Surah Al-Anam

الأنعام

Surah 6 · Makki · 165 ayahs · Juz 7–8 · pages 128–150 · 20 rukus

Revealed: Makki
Ayahs: 165
Juz: 7–8
Mushaf pages: 128–150
Words: 3,050
Order revealed: 55th (according to Ibn Abbas)
Year: 13th year of Prophethood
Prophets named: Nuh, Lut, Ibrahim, Ismail, Ishaq, Yaqub, Yusuf, Ayyub

About Surah Al-Anam (006)

In this Surah, the message of Tawhid is highly emphasized. It contains basic principles of Tawhid and gives beautiful descriptions of Allah’s…

In this Surah, the message of Tawhid is highly emphasized. It contains basic principles of Tawhid and gives beautiful descriptions of Allah’s creative power. It criticises Shirk (polytheism) and its various manifestations. Basic topics discussed here are:

The Oneness of Allah is the reality in this universe.
Polytheism has no foundation.
Prophet Ibrahim preached Tawhid. Other Prophets also gave the same message.
Allah’s judgment will come and the truth will prevail.
Allah gives right guidance about food and other matters of life.

Sections

Allah created the heaven and earth but the non-believers call others equal to Allah.
Allah’s punishment came upon those who denied the truth.
On the Day of Judgement, the Mushrikin (polytheists) will admit their guilt.
Those who deny the Hereafter, they are the real losers. Non-believers ridiculed Allah’s Prophets, but in the end the truth prevailed.
Nations were warned before. Allah did try them in various ways.
Believers should be respected.
Allah is the final judge and He will decide the destiny of the individuals and nations.
Allah’s majesty, power and might.
Prophet Ibrahim’s arguments against Shirk (polytheism).
Other Prophets also preached the message of Tawhid.
Allah’s revelation to His Prophets.
Allah’s signs in the creation.
Allah has no partner, nor son.
Arrogance of the non-believers and their opposition to the Prophets. Do not eat the animals slaughtered in the name of anyone other than Allah.
Those who plot against Allah, they suffer themselves.
Superstitions of the Mushrikin (polytheists).
Allah’s gifts for humanity and people’s self-imposed prohibitions.
Universal principles of Islam.
The true religion: prayer, sacrifice, life, death, everything must be for Allah. The name of the Surah is al-An’am (Cattle) and it consists of 165 Ayah.

This surah is published a ruku at a time — the Quran's own reading portion — so each page stays short enough to study properly. Pick where you want to begin.

The 20 rukus of Surah Al-Anam

Each ruku is a reading portion. This is what each one covers — click any line to open it.

Ruku	What it covers	Ayahs
1	Allah is the same, One Almighty God, for the heavens and the earth If Allah had sent a written Book and an angel with it, the unbelievers still would not have believed	1–10
2	Allah has decreed mercy for Himself that is why He does not punish any one in this world Punishment will be on the Day of Judgment The Qur'an is revealed to admonish and to declare that there is Only One God: Allah	11–20
3	Prejudice has made the people worship deities other than Allah For sure there is a life after death?	21–30
4	Those who deny life after death are losers Those who deny the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), in fact deny Allah's revelations Those who listen will accept the Truth Use your common sense to learn from the signs of nature Do you not call Allah Alone in real distress?	31–41
5	Prosperity in this world is not a reward, but a respite Who can restore your hearing and sight if Allah takes them away? Rasools never claimed that they know the unseen or that they are angels	42–50
6	Admonish the unbelievers with this Qur'an Real belief is a favor of Allah and is irrespective of worldly status	51–55
7	Allah Alone has the authority of passing Judgment and He Alone knows the unseen	56–60
8	Allah has appointed guardian angels over you Allah is the One Who delivers you from calamities Do not sit with those who argue about Allah's revelations Do not associate with those who take their religion as a matter of amusement	61–70
9	The believers are commanded to become Muslims, to establish Salah and to fear Allah Alone Ibrâheem learned faith through the study of nature with his common sense Arguments of the mushrikeen with Ibrâheem about Allah	71–82
10	Descendants of the Prophet Ibrâheem including Musa, Isa and Muhammad (pbuh): none of them were Mushrikeen	83–90
11	Allah is the One Who revealed the Taurât and the Qur'an Those who invent a lie against Allah will face a disgraceful punishment	91–94
12	Examples from Allah's creation are clearly spelled out for the understanding of mankind How could Allah have a son without a spouse? Clear proofs have come to you, if only you could care to understand	95–100
13	Do not insult the deities to whom the Mushrikeen offer their worship Guidance depends on the attitude of individuals	101–110
14	All Rasools of Allah had opposition from Shaitân and his followers Eat only that meat on which Allah's name has been pronounced	111–121
15	When good and bad are treated alike, criminals are appointed as their ringleaders Whomever Allah wants to guide, He opens up his chest to Islam Jinns, and human beings who are misled by them, will all be cast into Hell	122–129
16	On the Day of Judgment kuffâr (unbelievers) will confess that they were indeed kuffâr (disbelievers) Mushrikeen give their deities preference over Allah The mushrikeen falsely attribute their self- imposed prohibitions to Allah	130–140
17	Give Zakah of agriculture on the harvest day Falsely attributed prohibition of livestock are clarified	141–144
18	Correct prohibitions of livestock are spelled out Explanation of the Jewish prohibitions of live stock Mushrikeen' excuse for being Mushrikeen	145–150
19	In Islam, forbidden things are based on fundamental moral principles	151–154
20	The Book of Allah has come to you for your guidance so that there may be no excuse about the true Word of Allah Those who divide religion into sects are not Muslims Declare: "My Salah, my devotion, my life and my death are all for Allah."	155–165

