DIETARY LAW
WHAT THE GOD NAME HAS BEEN MENTIONED UPON IS =HALAL
I will god willing attempt in this short article to explain that what the god name has been mentioned upon is equals to halal and what the god name has not been mentioned upon is equals to haram.
In verses 2:173, 5:3 and 6:145 it is clear that dead meat, running blood, flesh of swine and animals dedicated to other than the god are forbidden so every other animals besides these four are by default halal (permissible).
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. 2:173 Yusuf Ali
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 forced by hunger with no inclination to transgression Allah is indeed Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful.5:3 Yusuf Ali
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 wilful disobedience nor transgressing due limits thy Lord is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful.6:145 Yusuf Ali
The requirement in verse 6:118
So eat of (meats) on which Allah's name hath been pronounced if ye have faith in His Signs. Yusuf Ali
In this verse we are not asked to mention the name of the god on what we are about to eat but to eat what the name of the god has already been mentioned on. The fundamental question is how do we know what the name of the god has been mention upon to eat from it? The following verses clarifies further; verse 6:119 ;
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. Yusuf Ali
Implicit in this verse is that what is not prohibited for us is equivalent to what the name of the god has been mentioned upon and the god asked us to reflect why we should entertain a moment hesitation or restriction in eating them.
similarly, in verse 6:121
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. Yusuf Ali
We are enjoined not to eat what the name of the god is not mentioned upon and we are told that what the name of the god is not mentioned upon is fisq (impiety), the same word fisq (impiety) is also mentioned in connection to the forbidden food in the aforementioned verses in 2:173 and 6:145, so putting verse 6:120 together with verses 2:173 and 6:145 it became clear that what the name of the god is not mentioned is equals to haram i.e. forbidden foods that were mentioned in verses, 2:173, 5:3 and 6:145.
A further clarification is verse 5:4
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. Yusuf Ali
We are told to eat what our prey animals? hunts for us but the god sound a note of warning to us to remember the name of the god upon them and asked us to fear Him.
Here verses 6:118 - 119 and 120 became very clear. The requirement is that we should not eat for granted but to make sure that what we are about to eat do not fall under the category of the forbidden food that is why we are especially caution to remember the name of the god on what our hunting animals catch for us i.e. to verify that it is not forbidden (dead meat). The god caution us to fear him meaning that we should not for the simply reason that the meat is already handy thereby rationalize and eat it without due verification.
In verse 6:138 And they say that such and such cattle and crops are taboo and none should eat of them except those whom so they say We wish; further there are cattle forbidden to yoke or burden and cattle on which the name of Allah is not pronounced; inventions against Allah's name: soon will He requite them for their inventions.
here the polytheist are saying that these animals the god name is not mentioned upon them, they are implying that such animals are forbidden whereas the god said they are liers/forgers. Since in effect only flesh of swine is forbidden, every other animal are permissible except that they died of themselves or in a manner detailed in 5:3. if the animal they are referring to according to traditional interpretation is the animal already slaughtered there is no need for the god to refute them here but because they are forbidden some classes of animals in the name god which is going to propagate into the future and have a long generational spree the god has to come to refute them that they are forgers. The surrounding verses make it clear that the issue is not about mentioning the name of the god while slaughtering animal, but about forbidden some classes of animals. Please look at 6:139,142-144. These are the phenomena that warrant the god to ask his apostle to declear in no uncertain term in verse 6:145 that only dead meat, running blood, flesh of swine and animal dedicated to other than the god are forbidden in revelation revealed to him.
There is no requirement to mention the name of god before slaughtering any animal, mentioning the name of the god does not make the animal permissible also not mentioning the name of the god does not make it forbidden. If it is a forbidden animals like flesh of swine for instance if you mention the name of the god 100 times while slaughtering it, the meat remain forbidden, if you slaughter a goat for instance without mentioning the name of the god while slaughtering it the meat remain permissible. Similarly, there is also no requirement to mention the name of the god before eating any food, if the food is forbidden like running blood if you mention the name of the god on it 100 times it remains forbidden to eat, however, if the food is permissible to eat, if you eat it without mentioning the name of the god on it, it does not make it forbidden. Much as I found no obligation to mention the name of the god before slaughtering or eating, I also do not found prohibition in them.
However, the requirement is to eat what the name of the god has been mentioned upon which is to verify that the food you are about to eat do not fall under the category of the four forbidden food.
