Allah (swt) is talking here about the forbidden foods, and as we said earlier, what is permissible for humans is a lot, and what is forbidden is a small part of what Allah (swt) has permitted to man, and the principle of things is their permissibility unless there is a definitive text regarding the prohibition, and this is a text that prohibits several things:

(… الْمَيْتَةُ …) (…dead animals …): Which is the animal that dies before being properly slaughtered or hunted. Allah (swt) forbids this type of food due to the harm it causes because the hidden disease in it is unknown to man, and we show here that the wisdom and the reason for the prohibition came from the Creator (swt) and He is All-knowing of what is appropriate for man; so that if we know the reason and the wisdom, then it is good, and if we do not know, we comply with the command of Allah (swt). Here the wisdom is clear from the prohibition of consuming the dead animals; that is to avoid eating it with its disease.

(… وَالدَّمُ …) (…blood …): The blood that flows in the arteries and veins, and in the body is either good blood or bad blood. The blood that comes out of the lungs and kidneys is bad one because it carries the waste from them and mixes with good blood, so it is not permissible to eat blood that has poured forth. The Prophet (saws) has said:

(We were allowed two dead animals and two (kinds of) blood. As for the two dead animals, they are fish and locust. As for the two bloods, they are liver and spleen.)[1]

Therefore, Allah (swt) has made it lawful for us two dead animals, namely fish and locusts, because there is no blood in them, and He (swt) has made lawful for us the blood of the liver and spleen because they are one mass and there is no spoiled blood in them, so that the matter is not arbitrary.

(… وَلَحْمُ الْخِنزِيرِ …) (…the flesh of swine …): Many people do not know the reason behind the prohibition of the swine flesh. It has recently been proven that it carries tapeworms and has many diseases that are transmitted to humans when eating it, but we do not eat pork for this reason; rather, because (Allah (swt) has forbidden it, so we do not eat flesh of swine, dead animal, or blood because of illness or worms… No, but rather in compliance and devotion to the command of Allah (swt).

(… وَمَا أُهِلَّ لِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ بِهِ …) (…and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah,…): The polytheists used to mention the name of an idol, a false deity or a monument, when slaughtering animals. Allah (swt) is the One Who created these animals, so how it comes to slaughter them without mentioning His name (swt). Accordingly, you have to say: (In the name of Allah, Allah is the greatest) when slaughtering to make this meat lawful.

(… وَالْمُنْخَنِقَةُ …) (…and [those animals] killed by strangling…): That is, the animal which died by cutting her breath, it died by strangling, someone will claim that it is the same as the animal which naturally died, we say that since Allah (swt) made it clear that it is not permissible to eat unless it is slaughtered, then if it is dies by suffocating it cannot be eaten either, moreover, from a scientific point of view it is proved that the breath enters the oxygen and brings out the Carbone, and there is a reaction happens, so that these livestock, by strangling them, become corrupt, and Allah (swt) is Most Knowing.

(… وَالْمَوْقُوذَةُ وَالْمُتَرَدِّيَةُ وَالنَّطِيحَةُ …) (…or by a violent blow or by a head-long fall or by the goring of horns, …): These are all unlawful to eat.

(… وَمَا أَكَلَ السَّبُعُ …) (…and those from which a wild animal has eaten,…): Refers to the animal that was attacked by a wild animal then the wild beast eats a part of it and it dies because of that. This type is also prohibited.

(… إِلَّا مَا ذَكَّيْتُمْ …) (…except what you [are able to] slaughter [before its death], …): Unless you are able to slaughter the animal in the cases mentioned in the Ayah (animals] killed by strangling, or by a violent blow or by a head-long fall or by the goring of horns and those from which a wild animal has eaten) while it is still alive, then eat it, for it was properly slaughtered.

(… وَمَا ذُبِحَ عَلَى النُّصُبِ …) (…and those which are sacrificed on stone altars,…): “Nusub” were stone altars that were erected around the Ka`bah that the Arabs used to slaughter the animals in front of. Allah (swt) also forbade from eating the meat of these animals because they are slaughtered for other than Allah (swt).

(… وَأَن تَسْتَقْسِمُوا بِالْأَزْلَامِ …) (…and that you seek decision through divining arrows.…): The verse indicates that it is also forbidden to use Al-Azlam (arrows) for decision making, which was a practice of the Arabs before Islam. They would use three arrows, on the first arrow it is written, “My Lord commanded me,’ and, `My Lord forbade me,’ on the second arrow and they would not write anything on the third arrow. If the blank arrow was picked, the person would keep trying until the arrow that says do or do not was picked, and the person would implement the command that he picked. All these practices are forbidden because they refer to seek decisions from other than Allah (swt).

(… ذَٰلِكُمْ فِسْقٌ …) (…That is grave disobedience …): These practices are away from the divine instructions. The Arabic word of (grave disobedience) is used to describe a date when comes out of its shell easily, so whoever comes up with these things has sinned, i.e. departed from the divine approach.

(… الْيَوْمَ يَئِسَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِن دِينِكُمْ …) (…This day those who disbelieve have despaired of [defeating] your religion; …): The day refers to the era.

The verses relate to the organization of the movement of society, from contracts, trusts, marriages, regulations, permissible and forbidden, and what is right and what is not. As such, when you refrain or comply, you should have in your mind the fear of Allah (swt) and not fear of people:

(… فَلَا تَخْشَوْهُمْ وَاخْشَوْنِ …) (…so fear them not, but fear Me.…): Meaning, do not be afraid of those who mock the rulings of your religion and the law of your Lord; because the One in whose hand is the keys to matters, and in Whose hand is the kingdom, sustenance, life and death, and in Whose hand is the resurrection, punishment and reward, is Allah (swt).

(… الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ …) (…This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion …): This, indeed, is the biggest favor from Allah (swt), for He has completed this religion, Therefore, the permissible is what he allows, the impermissible is what he prohibits over all times, thus do not accept to yourself other what Allah (swt) has commanded, otherwise you will deserve His (swt) anger.

(… فَمَنِ اضْطُرَّ فِي مَخْمَصَةٍ غَيْرَ مُتَجَانِفٍ لِّإِثْمٍ ۙ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ …) (…But whoever is forced by severe hunger with no inclination to sin – then indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful …): Therefore, when one is forced to take any of the impermissible things that Allah (swt) mentioned to meet a necessity, that is to keep himself alive, then he is allowed to eat them, that is the “Necessities permit prohibitions” and Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful, has not created the humans to make them suffer:

 لا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا

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

[1] Sunan Ibn Majah: The Book of Food, Chapter of liver and spleen, Hadith No. 3314.