Surah 6. Al-An'am (The Cattle – سورة الأنعام) with 165 verses, spread over Juz 7-8 of Al Qur'an, is a powerful, early Meccan surah focused on Tawheed (the Oneness of Allah), the refutation of shirk (polytheism), and correct belief in divine guidance and the afterlife. The title refers to livestock (al-an‘am)—which is used as a symbol to critique pagan superstitions and false religious practices prevalent in pre-Islamic Arabia.
Why is it called "Al-An'am" (The Cattle)?
- It critiques Arab pagan practices that invented religious rules around cattle—like claiming some were forbidden for women or only certain people could eat them.
- Allah rejects man-made religious innovations and reestablishes divinely revealed guidance.
It presents a comprehensive argument for monotheism through:
- Reason and reflection on creation
- Critique of idol worship
- Prophetic history
- Divine justice and accountability
Main Themes and Subjects
1. Tawheed (Oneness of Allah)
- The core message of the Surah is pure monotheism.
- Allah is presented as the sole Creator, Sustainer, Giver of life and death, and Ruler of the universe.
- It demolishes the rational basis of idolatry by appealing to reason, nature, and revelation.
- “Say: Surely my prayer and my sacrifice and my life and my death are (all) for Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.” (6:162)
2. Refutation of Shirk (Polytheism)
The surah repeatedly condemns associating partners with Allah. It criticizes:
- Pagan beliefs in intercessors.
- Fabricated dietary laws concerning livestock.
- Belief in multiple deities controlling nature.
- It exposes the irrationality of worshiping powerless idols.
- “Shall I seek a lord other than Allah, while He is the Lord of all things?” (6:164)
3. Signs in Creation (Ayat in the Universe)
- Nature and the animal kingdom are used as evidence of Allah’s creative power.
- Cattle are discussed in detail to challenge superstitions and man-made laws about lawful/unlawful animals.
- The sun, moon, stars, rain, growth, and life cycles are invoked as signs of Allah.
- “It is He who produces gardens... and cattle, of various kinds—eat from their fruits and give thanks.” (6:141)
4. Prophethood and Revelation
- Repeated affirmations that the Qur'an is divine revelation, not poetry or magic.
- Emphasis on continuity with past prophets—Abraham, Noah, Moses, and others are mentioned.
- Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is instructed to patiently convey the message, even if rejected.
- “Indeed, messengers were denied before you, but they patiently endured...” (6:34)
5. Day of Judgment and Accountability
- Strong emphasis on the reality of the Hereafter.
- Rejection of the idea that life ends with death.
- People will be held accountable for their deeds; reward and punishment are just and inevitable.
6. Moral and Legal Guidance
While not a legalistic surah, it addresses:
- False practices like burying daughters alive or manipulating religious rulings.
- Commands believers to act with integrity, speak the truth, and avoid superstition.
- The final verses (6:151–153) summarize key moral instructions—similar to the Ten Commandments.
7. Use of Reason and Argumentation
The surah invites the reader to think, reflect, and use intellect:
- Why worship that which cannot help or harm?
- Why invent religious laws not sanctioned by God?
- It encourages a rational, reflective faith based on signs and sound thinking.
Key Verses and Passages
6:19 The Qur'an is a clear warning and message to all.
6:74–83 The story of Prophet Ibrahim’s reflection on nature, leading to belief in One God.
6:108 Do not insult others' gods—mutual respect and wisdom in da'wah.
6:141 Warnings against extravagance and waste in food and agriculture.
6:151–153 A list of universal moral commandments: avoid shirk, honor parents, don’t kill, be just, etc.
6:162–163 Total devotion to Allah in all aspects of life.
6:164 Every soul is responsible for its own deeds.
Summary of Surah Al-An'am
Theme Description
Monotheism Reaffirmed powerfully and repeatedly.
Rejection of Shirk Through logic, scripture, and creation.
Prophethood Validated through continuity and divine wisdom.
Moral Values Ethical guidelines and spiritual integrity.
Nature as Proof Signs in creation as evidence of God.
Justice and Afterlife Life has meaning, and all will be judged fairly.
Final Reflection
Surah Al-An’am is a philosophical and theological masterpiece, inviting deep thinking about existence, purpose, and divine truth. It’s not just about belief—it demands that belief be rational, heartfelt, and rooted in observation and submission to God's will.
We have alread shared the detailed explanation / tafseer of the Surah, which can be accessed from the links given below"
Herein under, we share links to explanation some of the individual verses from the Surah already published in our blog:
- Divine Commandments in Qur'an
- Fundamental Ethical and Moral Guidelines for Muslims (Divine Commandment from Qur'an) - Verse 151
- Forbidden and Preferred Acts - Part I - verse 151
- Forbidden and Preferred Acts - Part II - verse 152
- Wishes and Hopes Will Not Help When One would see the Torment of Hell - verse 27
- Man's Regrets: Would that we were brought back to life? Then we would not give the lie to the signs of our Lord - verse 27
- The life of this world is nothing but a sport and a pastime - verse 32
- Glad tidings for Reverts -verse 54
- Allah alone is the Deliverer - Yet you associate others with Allah in His Divinity - verse 64
- Leave those who deluded by worldly life take amusement and diversion as their religion - verse 70
- Who are the Rightly Guided? - verse 82
- Do not revile those whom they invoke other than Allah - verse 108
- Indeed, Most of the People are in Utter Ignorance - verse 111
- Beware! Following the majority may mislead from path of Allah - verse 116
- Surely you have nothing to do with those who make divisions in religion and become factions - verse 159
- Surely my Prayer, all my acts of worship, and my living and my dying are for Allah - verse 162
In time, we will publish more individual immportant verses.
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.
May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.
Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.
Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.
Please refer to our exclusive reference page: Selected verses from selected Surahs of Al-Qurʾān for compiled verses from other surahs.
For more Selected Subjects, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from Al Qur'an about a Specific Subject (Reference Page) to know more about what Qur'an says about specific subjects and our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. .
An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs and selected verses of Al-Qurʾān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.
In addition, other sources which have been explored and views of other scholars have been incorporated while explaining meaning of a verse. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites. For expansion of meaning and themes / contextual background help from ChatGPT is also taken.
Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors. If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.
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