Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 173

Mufti Taqi Usmani

He has only prohibited for you carrion, blood, the flesh of swine and that upon which a name of someone other than ‘Allah’ has been invoked. Then, whoever is compelled by necessity, neither seeking pleasure nor transgressing, there is no sin on him. Verily, Allah is Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

He has only forbidden you ˹to eat˺ carrion, blood, swine,[[ Eating pork is forbidden in the Old Testament in Leviticus {11:7}-8 and Deuteronomy {14:8}.]] 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—they will not be sinful. Surely Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Ruwwad Translation Center

He has only forbidden to you carrion, blood, the flesh of swine, and what has been sacrificed to other than Allah. But if someone is compelled by necessity – neither driven by desire nor exceeding immediate need – then there is no sin upon him; for Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

A. J. Arberry

These things only has He forbidden you: carrion, blood, the flesh of swine, what has been hollowed to other than God. Yet who so is constrained, not desiring nor transgressing, no sin shall be on him; God is All-forgiving, All-compassionate.

Abdul Haleem

He has only forbidden you carrion, blood, pig’s meat, and animals over which any name other than God’s has been invoked. But if anyone is forced to eat such things by hunger, rather than desire or excess, he commits no sin: God is most merciful and forgiving.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

He hath only forbidden unto you the carcass and blood and the flesh of swine, and that over which is invoked the name of other than Allah. But whosoever is driven by necessity, neither alusting nor transgressing, for him is no sin; verily Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

He hath only forbidden you dead meat, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that on which any other name hath been invoked besides that of Allah. But if one is forced by necessity, without wilful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits,- then is he guiltless. For Allah is Oft-forgiving Most Merciful.

Abul Ala Maududi

Allah has only forbidden you to eat what dies of itself, and blood and swine flesh and what has been consecrated to any other name than of Allah. But one will incur no sin if, forced by absolute necessity, he eats of any of these forbidden things, provided he has no intention of transgressing the law and does not take more than what is absolutely indispensable: for Allah is very Forgiving and very Merciful.

Ahmed Ali

Forbidden to you are carrion and blood, and the flesh of the swine, and that which has been consecrated (or killed) in the name of any other than God. If one is obliged by necessity to eat it without intending to transgress, or reverting to it, he is not guilty of sin; for God is forgiving and kind.

Ahmed Raza Khan

He has forbidden for you only the carrion, and blood, and flesh of swine, and the animal that has been slaughtered while proclaiming the name of anyone other than Allah; so there is no sin on him who is compelled and does not eat out of desire, nor eats more than what is necessary; indeed Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Ali Quli Qarai

He has forbidden you only carrion, blood, the flesh of the swine, and that which has been offered to other than Allah. But should someone be compelled, without being rebellious or transgressive, there shall be no sin upon him. 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 (that which is forbidden) nor transgress (the bounds of necessity), no sin shall be on him. Surely God is All-Forgiving, All-Compassionate.

Amatul Rahman Omar

He has forbidden you only (to eat carrion) that which dies of itself, the blood, the flesh of swine and that over (the sacrifice of) which the name of someone other than Allâh has been invoked. Yet he who is constrained (to use them) without desiring (them) nor going beyond the limits (of bare necessity), incurs no sin. Surely, Allâh is Great Protector, Ever Merciful.

English Literal

But He forbade/prohibited on you animals whose death was caused by suffocation or strangulation/dead, and the blood, and the pig`s/swine`s meat/flesh, and what is praised/declared to whom the sacrifice was made with it to other than God, so who was forced, not transgressing/corrupting , and nor transgressing/violating , so no sin/crime on him, that God (is) forgiving , most merciful .

Faridul Haque

He has forbidden for you only the carrion, and blood, and flesh of swine, and the animal that has been slaughtered while proclaiming the name of anyone other than Allah; so there is no sin on him who is compelled and does not eat out of desire, nor eats more than what is necessary; indeed Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Hamid S. Aziz

He has only forbidden for you what is dead, and blood, and flesh of swine, and whatsoever has been consecrated to other than Allah; but he who is forced by necessity, neither revolting nor transgressing, it is no sin for him; for verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving and Most Merciful.

Hilali & Khan

He has forbidden you only the Maytatah (dead animals), and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that which is slaughtered as a scrifice for others than Allah (or has been slaughtered for idols, etc., on which Allah's Name has not been mentioned while slaughtering). But if one is forced by necessity without wilful disobedience nor transgressing due limits, then there is no sin on him. Truly, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

He has forbidden you only what dies of itself, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that over which any other (name) than (that of) Allah has been invoked. Then whoever is driven by necessity, not desiring, nor exceeding the limit, no sin is upon him. Surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

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, no sin shall be upon him; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

He hath forbidden you only carrion, and blood, and swineflesh, and that which hath been immolated to (the name of) any other than Allah. But he who is driven by necessity, neither craving nor transgressing, it is no sin for him. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

Muhammad Sarwar

God has forbidden you to eat that which has not been properly slaughtered, blood, pork, and the flesh of any animal which has not been consecrated with a mention of the Name of God. However, in an emergency, without the intention of transgression or repeating transgression, one will not be considered to have committed a sin. God is All-forgiving and All-merciful.

