Surah Al-An’am Ayat 121 in Arabic Text
English Translation
Here you can read various translations of verse 121
And do not eat of that upon which the name of Allah has not been mentioned, for indeed, it is grave disobedience. And indeed do the devils inspire their allies [among men] to dispute with you. And if you were to obey them, indeed, you would be associators [of others with Him].
Eat not of (meats) on which Allah’s name hath not been pronounced: That would be impiety. But the evil ones ever inspire their friends to contend with you if ye were to obey them, ye would indeed be Pagans.
Do not eat of (the animal) over which the name of Allah has not been pronounced (at the time of its slaughtering), for that is a transgression. And behold, the evil ones do inspire doubts and objections into the hearts of their friends so that they dispute with you; but if you obey them, you will surely yourselves turn into those who associate others with Allah in His divinity.
Eat not (O believers) of that (meat) on which Allah’s Name has not been pronounced (at the time of the slaughtering of the animal), for sure it is Fisq (a sin and disobedience of Allah). And certainly, the Shayatin (devils) do inspire their friends (from mankind) to dispute with you, and if you obey them [by making Al-Maytatah (a dead animal) legal by eating it], then you would indeed be Mushrikun (polytheists) [because they (devils and their friends) made lawful to you to eat that which Allah has made unlawful to eat and you obeyed them by considering it lawful to eat, and by doing so you worshipped them, and to worship others besides Allah is polytheism].
And eat not of that whereon Allah’s name hath not been mentioned, for lo! it is abomination. Lo! the devils do inspire their minions to dispute with you. But if ye obey them, ye will be in truth idolaters.
And do not eat of that over which The Name of Allah has not been mentioned, and surely it is indeed an immorality. And surely Ash-Shayatin (The all-vicious “ones”, i.e., the devil) do indeed reveal to their patrons to dispute with you. And in case you obey them, (then) surely you are indeed associators (i.e., those who associate others with Allah).
and do not eat anything over which God’s name has not been pronounced, for that is breaking the law. The evil ones incite their followers to argue with you: if you listen to them, you too will become idolaters.
اور ایسے جانوروں میں سے مت کھاؤ جن پر اللہ کا نام نہ لیا گیا ہو اور یہ کام نافرمانی کا ہے اور یقیناً شیاطین اپنے دوستوں کے دل میں ڈالتے ہیں تاکہ یہ تم سے جدال کریں اور اگر تم ان لوگوں کی اطاعت کرنے لگو تو یقیناً تم مشرک ہوجاؤ گے
Quran 6 Verse 121 Explanation
For those looking for commentary to help with the understanding of Surah Al-An’am ayat 121, we’ve provided two Tafseer works below. The first is the tafseer of Abul Ala Maududi, the second is of Ibn Kathir.
Ala-Maududi
(6:121) Do not eat of (the animal) over which the name of Allah has not been pronounced (at the time of its slaughtering), for that is a transgression. And behold, the evil ones do inspire doubts and objections into the hearts of their friends so that they dispute with you;[86] but if you obey them, you will surely yourselves turn into those who associate others with Allah in His divinity.[87]
86. It has been reported in a tradition transmitted by ‘Abd Allah b. ‘Abbas that the Jewish religious scholars used to prompt the ignorant people of Arabia to address many enquiries to the Prophet (peace be on him) so as to discredit him. One of the questions they taught them to ask was: ‘Why is it that an animal killed by (the act of) God should be deemed prohibited, while one killed by us is considered lawful?’This is a common example of the warped mentality of the People of the Book. They strained their minds to contrive such questions so as to create doubts in people’s minds and to provide them with intellectual weapons in their fight against the Truth.
87. To acknowledge the overlordship of God, yet to follow at the same time the orders and ways of those who have turned away from Him, amounts to associating others with God in His divinity. True belief in the unity of God consists in orienting one’s entire life to the obedience and service of God. Those who believe that any other being besides God is to he acknowledged in principle as having an independent claim on man’s unreserved obedience should know that such acknowledgement amounts to associating others with God in His divinity at the level of belief. On the other hand, if they actually do obey those who, in sheer disregard of God’s guidance and injunctions, arrogate to themselves the right to declare according to their whims certain things to be lawful and others to be unlawful, and to bid and forbid people as they please, this amounts to associating others with God in His divinity at the level of action.
