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).