سورة النحل

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): وَاللهُ جَعَلَ لَکُم مِّن بُیُوتِکُمْ سَکَنًا [And Allah has made for you, from your houses, a place of rest] means houses and dwellings. وَجَعَلَ لَکُم مِّن جُلُودِ الأَنْعَامِ بُیُوتًا [And He has made for you, from the skins of cattle, houses] means tents, تَسْتَخِفُّونَهَا یَوْمَ ظَعْنِکُمْ [which you find light on the day of your travel] means on your journeys. وَیَوْمَ إِقَامَتِکُمْ [and on the day of your halting], when you become resident and settled in a place, وَ مِنْ أَصْوَافِهَا وَأَوْبَارِهَا وَأَشْعَارِهَا أَثَاثًا وَمَتَاعًا إِلَی حِینٍ [and from their wool, their fur and their hair, household stuff and provision for a time]. In the narration of Abu al-Jarud it is reported that concerning this verse he said: أَثَاثًا means wealth, وَ مَتَاعًا means benefits, gains and profits, إِلَی حِینٍ means until the time of its arrival.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): It becomes known that the Allah of the land and the sea, of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between the two, is One, Living, Self-Subsisting, Managing, Wise; for if anyone other than Him existed, everything would fall into disorder. [This order] in the heavens is like [the order] of the earth, from which Allah brought forth seeds, grapes, vine branches, olives, date-palms, dense-treed gardens, fruit and pastures, and He carried out this work with wise governance, and made it manifest through the creation of flowers and fruits for the continuation of human life and as sustenance for the strengthening of their bodies and the bodies of their cattle — cattle from whose wool, fur and hair Allah created goods and means of living for an appointed time, cattle to be benefited from and to be ridden upon their backs. These are for their livelihood, without which they cannot remain alive, and this is a benefit upon which alone their affairs are sustained.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): Praise be to Allah who subjected the cattle to us so that we may eat from them, and made them mounts for us, and from their skins made for us houses, garments, bedding and goods (means of livelihood) for a time [in this world].

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: [Wearing clothing made of] human hair is disliked. Anything that falls off a living being has the ruling of carrion; the same ruling applies to the severed limbs of animals — if the animal is alive, the severed limb is carrion and must not be eaten, except those parts which are permitted, namely their wool, fur and hair. So if a wet hand touches them, or one prays in a garment made of them, or prays on a prayer-mat made of them, there is no problem, on the condition that it be pure — contrary to human hair [in which these things are not permitted].