Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 173

(Ayah 173) ➊ The word {”اِنَّمَا“} is used for restriction, therefore from the verse it is understood that Allah Almighty has declared only these four things as forbidden, nothing else besides them, and in another verse this matter is mentioned in even clearer words, He said: «قُلْ لَّآ اَجِدُ فِیْ مَآ اُوْحِیَ اِلَیَّ مُحَرَّمًا عَلٰی طَاعِمٍ یَّطْعَمُہٗٓ اِلَّآ اَنْ یَّکُوْنَ مَیْتَۃً اَوْدَمًا مَّسْفُوْحًا اَوْ لَحْمَ خِنْزِیْرٍ فَاِنَّہٗ رِجْسٌ اَوْ فِسْقًا اُھِلَّ لِغَیْرِ اللّٰہِ بِہٖ » [ الأنعام : ۱۴۵] "Say, I do not find in what has been revealed to me anything forbidden to an eater who wishes to eat it except it be carrion, or blood poured forth, or the flesh of swine—for indeed, it is filth—or a sinful thing, over which a name other than Allah's has been invoked." That is, you should announce that in my revelation, apart from these things, nothing else is forbidden. However, the objection is that from other verses and hadiths, the prohibition of many other things besides these is established, for example, khamr (every intoxicant) and predatory animals, etc. So how is it that only these things are declared forbidden here? The answer is that here, not all lawful and unlawful things are being mentioned, but rather the discussion is about those specific animals which the polytheists of Makkah had declared forbidden, while they did not abstain from the four forbidden things mentioned in the verse. Therefore, in response to their action, they were told that according to Allah, such and such things are forbidden, from which you do not abstain, and those things which are lawful according to Allah, you avoid. In other words, here the matter is mentioned only in relation to those polytheists and in contrast to them. This is called "relative restriction" (hasr idhafi) in Arabic. This is not an absolute or general rule.

➋ The fundamental rulings regarding lawful and unlawful things in the Qur'an and Hadith, apart from these four things, are as follows: (1) Every animal from the sea, whether caught alive or dead, whatever its name may be, is lawful. See the footnote of Surah Al-Ma'idah (96). By this is meant those animals that live in water and cannot survive without it, whether in the sea or in any other water body, such as rivers, etc. (2) Among land animals, every predatory animal with fangs and every bird that hunts with its talons is forbidden. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates: [ اَنَّ رَسُوْلَ اللّٰہِ صَلَّی اللّٰہُ عَلَیْہِ وَسَلَّمَ نَہَی عَنْ کُلِّ ذِیْ نَابٍ مِنَ السِّبَاعِ وَ عَنْ کُلِّ ذِیْ مِخْلَبٍ مِنَ الطَّیْرٍ] [ مسلم، الصید والذبائح، باب تحریم أکل کل ذی … : ۱۹۳۴] "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade every animal with fangs and every bird that hunts with its talons (from being eaten)." In addition, those animals which are specifically named as forbidden in hadith, such as the domestic donkey, or those animals which are ordered to be killed wherever found, i.e., snake, scorpion, lizard, crow, kite, etc. Everything other than what is forbidden in the Qur'an and Hadith is lawful.

➌ For further details of the verse, see Surah Al-Ma'idah (3) and Al-An'am (145).

