Explanation of the saying of the Exalted and Majestic: “Say: I do not find in what has been revealed to me anything forbidden to one who eats it, except if it is carrion or spilled blood or the flesh of a pig, for it is an abomination”

The Shaykh : Now, the Mighty and Majestic said: In this verse, Allah commands His Prophet: “Say: I do not find in what has been revealed to me anything forbidden to one who eats it.” This is a response to those who forbade certain things that Allah had not forbidden. In Surat al-An'am, Allah mentioned several instances of this, such as His saying: The dead animal is lawful for everyone, but the living animal is lawful for males and forbidden for females. Look at this ignorance. Yes, and the dead animal, because it is impure, becomes lawful for everyone. So Allah the Exalted says: These things: The pronoun “it” refers to the exception, meaning “it” refers to this food. It is not correct to say that it refers to the flesh of the pig, because the reason for the ruling is attached to the exception. I do not find anything forbidden except this. Why? Because it is an abomination. The attempt by scholars, or some exegetes and grammarians, to refer the pronoun back to the pig alone, because it is the nearest mentioned, is a neglect of the original ruling, since this clause is the reason for the exception. And what is the exception? Three things: except if this thing is carrion, or spilled blood, or the flesh of a pig. Why was this thing excepted? Because it is an abomination. The verse is clear and there is no doubt about it. The dispute circulating among people regarding this, in my view, has no basis and is not necessary, and we are in no need of it. And His saying: The clause is explanatory. Therefore, was it separated or connected to the preceding clause? It did not come to us. We have a rule in rhetoric: what is conjoined with the letter “waw” is connected, and what is not conjoined with the letter “waw” is separated. So the clause is separated to explain the meaning of “what is offered to other than Allah,” which is “offered to other than Allah.” Then He said: meaning, and He has forgiven him and shown him mercy. This indicates that the description that necessitates the prohibition remains, but it was made lawful out of necessity based on Allah’s forgiveness and mercy, not because the impurity ceased.