The Majestic Quran

6. Al-Anʿam The Cattle A late Makkan chapter revealed in its entirety on a single occasion, at a time of severe tension between the Muslims and the idolaters. Ibn Abbas said that some Makkans told the Prophet r : “We shall not believe until you bring us a book which we can touch and accompanied by the angels.” (Al-Qurtubi). The chapter presents powerful arguments supporting beliefs in Oneness, Messengership, and Hereafter; typical subject matter of Makkan chapters, whilst the Madinan chapters deal with law, worship and the organisation of the community. Al-An‘am, “the Cattle”, is derived from several references to the idolaters’ superstitious practises of dedicating animals to their idols. The Quran adopts five methods of reasoning to prove the creative power of God; a way of putting forward propositions about the existence of God, and His dominance: 1. Self-evident truths: these maxims are pithy statements of truth: “This worldly life is a sport and an amusement, the home in the Hereafter is far better for the mindful people” (32). Is there a doubt about the fleeting and temporary nature of this life? 2. The Nature: “God cleaves the seed and the fruit-stone; He brings the living from the dead and the dead from the living” (95). How can one fail to see the hand of God in the vast universe? 3. Human history: the stories of the prophets are frequent lines of evidence that the Quran presents to support its teachings (74– 110). Prophet Abraham is instructed: “Worship God, there is no God beside Him.” Steering stubborn and materialistic