This verse mentions the forbidden food. There is a difference between the Arabic word (mayyet) with a stress on the letter ‘y’ (to die) and the word (mayt) without the stress on the letter(y) (dead). Allah (swt) says:

{ إِنَّكَ مَيِّتٌ وَإِنَّهُم مَّيِّتُونَ }

(Indeed, you are to die, and indeed, they are to die.)  (Al-Zumar: 30)

In this verse (mayyet) with a stress on the letter ‘y’ means that one is going to die certainly even if alive at present. While, the Arabic word (mayt) without the stress denotes an actually dead being. Notice the accuracy of the Holy Qur’an, Allah (swt) has made unlawful the already dead animals (maytah) not the (mayyetah) or the animals that will die in future! For if this has been the case then every animal will be unlawful to eat; because we cannot eat chicken, sheep, cow, anything, because all of them will die when they are slaughtered. Yet, as long as Allah (swt) says: “dead animals,” (maytah) with no stress on the letter (y) hence, the intended meaning is the animal which has already died before being slaughtered. Why? Because there is a difference between being killed and being dead fatedly. Killing is the destruction of the body structure and after that the spirit comes out while by death the soul moves out of the body first then the body structure is destroyed.

Why eating a chicken or a sheep is forbidden in case they died fatedly and not by slaughtering? We know that, in humans and in animals, there are veins and arteries whose spoiled blood is purified by the kidneys, and there is good blood as well.

When an animal is dead fatedly without being slaughtered, its blood which carries harmful substances in it is not shed but it is kept inside its body and becomes corrupted. If we look at two chickens, one is slaughtered and the other is suffocated, we note a difference in their colour and in their taste after they are cooked.

That is because the spoiled blood spilled out when the animal was slaughtered.

Therefore, the objective of forbidding eating of the dead animal is obvious; because it is corrupted; meaning part of its blood which has not yet been purified in the kidney is spoiled, and part of it is good. However, the spoiled blood corrupts the meat.

( حَرَّمَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَيْتَةَ ) (He has only forbidden to you dead animals..): Here is an important and accurate point. We mentioned earlier that it is not permissible for anyone to interpret the Holy Qur’an unless he/she is qualified in the interpretation of the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (saws). Why? Because if you read this verse: ” He has only forbidden to you dead animals ” we understand that all dead are forbidden, but does the Sunnah allocate the generalization of the Holy Qur’an? Yes, it does according to what Allah (swt) says:

 {وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانتَهُوا}

(And whatever the Messenger has given you – take; and what he has forbidden you – refrain from.)  (Al-Hashr: 7)

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said:

“Lawful to you two of the dead: fish and locusts, and two bloods: liver and spleen. ”[1]

Therefore, the Hadith specifies the generalization of the Holy Qur’an and excludes from the dead the fish and the locusts. What is the reason? The reason is that fish and locusts do not contain blood, and the spleen and liver, are hardened blood.

( وَالدَّمَ ) (blood..): God forbids the dead, because it contains blood. Hence blood should also be forbidden except for the liver and spleen. This is because blood is spoiled and it harms the human body.

( وَلَحْمَ الْخِنزِيرِ ) (the flesh of swine.): We said that pork has a lot of tapeworms. The science has recently discovered that there are germs and microbes in pork that are not found in any other animal. A man who eats pork may become seriously ill so Allah (swt) forbids eating it. Nevertheless, we refrain from eating pork because Allah (swt) has forbidden it and not because it harms the body.

( وَمَا أُهِلَّ بِهِ لِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ ) (and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah.): A name, other than the name of Allah (swt), was called during slaughtering. However, when Muslims slaughter the animals they say: In the name of Allah, Allah the great. So uttering a name other that of Allah (swt) during slaughtering is forbidden.

( فَمَنِ اضْطُرَّ غَيْرَ بَاغٍ وَلَا عَادٍ فَلَا إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ ) (… But whoever is forced, neither being inequitable nor aggressive there is no sin upon him..): Necessities permit prohibitions. That is, whoever eats from the prohibited meat then he commits a sin, unless there is a necessity. Necessity has a condition, that is if a man has two choices to eat from what is prohibited or to die, then he may eat as much as enough to retain his life without exceed that.

( إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ) (… Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.): Why did Allah (swt) put this ending to this verse, even though there is no sin? Because as Allah (swt) forgives the intended sins, would not He forgive the sins of necessity!!! Look at the mercy and facilitation of the Islamic religion, it is a religion of ease. The Prophet (saws) said:

“Make things easy and do not make them difficult, cheer the people up by conveying glad tidings to them and do not repulse (them) “[2].

And He (saws) said:

“So, follow a middle course (in worship) …”[3]

Do not constrain people. Do not make of religion a belt that obstructs people’s issues. But use this religion just as our Prophet (saws) did, in a way that raised the people’s status. For He (saws) raised people to the standard of the Holy Qur’an’s granting. While some people want to descend the granting of the Qur’an to the human level. This is the difference. The Islamic religion is a religion of forgiveness, a religion of easiness. For whenever the Prophet (saws) was given choice between two options, he would choose the easier. The prophet (saws) did not practice austerity on people and said:

“Do not impose austerities on yourselves so that austerities will be imposed on you.“ [4]

This is the Islam religion which states an exception for each matter according to necessity. for example, a sick is given exception, even in fasting there are exceptions for the traveler and the sick, Allah (swt) says:

 {لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا }

(Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity..)  (Al-Baqara: 286)

This is the Islamic and faith principle.

[1] Sahih Ibn Majah, Book of food, Hadith No (3314)

[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari, Book of knowledge, Hadith No (69)

[3] Sahih Al-Bukhari, Book of the tenderness of the heart, hadith No (6102).

[4]  Sunan Abi Dawud . Book of decency, section of envy, Hadith No. (4904)