2-168 O men, eat the lawful and good things from what is in the earth, and follow not the footsteps of the devil. Surely he is an open enemy to you.a
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ كُلُواْ مِمَّا فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ حَلَـٰلاً۬ طَيِّبً۬ا وَلَا تَتَّبِعُواْ خُطُوَٲتِ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنِۚ إِنَّهُ ۥ لَكُمۡ عَدُوٌّ۬ مُّبِينٌ (١٦٨)
2-168a حَلَـٰلاً۬ – The root of حَلّ is from opening a knot, as in وَٱحۡلُلۡ عُقۡدَةً۬ مِّن لِّسَانِى (And lose the knot from my tongue) (20:27). And حَلُّ الاحمال is spoken of offloading a burden on alighting at a place. Derived from this, the word حُلُول is spoken for the entirety of revelation, as in تَحُلُّ قَرِيبً۬ا مِّن دَارِهِمۡ (…alight close by their abodes) (13:31) and the meaning of احلّ is to alight another, as in وَأَحَلُّواْ قَوۡمَهُمۡ دَارَ ٱلۡبَوَارِ (and make their people to alight in the abode of perdition) (14:28). The word مَحَلّه is also derived from it and its meaning is the place where one alights. The meaning of حَلال is taken from حل عقده, that is the thing that has been opened or has been made free, and a person who comes out from the state of احرام (the special state in which pilgrimage is performed) is called حلال or مُحِلّ for this reason (R). In the terminology of shariah, حَلال is that which is allowed or that which is not forbidden.
خُطُوَٲتِ – is the plural of خُطُوة which is the distance between the two feet i.e. stride of a person while walking (R). Since Satan treads on the path of disobedience to Allah, the meaning of his خُطُوَٲتِ is anything that is sin or evil in the sight of Allah.
The effect of diet on morals: After mentioning the unity of the Divine Being as the primary principle of guidance, mention is made of diet to show that even the minutiae of guidance like diet are given in the shariah because diet too has an effect on the morality and spirituality of a person. Such subjects will continue from here to the thirty-first section, but generally those rules are mentioned that have some relation to patience because that is the real subject that is under discussion. The first necessity mentioned is permissible food. Things procured by wealth that is earned by illegal means cannot be permissible. The second condition mentioned is for pure food, that is clean things. By the use of this one word, pure, a lot of details have been furnished. There may be a conflict between طَيِّبً۬ (pure) and some cultural practices, hence a generic term is used. The commandments given in يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ are general. Giving up consumption of illegal things engenders love of God. In one hadith, it is reported that Saad bin Abi Waqas asked the Holy Prophet how he could become one whose prayers are accepted. The Holy Prophet replied: اطب مطعمك تکن مستجاب الدعوة (Eat pure food and you will become one whose prayers are accepted). Rules for material and spiritual, external and internal purity are beautifully blended in the Quran.
Relation between external and internal purity: The dietary commandments immediately preceding a warning not to follow in the footsteps of the devil shows that the Quran is referring to internal purity. The mantra is, therefore, eat good food and manifest good morals. The next verse further clarifies the meaning of not following in the footsteps of the devil is to safeguard one from evil and indecency. This indicates the Quranic position that there is a relationship between the physical and moral states of a person. This is why the Quran sometimes switches the subject from the spiritual to the physical and sometimes from the physical to the spiritual.
2-169 He enjoins on you only evil and indecency, and that you speak against Allah what you know not.a
إِنَّمَا يَأۡمُرُكُم بِٱلسُّوٓءِ وَٱلۡفَحۡشَآءِ وَأَن تَقُولُواْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعۡلَمُونَ (١٦٩)
2-169a ٱلۡفَحۡشَآءِ – فحش and فحشاء and فاحشة mean every speech or action that causes great harm (R), or every harmful trait is فاحِشة (T).
سوء – See 2-82a for its meaning. The difference between سوء and فاحِشة is that سوء is that which is harmful to the doer and فاحِشة is something the mention of which, or listening to which, is distasteful (IJ).
تَقُولُواْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ – قال علیه means slandered him.
