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on these creatures, who are living beings like themselves and that they must not deprive the animals of
their right to live.
However, when we ponder the creation, we realize that these animals have not been created for their
own sake, because they have not been endowed with intellect or freedom of choice; we also see that
their natural position is such that they have been subjected to the service of man. It is therefore not to be
doubted that man should benefit from their flesh after slaughter just as he benefits from their service
while they are alive.
Again, we realize that it is the law of Allâh in His creation that the lower order of species be sacrificed for
the benefit of the higher. Thus green plants are cut and fed to an animal, the animal is slaughtered to be
food for man, and a man must also fight and risk his life for the sake of the group. Moreover, even if a
man refrains from slaughtering an animal, it will not thereby be saved from death and destruction; it will
either become prey to some other animal or will die in some other way, possibly in a much more painful
manner than by a quick stroke of a sharp knife.
Animals Prohibited to the Jews and Christians
Among the people possessing a religion based on a divinely revealed scripture, Allâh prohibited to the
Jews the eating of many land and marine animals... The Qur‘ân mentions some of the things which Allâh
prohibited to them, as we mentioned previously, to punish them for their transgressions and sins: And to
the Jews We forbade every animal with claws, and of oxen and sheep We have forbidden them their fat,
except what is carried on their backs or entrails or what is connected to the bone; thus did We
recompense them for their rebelliousness, and indeed We speak the truth. (6:146)
These prohibitions applied to the Jews, and it may be assumed that the Christians were also supposed
to observe them since the Injeel declares that Jesus (s.a.w.s.) did not come to abolish the Law of Moses
but to fulfill it. However, the Christians made permissible things which had been prohibited in the Torah,
although not abrogated in the Injeel, or scripture revealed to Jesus (s.a.w.s.)... Accordingly, Christians
permitted to themselves the eating of pork, despite the fact that the text of the Torah prohibits it to this
day.
The Attitude of the Pre-Islâmic Arabs
The pre-Islâmic Arabs prohibited certain animals as being unclean, together with some other animals
which were considered sacred and dedicated to their gods; we have already mentioned bahirah, saibah,
wasilah, and ham, which fall into the latter category. In contrast to this, they permitted many kinds of
impure foods, such as the flesh of dead animals and flowing blood.
Islâm Permits What Is Wholesome
This was the state of the world in relation to the eating of food at the advent of Islâm. At one extreme
every kind of meat was permitted and at the other all meat was prohibited. Then Allâh addressed all
human beings saying, O mankind! Eat of what is permissible and good on earth, and do not follow the
footsteps of Satan; truly he is an open adversary to you. (2:168)
Thus He speaks to all the people on this globe, calling on them to eat of the good things which He has
provided for them on this vast, outspread table, the Earth, and not to follow the ways of Satan, who has
made it alluring to some people to prohibit for themselves various wholesome things which Allâh has
made halal, thus leading them toward the pitfalls of self-destruction. Then Allâh addressed the Believers
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in particular saying, O you who believe! Eat of the good things that We have provided for you, and be
thankful to Allâh if it is He alone whom you worship. Indeed, what He has forbidden to you is the flesh of
dead animals and blood and the flesh of swine, and that which has been sacrificed to anyone other than
Allâh. But if one is compelled by necessity, neither craving (it) nor transgressing, there is no sin on him;
indeed, Allâh is Forgiving, Merciful. (2:172-173)
In this particular message to the Believers, Allâh Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala tells them to eat of the good
things of His providing and to give thanks to Him for His favors. He then explains that no food is haram to
them except the four kinds mentioned in the ayah. The same four kinds, with some further details, are
mentioned at other places in the Qur‘ân: Say: I do not find in what is revealed to me anything prohibited
to an eater in his food unless it be (the flesh of) that which is dead, or flowing blood, or the flesh of swine,
for that is indeed foul, or the abomination which has been dedicated to anyone other than Allâh. But if
one is compelled by necessity, neither craving (it) nor transgressing, then, indeed, thy Rabb is Forgiving,
Merciful. (6:145)
And in even greater detail: Forbidden to you are the flesh of dead animals and blood and the flesh of
swine, and that which has been dedicated to any other than Allâh, and that which has been killed by
strangling or by beating or by falling or by being gored, and that which has been (partly) eaten by a wild
beast except that which you make lawful by slaughtering (before its death), and that which has been
sacrificed to idols.... (5:4 (5:3))
There is no contradiction between this verse, which lists ten prohibited categories, and the previous
verse which lists four, since animals which are killed by strangulation, by a blow, by a fall, by being
gored, or which are partly eaten by wild animals all belong in the category of dead animals. Similarly,
what is sacrificed to idols falls into the category of that which is dedicated to anyone other than Allâh.
Accordingly, the foods which are prohibited fall into four broad categories which may be reclassified into
ten detailed categories, as follows:
The Prohibition of Eating What is Dead and Its Wisdom
1.
The first thing mentioned in these verses concerning prohibited foods is the flesh of “dead animals,”
that is, the beast or fowl which dies of natural causes, without being slaughtered or hunted by men.
There are obvious reasons for this prohibition:
a. Eating the flesh of a dead animal is repugnant to civilized taste and is considered by thinking people in
all societies to be contrary to human dignity. We also observe that all peoples possessing a revealed
scripture have prohibited it and that they do not eat the flesh of an aunless it is slaughtered. However,
the methods of slaughter may vary.
b. In whatever he does, the Muslim acts with a set purpose and; intention; he does not use a thing nor
reap its benefit without directing his intention, aim, and effort toward it. The significance of slaughtering,
which is a purposeful act, the intention of which is to take the life of the animal in order to use it as food,
is to remove the slaughtered animal from the category of “dead animals.” Allâh Subhanahu wa Ta‘ala
does not desire that man should eat of what he did not intend or think of eating, as is the case with the
dead animal; conversely, slaughtering an animal or hunting it as game both require an intention followed
by effort and subsequent action.
c. If the animal died a natural death, it is quite likely that it died of some acute or chronic disease,
through eating a poisonous plant, or other similar causes; hence eating its flesh would probably be
harmful. The same is the case when the cause of death is old age or starvation.
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