Surah al-An`am (The Cattle) 6 : 119

Overview (Verses 114 - 120)

A Revelation to Explain All Issues
 
The passage then emphasizes once more that the authority to legislate in all matters that relate to human life belongs to God alone. This is preliminary to stating that it is God who determines which slaughtered animals are lawful to eat and which are forbidden. Those who associate partners with God often exercise this authority in blatant aggression against God and His sovereignty. We note that a long prelude is included here before the issue is clearly tackled: “Am Ito seek for judge anyone other than God, when it is He who has revealed the Book to you, clearly spelling out the truth. Those to whom We previously gave revelations know that it is the truth revealed by your Lord. So, do not be among the doubters. Perfected are the words of your Lord in truth and justice. No one can change His words. He hears all and knows all. If you were to pay heed to the greater part of those on earth, they would lead you away from God’s path. They follow nothing but conjecture and they do nothing but guess. Your Lord surely knows best who strays from His path, and best knows He those who are right guided.” (Verses 114-117)
 
These four verses serve as a long preamble, introducing the main subject and closely relating it to the central issue of acceptance or denial of the faith: “Eat, then, of that over which God’s name has been pronounced, if you truly believe in His revelations. And why should you not eat of that over which God’s name has been pronounced when He has clearly spelled out to you what He has forbidden you (to eat) unless you are driven to do so by sheer necessity?” (Verses 118-119)
 
Before the discussion of the question of permissibility and prohibition is completed, the sūrah gives a number of instructions with strong overtones of authority and warning: “Many people lead others astray by their errant views and lack of knowledge. Your Lord is fully aware of those who transgress. Abstain from all sin, be it open or secret. Those who commit sins will be requited for what they have committed:” (Verses 119-120)

This is followed by further discussion on the nature of faith and disbelief, which too serves as a comment on the question of permissibility and prohibition. Such emphasis and re-emphasis as well as the links between matters of detail and major issues serves to outline how Islam views the basic issue of legislation for matters of ordinary day-to-day life.

“Am I to seek for judge anyone other than God, when it is He who has revealed the Book to you, clearly spelling out the truth. Those to whom We previously gave revelations know that it is the truth revealed by your Lord. So, do not be among the doubters.” (Verse 114) This verse comes in the form of a question asked by God’s Messenger, denouncing the very idea of seeking anyone other than God for judgement in any matter whatsoever. It follows this with stating that the authority to legislate in all matters belongs indisputably to God alone. There is simply no one other than God to turn to for judgement in any matter of human life:
 
“Am Ito seek for judge anyone other than God?” (Verse 114) This initial rhetorical question is supplemented by an outline of the factors which make turning to someone other than God for judgement an extremely singular attitude. God has explained all things, leaving nothing obscure or confusing. There is absolutely no need for human beings to turn to any other authority to judge over any matter or question: “It is He who has revealed the Book to you, clearly spelling out the truth.” (Verse 114)
 
This Book has been revealed in order to settle human disputes in all fairness. It outlines God’s authority to legislate and explains what Godhead means practically. Moreover, this Book sets forth, in detail, the basic principles which serve as the foundation for the Islamic constitution regarding human life. It also includes detailed rulings for those questions which God wants to settle, regardless of the economic and scientific progress of any human community. Together, these give the revealed Book its status, removing any need to refer to anyone other than God for judgement on any matter of life. This is what God states in His Book. Let anyone, then, claim that during a particular stage of development, mankind does not find this Book sufficient for their purposes. But he should also say in conjunction with this claim that he does not believe in this religion, and that he rejects what the Lord of this universe states.
 
