Tafsir of Surah Ya-Sin - Verse 71

There is a Sign and a Blessing in Cattle

Allah mentions the blessing that He has bestowed upon His creation by subjugating these cattle for their use.

فَهُمْ لَهَا مَـلِكُونَ

(so that they are their owners.) Qatadah said, "They are their masters." Meaning, He has made them subdue them. So they are submissive towards them and do not resist them; even if a young child comes to a camel he can make it kneel down, and if he wants to, he can make it stand up and can drive it, and it will meekly be led by him. Even if the train consists of a hundred or more camels, they could all be led by a young child.

فَمِنْهَا رَكُوبُهُمْ وَمِنْهَا يَأْكُلُونَ

(some of them they have for riding and some they eat.) means, some of them they ride on their journeys, and use them to carry their burdens to all regions.

وَمِنْهَا يَأْكُلُونَ

(and some they eat.) means, if they want to, and they slaughter and sacrifice them.

وَلَهُمْ

(And they have (other) benefits from them,) means, from their wool, fur, and hair, furnishings and articles of convenience, comfort for a time.

فِيهَا

(and (they get to) drink. ) means, their milk, and their urine for those who need it as medicine, and so on.

أَفَلاَ يَشْكُرُونَ

(Will they not then be grateful) means, `will they not worship the Creator and Subduer of that, without showing gratitude to others'

In verse 71, it was said: أَوَلَمْ يَرَ‌وْا أَنَّا خَلَقْنَا لَهُم مِّمَّا عَمِلَتْ أَيْدِينَا أَنْعَامًا فَهُمْ لَهَا مَالِكُونَ (Did they not see that We have created for them cattle, among things made (directly) by Our hands, then they are their owners?). Along with the mention of the Divine novelty and beneficence in the creation of the cattle in this verse, yet another great favor of Allah Ta’ ala has been identified. It has been said that man has played no role in the creation of these cattle. Allah Ta’ ala made them, exclusively, by His own hands, so to say. Then, He not only let human beings benefit from these cattle with His permission, but also made them their owners, so that they could dispose them off in any manner they chose - use them to their advantage or sell them off and use the money thus acquired.

Gift of God - not capital or labor - is the real wisdom behind the ownership of things

In our day, debate is still going on between various economic theories as to the basis of production of things and their ownership. Is it wealth, or is it labor? The votaries of the capitalist economic system declare capital and wealth as its basis. The protagonists of the socialist and communist system support labor as the real reason or justification behind production of things and their ownership. This decree of the Qur'an tells us that none of these two has any role to play in the creation of things and their ownership. The creation of anything does not rest in the possession or control of human beings. That is an act of Allah Ta’ ala, directly. Then, reason demands that the one who creates something should also be its owner. Therefore, when it comes to things of this world, the essential and real ownership is that of Allah Ta’ ala. The ownership of human beings in anything whatsoever can take effect only when Allah Ta’ ala passes it on to them in His mercy. Allah Ta’ ala has already revealed the law of the proof and transfer of ownership through his prophets. Counter to this law, no one can become the owner of anything.

Cattle and other domestic animals are living examples which show that this material world has been created by its Creator in such a way that man should be able to harness it according to his needs. On this amenability of the material world stands the entire structure of human civilization. If horses and bulls were to be as wild as bears and wolves, or if iron and petroleum were to be as uncontrollable as volcanic lava, the evolution of human civilization would become impossible. Therefore, man should be extremely grateful to his Gracious Creator. But, he worships beings other than God and when he is advised to desist, he pays no heed. Undoubtedly, this is the worst type of disobedience to the divine rule, the aftermath of which nobody can escape.