Tafsir of An-Nahl 16:8

(And the horses): It is, as more than one has stated, a generic noun for the horse (faras), having no singular form derived from its own root, like al-ibil (camels). Al-Raghib mentioned that it is originally applied to both horses and horsemen. It is a conjunction linked to al-an'am (the livestock); meaning: and He created the horses.

(And the mules): The plural of the well-known baghl (mule).

(And the donkeys): The plural of himar (donkey), likewise. In the form of paucity, it is collected as ahmirah, and in the form of abundance as humur, which is the standard morphological rule. Ibn Abi Ablah recited it with the nominative case (al-khaylu) for the horses and what is conjoined to it.

(That you may ride them): This is an explanatory cause (ta'lil) for the creation of the aforementioned creatures. The discussion regarding the causal reasoning of the actions of Allah Almighty is elaborated upon elsewhere.

(And as adornment): A conjunction linked to the position of "(that you may ride them)." Thus, it is like the former—a maf'ul li-ajlihi (an object for which the action is done). It is stripped of the lam (the prefix "li-") unlike the former because "adornment" (zinah) is the act of the Adorner, who is the Creator, Exalted be He. Thus, the agent of the two actions—the cause and the result—is one and the same, unlike the agent of the riding and the agent of the cause; so the condition for the accusative case (nasb), which those who required it stipulated, is present in the conjoined element but not in that which it is conjoined to. More than one has stated this.

Some of the meticulous scholars mentioned that the fact that they do not follow one single pattern is an indication that the primary, original intended purpose—which is riding—was brought with the particles established for that, and the address was directed and the pronoun returned to the three in "(that you may ride them)." The second element was added as a completion and as an indication that, since it is among their desired ends, it was mentioned in the context of bestowing favor. Otherwise, adorning oneself with transient commodities is not among the goals of the people of Allah, who are the primary subjects of this address.

The aforementioned [reasoning] was challenged by the fact that even if the unity of the agent is established, the conditions for the validity of the nasb are not met because another condition is missing: simultaneity in existence, for the creation precedes the adornment. It was answered that this is based on the intention of the "will for adornment," just as it is said regarding the phrase "I beat Zayd for discipline" (ta'diban), that the discipline is interpreted as the will for it. Abu al-Baqa' permitted the possibility that "adornment" (zinah) is an infinitive (masdar) of an omitted verb, meaning: "And that you may adorn yourselves with them as an adornment." Ibn 'Atiyyah said it is an object (maf'ul bihi) of an omitted verb, meaning: "And He made them an adornment."

It is narrated by Qatadah from Ibn Abbas that he recited "to ride them [as] an adornment" (li-tarkabuha zinatan) without the waw. The author of al-Lawami' said: In that case, zinah is in the accusative as a state (hal) from the pronoun in "created them" or from the pronoun in "to ride them." He did not specify which pronoun, whereas Ibn 'Atiyyah did specify it, saying it is the accusative one. More than one has stated that the hal (state) is permissible from either of the two pronouns, meaning: "That you may ride them [while you are] adorned," or "[while they are] adorned with them." Al-Zamakhshari said after recounting the recitation: meaning He created them as an adornment so that you may ride them. His intent, according to what has been said, is that zinah is either the second object of "created" (by treating it as having the sense of "made"), or it is a hal (state) from all three objects collectively. It is also permitted that it is a maf'ul lahu (an object of purpose) for "that you may ride them," and it is in the sense of "adornment." Thus, the difference in the agents of the two verbs is not a valid objection.

It is said: As for the necessity of limiting the intended riding to being for the sake of adornment, and that the wisdom behind their creation is that, and that this is the primary goal for us—there is no harm in that, for beautifying oneself with clothing and mounts is not forbidden by the Shari'ah. This does not negate that their creation has more important wisdoms, such as jihad (striving) upon them and journeys for acts of obedience. It was singled out only for its suitability to the context of gratitude, given that "adornment," as Al-Raghib said, is what does not cause shame in this world or the hereafter. As for what adorns in one state but not another, it is, in one respect, a shame. So reflect, and do not be heedless.

The verse was used as evidence for the prohibition of eating the meat of the aforementioned animals, because the context of mentioning the creation of these blessings is a favor to this species and a proof of Oneness, and [shows] the evil deed of those who respond to it with shirk (polytheism). The Wise would not confer a favor with the lesser of two blessings while leaving the greater of the two; how much more so when He has mentioned... [the rest of the text is corrupted].

It is narrated by Ibn Jarir and others that the view of the dislike (karahah) of eating horse meat due to this verse is from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them. It is narrated from Abu Hanifah, may mercy be upon him, that he said: "Some scholars granted concessions regarding horse meat, but as for me, I do not like eating it." In another narration, he said: "I dislike it." The first hints at the dislike of disapproval (karahat al-tanzih), and the second indicates prohibition, based on what is narrated from Abu Yusuf; that when he asked him, "If you say of something 'I dislike it,' what is your opinion of it?" he replied, "It is prohibition." It is as if for this reason the author of al-Hidayah said: "The more correct view is that the dislike of eating its meat is prohibitive (tahrimiyyah) according to the Imam." In al-'Imadiyyah, it is mentioned that he—may Allah be pleased with him—retracted the statement of dislike three days before his death, and the fatwa is upon that. His two companions (Abu Yusuf and Muhammad) and Imam al-Shafi'i—may Allah be pleased with them—said: "There is no harm in eating the meat of horses."