Qaribullah & Darwish

He has forbidden you the dead, blood, and the flesh of swine, also that which is invoked to other than Allah. But whoever is constrained (to eat) any of these, not intending to sin or transgress, incurs no guilt. Allah is Forgiving and the Most Merciful.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

He has forbidden you only the Maitah (dead animals), and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that which is slaughtered as a sacrifice for other than Allah. But if one is forced by necessity without willful disobedience nor transgressing due limits, then there is no sin on him. Truly, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Wahiduddin Khan

He has forbidden you only carrion, blood, and the flesh of swine; also any flesh that is consecrated other than in the name of God. But for one who is driven by necessity, neither craving nor transgressing, it is no sin. For God is forgiving and merciful.

Talal Itani

He has forbidden you carrion, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and what was dedicated to other than God. But if anyone is compelled, without desiring or exceeding, he commits no sin. God is Forgiving and Merciful.

Tafsir jalalayn

He has only forbidden you; carrion, that is, the consumption of it, since this is the subject of the general address here, and similarly [the consumption of] what follows, [all of] which is what has not been slaughtered in accordance with [prescriptions of] the Law; to this the Sunna adds [as also constituting carrion] what has been severed from a living creature. A special status is, however, accorded fish and locusts; blood, poured forth, as in [srat] al-An`m [see Q. 6;145], the flesh of swine, the meat is singled out for mention because that [part] is what people mostly seek, every other [part] being implied thereby; what has been hallowed to other than God, that is to say, what has been slaughtered in other than His Name (al-ihll is the raising of one's voice, which they used to do when sacrificing for their gods). Yet whoever is constrained, forced by dire need to eat of the above-mentioned, not desiring, to rebel against Muslims, nor transgressing, committing aggression against them by waylaying them, no sin shall be on him, for eating it. God is Forgiving, to His friends, Merciful, to those who are obedient to Him, for He has granted them wide berth in this matter. The aggressor and the transgressor are excluded from this [dispensation], and to these two [categories] one should also add every person that sets out on a journey in disobedience, such as the fugitive or the excise collector, for whom it would be unlawful to eat any of the mentioned, unless they repent [of their disobedience]; this is the opinion of al-Shfi`.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَيْتَةَ وَالدَّمَ وَلَحْمَ الْخِنزِيرِ وَمَا أُهِلَّ بِهِ لِغَيْرِ اللّهِ

He has forbidden you only the Maitah (dead animals), and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that which is slaughtered as a sacrifice for other than Allah.

Dead animals are those that die before being slaughtered; whether they die by strangling, a violent blow, a headlong fall, the goring of horns or by being partly eaten by a wild animal.

Dead animals of the sea are excluded from this ruling, as is explained later, Allah willing, as Allah said;

أُحِلَّ لَكُمْ صَيْدُ الْبَحْرِ وَطَعَامُهُ

Lawful to you is (the pursuit of) water game and its use for food, (5;96),

and because of the Hadith about the whale recorded in the Sahih.

The Musnad, Al-Muwatta and the Sunan recorded the Prophet saying about the sea;

هُوَ الطَّهُورُ مَاوُهُ والْحِلُّ مَيْتَتُه

Its water is pure and its dead are permissible.)

Ash-Shafii, Ahmad, Ibn Majah, and Ad-Daraqutni reported that Ibn Umar said that the Prophet said;

أُحِلَّ لَنَا مَيْتتَانِ وَدَمَانِ

السَّمَكُ وَالْجَرَادُ

وَالْكَبِدُ وَالطِّحَال

We have been allowed two dead things and two bloody things;

fish and locusts;

and liver and spleen.

We will mention this subject again in Surah Al-Ma'idah, if Allah wills.
Issue;

According to Ash-Shafii and other scholars, milk and eggs that are inside dead unslaughtered animals are not pure, because they are part of the dead animal.

In one narration from him, Malik said that;

they are pure themselves, but become impure because of their location.

Similarly, there is a difference of opinion over the cheeses (made with the milk) of dead animals. The popular view of the scholars is that it is impure, although they mentioned the fact that the Companions ate from the cheeses made by the Magians (fire worshippers). Hence, Al-Qurtubi commented;

"Since only a small part of the dead animal is mixed with it, then it is permissible, because a minute amount of impurity does not matter if it is mixed with a large amount of liquid."

