Al-An'am (The Cattle): (150) Say: "Bring forth your witnesses..."

It is known that when the Almighty refuted all types of arguments presented by the disbelievers, He then demonstrated that they have absolutely no witnesses for their claims. In this verse, there are several issues:

The word {هلم} is a call to bring something; it means: "Bring forth your witnesses." There are two views regarding its usage:

1. The First View: It is the same whether addressing one person, two people, or a group, and whether addressing a male or a female. This is supported by the verse: "Say: Bring forth your witnesses who testify..." and the verse: "And those who say to their brothers, 'Come to us...'"
2. The Second View (Linguistic Variation): The dual form is halmā (هلما), the plural is hulumū (هلموا), the feminine singular is hulumī (هلمي), the dual feminine is halmā (هلما), and the feminine plural is hulumn (هلمن). The first usage (the invariant form) is considered more eloquent (afṣaḥ).

There are two opinions regarding the origin of this word:

1. Al-Khalil and Sibawayh's View: It is composed of hā (ها) prefixed to lum (لم), meaning "gather" or "draw near" (udn). It is said: "So-and-so has limmah (لمة)," meaning closeness/drawing near. These two parts then became fused into a single word. The benefit of using hā is to attract the attention of the commanded person and invite their focus toward the command. However, because it was used frequently, the alif (in hā) was dropped for the sake of brevity, similar to saying lam abli (I did not find) instead of lam ublī (I did not find).
2. Al-Farra's View: Its origin is hal (هل) combined with am (أم), meaning the interrogative particle. Or perhaps they intended bahl (بهل), the interrogative particle. The meaning is: "Do you intend?" The purpose of this interrogation is to command intention, as if saying, "Intend [to come]." Another perspective is that the original phrase was "Do you have an inclination (hal laka) toward food, am (meaning: what is your intention)?", and this phrase became generalized for all similar calls, just as the word ta'ālā (exalted) was originally specific to a certain context but later became general.

The Almighty, by summoning the disbelievers to bring forth witnesses, highlights that they have no witness for what they have forbidden. The meaning of {هلم} is: "Bring forth your witnesses."

Then He says: {فَإِن شَهِدُوا فَلَا تَشْهَدْ مَعَهُمْ} ("But if they testify, do not testify with them"). This is a warning that they are liars. The Almighty then clarifies that if their testimony occurs, it is merely following their desires (ahwā). Therefore, the Prophet (peace be upon him) is commanded not to follow their desires.

He further aggravates their situation by stating that they do not believe in the Hereafter, and they are among those who deny resurrection and revival. He further condemns them by mentioning that they set up rivals to their Lord (i.e., they commit shirk). And Allah knows best.

Say: "Come, I will recite what your Lord has forbidden to you: that you associate nothing with Him, and to parents, good treatment, and that you do not kill your children for fear of poverty—We provide for you and for them—and that you do not approach immoralities, what is apparent of them and what is concealed, and that you do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden, except by right. This He has instructed you with, that you may use reason."