The Meaning of His Saying: "Forbidden to You Is Carrion"
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The Shaykh : In the verse of Surat al-Ma'idah, which we are discussing as best we can, Allah the Exalted says: [Al-Ma'idah 5:3] So who forbade it? The one who forbade it is Allah (Mighty and Majestic), for it is only Allah (Mighty and Majestic) who takes upon Himself the making of things lawful or the making of things forbidden, as Allah the Exalted said: [An-Nahl 16:116], and because of His saying: [Yunus 10:59]. So the one in whose hand is the making of things lawful and forbidden, and the making of things obligatory and permissible, is Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
So Allah has forbidden carrion upon us.
And as for carrion, the scholars said: It is every animal that died of its own accord, or was slaughtered without a lawful slaughter.
So the first one, which died of its own accord, is carrion in language and in the Shari'ah. And the one that was slaughtered in a manner other than the lawful way is carrion in the Shari'ah, even if its blood was let out, but it is carrion because it was not slaughtered in the lawful way.
So if a man slaughters a sheep with a sharp thing, meaning a sharp knife, and cuts everything that is considered to be cut, but he did not mention the name of Allah over it, then it becomes forbidden, it becomes carrion. Why? Because it was not slaughtered in the lawful way.
And if a polytheist or an apostate slaughters a sheep and says: "In the name of Allah," and cuts what can be cut, what must be cut, then this sheep is carrion in the Shari'ah.
And on this basis, if a man who does not pray slaughters a sheep and says: "In the name of Allah," and cuts what must be cut, then this sheep is not lawful. Because the apostate, may Allah protect us from that, who does not pray, because the one who does not pray is an apostate, a disbeliever, his slaughter is not lawful.
So what is carrion? It is that which dies of its own accord, meaning: it dies without a cause, or by a slaughter that is not lawful. Excluded from this is what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) excluded, which is fish and locusts. So the carrion of fish is lawful, even if you did not catch it. If you find it dead on the shore of the sea, it is lawful, you eat it. And likewise, if you find locusts dead, it is lawful, you eat them. Except if it was killed by chemical substances from which harm is feared, then this is not eaten because of its harm, not because it is dead.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, as narrated by Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father):Bulugh al-Maram 13
Prohibited to you are dead animals
حرمت عليكم الميتةAnd do not say about what your tongues assert of untruth, "This is lawful and this is unlawful," to invent falsehood about Allah
ولا تقولوا لما تصف ألسنتكم الكذب هذا حلال وهذا حرام لتفتروا على الله الكذبSay, "Has Allah permitted you [to do so], or do you invent [something] about Allah?"
قل آالله أذن لكم أم على الله تفترونSo Allah has forbidden carrion upon us.
And as for carrion, the scholars said: It is every animal that died of its own accord, or was slaughtered without a lawful slaughter.
So the first one, which died of its own accord, is carrion in language and in the Shari'ah. And the one that was slaughtered in a manner other than the lawful way is carrion in the Shari'ah, even if its blood was let out, but it is carrion because it was not slaughtered in the lawful way.
So if a man slaughters a sheep with a sharp thing, meaning a sharp knife, and cuts everything that is considered to be cut, but he did not mention the name of Allah over it, then it becomes forbidden, it becomes carrion. Why? Because it was not slaughtered in the lawful way.
And if a polytheist or an apostate slaughters a sheep and says: "In the name of Allah," and cuts what can be cut, what must be cut, then this sheep is carrion in the Shari'ah.
And on this basis, if a man who does not pray slaughters a sheep and says: "In the name of Allah," and cuts what must be cut, then this sheep is not lawful. Because the apostate, may Allah protect us from that, who does not pray, because the one who does not pray is an apostate, a disbeliever, his slaughter is not lawful.
So what is carrion? It is that which dies of its own accord, meaning: it dies without a cause, or by a slaughter that is not lawful. Excluded from this is what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) excluded, which is fish and locusts. So the carrion of fish is lawful, even if you did not catch it. If you find it dead on the shore of the sea, it is lawful, you eat it. And likewise, if you find locusts dead, it is lawful, you eat them. Except if it was killed by chemical substances from which harm is feared, then this is not eaten because of its harm, not because it is dead.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, as narrated by Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father):