Some Shafi'is answered the argument from the verse by denying that the mentioned [animal] is the lesser of the two blessings in relation to the horse. They said: "This is because the verse was revealed to bestow favor upon them in accordance with what they were familiar with. No person of intellect would deny that the primary purpose of horses is riding and adornment, not eating, unlike [the other] livestock. Mentioning the more frequent benefit and omitting the lesser is not an innovation; rather, it is the custom of the Quran's abbreviations. Its mention in the first [category] does not become an argument for us as sufficient, while drawing attention to the fact that it is minor in the comparison, so it does not become an argument against us. Thus, it appears there is no evidence [for prohibition] from the wording of the verse or its indication."

They argued for the lawfulness based on the authentic Hadith of Jabir, that the Prophet—may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him—forbade the meat of domestic donkeys and mules, but permitted the meat of horses on the day of Khaybar. In this, they argue, is evidence that the verse does not indicate prohibition, for it shows that the prohibition of domestic donkeys only occurred in the year of Khaybar, as is established among the majority of traditionists. Since this Surah is Meccan, if the prohibition were known from it, it would have been established before that. This was questioned by saying that even if the Surah is Meccan, it is possible that this verse is Medinan. The response to this is that such a claim requires narration, and mere possibility is not enough.

The Hadith of Jabir was countered by what Abu Ubayd, Abu Dawud, al-Nasa'i, and Ibn al-Mundhir recorded from Khalid ibn al-Walid: "The Messenger of Allah—may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him—forbade the eating of every fanged beast of prey, and the meat of horses, mules, and donkeys." Preponderance, as the author of al-Hidayah said, lies with the prohibitor. However, you know that this report weakens the strength of the argument from the verse, because Khalid accepted Islam in Medina, and the verse is Meccan. If the prohibition were known from it, the prohibition he heard would have had much benefit. In summary, the argument from the verse for the prohibition of horse meat does not escape stumbling, so one must return to the reports, and the ruling upon their conflict is not hidden from those with insight. What I lean towards is lawfulness, and Allah Almighty knows best.

(And He creates that which you do not know)

Meaning: And He creates other than that which He has detailed for you. The expression of it with what is mentioned is because the sum of it is unknown and can hardly be known. The speech is a generalization for everything other than the animals that are needed, mostly out of necessity or otherwise. The shift to the future tense is to indicate continuity and renewal, or to bring the image to mind. It is also permissible that it is an information from the Almighty that He—Glory be to Him—has creations of which we have no knowledge.

"That which you do not know" is taken literally. Ibn Marduyah narrated from Ibn Abbas that the Messenger of Allah—may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him—said: "Among what Allah Almighty has created is a white pearl earth, a journey of a thousand years; upon it is a mountain of red jacinth surrounding that earth. In that earth is an angel who has filled its east and west; he has six hundred heads, on each head six hundred faces, on each face six hundred thousand mouths, in each jaw six hundred thousand tongues, praising Allah Almighty, sanctifying Him, declaring His Oneness, and magnifying Him with every tongue six hundred thousand and sixty thousand times. When the Day of Resurrection comes, he will look at the greatness of Allah and say: 'By Your Might, I have not worshipped You with the worship You deserve.' Therefore, His saying: 'And He creates that which you do not know.'"

In another narration from him, that to the right of the Throne is a river of light like the seven heavens, the seven earths, and the seven seas; Gabriel—peace be upon him—enters it every dawn and bathes, increasing in beauty upon his beauty and in greatness upon his greatness. Then he shakes himself, and Allah Almighty creates from every drop that falls from his wings such-and-such thousand angels. Every day, seventy thousand angels enter the Inhabited House (al-Bayt al-Ma'mur) and seventy thousand angels enter the Ka'bah, never returning until the Day of Resurrection. This was also narrated from al-Dahhak, Muqatil, and 'Ata'.

Among what we do not know is the land of al-Samsamah, which the Greatest Shaykh—may his secret be sanctified—mentioned, as well as Jabarsa and Jabalqa, as mentioned by more than one. If you claim that these are superstitions—like what was mentioned by our contemporary, the leader of the sect who named themselves the Kashfiyyah, and whom their enemies from the Imamiyyah called the Kafshiyyah—in most of his books, which makes one laugh as one laughs at a bereaved father, and the learned person wishes, upon hearing it, out of extreme embarrassment for the sake of the ignorant, to descend to the lowest earth; then be content with what has come in the reports. Do not let the doubts of the philosophers turn you away from it if its chain of narration is authentic, for they are like a mirage in a desert.

What I surmise is that there is no one among the disbelievers, let alone the believers, who doubts that Allah Almighty has creations we do not know, such that one needs to provide evidence for it. It is also permissible that the intent of this creation is the creation in Paradise; meaning: And He creates in Paradise, other than what was mentioned of worldly blessings, that which you do not know—meaning that which it is not your concern to know. This is what was indicated by His saying—may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him—narrating from Allah Almighty: "I have prepared for My righteous servants what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no heart of man has conceived."