He has made haram (forbidden) for you only what is dead, blood, swine's flesh, and what is slaughtered for other than Allah. There is no blame on him who is compelled without pain or transgression. Surely Allah is Forgiving. Merciful. Al-Qur'an 2:173
What are the foods that this verse excludes. It says two things about the occasions when they are allowed.
Certain verses of the Holy Quran should not be taken in their superficial sense. It should be investigated with the help of other sources and concluded. This verse is one such verse.
If this verse and such verses are understood in their superficial meaning, other verses will be rejected. That is why we study this verse in detail.
‘automatically dies in excluded foods’ are first mentioned in this verse. When we look at this verse superficially, we get the conclusion that if we do not eat the dead, we can eat the things that have been killed by beating, strangling or other means. Although that is the literal meaning of self-death, in the case of the Holy Qur'an they are dead without proper mowing. All that is killed includes that which is dead by itself.
God makes it clear in verse 5:3 of the Qur'an that when the neck is strangled and dead, when it falls down and dies, when it is beaten and killed, and when it is eaten and killed by wild animals, it is haram.
From this we can understand that self-death means things that are not properly slaughtered.
‘should not be eaten raw non-slaughter also should not be understood in general. It refers only to animals and birds. Marine animals can be eaten no matter how they die. Although we cannot understand this exception from this verse, the Prophet (peace be upon him) has explained it clearly.
The Prophet (PBUH) was asked about sea water. For that ‘sea water is cleanable. They replied that the contents of it are halal (permitted to eat) even if they die. Narrated by: Jabir bin Abdullah (RA)
Texts: Tirmidhi 64, Naza'i 59,330, Abu Dawud 76, Ibn Majah 370, 381, 382, 3237, Ahmad 8380, 8557, 8737, 14481, Mu'attah 37, Tarimi 723, 1926.
‘It is said in this verse that those who die themselves are made haram. It is generally said that they are forbidden to eat, not that they are forbidden.
Do not use for eating. Do you understand this to mean that it should not be used in any other way? Or should not be used only for eating. Do you understand that it can be used in other ways?
The reason cited is that if God forbids the consumption of a substance, He has also declared its sale—and the income derived from it—to be *Haram* (forbidden). This reasoning is general in nature; it is not limited solely to fat.
Therefore, one cannot claim that one type of Hadith refers to the hide while another refers to the fat; both sets of Hadiths cite the same underlying principle.
Accepting one while rejecting the other would lead to an untenable position. However, if one reflects carefully—with the conviction that there can be no contradiction in the words of the Messenger of Allah—it becomes clear that there is no conflict between the two.
When considering a Halal-slaughtered animal, it contains parts suitable for consumption—such as meat, fat, liver, lungs, and intestines—as well as parts not used for food, such as the hide, fur, hooves, dung accumulated in the intestines, and bones.
If such a Halal animal dies [without proper slaughter], the parts intended for consumption must not be eaten or used in any other way; however, the parts not used for food may be utilized. Understanding the matter in this light resolves any apparent contradiction.
The statement "He has made the selling of what He has made forbidden to eat unlawful" refers specifically to items like meat and fat that are forbidden for consumption.
The statement "He has forbidden the consumption of dead animals" implies that parts not associated with consumption may be used in other ways.
One must interpret the situation as follows: one Hadith addresses parts intended for consumption, while the other addresses parts not intended for consumption. Interpreting it this way eliminates the contradiction.
Animals obtained through hunting are also exempted from the rule regarding animals not slaughtered in the prescribed manner. The specific slaughtering method is not required during hunting. We can learn of this exception from the following verse:
They ask you what has been made lawful for them. Say, "Lawful for you are [all] good foods and [game caught by] hunting animals which you have trained as Allah has taught you." Eat what they catch for you [without consuming any of it yourselves], and mention the name of Allah over it; and fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is swift in account. (Al-Quran 5:4)
The Prophet (peace be upon him) has explained this matter very clearly. I asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) about sending trained dogs for hunting. He said, "Eat what they bring back for you (without having eaten it themselves)." I asked, "Even if they have killed it?" He explained, "Yes, even if they have killed it." I mentioned that we hunt using arrows. He said, "If the arrow pierces the game, eat it; if it strikes with its side (blunt impact), do not eat it." Narrator: Adi bin Hatim (RA); Source: Bukhari 5477, 7397.
I told the Prophet (peace be upon him) that we hunt using dogs. He said, "If you mention the name of Allah when sending a trained dog, eat what it brings back for you (without having eaten it itself); it is permissible even if it has killed the game. If the hunting dog has eaten from it, then it caught it for itself; therefore, do not eat it. If other dogs have mingled with it (in the hunt), do not eat it." Narrator: Adi bin Hatim (RA); Source: Bukhari 5483, 5487.
"If you mention the name of Allah when sending your dog, and it brings the game back for you (without having eaten it), eat it—even if it has killed it. If it has eaten (a portion of the game), do not eat it, because it caught it for itself. If it hunts jointly with other dogs over which the name of Allah was not pronounced and brings it to you, do not eat it, because you do not know which one caught it. If you shoot an arrow at the game and find it a day or two later, and there are no marks on it other than the mark of your arrow, eat it. If it is found lying in water, do not eat it." ...said Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Narrator: Adi bin Hatim (may Allah be pleased with him). Source: Bukhari 5485.