Connection of evil and indecencies with diet: There is an indication here that unlawful diet leads to evil and indecency. Thus, eating carrion and blood has deleterious effect on health and causes lewd morals, while eating swine is a causal factor in indecencies. This is referred to as speaking against Allah because people themselves determined what was permissible to eat and what was not and then attributed their determination to Allah. It is well established now that the kind of diet one eats produces the same kind of attributes in a person. The Quran drew attention to this fact fourteen centuries ago and banned the consumption of harmful things.
2-170 And when it is said to them, Follow what Allah has revealed, they say: Nay, we follow that wherein we found our fathers. What! Even though their fathers had no sense at all, nor did they follow the right way.a
وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمُ ٱتَّبِعُواْ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ قَالُواْ بَلۡ نَتَّبِعُ مَآ أَلۡفَيۡنَا عَلَيۡهِ ءَابَآءَنَآۗ أَوَلَوۡ كَانَ ءَابَآؤُهُمۡ لَا يَعۡقِلُونَ شَيۡـًٔ۬ا وَلَا يَهۡتَدُونَ (١٧٠)
2-170a Being a conformist: The Quran at times portrays the behavior of the unbelievers as an example of what to avoid. Blind conformity is mentioned as one of their traits. The purpose is to impress on Muslims not to do the same and not to reject things just because their forefathers believed differently. Unfortunately, Muslims lead all other nations in the trait of conformism today, and are not even willing to listen to another point of view, leave alone deliberating about it.
2-171 And the parable of those who disbelieve is as the parable of one who calls out to that which hears no more than a call and a cry. Deaf, dumb, blind, so they have no sense.a
وَمَثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ ڪَفَرُواْ كَمَثَلِ ٱلَّذِى يَنۡعِقُ بِمَا لَا يَسۡمَعُ إِلَّا دُعَآءً۬ وَنِدَآءً۬ۚ صُمُّۢ بُكۡمٌ عُمۡىٌ۬ فَهُمۡ لَا يَعۡقِلُونَ (١٧١)
2-171a يَنۡعِقُ – نعق is the cry of a shepherd calling out to his sheep and goats (R) and (T).
دُعَآءً۬ وَنِدَآءً۬ – دُعَآءً is merely to call out or summon, and نِدَآءً۬ is to increase the loudness of one’s voice or to shout and is also used to mean sound or voice. نَدَیٰ really means moisture and the analogy of دُعَآءً is taken from it on the supposition that the one who has moisture in the mouth is melodious (R).
Advice to be rational: In the simile used here, the unbelievers who do not care for rationality and guidance are compared to animals and the Holy Prophet is likened to a shepherd. The thing that differentiates humans from animals is intellect. Those who do not use their intellect properly are animals. That is why in the end of the verse, they are called deaf, dumb, and blind.
2-172 O you who believe, eat of the good things that We have provided you with, and give thanks to Allah if He it is Whom you serve.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ ڪُلُواْ مِن طَيِّبَـٰتِ مَا رَزَقۡنَـٰكُمۡ وَٱشۡكُرُواْ لِلَّهِ إِن ڪُنتُمۡ إِيَّاهُ تَعۡبُدُونَ (١٧٢)
2-172a Sometimes إِن is used in the meaning of اذ (when) and that is the meaning here. This use can be seen is in: إِن كُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ فَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ , see 3:139.
2-173 He has forbidden you only what dies of itself, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that over which any other (name) than (that of) Allah has been invoked.a Then whoever is driven by necessity, not desiring, nor exceeding the limit, no sin is upon him. Surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.b
إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ عَلَيۡڪُمُ ٱلۡمَيۡتَةَ وَٱلدَّمَ وَلَحۡمَ ٱلۡخِنزِيرِ وَمَآ أُهِلَّ بِهِۦ لِغَيۡرِ ٱللَّهِۖ فَمَنِ ٱضۡطُرَّ غَيۡرَ بَاغٍ۬ وَلَا عَادٍ۬ فَلَآ إِثۡمَ عَلَيۡهِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ۬ رَّحِيمٌ (١٧٣)
2-173a إِنَّمَا – creates exclusivity, that is, only certain things are forbidden. The meaning is that only things in this class are forbidden and not the things that people through their own volition considered forbidden such as bahirah etcetera which were not forbidden by God.
