أَوَلَم يَرَوا أَنّا خَلَقنا لَهُم مِمّا عَمِلَت أَيدينا أَنعامًا فَهُم لَها مالِكونَ

Have they not seen that We have created for them – of what Our hands have worked – cattle, so they have become their masters?

EXEGESIS

Anʿām (cattle) are pasturing animals, mostly applied to camels, sheep, goats, or all of these, or camels alone.^{‎[1]Lane, p. 3036.}

Aydī (hands): the literal meaning is plural of the arm (yad), from the shoulder joint to the extremities of the fingers. It could be used for a sleeve or the foreleg of a horse. There have been various metaphorical uses, such as the hand of superiority or authority. In addition, it is used as a metaphor for power, pledge, support, and help. For example, if someone needs help from a friend, he would ask him for a hand.

EXPOSITION

God reminds the deniers whose hearts are dead about the signs of His oneness, His lordship, and His management of human worldly affairs. This verse is similar to verse 36, as we mentioned previously, about the cultivation of the earth, the gushing of springs, and the production of agricultural products such as grains and fruits. In this verse, God mentions more of His blessings like the cattle He created by His own power and knowledge, and then kept them under the control and ownership of humankind.^{‎[2]Mizan, 17/109.}

The expression what Our hands have worked is a metaphorical expression to signify that everything in this world is made directly by God. Although there is a chain of causes and effects, there are angels working hard behind the scenes to make this world possible; however, these are all honorary mediums and what is out there is in a real sense worked by His hands. The same expression is used for the creation of Adam: He said: ‘O Iblīs, what prevented you from prostrating before what I have created with My [own] two hands?’ (38:75). So, everything created by His hands means that everything is created directly by Him. If His hands, so to speak, are not at work, the chain of causes would not work, and the angels would be powerless.

Unlike other animals, God made the cattle submissive and totally under the control of humankind so that they could easily benefit from them. Humankind is very much dependent upon the cattle in a way that they have become an essential part of their life. After all these blessings, humans must be thankful to Him and recognise the Master of the favours. Yet many are heedless of this.^{‎[3]Amthal, 14/238.}

The expression they have become their masters brings to our attention the real owner of things and His generosity to make us owners of what, in reality, belongs to Him. He has made things in a way that they are submissive to us to the extent that we can possess them.

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

1. Imam al-Ṣādiq (a) said to Mufaḍḍal ibn ʿUmar: ‘O Mufaḍḍal, think about the things that you see as being prepared in the world for their [human’s] purpose, the soil is for construction, iron for industries … meat for food … and animals for loading … How many of these and their likeness may be encompassed by the one who counts? … Think about someone who entered a house and looked at stored cupboards filled with everything people need and saw everything in them is prepared for specific reasons. Would he have imagined that something like that would have been kept unintentionally and out of negligence? So how can someone consider these creations and whatever is prepared in them [for a specific purpose] are made by nature in the world? Hence, consider, O Mufaḍḍal, these things and how they are managed, created, and ordained for the purpose of humankind.’^{‎[4]Mufaḍḍal ibn ʿUmar, Tawḥīd Mufaḍḍal, (Najaf: Ḥaydariyyah Printing, 1955), p. 44.}

INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS

1. And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock…”^{‎[5]Genesis 1:24-26.}
2. The Lord Speaks: “Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch when the doe bears her fawn? Do you count the months till they bear? Do you know the time they give birth? … “Will the wild ox consent to serve you? Will it stay by your manager at night? Can you hold it to the furrow with a harness? Will it till the valleys behind you? Will you rely on it for its great strength? Will you leave your heavy work to it?
3. “Do you give the horse its strength or clothe its neck with a flowing mane? Do you make it leap like a locust, striking terror with its proud snorting? It paws fiercely, rejoicing in its strength, and charges into the fray. It laughs at fear, afraid of nothing; it does not shy away from the sword. The quiver rattles against its side, along with the flashing spear and lance. In frenzied excitement, it eats up the ground; it cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds. At the blast of the trumpet, it snorts, ‘Aha!’ It catches the scent of battle from afar, the shout of commanders and the battle cry…”^{‎[6]Job 39:1-11, 19-25.}

[1] Lane, p. 3036.
[2] Mizan, 17/109.
[3] Amthal, 14/238.
[4] Mufaḍḍal ibn ʿUmar, Tawḥīd Mufaḍḍal, (Najaf: Ḥaydariyyah Printing, 1955), p. 44.
[5] Genesis 1:24-26.
[6] Job 39:1-11, 19-25.