Surah 42. Ash-Shura, Ayah 11

See note [81] on 16:72 .

The preceding allusion to the God-willed function of sex and, hence, to the polarity and multiplicity evident in all animated nature - man and animal alike - is meant to stress the above statement of the oneness and absolute uniqueness of God. The phrase "there is nothing like unto Him" implies that He is fundamentally - and not merely in His attributes - "different" from anything that exists or could exist, or anything that man can conceive or imagine or define (see note [88] on 6:100 ); and since "there is nothing that could be compared with Him" ( 112:4 ), even the "how" of His being "different" from everything else is beyond the categories of human thought.

The mystery of sex has not only its physical aspects, but its moral and spiritual aspects, and therefore mankind is in this respect differentiated from the lower animals, and among mankind the grades and qualities are suggested by the phrase "from among yourselves". As regards cattle, they are specially mentioned among the animals, as having special relations with man and specially subserving his needs, not only in the physical sphere, but also in the matter of transport, which is the key to all civilization and culture: Cf. xxxvi. 71-73; also xxiii. 21-22, where they are compared to ships, the symbol of international intercourse.