This verse is a commitment order. When Allah (swt) says, “O you who have believed” then you do not have the choice to say: Yes, or No. Your freedom was before you join Islam:

 {لَا إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِ }

(There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion.)  (Al-Baqraa: 256)

If you don’t want to believe, don’t believe.

 {فَمَن شَاءَ فَلْيُؤْمِن وَمَن شَاءَ فَلْيَكْفُرْ }

(… so whoever wills – let him believe; and whoever wills – let him disbelieve. Indeed.)  (Al-Kahf: 29)

But when you believe thus you enter into a contract of faith with Allah (swt), you are obliged to maintain the requirements of this faith. I entered into a contract with Allah (swt), and I said: I believe in you O Lord. So Allah (swt) says to me: “O you who have believed,” That is: O, you how have believed in me do so and so. Whereas, Allah (swt) does not enforce His orders on the disbelievers. Allah (swt) does not say: O people, decreed upon you is fasting, and non-believers do not fast.

Hence, whenever any command follows; “O you who have believed,” it means there is a mandatory order for those who chose this religion freely and not by compulsion. Now Allah (swt) tells us that, as long as you believe in me then you may only eat what I allowed you to eat. Another verse says:

{ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ كُلُوا مِمَّا فِي الْأَرْضِ حَلَالًا طَيِّبًا وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ ۚ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُّبِينٌ }

(O mankind, eat from whatever is on earth [that is] lawful and good and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy.)  (Al-Baqraa: 168)

You may ask what is the difference between these two verses? In the verse that we are dealing with the address is mandatory to those who have believed, while Allah (swt) addresses mankind at large in the above verse, telling them all to eat only halal (lawful) for their benefit. Whereas for believers it is obligation regardless of the benefit, obedience is intended for no reason. Assuming that this food does not harm me, and Allah (swt) says to me, “Don’t eat it”, so I shouldn’t eat it. Why? “Because this is a disciplinary prohibition and not just a protective prohibition. What is the disciplinary prohibition? Allah (swt) forbid the children of Israel to eat what was halal (lawful) as a punishment for their injustice. As Allah (swt) says:

{ فَبِظُلْمٍ مِّنَ الَّذِينَ هَادُوا حَرَّمْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ طَيِّبَاتٍ أُحِلَّتْ لَهُمْ وَبِصَدِّهِمْ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ كَثِيرًاً }

(For wrongdoing on the part of the Jews, We made unlawful for them [certain] good foods which had been lawful to them, and for their averting from the way of Allah many [people.)  (An-Nisaa: 160)

So, there is a Disciplinary Prohibition, not only for the sake of harm. We obey Allah’s orders because they are His, and not just for the sake of benefit. If Allah (swt) says to me: Do not eat pork, because it has tapeworm and I obeyed because of the fear of self-harm, in this case I achieve no worship or faith here. However, if He (swt) says to me: Don’t eat pork, and I obey without knowing the reason, then I am a worshiper and obedient to Allah (swt), this is because it is Allah’s order regardless the harm. There are many things which we do not know their reasons, Allah (swt) hid from us so it will become an act of obedience and worship, and even faith.  This is the case when our Lord (swt) tells us to make (Tawaf) or turning around the Kaaba seven times, to throw seven stones, or to pray (Al-Magrep) the sun set prayer three (Rak’ahs) or units!! Aren’t four units better than three? And why just two (Rak’ahs) units at (Al-Fajer) the dawn prayer is better than four?

The answer is: As long as Allah (swt) is addressing us, thus according to the essence of faith, we must accept His (swt) judgment. And the cause of accepting that rule is because it is issued by the ruler and the basis of faith is metaphysical; I do not say: “I believe in something in front of me”, but I do say I believe in the unseen.

( وَاشْكُرُوا لِلَّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ إِيَّاهُ تَعْبُدُونَ ) (and be grateful to Allah if it is [indeed] Him that you worship.): What is the definition of worship? Worship means obedience, obeying the commander of whatever he orders. That is why when they say: We worship what we found our fathers worshipping, or they say: We worship idols. Let us ask them: What did the idols tell you? What did the sun tell you? What did they order you to do? What did they forbid you to do?

Therefore, this is not worship, for worship is: obeying the commander, obeying the orders. Notice the accuracy of the verses, the difference between the previous verses in which Allah (swt) says:

 {يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ كُلُوا مِمَّا فِي الْأَرْضِ حَلَالًا طَيِّبًا }

(O mankind, eat from whatever is on earth [that is] lawful and good.) (Al-Baqara: 168)

and that which is mentioned here. Notice the accuracy of the wording of the Holy Qur’an. In the first verse the request is neither for worship nor obligation. Whereas, here Allah (swt) says, “O you who have believed.” The command is stated: “eat from the good things which We have provided for you and be grateful to Allah if it is [indeed] Him that you worship.”

Yet, in the first verse He (swt) does not end the verse with these words: “if it is [indeed] Him that you worship.” But instead He (swt) ends it with, “and do not follow the footsteps of Satan.” As such, worship means obedience, whether you know the reason or not. If you know the reason it is good, and if you do not know then it is enough for you that Allah (swt) knows. You just obey Allah’s commands.