Al-Qur'an Surah An-Nahl Verse 115

Mufti Taqi Usmani

He has but prohibited for you the carrion, the blood, the flesh of swine and what has been invoked upon with a name other than that of Allah. However, if anyone is compelled by necessity - neither seeking pleasure, nor crossing the limit (of necessity) - then, Allah is Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

He has only forbidden you ˹to eat˺ carrion, blood, swine,[[ See footnote for {2:173}.]] and what is slaughtered in the name of any other than Allah. But if someone is compelled by necessity—neither driven by desire nor exceeding immediate need—then surely Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Ruwwad Translation Center

He has only forbidden to you carrion, blood, flesh of swine, and what is slaughtered to other than Allah. But if one is compelled by necessity – neither driven by desire nor exceeding the need – then Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

A. J. Arberry

These things only He has forbidden you: carrion, blood, the flesh of swine, what has been hallowed to other than God. Yet whoso is constrained, not desiring nor transgressing, God is All-forgiving, All-compassionate.

Abdul Haleem

He has forbidden you only these things: carrion, blood, pig’s meat, and animals over which any name other than God’s has been invoked. But if anyone is forced by hunger, not desiring it nor exceeding their immediate need, God is forgiving and merciful.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

He hath only disallowed unto you the dead-meat and blood and swine-flesh and that over which is invoked the name of other than Allah. Then whosoever is driven by necessity, not alusting nor transgressing verily Allah Is Forgiving, Merciful.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

He has only forbidden you dead meat, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and any (food) over which the name of other than Allah has been invoked. But if one is forced by necessity, without wilful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits,- then Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Abul Ala Maududi

Allah has forbidden you only carrion, and blood, and the flesh of swine; also any animal over which the name of any other than Allah has been pronounced. But whoever eats of them under compelling necessity - neither desiring it nor exceeding the limit of absolute necessity - surely for such action Allah is Much Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Ahmed Ali

He has forbidden carrion and blood and the flesh of the swine, and what has been killed in the name of any other but God; but if one is driven by necessity (to eat it) without craving or reverting to it, then God is forgiving and kind.

Ahmed Raza Khan

Only these are forbidden for you – the carrion, and blood, and flesh of swine, and that which has been slaughtered while proclaiming the name of any other besides Allah; so one who is compelled and does not eat out of desire, nor more than what is necessary, then indeed Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Ali Quli Qarai

He has forbidden you only carrion, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been offered to other than Allah. But if someone is compelled [to eat any of that], without being rebellious or aggressive, indeed Allah is all-forgiving, all-merciful.

Ali Ünal

He has made unlawful to you only carrion, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that (the animal) which is offered in the name of other than God. Yet whoever is constrained by dire necessity to eat of them, provided he does not covet (what is forbidden) and does not exceed (the bounds of necessity) – (no sin shall be on him). Surely God is All-Forgiving, All-Compassionate.

Amatul Rahman Omar

He has made unlawful for you only carrion (that which dies of itself), blood (flowed out), the flesh of swine and that which has been sacrificed in some other name than Allâh´s. But he who is constrained (to do this) not desiring it and having no intention either to disobey or to exceed the limits (of necessity), will find that Allâh surely is Great Protector, Ever Merciful.

English Literal

Truly/indeed He forbade/prohibited on you the dead, and the blood, and the pigs`/swine`s flesh/meat, and what was declared to other than God with it, so who was forced not (intending) transgressing/corrupting and nor transgressing/violating , so that God (is) forgiving, merciful.

Faridul Haque

Only these are forbidden for you - the carrion, and blood, and flesh of swine, and that which has been slaughtered while proclaiming the name of any other besides Allah; so one who is compelled and does not eat out of desire, nor more than what is necessary, then indeed Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Hamid S. Aziz

He has only forbidden you carrion, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that which is devoted to other than Allah; but he who is driven thereto (forced by necessity), neither craving nor transgressing due limits, then verily, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.

