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What Does the Quran Say About Livestock?

Livestock is mentioned in the Quran in these verses:

 

[3:14] Adorned for the people are the worldly pleasures, such as the women, having children, piles upon piles of gold and silver, trained horses, livestock, and crops. These are the materials of this world. A far better abode is reserved at God.

[4:119] “I will mislead them, I will entice them, I will command them to (forbid the eating of certain meats by) marking the ears of livestock, and I will command them to distort the creation of God.” Anyone who accepts the devil as a lord, instead of God, has incurred a profound loss.

[5:1] O you who believe, you shall fulfill your covenants. Permitted for you to eat are the livestock, except those specifically prohibited herein. You shall not permit hunting throughout Hajj pilgrimage. God decrees whatever He wills.

[5:95] O you who believe, do not kill any game during pilgrimage. Anyone who kills any game on purpose, his fine shall be a number of livestock animals that is equivalent to the game animals he killed. The judgment shall be set by two equitable people among you. They shall make sure that the offerings reach the Ka`bah. Otherwise, he may expiate by feeding poor people, or by an equivalent fast to atone for his offense. God has pardoned past offenses. But if anyone returns to such an offense, God will avenge it. God is Almighty, Avenger.

[5:103] God did not prohibit livestock that begets certain combinations of males and females, nor livestock liberated by an oath, nor the one that begets two males in a row, nor the bull that fathers ten. It is the disbelievers who invented such lies about God. Most of them do not understand.

[6:136] They even set aside a share of God’s provisions of crops and livestock, saying, “This share belongs to God,” according to their claims, “and this share belongs to our idols.” However, what was set aside for their idols never reached God, while the share they set aside for God invariably went to their idols. Miserable indeed is their judgment.

[6:137] Thus were the idol worshipers duped by their idols, to the extent of killing their own children. In fact, their idols inflict great pain upon them, and confuse their religion for them. Had God willed, they would not have done it. You shall disregard them and their fabrications.

[6:138] They said, “These are livestock and crops that are prohibited; no one shall eat them except whomever we permit,” so they claimed. They also prohibited the riding of certain livestock. Even the livestock they ate, they never pronounced God’s name as they sacrificed them. Such are innovations attributed to Him. He will surely requite them for their innovations.

[6:139] They also said, “What is in the bellies of these livestock is reserved exclusively for the males among us, and prohibited for our wives.” But if it was a still birth, they permitted their wives to share therein. He will certainly requite them for their innovations. He is Most Wise, Omniscient.

[6:140] Losers indeed are those who killed their children foolishly, due to their lack of knowledge, and prohibited what God has provided for them, and followed innovations attributed to God. They have gone astray; they are not guided.

[6:141] He is the One who established gardens, trellised and untrellised, and palm trees, and crops with different tastes, and olives, and pomegranate – fruits that are similar, yet dissimilar. Eat from their fruits, and give the due alms on the day of harvest, and do not waste anything. He does not love the wasters.

[6:142] Some livestock supply you with transportation, as well as bedding materials. Eat from God’s provisions to you, and do not follow the steps of Satan; he is your most ardent enemy.

[6:143] Eight kinds of livestock: regarding the two kinds of sheep, and the two kinds of goats, say, “Is it the two males that He prohibited, or the two females, or the contents of the wombs of the two females? Tell me what you know, if you are truthful.”

[6:144] Regarding the two kinds of camels, and the two kinds of cattle, say, “Is it the two males that He prohibited, or the two females, or the contents of the wombs of the two females? Were you witnesses when God decreed such prohibitions for you? Who is more evil than those who invent such lies and attribute them to God? They thus mislead the people without knowledge. God does not guide such evil people.”

[16:5] And He created the livestock for you, to provide you with warmth, and many other benefits, as well as food.

[16:66] And in the livestock there is a lesson for you: we provide you with a drink from their bellies. From the midst of digested food and blood, you get pure milk, delicious for the drinkers.

[16:80] And God provided for you stationary homes where you can live. And He provided for you portable homes made of the hides of livestock, so you can use them when you travel, and when you settle down. And from their wools, furs, and hair, you make furnishings and luxuries for awhile.

[20:54] Eat and raise your livestock. These are sufficient proofs for those who possess intelligence.

[22:28] They may seek commercial benefits, and they shall commemorate God’s name during the specified days for providing them with livestock. “Eat therefrom and feed the despondent and the poor.”

[22:29] They shall complete their obligations, fulfill their vows, and visit the ancient shrine.

[22:30] Those who reverence the rites decreed by God have deserved a good reward at their Lord. All livestock is made lawful for your food, except for those specifically prohibited for you. You shall avoid the abomination of idol worship, and avoid bearing false witness.

[22:31] You shall maintain your devotion absolutely to God alone. Anyone who sets up any idol beside God is like one who fell from the sky, then gets snatched up by vultures, or blown away by the wind into a deep ravine.

[22:32] Indeed, those who reverence the rites decreed by God demonstrate the righteousness of their hearts.

[22:33] The (livestock) provide you with many benefits for a period, before being donated to the ancient shrine.

[22:34] For each congregation we have decreed rites whereby they commemorate the name of God for providing them with the livestock. Your god is one and the same god; you shall all submit to Him. Give good news to the obedient.

[23:21] And the livestock should provide you with a lesson. We let you drink (milk) from their bellies, you derive other benefits from them, and some of them you use for food.

[26:133] “He provided you with livestock and children.

[32:27] Do they not realize that we drive the water to barren lands, and produce with it crops to feed their livestock, as well as themselves? Do they not see?

[35:28] Also, the people, the animals, and the livestock come in various colors. This is why the people who truly reverence God are those who are knowledgeable. God is Almighty, Forgiving.

[36:71] Have they not seen that we created for them, with our own hands, livestock that they own?

[39:6] He created you from one person, then created from him his mate. He sent down to you eight kinds of livestock. He creates you in your mothers’ bellies, creation after creation, in trimesters of darkness. Such is God your Lord. To Him belongs all sovereignty. There is no other god beside Him. How could you deviate?

[40:79] God is the One who created the livestock for you; some you ride, and some you eat.

[43:12] He is the One who created all kinds, in pairs (male and female), and He created for you ships and livestock to ride.

 

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