A discussion of haram and halal

During our last discussion my friend raised three points that made me think deeper into the subject of halal and haram. I will fist outline the three arguments that my friend gave and then do an in-depth analysis of each with respect to the Quran. Here are my friend’s three arguments:

1. In 5:3, when the Quran says that what has been killed by a “violent blow” (Yusuf Ali’s translation) that means that what is killed by an electric shock is included as he interprets the “violent blow” to include electric shock.

2. In the same verse, it says that Allah has also forbidden “dead meat”. My friend says that 5:3 also talks about forbidding animals eaten by other animals unless we are able to “slaughter” <dhibah> them. This means that if we do not “dhibah” an animal, its meat is “dead meat”, which is therefore, forbidden.

3. My friend also points out the verse 6:121, which says that one should not eat that on which Allah’s name has not been pronounced. Therefore, he concludes that unless an animal is properly “slaughtered” with the name of Allah, that animal is unlawful or haram.

I will respond to these arguments in the light of the Quran. Before, I start, I would like to some parameters for discussion.

Allah says about the Quran:

<La yamassuhu illa almutahharoona>

“None shall touch it save the purified ones.”

This verse is not talking about physical purification only, but also about mental purification, for surely many people do touch the Quran in physical impurity. That does not mean that Allah’s promise in this verse is not true. The essence of this verse is that only those who have purified their minds of all pre-conceived ideas, they will be able to access the Quranic message. Thus it is important that we let the Quran define concepts for us. For example, we should let the Quran define what it means by the word “dhibah” rather than use the definition that we ourselves are used to due to the common usage of the word in our daily custom.

The Quran also says:

But say not - for any false thing that your tongues may put forth, - "This is lawful<halal>, and this is forbidden<haram>," so as to ascribe false things to Allah. For those who ascribe false things to Allah, will never prosper. (16:116)

Now in the Quran Allah has told us that all things pure are halal for us:

05.04
YUSUFALI: They ask thee what is lawful to them (as food). Say: lawful unto you are (all) things good and pure: and what ye have taught your trained hunting animals (to catch) in the manner directed to you by Allah: eat what they catch for you, but pronounce the name of Allah over it: and fear Allah; for Allah is swift in taking account.

PICKTHAL: They ask thee (O Muhammad) what is made lawful for them. Say: (all) good things are made lawful for you. And those beasts and birds of prey which ye have trained as hounds are trained, ye teach them that which Allah taught you; so eat of that which they catch for you and mention Allah's name upon it, and observe your duty to Allah. Lo! Allah is swift to take account.

SHAKIR: They ask you as to what is allowed to them. Say: The good things are allowed to you, and what you have taught the beasts and birds of prey, training them to hunt-- you teach them of what Allah has taught you-- so eat of that which they catch for you and mention the name of Allah over it; and be careful of (your duty to) Allah; surely Allah is swift in reckoning.

05.05
YUSUFALI: This day are (all) things good and pure made lawful unto you. The food of the People of the Book is lawful unto you and yours is lawful unto them…..

We notice that the instructions about halal food are very general. This is only logical as the instructions about the haram food are very very specific. Here is an example:

<Qul la ajidu feema oohiya ilayya muharraman AAala taAAimin yatAAamuhu illa an yakoona maytatan aw daman masfoohan aw lahma khinzeerin fa-innahu rijsun aw fisqan ohilla lighayri Allahi bihi famani idturra ghayra baghin wala AAadin fa-inna rabbaka ghafoorun raheemun>

006.145
YUSUFALI: Say: "I find not in the message received by me by inspiration any (meat) forbidden to be eaten by one who wishes to eat it, unless it be dead meat, or blood poured forth, or the flesh of swine,- for it is an abomination - or, what is impious, (meat) on which a name has been invoked, other than Allah's". But (even so), if a person is forced by necessity, without willful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits,- thy Lord is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

PICKTHAL: Say: I find not in that which is revealed unto me aught prohibited to an eater that he eat thereof, except it be carrion, or blood poured forth, or swine flesh - for that verily is foul - or the abomination which was immolated to the name of other than Allah. But whoso is compelled (thereto), neither craving nor transgressing, (for him) lo! thy Lord is Forgiving, Merciful.

SHAKIR: Say: I do not find in that which has been revealed to me anything forbidden for an eater to eat of except that it be what has died of itself, or blood poured forth, or flesh of swine-- for that surely is unclean-- or that which is a transgression, other than (the name of) Allah having been invoked on it; but whoever is driven to necessity, not desiring nor exceeding the limit, then surely your Lord is Forgiving, Merciful.

