The Prohibition of Carrion, Blood, the Flesh of Swine,

and that which has been Acclaimed to Other than Allah

Allah says in the Qur’an what can be translated as:

“He has forbidden you only Al-Maitah (meat of a dead animal), blood, the
flesh of swine, and any animal which is slaughtered as a sacrifice for others
than Allah (or has been slaughtered for idols or on which Allah's Name has
not been mentioned while slaughtering). But if one is forced by necessity,
without wilful disobedience, and not transgressing – then, Allah is Oft-
Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
(Surat An-Nahl (The Bees):115).

This ayah (verse) is found in the beginning of the last tenth of Surat An-Nahl,
which is a Makkan surah with 128 ayat. It is named Surat An-Nahl (Bees)
because it embraces an ayah in which Allah SWT describes that He has gifted
the female bee with the ability to gather nectar from the flowers, digest it,
and make from it the sweet syrup we call honey. That syrup is described as
coming from the bee’s belly as a drink of different colors, wherein is a cure for
mankind.

The theme of this surah revolves around two ideas: Islamic creed, and the
importance of good manners. These are two pillars of the great religion that
Allah SWT revealed in stages on His Prophets and Messengers, until He
completed the religion with the final revelation that came with the seal of all
Prophets and Messengers, Prophet Muhammad son of Abdullah SAWS. In the
surah’s discussion of Islamic creed, the reader is called to reflect upon many
of Allah’s Signs, Creations and Miracles in the universe presented in a strong
scientific manner that exhibits both comprehensiveness and parsimony. One
such example is in the verse number 115 of the surah.

Sc ienti fic Mir ac les in Ayah 1 15 of Sur at An -Nahl

1. The Pr oh ibi tion of Carr ion

The death of an animal before its slaughter could

be due to its infliction with a certain disease or
virus. It could also be due to old age. In truth,
these two reasons are sufficient to prohibit this
type of meat. In addition, when an animal is
dead without being properly slaughtered allowing
its blood to drain from the body, then the blood
will instead become trapped in the body. This is
a serious problem because blood carries body
wastes including carbon dioxide, urea, uric acid,
microorganisms, parasites, and the products of food assimilation and
metabolism that are transported via the veins and arteries and their
tributaries in the animals body. Most of these substances have a potential to
rot and decay if trapped in the body, especially if the body has been left for a
period long enough to allow the start of its decay. From this additional reason
we see further wisdom and logic behind the divine prohibition of carrion.

2. The Pr oh ibi tion of Blood

Blood is this dark red liquid which consists of a mixture of different cells. The
red blood cells form 45% of the blood volume (4 to 6 million per mm3) which
contain high concentrations of hemoglobin that is responsible for carrying and
delivering oxygen to the body’s cells. Blood also contains white blood cells
which defend the body against invasion by microorganisms and parasites that
inflict diseases. The blood also contains platelets that form a platelet plug at
the site of a wound or hemorrhage in order to allow the blood to clot. These
latter two types of cells each constitute less than 1% of the blood volume.
The rest of the blood, 54%, consists of plasma. Plasma is mostly water, and
about 7% proteins (such as albumin, globulin, antibodies, carrier proteins, fat,
vitamins, hormones, and sodium, calcium, potassium, iron, nickel, chlorine,
and bicarbonate ions). Blood also carries toxic nitrogenous wastes produced
by the cells, such as ammonia, urea, and uric acid, to be excreted by the
kidney as urine. This is in addition to the various free and dissolved gases in
the blood’s plasma, and the live or dead viruses, bacteria, and parasites, as
well as broken blood cells. The heart pumps blood carrying beneficial
substances such as oxygen and nutrients to the body cells.

All this reveals that blood can transmit serious diseases such as the acquired
immunodeficiency syndrome or HIV, which is still considered an untreatable
and fatal disease.

Furthermore, there is the lymph which flows in the tributaries of the lymphatic
ducts that eventually merge with the large blood vessels near the heart.
These lymphatic vessels absorb the proteins that escape from the blood
vessels and those in the intercellular tissues and matrix and return them to
the blood stream at the right time, thus maintaining the chemical homeostasis
that is vital for any living creature. This is one of the most important roles of
the lymphatic system. The lymph itself is comprised of plasma, and some of
the substances dissolved in it, as well as white blood cells and lymphocytes.
Lymphocytes are considered one of the body’s key defense players against
disease. In addition, there are also the lymph nodes, which are masses of
lymphoid tissue located along the lymphatic vessels or existing independently
such as the tonsils, the pharyngeal lymph nodes, the gastrointestinal lymph
nodes, the thymus gland, and the spleen. The primary role of the lymphatic
glands is to defend the body since they possess such a large number of
lymphocytes. These glands work as filters to the gases and liquids that enter
the body by selecting the impurities such as dust, viruses, bacteria, etc and
storing them in the gland until antibodies are secreted to destroy them.
Among the roles of blood in the liver, is the extraction of the amino group,
NH2, released from the amino acids. This process results in nitrogenous
wastes, such as the ones discussed above, which the blood takes and carries
to the kidneys for excretion. Thus, the excretory system, which includes the
kidneys, together with the blood, help achieve the chemical balance of the
body by excreting the waste products of metabolism.

