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. (143)And of the camels two, and of oxen two. Say: "Has He forbidden the two males or the two females or (the young) which the wombs of the two females enclose? Or were you present when Allah ordered you such a thing? Then who does more wrong than one who invents a lie against Allah, to lead mankind astray without knowledge. Certainly Allah guides not the people who are wrongdoers. (144)
These Ayat demonstrate the ignorance of the Arabs before Islam.
They used to prohibit the usage of some of their cattle and designate them as 'Baḥīrah', 'Sā'ibah', 'Waşīlah' and 'Ḥām' etc. These were some of the innovations they invented for cattle, fruits and produce. Allah stated that He has created gardens, trellised and untrellised, and cattle, as animals of burden and as Farsh. Allah next mentioned various kinds of cattle, male and female, such as sheep and goats. He also created male and female camels and the same with cows. Allah did not prohibit any of these cattle or their offspring. Rather, they all were created for the sons of Adam as a source for food, transportation, work, milk, and other benefits, which are many. Allah said,
وَأَنزَلَ لَكُم مِّنَ الْأَنْعَامِ ثَمَانِيَةَ أَزْوَاجٍ
(And He has sent down for you of cattle eight pairs...)[39:6] Allah said;
أَمَّا اشْتَمَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ أَرْحَامُ الْأُنثَيَيْنِ
(...or (the young) which the wombs of the two females enclose...) This refutes the idolators' statement,
مَا فِي بُطُونِ هَٰذِهِ الْأَنْعَامِ خَالِصَةٌ لِّذُكُورِنَا وَمُحَرَّمٌ عَلَىٰ أَزْوَاجِنَا
(What is in the bellies of such and such cattle is for our males alone, and forbidden to our females.)[6:139] Allah said,
نَبِّئُونِي بِعِلْمٍ إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ
(Inform me with knowledge if you are truthful.) meaning, tell me with sure knowledge, how and when did Allah prohibit what you claimed is prohibited, such as the 'Baḥīrah', 'Sā'ibah', 'Waşīlah' and 'Ḥām' etc.?
Al-'Awfi said that Ibn 'Abbas said, "Allah's statement,
ثَمَانِيَةَ أَزْوَاجٍ مِّنَ الضَّأْنِ اثْنَيْنِ وَمِنَ الْمَعْزِ اثْنَيْنِ
(Eight pairs: of the sheep two, and of the goats two...) these are four pairs,
قُلْ آلذَّكَرَيْنِ حَرَّمَ أَمِ الْأُنثَيَيْنِ
(Say: "Has He forbidden the two males or the two females...") I (Allah) did not prohibit any of these.
أَمَّا اشْتَمَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ أَرْحَامُ الْأُنثَيَيْنِ
(or (the young) which the wombs of the two females enclose?) and does the womb produce but males and females? So why do you prohibit some and allow some others?
نَبِّئُونِي بِعِلْمٍ إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ
(Inform me with knowledge if you are truthful.) Allah is saying that all of this is allowed." Allah said,
أَمْ كُنتُمْ شُهَدَاءَ إِذْ وَصَّاكُمُ اللَّهُ بِهَٰذَا
(Or, were you present when Allah ordered you such a thing?) mocking the idolators' innovations, and their lies that Allah made sacred what they have prohibited.
فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرَىٰ عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا لِّيُضِلَّ النَّاسَ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ
(Then who does more wrong than one who invents a lie against Allah, to lead mankind astray without knowledge.)
Therefore, no one is more unjust than the people described here and
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ
(Certainly, Allah guides not the people who are wrongdoers.)
The person most worthy of this condemnation is 'Amr bin Luhay bin Qum'ah. He was the first person to change the religion of the Prophets and designate the 'Sā'ibah', 'Waşīlah' and 'Ḥām', as mentioned in the Sahih.
