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
وَلِلَّهِ يَسْجُدُ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ مِن دَآبَّةٍ وَٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ وَهُمْ لَا يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ
And to Allāh prostrates whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth of creatures, and the angels [as well], and they are not arrogant.
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا۟ لَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مَا عَبَدْنَا مِن دُونِهِۦ مِن شَىْءٍ نَّحْنُ وَلَآ ءَابَآؤُنَا وَلَا حَرَّمْنَا مِن دُونِهِۦ مِن شَىْءٍ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ فَعَلَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ فَهَلْ عَلَى ٱلرُّسُلِ إِلَّا ٱلْبَلَـٰغُ ٱلْمُبِينُ
And those who associate others with Allāh say, "If Allāh had willed, we would not have worshipped anything other than Him, neither we nor our fathers, nor would we have forbidden anything through other than Him." Thus did those do before them. So is there upon the messengers except [the duty of] clear notification?
وَٱلْخَيْلَ وَٱلْبِغَالَ وَٱلْحَمِيرَ لِتَرْكَبُوهَا وَزِينَةً ۚ وَيَخْلُقُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
And [He created] the horses, mules and donkeys for you to ride and [as] adornment. And He creates that which you do not know.
وَضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلًا قَرْيَةً كَانَتْ ءَامِنَةً مُّطْمَئِنَّةً يَأْتِيهَا رِزْقُهَا رَغَدًا مِّن كُلِّ مَكَانٍ فَكَفَرَتْ بِأَنْعُمِ ٱللَّهِ فَأَذَٰقَهَا ٱللَّهُ لِبَاسَ ٱلْجُوعِ وَٱلْخَوْفِ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَصْنَعُونَ
And Allāh presents an example: a city [i.e., Makkah] which was safe and secure, its provision coming to it in abundance from every location, but it denied the favors of Allāh. So Allāh made it taste the envelopment of hunger and fear for what they had been doing.