad Ahmad, Hadith 5723; graded authentic/Sahih).

• Clarifying "Spilled Blood" vs. Residual Blood: The verse specifies blood spilled out (Damam Masfuhan). The Sunnah and the practice of the companions clarify that the residual blood left inside the veins, meat, or muscles of a properly slaughtered animal after the main arteries are cut is entirely forgiven and lawful to eat. The Prophet’s wife, Aisha, noted: "We used to cook meat when the streaks of blood were still visible in the pot, and we would eat it," because it was not "spilled blood" (Recorded by Al-Tabari and Ibn Abi Hatim in their Tafsirs).

3. Verse 146: The Dietary Restrictions of the Jews

"And to those who are Jews We forbade every animal of undivided hoof; and of the cattle and the sheep We forbade to them their fat, except what adhered to their backs or the entrails or what joined with bone. [By] that We repaid them for their rebellion..." (Quran 6:146)

This verse outlines the strict kosher laws that were imposed on the Children of Israel as a historical punishment for their systemic disobedience.

• The Prohibition of Selling the Forbidden Fats: Because God forbade certain animal fats to the Jewish community, some people tried to bypass the law by melting the fat down and selling it to others for money. The Prophet Muhammad directly referenced this historical event to teach Muslims a lesson about legal loopholes:
  "May Allah curse the Jews! When Allah forbade the fat of animals to them, they melted it down, sold it, and consumed its price." (Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Sales/Buyu', Hadith 2236; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 1581).

• The Islamic Rule of Commercial Law Derived from This Verse: The Prophet used the reality of verse 146 to establish a foundational legal maxim for Islamic commerce:
  "Indeed, when Allah forbids a people from eating something, He also forbids them from its price (i.e., making money from selling it)." (Musnad Ahmad, Hadith 2221; Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith 3488).

Canonical Reference Matrix

To read these source materials directly within traditional Islamic texts:

• Sahih al-Bukhari: Kitab al-Buyu' (Book of Sales, detailing the prohibitions surrounding forbidden animal fats) and Kitab al-Dhaba'ih (Book of Slaughters).

• Sahih Muslim: Kitab al-Musaqat (Book of Shared Agriculture and Rules of Trade).

• Sunan Ibn Majah: Kitab al-At'imah (Book of Food, preserving the explicit exceptions to carrion and blood).

• Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Volume 3): Offers extensive linguistic and legal breakdowns of verse 145, showing how the Prophet’s rulings directly interact with the text of page 147.