Ibn-Kathir
121. Eat not of that on which Allah’s Name has not been pronounced, for surely it is disobedience. And certainly, the Shayatin do inspire their friends to dispute with you, and if you obey them, then you would indeed be polytheists.
This Ayah is used to prove that slaughtered animals are not lawful when Allah’s Name is not mentioned over them — even if slaughtered by a Muslim. The Ayah about hunting game,
(So eat of what they (trained hunting dogs or birds of prey) catch for you, but pronounce the Name of Allah over it.) ﴿5:4﴾ supports this. The Ayah here emphasized this ruling, when Allah said,
(for surely it is disobedience.) They say that “it” refers to eating it, and others say that it refers to the sacrifice for other than Allah. There are various Hadiths that order mentioning Allah’s Name when slaughtering and hunting. The Hadith narrated by `Adi bin Hatim and Abu Tha`labah (that the Prophet said);
(When you send your trained hunting dog and mention Allah’s Name on releasing it, then eat from whatever it catches for you.) This Hadith was collected in the Two Sahihs. The Rafi` bin Khadij narrated that the Prophet said;
(You can use what would make blood flow (i. e., slaughter) and you can eat what is slaughtered and the Name of Allah is mentioned at the time of slaughtering.) This Hadith was also collected in the Two Sahihs. Ibn Mas`ud narrated that Allah’s Messenger said to the Jinns.
((For food) you have every bone on which Allah’s Name was mentioned on slaughtering.) Muslim collected this Hadith. Jundub bin Sufyan Al-Bajali said that the Messenger of Allah said,
(Whoever slaughtered before he prayed (the `Id prayer), let him slaughter another sacrifice in its place. Whoever did not offer the sacrifice before we finished the prayer, let him slaughter and mention Allah’s Name.) The Two Sahihs recorded this Hadith.
Allah said,
(And certainly, the Shayatin do inspire their friends to dispute with you,) Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Abu Ishaq said that a man said to Ibn `Umar that Al-Mukhtar claimed that he received revelation. So Ibn `Umar said, “He has said the truth,” and recited this Ayah,
(And certainly, the Shayatin do inspire their friends…) Abu Zamil said, “I was sitting next to Ibn `Abbas at a time when Al-Mukhtar bin Abi `Ubayd was performing Hajj. So a man came to Ibn `Abbas and said, `O Ibn `Abbas! Abu Ishaq (Al-Mukhtar) claimed that he received revelation this night.’ Ibn `Abbas said, He has said the truth.’ I was upset and said, `Ibn `Abbas says that Al-Mukhtar has said the truth’ Ibn `Abbas replied, `There are two types of revelation, one from Allah and one from the devil. Allah’s revelation came to Muhammad , while the Shaytan’s revelation comes to his friends.’ He then recited,
(And certainly, the Shayatin do inspire their friends…) We also mentioned `Ikrimah’s commentary on the Ayah,
(Inspiring one another with adorned speech as a delusion.) Allah said next,
(to dispute with you,) Ibn Jarir recorded that Ibn `Abbas commented;
(Eat not of that on which Allah’s Name has not been mentioned…) until,
(…to dispute with you,) “The devils inspire their loyal supporters, `Do you eat from what you kill but not from what Allah causes to die”’ As-Suddi said; “Some idolators said to the Muslims, `You claim that you seek Allah’s pleasure. Yet, you do not eat what Allah causes to die, but you eat what you slaughter’ Allah said,
(and if you obey them…), and eat dead animals,
(then you would indeed be polytheists. ) Similar was said by Mujahid, Ad-Dahhak and several others among scholars of the Salaf.
Allah’s statement,
(and if you obey them, then you would indeed be polytheists.) means, when you turn away from Allah’s command and Legislation to the saying of anyone else, preferring other than what Allah has said, then this constitutes Shirk. Allah said in another Ayah,
(They (Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allah.)﴿9:31﴾ In explanation of this Ayah, At-Tirmidhi recorded that `Adi bin Hatim said, “O Allah’s Messenger! They did not worship them.” The Prophet said,
(Yes they did. They (monks and rabbis) allowed the impermissible for them and they prohibited the lawful for them, and they followed them in that. That was their worship of them.)
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