ٱلۡمَيۡتَةَ – is an animal that dies without being slaughtered (R) regardless of whether the death occurred naturally or by suffocation or as a result of injury or being gored (T). This clarification is made in Surah Maidah verse 3.
أُهِلَّ – A one or two day old new moon is called ھِلال and اِھلال is used in the sense of sighting the moon. Then its use was extended to the shout out on sighting the moon and then generally to any sort of utterance (R). So, the meaning of مَآ أُهِلَّ بِهِۦ is one on whom any name besides Allah is uttered, that is, at the time of slaughter the name of some other than Allah is invoked, as for example the name of an idol.
Shariah forbids the eating of certain animals including those that die other than by slaughter: The things forbidden here are those that are detrimental to morals and spirituality. The command forbidding the eating of these animals was given already in Makkah in Surah Al-Inam and Surah Nahal. After the reference here, more details are given at the fourth mention in Surah Al-Maidah. Out of the four things mentioned here, the first three are also forbidden in the Judaic law. Thus, Leviticus 17:15 forbids eating of animals that die of themselves; Leviticus 7:26 forbids the consumption of blood; and Leviticus 11:7 forbids the eating of swine. Although Christians sanction the eating of swine, Jesus in his sermons considers swine to be unclean as in: “…neither cast ye your pearls before swine” (Matthew 7:6). Eating swine is also mentioned in a bad light in Luke 15:15. Matthew 8:31 states: “So, the devils besought him, saying, if thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine.” Although Jesus made some alterations in Mosaic law, he did not make the consumption of swine permissible. In fact, Peter compares those who repeatedly indulge in sin to swine, that is, he considers them unclean (Peter 2:22).
Reason for forbidding: In addition to forbidding these three things harmful to physical and moral health, Islam also forbids a fourth thing. A permissible animal becomes forbidden if slaughter is in the name of any deity other than Allah. This is a practical step in uprooting polytheism. The reason for forbidding these things is given by the Quran in Surah Al-Anam verse 145 where the first three things are called رجس or unclean, meaning they have a detrimental effect on health and morality, while مَآ أُهِلَّ بِهِۦ لِغَيۡرِ ٱللَّهِۖ is called فسق that is, a transgression. The presence of toxic substances in what dies of itself, and blood and swine is now an established fact and the deleterious effects on morality is seen in the real world. Those nations that consume carrions such as people of low caste in India have always lived in debased conditions. Drinking blood is the work of wild beasts and creates bestiality in humans when they do likewise. Islam therefore considers it necessary for animals to be slaughtered so that their blood is drained out. The immorality and depravity that is created by the consumption of swine is evidenced by lose morals and public nudity in so-called civilized nations.
The Arabs loved to eat the flesh of swine in the same way that Christians do in Europe and America. That is why the term used is لَحۡمَ ٱلۡخِنزِيرِ , otherwise just as the flesh of swine is prohibited so too are its other body parts. Fish is excluded in the Hadith from مَيۡتَةَ because the amount of blood in a fish is so minimal that it cannot effect health.
2-173b ٱضۡطُرَّ – is derived from ضُرّ . The word ضرورت meaning need is also from it, and اضطار is باب افتعال (an innovation) where its تا is switched by طا and its meaning is want, need or necessity. The meaning of اضطرہ is to be made dependent upon something or to be forced to it (T). And اضطرار may also occur on account of one’s own helplessness or because of being forced or because of being in a condition where one cannot live without a necessity, like food.
غَيۡرَ بَاغٍ۬ – باغ is from بغی which means a desire to exceed the limits of moderation. See 2-90a. So the meaning of غَيۡرَ بَاغٍ۬ is that he does not feel this desire within himself, as stated in Al-Mufradat غیر طالب ما لیس له طلبه , that is, the heart abhors it.
لَا عَادٍ۬ – عاد is from عدو meaning exceeding. See 2-85a. So, لَا عَادٍ۬ means not to exceed beyond what is required to keep body and soul together.
