The Feast (Al-Maa 'edah)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
۞ Believers, fulfill your obligations. It is lawful for you (to eat the flesh of) the beast among cattle other than that which is recited to you, hunting is forbidden while you are on pilgrimage. Allah decrees what He will. 1 O People who Believe! Do not make lawful the symbols of Allah nor the sacred months nor the sacrificial animals sent to Sacred Territory (around Mecca) nor the animals marked with garlands, nor the lives and wealth of those travelling towards the Sacred House (Kaa’bah) seeking the munificence and pleasure of their Lord; and when you have completed the pilgrimage, you may hunt; and let not the enmity of the people who had stopped you from going to the Sacred Mosque tempt you to do injustice; and help one another in righteousness and piety – and do not help one another in sin and injustice – and keep fearing Allah; indeed Allah’s punishment is severe. 2 You are forbidden (to consume) the dead, blood and the flesh of swine; also flesh dedicated to any other than Allah, the flesh of strangled (animals) and of those beaten, that which is killed by falling, gored to death, mangled by beasts of prey, unless you find it (still alive) and slaughter it; also of animals sacrificed on stones (to idols). (You are forbidden) to seek division by the arrows, that is debauchery. Those who disbelieve have this day despaired of your religion. Do not fear them, but fear Me. This day I have perfected your religion for you and completed My favor to you. I have approved Islam to be your religion. (As for) he who does not intend to commit a sin but is constrained by hunger to eat of what is forbidden, then surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. 3 They ask you what has been made lawful to them. Say: 'All clean things have been made lawful to you, and such hunting animals as you teach, training them to hunt, teaching them the knowledge Allah has given you - you may eat what they catch for you - but invoke the name of Allah on it. Have fear of Allah (in violating His Law). Allah is swift in His reckoning.' 4 This day are (all) good things made lawful for you. The food of those who have received the Scripture is lawful for you, and your food is lawful for them. And so are the virtuous women of the believers and the virtuous women of those who received the Scripture before you (lawful for you) when ye give them their marriage portions and live with them in honour, not in fornication, nor taking them as secret concubines. Whoso denieth the faith, his work is vain and he will be among the losers in the Hereafter. 5