As can be seen from the description above, the blood that is drained during
the proper slaughter of an animal contains many bodily wastes, besides some
of the dangerous substances it is already composed of. If these substances
and wastes were to stay trapped in the animal’s body, they would clot with
the blood that was on its way to the excretory organs. After clotting, they
would begin to rot and decay, which would result in yet another set of
complicated poisons and harmful chemical products. In addition to the bodily
wastes contained in blood, we also mentioned that blood carries some
viruses, bacteria, and parasites. Thus, we see the divine wisdom and logic
behind the prohibition of blood. However, we note that eating the liver or
spleen of an animal that has been slaughtered according to Islamic traditions
is allowed in Islam. This is based on the hadith of Prophet Muhammad
(SAWS), “We have been granted permission to eat two carrions and two
bloods: the two carrions are fish and locusts, the two bloods are liver and
spleen” (Narrated by Ahmed, ibn Majjeh, Baihaqi by way of Ibn Omar from
the prophet SAWS)

3. The Pr oh ibi tion of the Flesh of S wine

The Qur'an describes the swine as a abomination

in more than one location (Surat Al-Baqara (The
cow): 173 " He has forbidden you only the
Maitah (dead animals), and blood, and the flesh
of swine, and that which is slaughtered as a
sacrifice for others than Allâh (or has been
slaughtered for idols, on which Allâh’s Name has
not been mentioned while slaughtering). But if
one is forced by necessity without wilful disobedience nor transgressing due
limits, then there is no sin on him. Truly, Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most
Merciful.",
Al-Ma'idah (The Table spread with Food):3 " Forbidden to you (for food) are:
Al-Maitah (the dead animals - cattle - beast not slaughtered), blood, the flesh
of swine, and that on which Allâh’s Name has not been mentioned while
slaughtering, (that which has been slaughtered as a sacrifice for others than
Allâh, or has been slaughtered for idols) and that which has been killed by
strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by the goring of
horns - and that which has been (partly) eaten by a wild animal - unless you
are able to slaughter it (before its death) - and that which is sacrificed
(slaughtered) on An-Nusub [1] (stone-altars). (Forbidden) also is to use
arrows seeking luck or decision; (all) that is Fisqun (disobedience of Allâh and
sin). This day, those who disbelieved have given up all hope of your religion;
so fear them not, but fear Me. This day, I have perfected your religion for
you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islâm as your
religion. But as for him who is forced by severe hunger, with no inclination to
sin (such can eat these above mentioned meats), then surely, Allâh is Oft-
Forgiving, Most Merciful.",

Al-An'am (The Cattale):145 " Say (O Muhammad Pbuh): "I find not in that
which has been revealed to me anything forbidden to be eaten by one who
wishes to eat it, unless it be Maitah (a dead animal) or blood poured forth (by
slaughtering or the like), or the flesh of swine (pork); for that surely is impure
or impious (unlawful) meat (of an animal) which is slaughtered as a sacrifice
for others than Allâh (or has been slaughtered for idols, or on which Allâh’s
Name has not been mentioned while slaughtering). But whosoever is forced
by necessity without wilful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits; (for
him) certainly, your Lord is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

An-Nahl (The Bees): 115 " He has forbidden you only Al-Maitah (meat of a
dead animal), blood, the flesh of swine, and any animal which is slaughtered
as a sacrifice for others than Allâh (or has been slaughtered for idols or on
which Allâh’s Name has not been mentioned while slaughtering). But if one is
forced by necessity, without wilful disobedience, and not transgressing, -
then, Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

In fact, the word used by Allah in the Qur'an to describe the swine is a very
strong word that embodies such meanings as filthiness, ugliness, dirtiness,
and sin. It is such a strong description to describe the swine because of its
lazy, greedy, and filthy habits. Swine feeds on almost anything whether it is
plants, animals, garbage, rotten meat, and even its own waste and the waste
of other animals. This filthy diet is one of the reasons why the swine is
responsible for transporting a number of serious diseases to man.