173. 1. In this verse, four prohibited things are mentioned, but it is stated with the word of exclusivity (انما), which may create the impression that only these four things are forbidden, whereas there are many other things that are also forbidden. Therefore, firstly, it should be understood that the exclusivity is in a specific context, that is, in the context of the polytheists’ act of declaring even lawful animals as forbidden. Allah said that those are not forbidden; only these are forbidden. Thus, this exclusivity is relative, meaning that there are other prohibitions as well which are not mentioned here. Secondly, in the hadith, two principles have been stated regarding the permissibility and prohibition of animals, which should be kept in mind as the correct interpretation of the verse. Among beasts, ذوناب (the beast that hunts with its teeth) and among birds, ذومخلب (the one that hunts with its claws) are forbidden. Thirdly, those animals whose prohibition is established from hadith, such as donkey, dog, etc., are also forbidden, which indicates that hadith, like the Noble Quran, is a source of religion and a proof in religion, and religion is complete by accepting both, not by ignoring hadith and relying only on the Quran. By "dead" is meant that lawful animal which dies naturally or due to some accident (the details of which are in Surah Al-Ma'idah) without being slaughtered, or is slaughtered contrary to the prescribed method, for example, strangled, or killed with a stone or wood, or as in the modern mechanical slaughter method where it is killed by a blow. However, in hadith, two dead animals have been declared lawful: one is fish, the other is locust; they are exceptions to this ruling of میتہ. By blood is meant دم مسفوح, that is, the blood that flows and gushes out at the time of slaughter; the blood that remains with the meat is lawful. Here too, two types of blood are lawful according to hadith: liver and spleen. خنزیر means the flesh of swine. The swine is the worst animal in shamelessness; Allah has declared it forbidden. (وما اھل) refers to that animal or anything else upon which a name other than Allah’s is invoked; it refers to those animals that are slaughtered in the name of other than Allah, as the polytheists of Arabia used to slaughter in the names of Lat, Uzza, etc., or in the name of fire as the Magians did. Included in this are also those animals which ignorant Muslims slaughter at graves and shrines out of devotion and love for deceased saints, to seek their pleasure and nearness, or out of fear and hope from them, or bring to the caretakers in the name of the saints’ offerings (as there are boards on the graves of many saints, for example, “Goats for Data Sahib’s offering should be deposited here”). Even if these animals are slaughtered taking Allah’s name at the time of slaughter, they will still be forbidden, because the intention is not the pleasure of Allah but the pleasure of the people of the graves, and the veneration of other than Allah, or fear or hope in other than Allah (fear or hope from other than Allah in a way that transcends natural means), which is shirk. Similarly, any items other than animals that are offered as vows and offerings in the name of other than Allah will also be forbidden, such as taking or buying food to graves and distributing it among the poor and needy around the graves, or distributing sweets and money there, or putting money in the offering box, or sending milk there on the occasion of the annual festival; all these acts are forbidden and unlawful because these are all forms of vows and offerings to other than Allah, and vow, like prayer, fasting, and other acts of worship, is an act of worship, and every kind of worship is exclusively for Allah alone. That is why it is stated in the hadith: (ملعون من ذبح لغیر اللہ) Sahih Al-Jami’ As-Saghir wa Ziyadatuhu Al-Albani, vol. 2, p. 124: Whoever slaughters an animal in the name of other than Allah is accursed. In Tafsir Azizi, quoting Tafsir Nishapuri: اجمع العلماء لوان مسلما ذبح ذبیحۃ یرید بذبحھا التقرب الی غیر اللہ صار مرتدا وذبیحتہ ذبیحۃ مرتد (Tafsir Azizi, p. 611, quoting Ashraf Al-Hawashi): The scholars are unanimous that if a Muslim slaughters an animal with the intention of seeking nearness to other than Allah, he becomes an apostate, and his slaughtered animal is the slaughter of an apostate.

173. He has only forbidden you carrion, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah [215]. But whoever is compelled by necessity—neither desiring it nor transgressing the limit [216]—there is no sin upon him. Surely, Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.

[215]
The Things Forbidden by Allah:

In this verse, four things are mentioned:
1. Carrion, regardless of how it died—whether by natural death, by falling somewhere, by being struck with a stick, by being gored with a horn, or by being killed by a beast of prey—in all cases, it is forbidden.
2. The blood that flows out from the veins at the time of slaughter, and there is no harm in the blood that remains attached to the meat. Also, it is mentioned in the hadith that two dead things are lawful, i.e., fish and locust, and two types of blood are lawful: liver and spleen, which are actually congealed blood. [احمد، بحواله مشكوٰة كتاب الصيد والذبائح باب مايحل اكله ما يحرم فصل ثاني]
3. Swine or pig, which is inherently impure. Not only is eating its flesh forbidden, but it is not permissible to benefit from any part of it, whether alive or dead.
4. Anything that is dedicated in the name of anyone other than Allah. It is generally understood that only that animal is forbidden upon which, at the time of slaughter, the name of someone other than Allah is taken. This concept is completely wrong, because in the words of the Quran, neither is there mention of an animal nor of slaughter, rather the word "ma" is general. Therefore, its meaning will be that anything that is dedicated in the name of a saint or deity to seek their nearness—like the offerings for Imam Ja'far, the dish for Bibi, the goat for the spiritual guide, etc.—all these things are forbidden. And if it is an animal for slaughter, then even if the name of Allah is taken at the time of slaughter, it will still remain forbidden. In fact, even having the intention for someone else makes it forbidden, because the sacrifice or offering of things granted by Allah should be only in His name. No one else should be associated in this.
However, if a person gives some charity or makes a sacrifice and intends that its reward reaches his deceased parents or a certain relative or spiritual guide, then there is no harm in this; it is a good deed, which is proven from the Sunnah.

[216]
Conditions for the Permissibility of Forbidden Things in Compulsion:

In this verse, Allah Almighty has stated three conditions for using forbidden things:
1. He faces the danger of death due to hunger or illness, and there is no substitute for the forbidden thing.
2. He should not be a rebel against Allah or a lawbreaker, i.e., he should consume the thing considering it forbidden, not lawful.
3. He should eat only as much as is necessary to save his lifeuntil a substitute becomes available.
Then, if he mistakenly eats a little more, Allah Almighty will forgive him. And this mistake can be related to the risk of death or to the quantity of food.