Al-Qur'an Surah Al-An'am Verse 119

Mufti Taqi Usmani

What should cause you to avoid eating of that upon which the name of Allah has been invoked, while He has spelled out to you all that He has made unlawful for you, except that to which you are compelled by extreme necessity? Surely, there are many who misguide people on the basis of their desires without having knowledge. Surely, your Lord is the best knower of those who cross the limits.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Why should you not eat of what is slaughtered in Allah’s Name when He has already explained to you what He has forbidden to you—except when compelled by necessity? Many ˹deviants˺ certainly mislead others by their whims out of ignorance. Surely your Lord knows the transgressors best.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Why should you not eat of that over which the name of Allah is mentioned, when He has expounded clearly what is forbidden to you, unless you are compelled by necessity? Indeed, many [deviants] lead others astray by their desires, without any knowledge. Your Lord knows best the transgressors.

A. J. Arberry

How is it with you, that you do not eat of that over which God's Name has been mentioned, seeing that He has distinguished for you that He has forbidden you, unless you are constrained to it? But surely, many lead astray by their caprices, without any knowledge; thy Lord knows very well the transgressors.

Abdul Haleem

Why should you not eat such animals when God has already fully explained what He has forbidden you, except when forced by hunger? But many lead others astray by their desires, without any true knowledge: your Lord knows best who oversteps the limit.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And what aileth you that ye should not eat that whereon the name of Allah hath been pronounced while He hath surely detailed unto you that which He hath forbidden you, unless ye are driven thereto? Verily many lead others astray by their desires without knowledge. Verily thy Lord! He knoweth best the transgressors.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Why should ye not eat of (meats) on which Allah's name hath been pronounced, when He hath explained to you in detail what is forbidden to you - except under compulsion of necessity? But many do mislead (men) by their appetites unchecked by knowledge. Thy Lord knoweth best those who transgress.

Abul Ala Maududi

And how is it that you do not eat of that over which Allah's name has been pronounced even though He has clearly spelled out to you what He has forbidden you unless you are constrained to it? Many indeed say misleading things without knowledge, driven merely by their lowly desires. But your Lord knows well the transgressors.

Ahmed Ali

And why should you not eat of that over which the name of God has been pronounced, when He has made it distinctly clear what is forbidden, unless you are constrained to do so. Surely many (men) mislead others into following their vain desires through lack of knowledge. Your Lord certainly knows the transgressors.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And what is the matter with you that you should not eat from that over which Allah’s name has been mentioned whereas He has explained in detail to you all what is forbidden to you except when you are forced (by circumstances) towards it? And indeed many lead astray by their own desires, out of ignorance; indeed your Lord well knows the transgressors.

Ali Quli Qarai

Why should you not eat that over which Allah’s Name has been mentioned, while He has already elaborated for you whatever He has forbidden you, excepting what you may be compelled to [eat in an emergency]? Indeed many mislead [others] by their fancies, without any knowledge. Indeed your Lord knows best the transgressors.

Ali Ünal

And why should you not eat of (the flesh of) that over which God’s Name has been pronounced, seeing that He has clearly spelled out to you what He has made unlawful to you unless you are constrained to it by dire necessity? But, indeed many people lead others astray, driven by their lusts and caprices without any knowledge (from God). Indeed your Lord is He Who knows best those who exceed the bounds.

Amatul Rahman Omar

What reason have you that you do not eat of that over which Allâh´s name has been pronounced, whilst He has already explained to you the things He has forbidden to you, excepting that which you are constrained to (eat out of necessity). And surely many mislead (others) by following their own fancies due to lack of knowledge. Verily, your Lord knows best these transgressors.

English Literal

And how (why) for you that you not eat from what God`s name was mentioned on it, and He had detailed/explained for you what He forbade on you, except what you were forced to it, and that many misguide (E) with their self attractions for desires without knowledge, that your Lord, He is more knowing with (about) the transgressors .

Faridul Haque

And what is the matter with you that you should not eat from that over which Allah’s name has been mentioned whereas He has explained in detail to you all what is forbidden to you except when you are forced (by circumstances) towards it? And indeed many lead astray by their own desires, out of ignorance; indeed your Lord well knows the transgressors.