<Innama harrama AAalaykumu almaytata waalddama walahma alkhinzeeri wama ohilla bihi lighayri Allahi famani idturra ghayra baghin wala AAadin fala ithma AAalayhi inna Allaha ghafoorun raheemun>

002.173
YUSUFALI: 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 willful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits,- then is he guiltless. For Allah is Oft-forgiving Most Merciful.

PICKTHAL: He hath forbidden you only carrion, and blood, and swine flesh, 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.

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.

Notice that Allah has specifically stated that besides what is in these ayaat everything is halal. Since the word used is “only”. Before we proceed any further, I would like to ask people - does only mean only in the English language?; does illa mean “only exception” in the Arabic language? There is no need to proceed any further unless an answer to this is given.

Now when Allah says that He has only forbidden what is in these ayaat, then that is what it means, i.e. anything outside of these ayaat is not forbidden. So, in the light of 16:116, one should not make halal what is not halal, and one should not make haram what is not haram. For example, some people today say that the Quran gives a reason for making flesh of swine haram, i.e. it is contaminated. They say that if we clean it well then we can eat this flesh. This would go against 16:116 as otherwise Allah would have told us so. Similarly, no one has the right to make anything haram outside of what is explicitly mentioned in the above verses.

Let us see the list of things that are explicitly haram in the above verses:

1. almaytata
2. walahma alkhinzeeri
3. daman masfoohan
4. wama ohilla bihi lighayri Allahi

We first need to translate these words. The translation of 2 is simple – it means The flesh of swine. 3 is also not hard it means “Flowing blood”. The meaning of 1 is taken by my friend to be any meat that dies without being slaughtered in the “proper way”. This is an incorrect translation. The word “maytata” literally means a “dead body”, a “carcass”, which is why Pickthal has translated it as “Carrion”, and Shakir has translated it as “what dies of itself” – this is the exact meaning given by almost all the Arabic-English dictionaries. Please consult Hans Wahr’s dictionary as well as “Silkul biyaan fi manaqibil Quraan” by John Penrice. This is also common sense as any meat we eat is dead by definition. Therefore, maytata means a dead body.

But my friend says that all that is not  dhibha is “dead meat”. Let us look at the word dhibah as used elsewhere in the Quran. We notice that Allah did a “dhibha” for Ibrahim:

<Inna hatha lahuwa albalao almubeenu Wafadaynahu bidibhin Aaatheemin>

037.106
YUSUFALI: For this was obviously a trial-
PICKTHAL: Lo! that verily was a clear test.
SHAKIR: Most surely this is a manifest trial.

37.107
YUSUFALI: And We ransomed him with a momentous sacrifice:
PICKTHAL: Then We ransomed him with a tremendous victim.
SHAKIR: And We ransomed him with a Feat sacrifice.

The word dhibah is used here as a sacrifice that Allah did. Did Allah cut the throat of some animal? No, the word “dhibah” is a general term used to identify the concept of “sacrificing” something. In addition, we must also remember that no one ever “cuts the throat” of a fish when they kill them to eat. The Quran simply identifies the fish as “laham”, or “meat” just as he calls the animals on land as “laham”. In fact, in 5:3, 6:145, and 2:173 the Quran does not say that it is talking about the “meat” of land animals only. How do we “dhibha” a fish? Well, their “dhibha” is done when we take them out of the water and they die of suffocation.

I want someone to show me from the Quran that eating fish without cutting the throat is OK, but not other animals. Let me now quote 5:3:

<Hurrimat AAalaykumu almaytatu waalddamu walahmu alkhinzeeri wama ohilla lighayri Allahi bihi waalmunkhaniqatu waalmawqoothatu waalmutaraddiyatu waalnnateehatu wama akala alssabuAAu illa ma thakkaytum wama thubiha AAala alnnusubi waan tastaqsimoo bial-azlami thalikum fisqun alyawma ya-isa allatheena kafaroo min deenikum fala takhshawhum waikhshawni alyawma akmaltu lakum deenakum waatmamtu AAalaykum niAAmatee waradeetu lakumu al-islama deenan famani idturra fee makhmasatin ghayra mutajanifin li-ithmin fa-inna Allaha ghafoorun raheemun>

