Surah Al-An'am — Verse 143
The Cattle · 6:143 · 143/165
ثَمَـٰنِيَةَ أَزْوَٰجٍ ۖ مِّنَ ٱلضَّأْنِ ٱثْنَيْنِ وَمِنَ ٱلْمَعْزِ ٱثْنَيْنِ ۗ قُلْ ءَآلذَّكَرَيْنِ حَرَّمَ أَمِ ٱلْأُنثَيَيْنِ أَمَّا ٱشْتَمَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ أَرْحَامُ ٱلْأُنثَيَيْنِ ۖ نَبِّـُٔونِى بِعِلْمٍ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ
Thamaniyata azwajin mina adda'niithnayni wamina almaAAzi ithnayni qul aththakarayniharrama ami alonthayayni amma ishtamalat AAalayhiarhamu alonthayayni nabbi-oonee biAAilmin in kuntum sadiqeen
Translations of this verse 11
Saheeh International
[They are] eight mates - of the sheep, two and of the goats, two. Say, "Is it the two males He has forbidden or the two females or that which the wombs of the two females contain? Inform me with knowledge, if you should be truthful."
M.A.S. Abdel Haleem
[God gave you] eight animals, in [four] pairs: a pair of sheep and a pair of goats- ask them [Prophet], ‘Has He forbidden the two males, the two females, or the young in the wombs of the two females? Tell me based on knowledge if you are telling the truth.’
Marmaduke Pickthall
Eight pairs: Of the sheep twain, and of the goats twain. Say: Hath He forbidden the two males or the two females, or that which the wombs of the two females contain? Expound to me (the case) with knowledge, if ye are truthful.
Abdullah Yusuf Ali
(Take) eight (head of cattle) in (four) pairs: of sheep a pair, and of goats a pair; say, hath He forbidden the two males, or the two females, or (the young) which the wombs of the two females enclose? Tell me with knowledge if ye are truthful:
Mufti Taqi Usmani
(Allah has created) eight pairs: two of sheep and two of goats. Say, “Is it the two males that He has prohibited or the two females, or whatever the wombs of the two females contain? Tell me on the basis of knowledge if you are true.”
Al-Hilali & Khan
Eight pairs: of the sheep two (male and female), and of the goats two (male and female). Say: "Has He forbidden the two males or the two females, or (the young) which the wombs of the two females enclose? Inform me with knowledge if you are truthful."
Abul A'la Maududi (Tafhim)
These are eight couples, two of sheep, two of goats. Now ask them: 'Is it either the two males that Allah has forbidden or the two females, or what the wombs of the two females may contain? Tell me about this on the basis of sure knowledge, if you speak the truth.'
Muhammad Asad — The Message of the Qur’an
[His followers would have it that, in certain cases, any of these] four kinds of cattle of either sex [is unlawful to man]: either of the two sexes of sheep and of goats. Ask [them]: "Is it the two males that He has forbidden, or the two females, or that which the wombs of the two females may contain? Tell me what you know in this respect, if what you say is true."
Rowwad · source edition
[They are] eight [in four] pairs: a pair of sheep and a pair of goats. Say, “Has He forbidden the two males or the two females, or what the wombs of the two females contain? Tell me on the basis of knowledge, if you are truthful.”
Noor International · source edition
(143) [They are] eight mates - of the sheep, two and of the goats, two. Say, "Is it the two males He has forbidden or the two females or that which the wombs of the two females contain? Inform me with knowledge, if you should be truthful."
Hilali and Khan · source edition
143. Eight pairs: of the sheep two (male and female),[18] and of the goats two (male and female). Say: "Has He forbidden the two males or the two females, or (the young) which the wombs of the two females enclose? Inform me with knowledge if you are truthful."
Notes
[18] (V.6:143) Narrated Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه: I heard Allâh’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم saying, "While a shepherd was amongst his sheep, a wolf attacked them and took away one sheep. When the shepherd chased the wolf, the wolf turned towards him and said, ‘Who will be their guard on the day of wild animals when nobody except I will be their shepherd’*. And while a man was driving a cow with a load on it, it turned towards him and spoke to him saying, ‘I have not been created for this purpose, but for ploughing.’" The people said, "Glorified be Allâh." The Prophetصلى الله عليه وسلم said, "But I believe in it and so does Abu Bakr and ‘Umar رضي الله عنهم." (Sahih Al-Bukhâri, Vol.5, Hadîth No.15). * It has been written that a wolf also spoke to a shepherd during the Prophet’s lifetime near Al-Madinah, as narrated in Musnad Imam Ahmad in the Musnad of Abu Sa‘îd Al-Khudri رضي الله عنه (Vol.3, Page 83): Narrated Abu Sa‘îd Al-Khudri رضي الله عنه: (While a shepherd was in his hered of sheep), suddenly a wolf attacked a sheep and took it away, the shepherd chased the wolf and took back the sheep, the wolf sat on its tail and addressed the shepherd saying: "Be afraid of Allâh, you have taken the provision from me which Allâh gave me." The shepherd said: "What an amazing thing! A wolf sitting on its tail speaks to me in the language of a human being." The wolf said: "Shall I tell you something more amazing than this? There is Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم the Messenger of Allâh in Yathrib (Al-Madinah) informing the people about the news of the past." Then the shepherd (after hearing that) proceeded (towards Al-Madinah) driving his sheep till he entered Al-Madinah, cornered his sheep in a place, and came to Allâh’s Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم and informed the whole story. Allâh’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم ordered for the proclamation of a congregational salat (صلاة جامعة) then he صلى الله عليه وسلم came out and asked the shepherd to inform the people (about the story), and he informed them. Then Allâh’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said: "He (the shepherd) has spoken the truth. By Him (Allâh) in Whose Hands my soul is, the Day of Resurrection will not be established till beasts of prey (سباع) speak to the human beings, and the stick lash and the shoe-laces of a person speak to him and his thigh inform him about his family as to what happened to them after him.