Hamid S. Aziz

Why should you not eat from that over which Allah´s name has been pronounced, when He has detailed unto you what is unlawful for you, unless you are compelled (or under necessity). But, verily, many are lead astray (or will lead you astray) by their lusts (or fancies, prejudices) through ignorance. Verily, your Lord knows best the transgressors.

Hilali & Khan

And why should you not eat of that (meat) on which Allah's Name has been pronounced (at the time of slaughtering the animal), while He has explained to you in detail what is forbidden to you, except under compulsion of necessity? And surely many do lead (mankind) astray by their own desires through lack of knowledge. Certainly your Lord knows best the transgressors.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Eat, then, of that on which Allah’s name has been mentioned, if you are believers in His messages.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And what reason have you that you should not eat of that on which Allah's name has been mentioned, and He has already made plain to you what He has forbidden to you-- excepting what you are compelled to; and most surely many would lead (people) astray by their low desires out of ignorance; surely your Lord-- He best knows those who exceed the limits.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

How should ye not eat of that over which the name of Allah hath been mentioned, when He hath explained unto you that which is forbidden unto you unless ye are compelled thereto. But lo! many are led astray by their own lusts through ignorance. Lo! thy Lord, He is Best Aware of the transgressors.

Muhammad Sarwar

Why should you not eat such flesh when God has told you in detail what is unlawful to eat under normal conditions. Most people, out of ignorance, are led astray by their desires. Your Lord knows best those who transgress.

Qaribullah & Darwish

And why should you not eat of that over which the Name of Allah has been pronounced when He has already made plain to you what is forbidden, except when you are constrained? Many are those who mislead through ignorance on account of their fancies, but your Lord best knows the transgressors.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And why should you not eat of that on which Allah's Name has been mentioned, while He has explained to you in detail what is forbidden to you, except under compulsion of necessity And surely, many do lead astray by their own desires through lack of knowledge. Certainly your Lord knows best the transgressors.

Wahiduddin Khan

Why should you not eat what has been consecrated in God's name, when He has already explained to you what He has forbidden you, unless you are compelled by necessity? Surely, many mislead others by their desires through lack of knowledge. But your Lord best knows the transgressors.

Talal Itani

And why should you not eat of that over which the Name of God is pronounced, when He has detailed for you what is prohibited for you, unless you are compelled by necessity? Many lead astray with their opinions, through lack of knowledge. Your Lord knows best the transgressors.

Tafsir jalalayn

What is wrong with you, that you do not eat from that over which God's Name has been invoked, of sacrifices, when He has detailed (for both verbs, read the passive [fussila, `it has been detailed', and hurrima, `[that which] has been forbidden'] or the active [fassala, `He has detailed', and harrama, `[what] He has forbidden']) for you what He has forbidden, in the verse; Forbidden to you is carrion ... [Q. 5;3], except that to which you are compelled?, thereof, which is also lawful for you. The meaning is; there is nothing to prevent you from eating what has been mentioned, for He has explained to you what is forbidden for consumption, and that [over which God's Name has been invoked] is not among these [forbidden things]. But truly many are led astray (read la-yadillna, `[many] are led astray', or la-yudillna, `[many] lead [others] astray'), by their whims, by what their own selves fancy, in the way of permitting [the consumption of] carrion and otherwise, without any knowledge, with which to support their claims. Truly your Lord knows the transgressors, those who overstep [the bounds] of what is lawful into what is unlawful.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

وَمَا لَكُمْ أَلاَّ تَأْكُلُواْ مِمَّا ذُكِرَ اسْمُ اللّهِ عَلَيْهِ وَقَدْ فَصَّلَ لَكُم مَّا حَرَّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ

And why should you not eat of that on which Allah's Name has been mentioned, while He has explained to you what is forbidden to you...

meaning, He has explained and made clear to you what He has prohibited for you in detail,

إِلاَّ مَا اضْطُرِرْتُمْ إِلَيْهِ

except under compulsion of necessity.

In which case, you are allowed to eat whatever you can find.

Allah next mentions the ignorance of the idolators in their misguided ideas, such as eating dead animals and what was sacrificed while other than Allah's Name was mentioned when slaughtering them.

Allah said,

وَإِنَّ كَثِيرًا لَّيُضِلُّونَ بِأَهْوَايِهِم بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُعْتَدِينَ



And surely, many do lead astray by their own desires through lack of knowledge. Certainly your Lord knows best the transgressors.

He has complete knowledge of their transgression, lies and inventions