2-174 Those who conceal aught of the Book that Allah has revealed and take for it a small price, they eat nothing but fire into their bellies, and Allah will not speak to them on the day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them; and for them is a painful chastisement.a
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَكۡتُمُونَ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ مِنَ ٱلۡڪِتَـٰبِ وَيَشۡتَرُونَ بِهِۦ ثَمَنً۬ا قَلِيلاًۙ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ مَا يَأۡكُلُونَ فِى بُطُونِهِمۡ إِلَّا ٱلنَّارَ وَلَا يُڪَلِّمُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡقِيَـٰمَةِ وَلَا يُزَڪِّيهِمۡ وَلَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ (١٧٤)
2-174a The relation between prohibited diet and piety: This section is brought to a close by reverting to the subject of concealing guidance. That is, after explaining the rules of guidance and their ramifications, the focus is brought back to the main subject, and along with it, there is a reversion from what is manifest to what is hidden. This is a distinguishing feature of the Quran that it keeps alternating the subject from the physical, that is what is manifest, to the spiritual, that is which is hidden and vice versa. Mention is made of diet after mentioning the oneness of the Divine Being to emphasize the point that diet too influences the thinking and ideas of people. After mentioning certain dietary rules, the subject changes to the spiritual and mention is made of those who put fire into their bellies. The caution is so that the Muslims do not become ritualistic like the Jews and limit devoutness and piety to a few manifest rituals, and thereby forget to take care of their internal purity and goodness. The metaphor of putting fire into their bellies is adopted so people do not consider that dietary restrictions are by themselves sufficient.
Allah not speaking to the people in hellfire: The ‘speaking’ in the saying that Allah will not speak to the people in hellfire means ‘speaking with love’ which is something that is bestowed as a favor to a person. By stating that Allah will not purify them and will not speak to them, it has been made clear that those whom Allah purifies from sin in this world and speaks to them, they, in reality, enter paradise in this very life. Concealing guidance includes both not following guidance oneself and not preaching guidance to others.
2-175 Those are they who buy error for guidance and chastisement for forgiveness; how bold they are to challenge the Fire!a
أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱشۡتَرَوُاْ ٱلضَّلَـٰلَةَ بِٱلۡهُدَىٰ وَٱلۡعَذَابَ بِٱلۡمَغۡفِرَةِۚ فَمَآ أَصۡبَرَهُمۡ عَلَى ٱلنَّارِ (١٧٥)
2-175a مَآ أَصۡبَرَهُمۡ – The real meaning of صَبۡر is to restrain oneself, but sometimes, as in this instance, it is also used in the sense of being bold (R). Mujahid adopts the same meaning because the referenced people will be devoid of صَبۡر in its real sense. Real صَبۡر would have been for them to restrain themselves from sin. The meaning here is that their actions are taking them towards hellfire. Daring to do these actions is tantamount to daring the fire. ما here is to express amazement, It can also be for an interrogative question or relative pronoun.
2-176 That is because Allah has revealed the Book with truth. And surely those who disagree about the Book go far in opposition.a
ذَٲلِكَ بِأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ نَزَّلَ ٱلۡڪِتَـٰبَ بِٱلۡحَقِّۗ وَإِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱخۡتَلَفُواْ فِى ٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ لَفِى شِقَاقِۭ بَعِيدٍ۬ (١٧٦)
2-176a ٱخۡتَلَفُواْ فِى ٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ – For the meaning of اختلاف see 164a and by کتاب is meant the Quran as is apparent from نَزَّلَ ٱلۡڪِتَـٰبَ بِٱلۡحَقّ . And their ٱخۡتَلَفُواْ فِى ٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ is that they stayed behind from walking on the path of its guidance (RM), that is they did not walk on the path of truth. The meaning of “disagree about the Book” can also be to reject the Book, as is apparent from: إِنَّكُمۡ لَفِى قَوۡلٍ۬ مُّخۡتَلِفٍ۬ (Surely you are of varying opinion) (51:8). Their disagreement was that sometimes they called the Quran magic, sometimes astrological musings, sometimes poetry and sometimes a fabrication. Because Quran is the truth, they could not come up with just a single argument to reject it.
Bayan-ul-Quran 