This is my personal opinion base on my understanding from the great reading, I will keep improving my understanding as I learn more, and readers are advice to verify things for themselves rather than taking views at face value. If the god guides me, I hope the outcome of this article will be beneficial.
I am not overcooking it GL.. definitely there's something hidden that you and me and many of believers not aware of... There is no harm researching.. That's why I am much inclined to the above article..
For those who are seeking grammar perfection in Quran I would like to ask this question.. Word uhilla is written in four places of Quran.. But strangely in different ways. In 5:3 verse it is "wama uhilla lighair Allahi BiHi" while 2:173 "wama uhilla BiHi Lighair Allah".. Just let me know anyone pls your view on that why BiHI is placed differently... Okay that's not the point here...
Point is do we need to mention the name of God literally while slaughter an animal for consumption and do we need to mention name of God before eating... The above well written artical suggest neither of them are required as long as they are not forbidden list of foods.. Well that sounds rational and most of the problem is solved. But there is something called offering or literal sacrifice like the son of Adam did for God.. If anyone offering then the name of God is mandatory to be mentioned... Like the verses says below.
22:28
"That they may witness benefits for themselves and mention the name of Allah on known days over what He has provided for them of [sacrificial] animals/beasts. So eat of them and feed the miserable and poor."
22:34 "And for all religion We have appointed a rite [of sacrifice] that they may mention the name of Allah over what He has provided for them of [sacrificial] animals. For your god is one God, so to Him submit. And, [O Muhammad], give good tidings to the humble [before their Lord]"
22:36 "And the camels and cattle We have appointed for you as among the symbols of Allah ; for you therein is good. So mention the name of Allah upon them when lined up [for sacrifice]; and when they are [lifeless] on their sides, then eat from them and feed the needy and the beggar. Thus have We subjected them to you that you may be grateful.
Let's see two contrasting verses.. In 5:3 it says wild animals eaten but if slaughtered it is fine.(here dhakkayTum is literally translated as slaughter but you can't slaughter an animal already dead and eaten portion of it by wild animal but God allows the rest of the portion not eaten by wild beast) . Isn't that what it says.. Similarly 5:4 hunting animals catch for you is permitted. It's not said hunting animals caught alive for you.. Hunting animals may catch alive or dead.. Isn't it.. But mention the name of God over it.. So mentioning the name of God becomes mandatory at certain points.. Coz two occasion animals eaten by wild beast and animals hunted by another trained beast.. So what is the point here.. Both could be dead literally but allowed to eat if name of God is mentioned.. They are not dead animals on its own or strangled to death etc.. It somehow not dead animal. .
Look.. Still many people around the world do hunt using various methods be it ancient way or modern way.. All hunting..
Can we say you can't hunt an animal or bird by a pistol or gun.. We can't say.. That's the way of hunting.. But you can't expect the animal to be alive after it is shot dead.. Can we eat..? So according to 5:3 and 5:4 It can be deduced it is allowed.. Yes dead but hunted and died .. Just pronounce the name of God on hunted animals.. So mentioning name of God becomes kind of mandatory ...
Even look at the verses 5:95 it says.. During restriction /hurm if they hunt and kill.. Note the word kill. So literally the hunted animal is killed and dead.. Not alive.. But animal is not wasted. Definitly its meat is consumable but not allowed to hunt during restriction. . So we can hunt animal dead for sure based on above.. So we can hunt fish dead .. yeah fish caught dies and fish hunted in any other ways also dies.. .. But hunted and died.. Not naturally died.. .. But mention the name of God since it is hunted from water.. (the consumer is responsible for mention name of God.. Not the hunter eats. End-user eats.. So on hunted creatures mebtion name of God) But domesticated or animals grown for meat purpose is not hunting.. They are not requined to mention name of God. . Even mention no issues..
So the author above in my perception seems right on the core of subject.. It's my view..
So what makes us clear here is we can eat any animal other than flesh of swine and dead animals on their own plus strangled to death etc etc.. But dead animals/creatures (including fish) on hunt is permitted.. It's very clear through comparisons of verses.. Word hunting really assisted me to understand the water or sea harvest..
Read the authors article it has some real meaning.. And compare the verses of Quran... But author failed to state about mentioning name of God in critical points like I elaborated above.. This is my understanding and seek guidance for yourself..