There is another factor which makes any attempt to seek a judgement other than God’s ruling, on any matter, exceedingly strange. Those who were given divine revelations in the past recognize that this Book, the Qur’ān, is revealed by God. They should know, since they were also given scriptures: “Those to whom We previously gave revelations know that it is the truth revealed by your Lord.” (Verse 114) This factor was present in Makkah and the Arabian Peninsula. Hence, God mentions it to the unbelievers, whether the people of earlier revelations acknowledge it or not. Indeed, some of them did acknowledge it and these were guided to the truth of Islam. Others denied it. However, the truth of this Book has been established by the fact that God tells us that the people who received earlier revelations know that the Qur’ān is revealed by God with the truth. Indeed, the truth is its subject matter and it is revealed by God simply to explain that truth.
 
The fact is that the people of earlier revelations continue to realize that the Qur’ān is revealed by God and that the strength of Islam comes from the fact that there is nothing in the Qur’ān but the truth. Knowing all this, they continue in their unabating war against this religion and its Book. This war is most determined when it comes to the attempt to usurp God’s authority to legislate by abandoning the law of the Qur’ān and replacing it with man-made laws. In this way, someone other than God is called upon for judgement. The end result is that God’s Book is not implemented and faith disappears. It is to this end that the people of earlier revelations, be they Crusaders or Zionists, support every system and government which aims to change the character of the land of Islam, distinguished by its people’s submission to God alone and their implementation of the law outlined in His Book. The sūrah then addresses God’s Messenger and, by implication, those who believe in His message, telling them not to take to heart the determined opposition they encounter from those who disbelieve or the suppression of the truth by some of the people of earlier revelations: “So, do not be among the doubters.” (Verse 114) The truth is that God’s Messenger has never entertained any doubt. An authentic report states: “When God revealed to him the verse which says, If you are in doubt concerning what We have sent down to you, ask those who have read the Scriptures before you. It is surely the truth that has come to you from your Lord. Do not, then, be among the doubters’. (10: 94) God’s Messenger said, `I do not doubt, and I am not going to ask anyone.’“
 
This directive, however, and similar ones in the Qur’ān which aim to strengthen the Prophet’s resolve to advocate the truth, give us an impression of the size of the opposition, denial and scheming the Prophet and the early Muslim community had to put up with. They also show how kind God was to them, constantly giving them this reassurance.
 
The sūrah then tells us that God’s decisive word has been passed and it cannot be altered by human efforts, no matter what means they employ: “Perfected are the words of your Lord in truth and justice. No one can change His words. He hears all and knows all.” (Verse 115) Indeed, God’s word is perfect. Whatever He says is the truth and whatever ruling or legislation He pronounces is just. Hence, no one else may say anything different whether it relates to faith, concepts, principles, values, law, custom or tradition. No one may amend His rulings or revise them. Indeed, He hears everything His servants say and He knows their every intention. He knows what is good for them and what establishes their life on the right basis: “He hears all and knows all.” (Verse 115)
 
All Erring Ways to be Abandoned
 
Having stated that the truth is simply what is contained in the Book revealed by God, the sūrah states that what human beings legislate is the result of following conjecture which is devoid of all certainty. To follow it leads to one clear outcome: error. It also explains that human beings cannot be certain of the truth and cannot follow it unless they receive it from its only source. The sūrah also warns God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) against obeying people in what they say or advocate, no matter how great their number may be. Ignorance remains the same even though it gathers a very large following: “If you were to pay heed to the greater part of those on earth, they would lead you away from God’s path. They follow nothing but conjecture and they do nothing but guess.” (Verse 116)
 
At the time when the Qur’ān was revealed, most people on earth belonged to the world of jāhiliyyah, as is certainly the case today. They did not refer to God for judgement in all their affairs. Nor did they make the divine law contained in His revealed Book the law which they implemented. Nor did they derive their concepts, ideas, thoughts and code of living from God’s guidance. Hence, they followed the way of ignorance, as they certainly do today. They could not formulate any opinion or advocate any ruling based on the truth, and they could not lead anyone who followed them except into error. Just as people do today, they abandoned certitude in order to follow conjecture and guesswork. Hence, God warns His Messenger and his followers against obeying them so that they do not stray from His path. This warning has a general import, although it is given in connection with the prohibition of certain types of slaughtered animals and permitting others, as is later explained.
 
