Say [O Prophet], "In all that has been revealed to me, I do not find a ban on anything to eat, except for carrion, flowing blood and pork, all these being unclean or profane, on which the name of someone other than God has been invoked." But if anyone is forced by necessity, being neither disobedient nor exceeding the limit, then surely your Lord is most forgiving and merciful. 145 We made unlawful for the Jews all animals with claws or nails, and the fat of the oxen and sheep, except that on their backs or their intestines, or which remains attached to their bones. This was the punishment for their insubordination; and what We say is true. 146 'Then if they give you the lie, say: 'Your Lord is of unbounded mercy; but His punishment shall not be averted from the guilty folk.' 147 Those who associate partners with God will surely say, "Had God pleased, neither we nor our fathers would have served other gods besides Him; nor would we have made anything unlawful." Likewise those who lived before them argued falsely until they came to taste Our punishment! Say, "Have you any knowledge? If so, produce it before us. You follow nothing but conjecture. You are merely guessing." 148 Say: "With Allah is the argument that reaches home: if it had been His will, He could indeed have guided you all." 149 Say: "Bring forward your witnesses to prove that Allah did forbid so and so." If they bring such witnesses, be not thou amongst them: Nor follow thou the vain desires of such as treat our signs as falsehoods, and such as believe not in the Hereafter: for they hold others as equal with their Guardian-Lord. 150