singular form. They refer to the hair-bearing kind of small livestock. The plural of al-maʿiz is maʿīr, and the plural of al-māʿizah is mawāʿiz.

“Say, O Muhammad: Has Allah forbidden the two males”—that is, the male sheep and male goats—“or the two females”—that is, the female sheep and female goats—“or what the wombs of the two females contain,” from among them? For they contain only a male or a female. “Tell me,” that is, inform me, “with knowledge.” Al-Zajjaj said: “Explain, on the basis of knowledge, what you have declared forbidden, if you are truthful” in claiming that Allah, exalted is He, has forbidden it.

“And among camels, a pair, and among cattle, a pair. Say, ‘Has He forbidden the two males, or the two females, or what the wombs of the two females contain? Or were you witnesses when Allah enjoined this upon you? Who, then, is more unjust than one who invents a lie about Allah in order to lead people astray without knowledge? Surely Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.’ (144)

Say, ‘In what has been revealed to me, I find nothing forbidden to anyone who eats it except carrion, blood poured forth, or the flesh of swine—for it is impure—or an act of disobedience: that which has been dedicated to other than Allah. But whoever is compelled by necessity, neither seeking it nor exceeding the limit, then surely your Lord is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.’ (145)

“And among camels, a pair, and among cattle, a pair. Say, ‘Has He forbidden the two males, or the two females, or what the wombs of the two females contain?’” This was because they used to say, “These livestock and crops are forbidden,” and they would say, “What is in the wombs of these livestock is exclusively for our males and forbidden to our wives.” They also declared the baḥīrah, sāʾibah, waṣīlah, and ḥām forbidden. Some of these they prohibited to both men and women, while others they prohibited to women but not to men.

When Islam was established and its rulings became firmly set, they disputed with the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. Their spokesman was Malik ibn Awf Abu al-Ahwas al-Jushami, who said, “O Muhammad, [we have heard] (1) that you prohibit certain things that our forefathers used to practice.” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said to him: “You have declared certain kinds of livestock forbidden without any basis. Allah created these eight pairs only for food and benefit. So where did this prohibition come from? Is it on account of the male or on account of the female?”

Malik ibn Awf fell silent and was bewildered, and he did not speak. Had he said that the prohibition was due to the males, he would have had to prohibit all males; and had he said that it was due to femaleness, he would have had to prohibit all females. If it was due to what the womb contained, then he ought to have prohibited all of them, for the womb contains only a male or a female. But as for singling out the fifth or seventh offspring for prohibition, or some rather than others—125/b—where did this come from?