Ibn Majah reported that Salman said that Allah's Messenger was asked about butter, cheese and fur.

He said;

الْحَلَلُ مَا أَحَلَّ اللهُ فِي كِتَابِهِ وَالْحَرَامُ مَا حَرَّمَ اللهُ فِي كِتَابِهِ وَمَا سَكَتَ عَنْهُ فَهُوَ مِمَّا عَفَا عَنْه

The allowed is what Allah has allowed in His Book and the prohibited is what Allah has prohibited in His Book. What He has not mentioned is a part of what He has pardoned.

Allah has prohibited;

eating the meat of swine, whether slaughtered or not, and this includes its fat, either because it is implied, or because the term Lahm includes that, or by analogy.

Similarly prohibited are;

offerings to other than Allah, that is what was slaughtered in a name other than His, be it for monuments, idols, divination, or the other practices of the time of Jahiliyyah.

Al-Qurtubi mentioned that;

Aishah was asked about what non-Muslims slaughter for their feasts and then offer some of it as gifts for Muslims.

She said, "Do not eat from what has been slaughtered for that day, (or feast) but eat from their vegetables."
The Prohibited is Allowed in Cases of Emergency

Then Allah permitted eating these things when needed for survival or when there are no permissible types of food available.

Allah said;

فَمَنِ اضْطُرَّ غَيْرَ بَاغٍ وَلَا عَادٍ

But if one is forced by necessity without willful disobedience nor transgressing due limits,

meaning, without transgression or overstepping the limits,

فَل إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ
then there is no sin on him.

meaning, if one eats such items, for,

إِنَّ اللّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ




Truly, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Mujahid said,

"If one is forced by necessity without willful disobedience nor transgressing the set limits. For example, if he didn't, then he would have to resort to highway robbery, rising against the rulers, or some other kinds of disobedience to Allah, then the permission applies to him. If one does so transgressing the limits, or continually, or out of disobedience to Allah, then the permission does not apply to him even if he is in dire need."

The same was reported from Sa`id bin Jubayr.

Sa`id and Muqatil bin Hayyan are reported to have said that without willful disobedience means,

"Without believing that it is permissible."

It was reported that Ibn Abbas commented on the Ayah;
غَيْرَ بَاغٍ وَلَا عَادٍ
(...without willful disobedience nor transgressing) saying,

"Without willful disobedience means eating the dead animal and not continuing to do so."

Qatadah said;
غَيْرَ بَاغٍ
(without willful disobedience),

"Without transgressing by eating from the dead animals, that is when the lawful is available."
Issue;

When one in dire straits finds both ـ dead animals, and foods belong to other people which he could get without risking the loss of his hands or causing harm, then it is not allowed for him to eat the dead animals.

Ibn Majah reported that Abbad bin Shurahbil Al-Ghubari said,

"One year we suffered from famine. I came to Al-Madinah and entered a garden. I took some grain that I cleaned, and ate, then I left some of it in my garment. The owner of the garden came, roughed me up and took possession of my garment. I then went to Allah's Messenger and told him what had happened. He said to the man;

مَا أَطْعَمْتَهُ إِذْ كَانَ جَايِعًا أَوْ سَاغِبًا وَلَاا عَلَّمْتَهُ إِذْ كَانَ جَاهِلًا

You have not fed him when he was hungry - or he said starving - nor have you taught him if he was ignorant.

The Prophet commanded him to return Abbad's garment to him, and to offer him a Wasq (around 180 kilograms) - or a half Wasq - of food.

This has a sufficiently strong chain of narrators and there are many other witnessing narrations to support it, such as the Hadith that Amr bin Shu`ayb narrated from his father that his grandfather said;

Allah's Messenger was asked about the hanging clusters of dates.

He said;

مَنْ أَصَابَ مِنْهُ مِنْ ذِي حَاجَةٍ بِفِيهِ غَيْرَ مُتَّخِذٍ خُبْنَةً فَلَ شَيْءَ عَلَيْه

There is no harm for whoever takes some of it in his mouth for a necessity without putting it in his garment.

Muqatil bin Hayyan commented on;
فَل إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ

إِنَّ اللّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
(...then there is no sin on him. Truly, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful),

"For what is eaten out of necessity."

Sa`id bin Jubayr said,

"Allah is pardoning for what has been eaten of the unlawful, and Merciful' in that He allowed the prohibited during times of necessity."

Masruq said,

"Whoever is in dire need, but does not eat or drink until he dies, he will enter the Fire."

This indicates that eating dead animals for those who are in need of it for survival is not only permissible but required