Sūrah Al-Anʿām The Cattle
سورة الأنعام
A Makkan sūrah of 165 verses on tawḥīd, prophethood, and food prohibitions. Al-Ṭabarī examines the debate on cattle sacrificed without Allah's name, the meaning of "dhabiḥtu li-ghayr Allāh," and the great verse of six divine prohibitions.
Surah Overview
Key Themes from Al-Ṭabarī
Al-Ṭabarī presents the famous six divine prohibitions of 6:151–153 as a structured analysis: he collects all Companion narrations on each prohibition (shirk, disrespect to parents, infanticide, indecency, killing without right, consuming orphan wealth, unjust measurement, and false testimony) and shows how each prohibition is grounded in multiple independent chains from different Companions, establishing their authority through convergent transmission.
On the food debate in 6:121 ("Do not eat of that upon which Allah's name has not been mentioned"), al-Ṭabarī engages in careful chain analysis. He presents the view of Ibn ʿAbbās (that intentional omission makes the meat forbidden) and the view of ʿĀʾishah (narrated via ʿUrwah) that forgetting does not invalidate. Al-Ṭabarī's preferred synthesis: the verse applies to deliberate omission (as in idol sacrifices); forgetting is covered by the Prophet's own ḥadīth granting permission.
- Six prohibitions structure: Al-Ṭabarī treats 6:151–153 as the Makkan ethical foundation each prohibition has a dedicated chain from multiple Companions confirming its universality.
- Intention in ritual: The Bismillāh debate shows al-Ṭabarī distinguishing intention (deliberate omission vs. forgetfulness) a key fiqh principle derived from chain analysis.
- Quranic self-preservation: Al-Ṭabarī uses the ḥadīth about this sūrah being revealed in one night to confirm its unified nature, though he evaluates the chain's strength critically.
- Tarjīḥ methodology: Al-Ṭabarī explicitly states when he is preferring one narration over another and gives his reasons making his methodology transparent and reproducible.
- Prophetic override: Where the Prophet ﷺ specifically addressed a case (forgetting Bismillāh), al-Ṭabarī places that ḥadīth above all Companion interpretations of the verse.