Tafseer of Yaseen · Yaseen · 36:71
Do they not see that We have created for them from what Our hands have made, grazing livestock, and [then] they are their owners?
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The statement concerning the interpretation of His words, exalted is He: أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّا خَلَقْنَا لَهُمْ مِمَّا عَمِلَتْ أَيْدِينَا أَنْعَامًا فَهُمْ لَهَا مَالِكُونَ (71) ("Have they then not seen that We have created for them, from what Our hands have made, cattle, so that they have mastery over them?") (71)
He, exalted be His mention, says: ( أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا ) ("have they then not seen") — these polytheists who worship gods and idols besides Allah — ( أَنَّا خَلَقْنَا لَهُمْ مِمَّا عَمِلَتْ أَيْدِينَا ) ("that We have created for them, from what Our hands have made"): He says: from what We have created of the creation, ( أَنْعَامًا ) ("cattle"), and that is the grazing livestock which Allah created for the children of Adam and made subservient to them: camels, cattle, and sheep. ( فَهُمْ لَهَا مَالِكُونَ ) ("so that they have mastery over them"): He says: so that they dispose of them as they wish, through their dominance over them and their control of them.
As Bishr related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His words ( فَهُمْ لَهَا مَالِكُونَ ): that is to say, controllers.
Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said, concerning His words ( أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّا خَلَقْنَا لَهُمْ مِمَّا عَمِلَتْ أَيْدِينَا أَنْعَامًا فَهُمْ لَهَا مَالِكُونَ ): it was said to him: are those the camels? He said: yes. He said: and the cattle belong to the livestock, but are not included in this verse. He said: the camels, the cattle, and the sheep belong to the livestock, and he recited: ثَمَانِيَةَ أَزْوَاجٍ ("eight pairs"). He said: the cattle and the camels, that is the naʿam (cattle), and the sheep do not fall under the naʿam (cattle).