The swine is a placental mammal with split hooves that carry an even number
of toes (four in the case of the swine) and are therefore known as the toed
ungulates or even artiodactyla. Toed ungulates existed on earth 50 million
years ago from the beginning of the modern life era (early Eocene Epoch)
until today. However, the swine is different from the rest of the animals in
this group because of its filthy diet and the fact that it is non ruminatingþ.
The swine, like all other mammals, gives birth to babies. It is ugly in
appearance, and appears like a large mass with small legs. Its body is stout
and covered by thick skin and coarse bristles. It has long snouts and strong
canines.

Swine include domestic and wild types all belonging to the families Suidae
and Tayassuidae. The male swine is called a boar, while the female is called a
sow. The adult swine is known as hog, or “haloof” in Arabic, a term used to
describe all filth, evil, and selfishness. In English, the word swine is used to
refer to all types of pigs, male or female, domestic or wild, young or adult. It
is also used to refer to people who are evil at heart, greedy in charity, and
filthy in appearance, or to describe a woman who is mean, of evil character,
and who has no morality or virtues. Swine have been domesticated 11,000
years ago, and today more than 400 breeds are known.

Due to the swine’s clear filthiness, and its habit to eat anything, it is thus very
susceptible to disease, such as swine erysipelas (which is caused by certain
bacteria which can be transmitted to humans), swine fever also known as hog
cholera (caused by a virus found in dead, rotten bodies), swine vesicular
disease which is similar to the well-known foot and mouth disease (which can
be caused by a virus found in dead, rotten bodies or garbage, and which can
be transmitted to humans if they eat swine meat or grease), among others.
This is in addition to various bacteria, viruses, parasites, and germs, that exist
in swine flesh and cause infectious diseases in humans, and a number of
carcinogenic agents, many of which pose a deadly threat to the human body.
Among the most dangerous causes of disease in swine are the following:

a) Trichina Worms, which are a type of Nematoda (also known as

round worms). An example of a Trichina worm is the Trichinella
spiralis, which is among one of the most harmful parasites known to
man. Trichinella spiralis causes rheumatic pains, inflammation and
swelling of the muscles and later fibrosis – a condition known as
Trichinellosis. Trichinosis occurs when the larvae spread to the
muscles in the body. The end result could mean a permanent
handicap and lack of ability to move, and then death due to spread
of infection to the brain, the spinal cord, and the meninges. It is of
utmost importance to note that the consumption of swine meat is
the main, if not the sole, source of this serious disease in humans.

b) The Taenia Solium, also known as the pork tape worm is the cause
of a number of health conditions in humans, such as anemia,
disturbances in the digestive system, colics, diarrhea, vomiting,
severe depression, psychosis, and in severe cases it even causes
epileptic fits and seizures. The most dangerous fact about this
worm is that its larvae reach the blood stream and spread to vital
organs such as the brain, heart, liver, lungs, or spinal cord. There, a
larva becomes encysted and grows, thus causing pressure on the
organ. This eventually leads to death of the patient after a
prolonged period of suffering.

c) Round worms such as the Ascaris, hook worms, and Schistosoma

japonicum. The latter causes severe hemorrhage which then leads
to anemia. If it reaches the brain or spinal cord, it causes complete
paralysis followed by death. Some of the bacteria found in garbage
and rotten animal meat that the swine feeds on is the cause of
diseases such as Brucellosis, Erysipelas, and foot gangrene. These
are just a few examples of the long list of worms, germs, and
bacteria that cause fatal diseases including laryngitis, tuberculosis,þ
 cholera, typhoid, pulmonary hemorrhage, and hepatomegaly (liver
enlargement).

d) Balantidium coli causes balantidiasis presenting mainly as bloody

diarrhea, tenesmus and abdominal cramps (dysentery). Infection
with Balantidium coli can only come from the consumption of swine
or the involvement in raising, slaughtering, or skin-stripping this
animal.

e) Flat worms which cause diseases in the intestines, the stomach,

the lungs, or the liver. The swine can spread these worms in the
environment and to those who eat its meat.

In addition to this list of worms that can cause diseases in humans, swine
meat is also difficult to digest because it has high concentrations of fat
compared to other animal meat. Moreover, swine fat is more saturated than
any other animal fat, which is one of the reasons why it can cause gallbladder
stones, biliary obstruction, arteriosclerosis and heart and circulatory system
disease. This highly saturated swine fat can not be easily transformed into fat
emulsion by the pancreatic juice and thus it is difficult to be absorbed. Thus,
the fat is forced to storage in its original form, as is, with all the harmful
substances it contains. It is important to note that most Muslim scholars
consider the term lahm al-khenzeer (the flesh of swine) used in the ayah as
inclusive of swine meat and fat.