For further Hadiths regarding this matter, please refer to: Bukhari 2054, 5475, 5476, 175; Muslim 3560, 3561, 3562, 3563, 3564, 3565, 3566; Tirmidhi 1385, 1389, 1390, 1391; Nasa'i 4190, 4191, 4192, 4193, 4195, 4196, 4197, 4198, 4199, 4200, 4201; Abu Dawood 2464, 2465, 2466, 2467, 2468, 2470, 2471; Ibn Majah 3199, 3202, 3205, 3206; and Ahmad 17534, 17538, 17544, 17547, 18560, 18563, 18570.
If one says "Bismillah" (In the name of Allah) when sending a hunting dog or an arrow, the game may be eaten even if it is retrieved dead (having been killed by the dog or arrow).
From these Hadiths, we learn that if the game is caught alive, it may be slaughtered—after saying "Bismillah"—and eaten. These Hadiths also explain various other rules concerning hunting.
If an animal is killed by being struck with a rod or an iron bar in the name of hunting, it must not be eaten. The hunting instrument used must be capable of penetrating the animal's body; this Hadith clarifies the necessity of penetration. Based on this principle, hunting with guns is permissible because their bullets penetrate the animal.
If an animal dies after being hunted with a slingshot, it must not be eaten, because the stone fired from it does not penetrate the body. However, if the animal is brought down alive, it may be slaughtered and eaten. Hunting by throwing stones or by blowing wet clay pellets through a tube falls into this same category; if animals die during such hunts, they must not be eaten. All these points can be understood from the aforementioned Hadith.
There are conflicting Hadiths regarding whether one may eat the game caught by a hunting dog if the dog has eaten a portion of it. We have already mentioned the Hadiths that prohibit eating it.
Let us consider another Hadith that appears to contradict this.
I asked, "If the dogs sent for hunting eat the game they have caught, [may we eat it]?" Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) replied, "Even if they eat it, you may eat it." Narrator: Abu Tha'labah (RA). Sources: Ahmad 6438; Abu Dawud 2496, 2474.
Both these Hadiths are authentic. There is no basis to conclude that one has abrogated the other, as there is no evidence to determine which ruling came first and which came last. If one of two Hadiths is authentic and the other is weak, one may set aside the weak one and follow the authentic one. However, in this instance, both Hadiths are authentic.
In such a situation, the proper course of action is to adopt the practice that reflects greater religious caution and aligns with the teachings of the Holy Quran, while setting the other aside.
The verse cited earlier states: "Eat what the hunting animals bring back to you [without having eaten any of it themselves]." The Hadiths found in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim align with this verse, whereas the Hadith found in Musnad Ahmad and Sunan Abu Dawood contradicts it.
Furthermore, accepting the first Hadith—and thus refraining from eating what the hunting animals have consumed—raises no issues. Acting in accordance with the first Hadith, which represents the more cautious approach, is the correct course of action.
If a bird or animal struck by an arrow during a hunt falls immediately into water and dies, it must not be eaten. However, if an animal struck by an arrow runs off and is found dead two or three days later—and it is certain that the arrow shot by the hunter was the cause of death—then it may be eaten.
This can be understood from the aforementioned Hadiths.
Even though a formal ritual slaughter does not take place during such hunting, the Holy Quran and the Hadiths prescribe specific rules for these cases; thus, they are not classified as "carrion" (animals that died of natural causes or without proper slaughter).
Any animal that dies in a manner other than those specified falls under the category of "carrion" and must not be eaten. If a limb or part is severed from a living animal, that part is also treated as carrion. This is understood from the following Hadith:
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) stated: "A part cut off from a living animal is [treated as] carrion." Narrated by: Ibn Umar (RA); Source: Ibn Majah 3207
Blood is Forbidden
God mentions blood immediately after mentioning animals that have died of natural causes. Blood is forbidden, whether it comes from an animal that is lawful to eat or one that is unlawful.
In many parts of Tamil Nadu, Muslims quite commonly consume goat blood. Muslim traders even sell blood. Both these practices are impermissible. In this same verse, God declares the flesh of swine to be forbidden. Muslims respect this prohibition and shun pork. Yet, God has forbidden blood in that very same sequence. It is distressing that Muslims do not accord the same respect to this prohibition. Muslims must realize that consuming pork and consuming blood are offenses of equal magnitude.
There is a point here that Muslims should note. Generally, when a food item is forbidden, consuming even a small amount of it is not allowed; we know that consuming a small quantity is just as much of a sin as consuming a large quantity.
However, this general rule does not apply to blood. We are not required to avoid blood that adheres to the meat or blood that has congealed within the meat. There is no need to wash the meat repeatedly until the red color fades. Once the blood has drained out after the animal is slaughtered, the meat may be eaten without washing. We can understand this from the following verse.
...has used [this term]. Consequently, a doubt may arise in the minds of many: "Is it permissible, then, to consume parts of the pig other than its meat?"
