from the backs of livestock: the wool, fur, and hair that clothe these animals and that human beings use for clothing and furnishings.

He has thus sent this clothing down to them. Most people on earth clothe themselves in animal hides, which afford greater protection against heat and cold than clothing made from cotton and flax. In Surah al-Nahl, Allah Most High mentions His favors to His servants. At the beginning of the surah, He mentions the fundamental blessings without which human beings cannot live; later, He mentions the blessings that complete these favors and without which their lives cannot be pleasant. At its beginning, He mentions the provision they cannot do without, and the clothing that protects them against cold, saying:

“And He created livestock for you; in them you have warmth and other benefits, and from them you eat.”

Then, later in the surah, He mentions their dwellings and the benefits these afford: the homes of settled people and nomads, and the lodgings of travelers. He, Most High, says:

“And Allah has made your homes a place of rest for you”—to the end of the verse.

Then He mentions His favor in providing shade that protects them from heat and danger, saying:

“And Allah has made shade for you from what He has created, and has made shelters for you in the mountains”—through to His words:

“Thus He perfects His favor upon you, so that you may submit to Him.”

He does not mention protection against cold here because He has already mentioned it at the beginning of the surah, among the fundamental blessings. Cold kills: no one can live in cold lands without warmth. Heat, by contrast, causes discomfort but does not kill as cold does. Protection against heat can be found in shade, clothing, and other things. Moreover, people living in hot climates do not need protection to the same extent as those exposed to cold; even minimal protection suffices them, and at night and at either end of the day they