Moreover, swine meat rots faster than any other meat. It also has a stinky
smell. The strange thing is that Satan not only succeeded in convincing non-
Muslims to eat the prohibited swine meat with all its harmful contents, but
also he went so far as to convince them to eat its blood and fat in the form of
black sausages. Black sausages are the swine’s intestines filled with its blood
and fat, and because the sausages contain blood, therefore combines more
than one prohibited food.

4. The Pr ohi bi tion of that which ha s been accla imed to Other

than Allah

In the Jahiliyya (the pre-Islamic period), when the polytheists wanted to

slaughter as an immolation to their idols, they would cry out loud the idol’s
name at the time of slaughter. This is called Ihlal in Arabic and means
acclaim. This word was originally used to describe the cry given on first
seeing the Helal (crescent), and then was absolutely used for any cry given at
surprise. Thereafter, the word Ihlal was used to describe any immolation
whether or not the name of the idol was mentioned, and was cried out loud
or whispered. It was even extended to include any slaughter whether or not
for the sake of immolation. Allah SWT says in the Qur’an what can be
translated as "…and any animal which is slaughtered as a sacrifice for others
than Allâh…" (Surat An-Nahl (The Bees):115). This ayah of Surat An-Nahl is
thus referring to the prohibition of that which has been acclaimed i.e.
slaughtered to other than Allah. In fact, Allah SWT repeatedly mentions, in
various other ayahs of the Qur’an, the importance of saying His name at
every slaughter. The following are translations of some:

- “…but pronounce the Name of Allâh over it, and fear Allâh.
Verily, Allâh is Swift in reckoning."” (Surat Al-Mâidah (The Table):4).
- “So eat of that (meat) on which Allah's Name has been
pronounced (while slaughtering the animal), if you are believers in
His Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.).
And why should you not eat of that (meat) on which Allah's Name
has been pronounced (at the time of slaughtering the animal), while
He has explained to you in detail what is forbidden to you, except
under compulsion of necessity?...” (Surat Al-An'âm (The Cattle):118-
119).
- “And the Budn (cows, oxen, or camels driven to be offered as
sacrifices by the pilgrims at the sanctuary of Makkah), We have
made them for you as among the Symbols of Allah; wherein you
have much good. So mention the Name of Allah over them when
they are drawn up in lines (for sacrifice).” (Surat Al-Hajj (The
Pilgrimage):36).

In a research project coordinated at several universities in Syria, twenty

prominent physicians, vets, pharmacists and scientists found that saying
Bismillah Allahu Akbar (in the Name of Allah, Allah is the Greatest) at the
slaughter of an animal sterilizes and disinfects the animal’s body contrary to
cases where Allah’s Name is not mentioned at the time of slaughter. Dr.
Khaled Halawa, the spokesman for this group of researchers, explains that
several repeated experiments over a research period of three years showed
that the tissues of the animals that did not have Allah’s Name mentioned at
their slaughter were congested with blood, and were colonized with some
types of bacteria as streptococci, E. coli, and others. On the other hand, the
meat of the animal that had been slaughtered with the mention of Bismillah
Allah Akbar was pure and clean, and completely drained of all blood and
germs.

Dr. Foad Ne’ma, professor of veterinary at the University of Damascus, sheds

light on this phenomenon by explaining that the animal that is slaughtered
after the deceleration of Bismillah Allahu Akbar, goes through a series of
strong trembles, which is what, causes the blood to drain so well.
Miraculously, this strong tremble is not exhibited in animals that are
slaughtered without the mention of Allah’s Name. Thus, although allowing
the blood to drain in the process of a good slaughter rids the animal of most
of its blood with all its harmful substances, it does not rid it of all of it. Dr.
Nabil Al-Shereef, ex-dean of the faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the
University of Damascus, explains in detail the systematized approach the
researchers used in their study before reaching these astonishing results.
Based on this brief discussion, we see the clear wisdom and logic behind the
prohibition of carrion, blood, swine flesh, and that which has been acclaimed
to other than Allah. The facts presented are so miraculous that if this was the
only scientific miracle in the Qur’an, then it would have been enough evidence
that this book contains the words of Allah (SWT), the Creator, revealed to
Prophet Muhammad SAWS the seal of His Prophets and Messengers. This is
another sign that it is He SWT who preserved His Book in the original Arabic
language it was revealed in - word for word, letter for letter - for the past
fourteen centuries and more, and that it is He SWT who will continue to
preserve the Qur’an until Allah SWT inherits the earth and all that is living on
it to the end of all time. This ayah of Surat An-Nahl (The Bees) is evidence
that these words could not be the words of Prophet Muhammad SAWS, but
are in fact a divine revelation from Allah SWT. Prayers and blessings be upon
our Prophet Muhammad SAWS, his kin and companions and all who follow his
right way and call with his invocation until the day of judgment.