Themes of Surah Al-Anam (006)

Islamic Creed. This Surah mainly discusses the different aspects of the major articles of the Islamic Creed: Monotheism, life after death,…

Islamic Creed. This Surah mainly discusses the different aspects of the major articles of the Islamic Creed: Monotheism, life after death, Prophethood and their practical relevance to human life. It also refutes the erroneous beliefs of those opposing it and answers their objections, warning and admonishing them.

Furthermore, it comforts the Prophet ﷺand his followers who were suffering from persecution. These themes have not been dealt with under separate headings, but have been blended together in a beautiful manner.

Establishing the Hujjah (proof). The Aqeedah (belief) of the Disbelievers is categorically deconstructed and refuted from various perspectives.

The main topics dealt with in this discourse may be divided under seven headings:

Refutation of polytheism (Shirk) and invitation to the creed of Monotheism (Tawhid).
Belief in the doctrine of “life after death” and refutation of nothing being beyond this worldly life.
Refutation of the prevalent superstitions.
Enunciation of the fundamental moral principles for building the Islamic Society.
Answers to the objections raised against the person of the Prophet ﷺand his mission.
Comfort and encouragement to the Prophet ﷺand his followers who were at that time in a state of anxiety because of the persecution they were facing.
Admonition warning and threats to the disbelievers and opponents to give up their apathy and haughtiness.

Key words of Surah Al-Anam

Arabic builds its words from a three-letter root; change the pattern around the root and the meaning changes with it. These are the roots this surah keeps returning to, and the words built on each — every word links to the ayah it sits in. More in the Grammar Guide.

Root	Times	Words in this surah
اله	93	لِلَّهِBe to Allah اللَّهُIs Allah آلِهَةًThere are gods
قول	87	لَقَالَSurely would have said وَقَالُواAnd they said قُلْSay
كون	64	كَانُواThey are كَانَWas أَكُونَI be
ربب	53	بِرَبِّهِمْIn their Lord رَبِّهِمْOf their Lord رَبِّيMy Lord
علم	44	يَعْلَمُHe knows وَيَعْلَمُAnd he knows الْعَلِيمُAll knowing
شيا	39	شَيْءٍThing شَاءَAllah had willed يَشَإِAllah wills
ايي	32	آيَةٍAny sign آيَاتِThe signs بِآيَاتِهِHis signs
افل	4	أَفَلَIt set الْآفِلِينَThe ones that set
قرطس	2	قِرْطَاسٍA parchment قَرَاطِيسَInto parchments
بسل	2	تُبْسَلَIs given up to destruction أُبْسِلُواAre given to destruction
بزغ	2	بَازِغًاRising
حير	1	حَيْرَانَConfused

Introduction and themes from The Qur’an Companion (Qur’an Wiki), Institute of Qur’anic Studies, reproduced unchanged. Key roots are their selection; every word, meaning and count shown here is from ILMHUB’s own Quran database.

Published 21 August 2026