The phrase "flesh of swine" is indeed worded in a way that could lead to such an interpretation. However, based on the following Hadith, it can be understood that all parts of the pig are Haram (forbidden).
The Prophet (peace be upon him) forbade the sale of intoxicants, animals that died of natural causes (carrion), swine, and idols during the year of the Conquest of Makkah. Narrator: Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him). Sources: Bukhari 2236, Muslim 2960, Tirmidhi 1218, Nasa'i 4183, 4590, Abu Dawood 3025, Ibn Majah 2158, Ahmad 13948, 13971.
This Hadith states that the Prophet (peace be upon him) prohibited the sale of the pig itself, not merely its meat. We have previously explained that whatever is forbidden to be sold is also forbidden to be consumed.
Therefore, although the Quran specifically mentions the "flesh of swine," the Hadiths indicate that the pig is prohibited in its entirety; thus, one must avoid the pig completely.
Just as we understand the meaning of a sacrifice made for Allah, we must also understand what is meant when something is described as being slaughtered for someone other than Allah.
Even a person with the slightest bit of common sense would not interpret "slaughtered for Allah" to mean "slaughtered so that Allah may eat it." When we say something is for Allah, it does not mean it is for His consumption; rather, it signifies that the animal's life belongs to Him and that we are dedicating it to Him.
The implication is that if an animal is slaughtered for someone other than Allah in the same manner as one is slaughtered for Allah, then it must not be consumed.
An animal slaughtered for ourselves or for our guests is not regarded in the same light as one slaughtered for Allah. However, an animal slaughtered for saints is viewed in the same category as one slaughtered for Allah. This is the distinction that is often misunderstood.
Those who slaughter for Awliya do not do so with the expectation that the saint will consume the meat, nor does the saint actually consume it. Just as a sacrifice is made to Allah in the hope of His grace and in gratitude for the blessings He has bestowed, a sacrifice is made for a saint in the hope of his grace and in gratitude for the blessings he has conferred. When slaughtering for Allah, neither the meat nor the blood reaches Him; the Quran states that it is the devotion within the heart that reaches Him. Similarly, when slaughtering for a saint, neither the blood nor the meat reaches him; the person performing the sacrifice believes that it is their devotion to the saint that reaches him.
In contrast, when an animal is slaughtered for a guest, it is the meat that reaches the guest. No one believes that the guest will bestow grace in the manner of Allah, nor does anyone harbor a sense of religious devotion toward the guest.
In short, "slaughtering for Allah" does not mean "slaughtering so that Allah may eat"; rather, it signifies the expression of the devotion we hold for Him.
...they mentioned. At that moment, I asked, "O Commander of the Faithful! What are those four teachings?" Ali (RA) replied, "Allah curses the one who slaughters for anyone other than Allah. Allah curses those who curse their own parents. Allah curses the one who shelters an innovator of religious heresies (*bid'ah*). Allah curses the one who alters boundary markers on the earth. (These are the four matters)." Narrator: Abu Tufail. Sources: Muslim 3657, 3659; Nasa'i 4346; Ahmad 813, 908, 1338.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) stated that a man entered Paradise because of a fly, while another man entered Hell because of a fly. The Companions asked, "O Messenger of Allah! How did that happen?"
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) explained, "Two men passed by an idol belonging to a certain group of people. No one would pass by it without offering a sacrifice to it. The group told one of the two men, 'Offer a sacrifice (to this idol).' He replied, 'I have nothing to offer as a sacrifice.' They said, 'Offer even a fly.' So, he offered a fly, and because of this, he went to Hell. They told the other man, 'Offer a sacrifice.' He replied, 'I will not offer anything to anyone other than Allah.' The group then beheaded him, and he entered Paradise." Narrated by: Tariq bin Shihab (RA) | Source: Zuhd (Imam Ahmad)
These two Hadiths clearly illustrate the gravity of the sin involved in offering sacrifices to anyone other than Allah.
Leaving aside the act of sacrificing for others, the Prophet (PBUH) warned that even the slightest suspicion—that a sacrifice intended for Allah might be perceived as being for someone else—must be avoided.
A man had made a vow to slaughter a camel (for the sake of Allah) at a place called 'Buwana'. He asked the Prophet (PBUH) about this. The Prophet (PBUH) asked, "Is there any idol there that was worshipped during the Pre-Islamic Era of Ignorance?" The Companions replied, "No." The Prophet (PBUH) asked, "Is any festival of the people of the Pre-Islamic Era celebrated there?" The Companions replied, "No." Upon hearing this, the Prophet (PBUH) said, "Then fulfill your vow (at that place)." He further stated that one must not fulfill vows that involve disobedience to Allah, nor vows regarding matters that are beyond one's control. | Narrated by: Thabit bin Dahhak (RA) | Source: Abu Dawood 2881
If one should not fulfill a vow—even one intended for Allah—at a location where worship is offered to others, then Muslims must realize the magnitude of the sin involved in explicitly declaring a sacrifice for someone other than Allah and then slaughtering the animal. One must refrain from performing such sacrifices and from consuming meat obtained through such acts. May Allah grant us the grace to do so.