The Qur’ān then states that it is God alone who decides which of His servants follow right guidance and which go astray. It is God alone who knows what is in people’s inmost hearts, and it is He who determines what constitutes proper guidance and what takes people away from it: “Your Lord surely knows best who strays from His path, and best knows He those who are right-guided.” (Verse 117)
 
It is necessary, then, to have a proper rule to evaluate people’s beliefs, concepts, values, standards, activities and actions. This rule will determine what is true and what is false, so that nothing of it is judged according to people’s changing desires or ill-founded criteria. It is also necessary that a sovereign authority establishes standards to evaluate all these matters so that people may refer to it for verdicts.
 
Here God declares that He alone has that authority as well as the authority to judge people as to whether they follow guidance or error. It is not `human society’ that is empowered to issue such verdicts according to its changeable values. Society changes its forms and material foundations, and such changes are bound to lead to an amendment of its values and verdicts. Human beings have held different values and moral standards depending on whether society is based on agricultural, industrial, capitalist, socialist or communist lines. The criteria to judge people and their actions differ in accordance with the different bases adopted by these societies.
 
But Islam does not recognize this at all. Islam establishes its own values which are determined by God and which remain constant despite the different forms human society may take. Any society which abandons these has its own title according to Islamic terminology: it is un-Islamic, jāhilī, unbelieving because it allows human beings to establish criteria, values, concepts, systems and situations other than those established by God. This is the only classification of societies, values and moral standards Islam acknowledges. These can be either Islamic or jāhiliyyah, regardless of their shape or form.
 
Having made this long factual introduction, the sūrah moves on to discuss the question of slaughtered animals based on the fundamental principle: “Eat, then, of that over which God’s name has been pronounced, if you truly believe in His revelations. And why should you not eat of that over which God’s name has been pronounced when He has clearly spelled out to you what He has forbidden you (to eat) unless you are driven to do so by sheer necessity?” (Verses 118-119) Before discussing the details of the legislation contained in these verses, we should point out the basic principles of faith to which these verses refer.
 
There is first an order to eat of animals over which God’s name has been pronounced at the time of their slaughter. Such a pronouncement determines people’s direction and highlights the relationship between accepting the faith and obeying this directive given to them by God: “Eat, then, of that over which God’s name has been pronounced, if you truly believe in His revelations.” (Verse 118) They are then asked why they should not eat of such animals over which God’s name has been mentioned. They are reminded that God has detailed for them what He has forbidden them, unless they are compelled to eat it out of necessity. With such explanation, every argument concerning the permissibility or prohibition of meat is over: “And why should you not eat of that over which God’s name has been pronounced when He has clearly spelled out to you what He has forbidden you (to eat), unless you are driven to do so by sheer necessity?” (Verse 119)
 
These statements directly addressed a major issue in Arabian society. The unbelievers used to forbid themselves the eating of certain animals which God had made lawful, and they made lawful certain animals which God had forbidden. They claimed that their action relied on God’s legislation. Hence, the sūrah gives its verdict concerning those who made false claims and who sought to exercise an authority that belongs to God alone. It states that what they legislated was a manifestation of their own vain desires, one based on total ignorance. They led people astray by the laws they issued and usurped God’s authority to legislate: “Many people lead others astray by their errant views and lack of knowledge. Your Lord is fully aware of those who transgress.” (Verse 119)
 
They are then commanded to abandon all sin, whether open or secret. Part of that sin was to lead people astray with vain desires and errant views, all totally baseless. They actually compelled them to implement laws that God had not promulgated, falsely claiming that these were divine laws. They are, therefore, warned against this grave sin: “Abstain from all sin, be it open or secret. Those who commit sins will be requited for what they have committed.” (Verse 120)