005.003
YUSUFALI: Forbidden to you (for food) are: dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which hath been invoked the name of other than Allah; that which hath been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by being gored to death; that which hath been (partly) eaten by a wild animal; unless ye are able to slaughter it (in due form); that which is sacrificed on stone (altars); (forbidden) also is the division (of meat) by raffling with arrows: that is impiety. This day have those who reject faith given up all hope of your religion: yet fear them not but fear Me. This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion. But if any is forced by hunger, with no inclination to transgression, Allah is indeed Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

PICKTHAL: Forbidden unto you (for food) are carrion and blood and swine flesh, and that which hath been dedicated unto any other than Allah, and the strangled, and the dead through beating, and the dead through falling from a height, and that which hath been killed by (the goring of) horns, and the devoured of wild beasts, saving that which ye make lawful (by the death-stroke), and that which hath been immolated unto idols. And (forbidden is it) that ye swear by the divining arrows. This is an abomination. This day are those who disbelieve in despair of (ever harming) your religion; so fear them not, fear Me! This day have I perfected your religion for you and completed My favor unto you, and have chosen for you as religion al-Islam. Whoso is forced by hunger, not by will, to sin: (for him) lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

SHAKIR: Forbidden to you is that which dies of itself, and blood, and flesh of swine, and that on which any other name than that of Allah has been invoked, and the strangled (animal) and that beaten to death, and that killed by a fall and that killed by being smitten with the horn, and that which wild beasts have eaten, except what you slaughter, and what is sacrificed on stones set up (for idols) and that you divide by the arrows; that is a transgression. This day have those who disbelieve despaired of your religion, so fear them not, and fear Me. This day have I perfected for you your religion and completed My favor on you and chosen for you Islam as a religion; but whoever is compelled by hunger, not inclining willfully to sin, then surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

This verse is similar to 6:145 and 2:173 above. But here in addition, Allah has outlined how not to kill an animal (no distinction is made between land and water animals here). Here is how we should not eat the meat of an animal that dies of the following reasons:

1. waalmunkhaniqatu
2. waalmawqoothatu
3. waalmutaraddiyatu
4. waalnnateehatu
5. wama akala alssabuAAu
6. AAala alnnusubi
7. waan tastaqsimoo bial-azlami

1 means that the animal must not die through “strangling”. 2 means that the animal must not die by beating, which is the literal translation of the word “mawqoothatu”, it implies death by physical beating, this is how Pickthal, Shakir and Dawood have translated the word for the root word is “WaQatha”, meaning “beating by a club” (translations also given in “Silkul biyaan fi manaqibil Quraan” and Hans Wehr’s dictionary).

One should also think why Allah is giving all these examples if the only way of “dhibah” for him was to cut the throat? Wouldn’t it be easier to simply say that all meat, which is killed in any other fashion except by the cutting of the throat, is forbidden rather than give these specific examples? The reason why Allah has given specific examples is because these are the only ways killing an animal is not allowed. To say that “electric shock” is also implied here is to make two mistakes – one, you are ignoring the literal meaning of the word “WaQatha” (which means physically beating), and second, you then have to consider the other implications of also. Let us them look at “strangling”. How does an animal die of strangling? Well, when its windpipe is blocked, the animal basically dies of suffocation. In that case, if we include “suffocation” as implied here, we would not eat meat of the fish as they all die of suffocation..

In fact, eating animals killed by our “animals of prey” is allowed within the Quran.

05.06
YUSUFALI: They ask thee what is lawful to them (as food). Say: lawful unto you are (all) things good and pure: and what ye have taught your trained hunting animals (to catch) in the manner directed to you by Allah: eat what they catch for you, but pronounce the name of Allah over it: and fear Allah; for Allah is swift in taking account.

Now, ask any hunter how does his dogs or eagles hunt for him. These animals of prey do not have a sleeping pill that they give the prey to numb it until their master comes and cuts its throat – in fact they simply kill the prey. But Allah has allowed this as long as we take the name of Allah on it. It is simple common sense that not all animals are as tame as a cow or a goat. Animals like deer, rabbit, wild buffalo, etc run and you have to kill them if you are going to eat. Here is what the Quran says:

O you who believe! Allah will certainly try you in respect of some game which your hands and your lances can reach, that Allah might know who fears Him in secret; but whoever exceeds the limit after this, he shall have a painful punishment. (5:94)

If you hit a running deer or a rabbit with a lance, can you guarantee that it is alive until you cut its throat?

