Tafsir Ibn Kathir -> Surah Al-An'am -> Eat the Meat of These Cattle, But Do Not Follow Shaytan's Law Concerning Them

Allah said,

﴿كُلُواْ مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ اللَّهُ﴾

(Eat of what Allah has provided for you,) of fruits, produce and cattle. Allah created all these and provided you with them as provision.

﴿وَلاَ تَتَّبِعُواْ خُطُوَتِ الشَّيْطَـنِ﴾

(and follow not the footsteps of Shaytan.) meaning, his way and orders, just as the idolators followed him and prohibited fruits and produce that Allah provided for them, claiming that this falsehood came from Allah.

﴿إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ﴾

(Surely, he is to you) meaning; Shaytan, O people, is to you,

﴿عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ﴾

(an open enemy) and his enmity to you is clear and apparent. Allah said in other Ayat,

﴿إِنَّ الشَّيْطَـنَ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ فَاتَّخِذُوهُ عَدُوّاً إِنَّمَا يَدْعُو حِزْبَهُ لِيَكُونُواْ مِنْ أَصْحَـبِ السَّعِيرِ ﴾

(Surely, Shaytan is an enemy to you, so take (treat) him as an enemy. He only invites his Hizb (followers) that they may become the dwellers of the blazing Fire. ) ﴿35:6﴾ and,

﴿يَـبَنِى آدَمَ لاَ يَفْتِنَنَّكُمُ الشَّيْطَـنُ كَمَآ أَخْرَجَ أَبَوَيْكُم مِّنَ الْجَنَّةِ يَنزِعُ عَنْهُمَا لِبَاسَهُمَا لِيُرِيَهُمَا سَوْءَتِهِمَآ﴾

(O Children of Adam! Let not Shaytan deceive you, as he got your parents out of Paradise, stripping them of their raiment, to show them their private parts.) ﴿7:27﴾ and,

﴿أَفَتَتَّخِذُونَهُ وَذُرِّيَّتَهُ أَوْلِيَآءَ مِن دُونِى وَهُمْ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ بِئْسَ لِلظَّـلِمِينَ بَدَلاً﴾

(Will you then take him (Iblis) and his offspring as protectors and helpers rather than Me while they are enemies to you What an evil is the exchange for the wrongdoers.)﴿18:50﴾ There are many other Ayat on this subject.

﴿ثَمَـنِيَةَ أَزْوَجٍ مِّنَ الضَّأْنِ اثْنَيْنِ وَمِنَ الْمَعْزِ اثْنَيْنِ قُلْ ءَآلذَّكَرَيْنِ حَرَّمَ أَمِ الأُنثَيَيْنِ أَمَّا اشْتَمَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ أَرْحَامُ الأُنثَيَيْنِ نَبِّئُونِي بِعِلْمٍ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـدِقِينَ - وَمِنَ الإِبِلِ اثْنَيْنِ وَمِنَ الْبَقَرِ اثْنَيْنِ قُلْ ءَآلذَّكَرَيْنِ حَرَّمَ أَمِ الأُنْثَيَيْنِ أَمَّا اشْتَمَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ أَرْحَامُ الأُنْثَيَيْنِ أَمْ كُنتُمْ شُهَدَآءَ إِذْ وَصَّـكُمُ اللَّهُ بِهَـذَا فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرَى عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا لِيُضِلَّ النَّاسَ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّـلِمِينَ ﴾

(143. Eight pairs: of the sheep two (male and female), and of the goats two (male and female). Say: "Has He forbidden the two males or the two females, or (the young) which the wombs of the two females enclose Inform me with knowledge if you are truthful. ") (144. And of the camels two, and of oxen two. Say: "Has He forbidden the two males or the two females or (the young) which the wombs of the two females enclose Or were you present when Allah ordered you such a thing Then who does more wrong than one who invents a lie against Allah, to lead mankind astray without knowledge. Certainly Allah guides not the people who are wrongdoers.")