Hilali & Khan

He has forbidden you only Al-Maytatah (meat of a dead animal), blood, the flesh of swine, and any animal which is slaughtered as a sacrifice for others than Allah (or has been slaughtered for idols etc. or on which Allah's Name has not been mentioned while slaughtering). But if one is forced by necessity, without wilful disobedience, and not transgressing, then, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

So eat of what Allah has given you, lawful and good (things), and give thanks for Allah’s favor, if He it is you serve.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

He has only forbidden you what dies of itself and blood and flesh of swine and that over which any other name than that of Allah has been invoked, but whoever is driven to necessity, not desiring nor exceeding the limit, then surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

He hath forbidden for you only carrion and blood and swineflesh and that which hath been immolated in the name of any other than Allah; but he who is driven thereto, neither craving nor transgressing, lo! then Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

Muhammad Sarwar

The only things which are made unlawful for you are the flesh of dead animals, blood, pork and that which is not consecrated with the Name of God. But in an emergency, without the intention of transgression and rebellion, (it is not an offense for one to consume such things). God is certainly All-forgiving and All-merciful.

Qaribullah & Darwish

These things alone He has forbidden to you: what is already dead, blood, the flesh of swine, what has been offeredup to other than Allah. But to whoever is forced to eat any of these, neither desiring nor wanting to transgress, Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

He has only forbidden dead flesh, blood, the flesh of swine, and any animal which is slaughtered as a sacrifice for other than Allah. But if one is forced by necessity, without willful disobedience, nor transgressing, then, Allah is Pardoning, Most Merciful.

Wahiduddin Khan

He has forbidden you only carrion, blood and the flesh of swine; also any [flesh] consecrated in the name of any but God. But if anyone is forced by dire necessity, not desiring it or exceeding his immediate need, God is forgiving and merciful towards him.

Talal Itani

He has forbidden you carrion, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and anything consecrated to other than God. But if anyone is compelled by necessity, without being deliberate or malicious, then God is Forgiving and Merciful.

Tafsir jalalayn

He has forbidden you only carrion, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been hallowed to other than God. Yet whoever is compelled, neither craving nor transgressing, then truly God is Forgiving, Merciful.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَيْتَةَ وَالْدَّمَ وَلَحْمَ الْخَنزِيرِ

So eat of the lawful and good food which Allah has provided for you. And be grateful for Allah's favor, if it is He Whom you worship.

He has only forbidden dead flesh, blood, the flesh of swine, and any animal which is slaughtered as a sacrifice for other than Allah.

Allah orders His believing servants to eat the good and lawful things that He has provided, and to give thanks to Him for that, for He is the Giver and Originator of all favors, Who alone deserves to be worshipped, having no partners or associate.

Then Allah mentions what He has forbidden things which harm them in both religious and worldly affairs, i.e., dead meat, blood and the flesh of pigs.

وَمَأ أُهِلَّ لِغَيْرِ اللّهِ بِهِ

and any animal which is slaughtered as a sacrifice for other than Allah.

meaning, it was slaughtered with the mention of a name other than that of Allah.

Nevertheless,

فَمَنِ اضْطُرَّ

But if one is forced by necessity,

meaning, if one needs to do it,

غَيْرَ بَاغٍ وَلَا عَادٍ

without willful disobedience, nor transgressing,

i.e. without deliberately disobeying or transgressing, then,

فَإِنَّ اللّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ



Allah is Pardoning, Most Merciful.

We have already discussed a similar Ayah in Surah Al-Baqarah, and there is no need to repeat it here. And to Allah be praise.

Then Allah forbids us to follow the ways of the idolators who declare things to be permitted or forbidden based upon their own whims and whatever names they agree on, such as;

the Bahirah (a she-camel whose milk was spared for the idols and nobody was allowed to milk it),

the Sa'ibah (a she-camel let loose for free pasture for their false gods, idols, etc., and nothing was allowed to be carried on it),

the Wasilah (a she-camel set free for idols because it has given birth to a she-camel at its first delivery and then again gives birth to a she-camel at its second delivery), and

the Ham (a stallion camel freed from work for the sake of their idols, after it had finished a number of acts of copulation assigned for it), and so on.

All of these were laws and customs that were invented during jahiliyyah.

Then Allah says