Surah Yunus (10) — Ayah 59

(Ayah 59) ➊ {قُلْ اَرَءَيْتُمْ مَّاۤ اَنْزَلَ اللّٰهُ لَكُمْ مِّنْ رِّزْقٍ …:} The polytheists and the Jews, on their own accord, had declared many lawful things as unlawful and unlawful things as lawful. They are being questioned: On whose authority have you declared these things lawful and unlawful? The details have already passed; for example, regarding the polytheists, see Surah Al-Ma'idah (103), Al-An'am (118 to 121 and 136 to 140), and regarding the Jews, see Surah Aal-e-Imran (93) and its benefits.
➋ { اَمْ عَلَى اللّٰهِ تَفْتَرُوْنَ:} From this, it is understood that declaring the unlawful as lawful and the lawful as unlawful based on one's desires is a fabrication against Allah, that is, slandering Allah. (Ibn Kathir) Qadi Shawkani states that in this verse there is a severe warning for those followers who seat themselves on the chair of issuing fatwas and issue verdicts regarding what is lawful and unlawful, permissible and impermissible, even though they do not possess knowledge of the Qur'an and Hadith. Their knowledge only extends to the point that whatever a person from the Ummah has said, they simply transmit it, as if they have given that person the status of the Lawgiver (Allah and His Messenger). Whatever command from the Book and Sunnah that person acted upon, they too will act upon it, and whatever did not reach him, or reached him but he did not understand it properly, or he understood it but erred in his ijtihad and preference, in their view, that is abrogated and its ruling is finished. Whereas the one whom they are following was also bound by the Shariah and its rulings just as they themselves are. He exercised ijtihad and stated the opinion he reached. If he did not err, he will receive a double reward, and if he erred, he will receive a single reward. That person is excused in his own place, but these people can in no way be considered excused who have made his opinions an independent Shariah and a binding proof. According to the scholars, it is not correct to practice taqlid by acting on the ijtihad of a mujtahid. (Shawkani)

59. 1. By this is meant the forbidding of certain animals, which the polytheists used to leave in the names of their idols, the details of which have already been mentioned in Surah Al-An'am.

Say: Have you considered the provision [73] Allah has sent down for you, and you have made some of it unlawful and some lawful? Did Allah give you permission for this, or are you inventing lies against Allah?

[73]
The Broader Meaning of Sustenance:

Generally, sustenance is understood to mean only food and drink. However, this word is used in a much broader sense. For example, you used to make this supplication: «اللہم ارزقني علما نافعا» (O Allah, grant me beneficial knowledge). Similarly, there is a famous supplication: «اللہم ارنا الحق حقا وار زقنا اتباعه وارنا الباطل باطلا وارزقنا اجتنابه» In the first supplication, the word sustenance is used in the sense of granting or a gift. And in the second supplication, it is used in the sense of granting ability. In reality, anything that fulfills any need in a person's physical or spiritual development is sustenance. Thus, in ﴿وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنٰهُمْ يُنْفِقُوْنَ﴾, sustenance does not only mean wealth and riches from which obligatory or voluntary charity is given, but if Allah has granted knowledge, that too is sustenance and should be spent, meaning it should be taught to others. And if health has been granted, then by helping the weak, charity is given from health as well.

[74]
The Application of Halal and Haram Is Not Limited to Food and Drink, and This Authority Belongs Only to Allah:

The things among food, drink, and animals that Allah has forbidden have been mentioned at several places in the Quran, and what the polytheists and followers of customs and traditions themselves declared forbidden has been mentioned in Surah Al-Ma'idah, verse 103, and Surah Al-An'am, verse 143. Now the question is, the authority to declare something halal or haram belongs only to Allah, so who gave these people the authority to declare anything forbidden as they wish, or to declare forbidden things as permissible if they wish? Then, this matter does not remain limited here; rather, they also cloak it in religious sanctity and attribute it to Allah, saying that this is the command of Allah or the Shariah. Allah Almighty asks these people whether they can present this attribution from any revealed book? And if they cannot do so, then it is clearly evident that this is a fabrication against Allah; therefore, they are doubly guilty. This matter was about food and drink, whereas Allah has forbidden many other things, foremost among them being shirk (associating partners with Allah). And those who declare shirk permissible and cloak it in religious sanctity and attribute it to Allah, as well as those who, in matters of moral and social boundaries and restrictions, declare things halal or haram according to their desires—as the polytheists of Makkah used to declare the sacred months permissible—all of them fall under the purview of this verse. And there are countless such things that have been made permissible from forbidden and forbidden from permissible.