Then in addition, my friend sites 6:121 to say that all meat on which Allah’s name has not been pronounced is unlawful. Let is see what the verse says:

<Wala ta/kuloo mimma lam yudhkari ismu Allahi AAalayhi wa-innahu lafisqun wa-inna alshshayateena layoohoona ila awliya-ihim liyujadilookum wa-in ataAAtumoohum innakum lamushrikoona>

006.121
YUSUFALI: Eat not of (meats) on which Allah's name hath not been pronounced: That would be impiety. But the evil ones ever inspire their friends to contend with you if ye were to obey them, ye would indeed be Pagans.

PICKTHAL: And eat not of that whereon Allah's name hath not been mentioned, for lo! it is abomination. Lo! the devils do inspire their minions to dispute with you. But if ye obey them, ye will be in truth idolaters.

SHAKIR: And do not eat of that on which Allah's name has not been mentioned, and that is most surely a transgression; and most surely the Shaitans suggest to their friends that they should contend with you; and if you obey them, you shall most surely be polytheists.

One must note that first of all, the word “meat” is not in the Arabic Quran, which is why Yusuf Ali puts it in brackets and Pickthal and Shakir talk in general without limiting it to meat. In addition, this verse doesnot use the word “haram”, rather it says “eat not” <la takulu>. Also we noticed that in 2:173, 5:3, and 6:145. Allah explicitly said that only that meat is haram on which someone else’s name is taken besides Allah. If one takes this verse’s wordings, it would mean that 2:173, 5:3, and 6:145 were incorrect as they only make haram on which someone else’s name is taken. Here I would like to quote again:

But say not - for any false thing that your tongues may put forth,- "This is lawful<halal>, and this is forbidden<haram>," so as to ascribe false things to Allah. For those who ascribe false things to Allah, will never prosper.” (16:116)

And what did Allah say is haram?

…..that on which hath been invoked the name of other than Allah…. 

and

Say: "I find not in the message received by me by inspiration any (meat) forbidden to be eaten by one who wishes to eat it, unless it be dead meat, or blood poured forth, or the flesh of swine,- for it is an abomination - or, what is impious, on which a name has been invoked, other than Allah's". But (even so), if a person is forced by necessity, without willful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits,- thy Lord is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.

Therefore, 6:121 cannot be applied to decide what is haram and what is halal. However, 6:121 shows as another general principal, i.e. we must remind ourselves of Allah when we eat anything. The word used there is “ydkhari”, which is from the root word “dhikr”, which means “reminder” or “remembrance”. Though this could be applied to mean that one should take the name of Allah before eating anything, but the use of this word has deeper implications here. This means that every time we eat something it must remind us of Allah and His favors. This is a general principal and has nothing to do wit h haram or halal meat.

In conclusion, I would like to summarize the mistakes in my friend’s arguments:

1. The “violent blow” or “waQada” in 5:3 literally means “physical beating” by a club. It cannot be extended to mean electric shock in a similar way as “munkhaniq” cannot be taken to mean suffocation of the fish. It is simply what it says, i.e. strangling and beating.

2. Maytata is not dead meat but it literally means a dead body or an animal that died of itself. In addition dhabha means sacrifice and does not specifically mean cutting the throat as the Quran talks about Allah providing a dhabha, and talks about the food gained by hunting through a spear and with the help of hunting animals like dogs and eagles as lawful. In addition, it talks about the fish as “laham,” or meat also just like it talks about land animals. If “dabha” means to cut the throat, then that means that all the fish the Muslims eat is “unlawful” as no one does “dabha” of the fish by cutting their throats.

3. 6:121 does not talk about meat but specifies a general principal that one must remember Allah’s name whenever one eats any food. Logically this would also not make any sense as the statements in 2:173, 5:3 and 6:145 are not equivalent to the one in 6:121. In the first three, Allah specifically talks about haram as something on which the name of someone else is taken instead of Allah’s, whereas, in 6:121 it says that one must not eat that on which Allah’s name has not been mentioned. Also, for those people who believe in the concocted theory of abrogation in the Quran whereby, some verses of the Quran abrogate other verses, the theory, ,even if true would not work here as 5:3, the verse which says that only that is haram on which another name is taken besides Allah’s, includes the words:

< alyawma akmaltu lakum deenakum waatmamtu AAalaykum niAAmatee>

….This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you… (5:3)

Thus right after telling us exactly what is forbidden (that on which another name is taken besides Allah), Allah tells us that the deen has been completed. Thus, even the concocted theory of abrogation cannot make 6:121 supercede 5:3.

Wasalaam,
Naveed