Dietary Prohibition
“I do not find in what was revealed to me anything prohibited for any eater unless it is (1) carrion, (2) running blood, (3) the meat of pigs.”
God disapproves of prohibitions not explicitly stated in the Quran (–). Adding food prohibitions beyond those listed in the Quran constitutes idolatry, as such additions effectively represent obedience to “other gods besides God” (–).
The Quran is precise in its dietary rules. When God prohibits “the meat of pigs,” He means the meat specifically — not the fat. This distinction has practical relevance: lard used as an ingredient in baked goods, for example, would not fall under this prohibition under a strict Quranic reading (–).
The Four Prohibited Meats
The Quran specifies four prohibited meats in four separate locations (; ; –; ), confirming their universality:
Prohibited Meats (, , , )
- 1Carrion: Animals that die of themselves (not slaughtered).
- 2Running blood: Blood that flows — as opposed to blood remaining in tissue after proper slaughter.
- 3Pig meat: The meat (flesh) of swine, explicitly described as unclean.
- 4Meat dedicated to other than God: Animals slaughtered while invoking the name of any deity other than God.
Exception Under Duress
Forced consumption of any prohibited item — without malicious intent or deliberate transgression — receives divine forgiveness. God is Forgiver, Most Merciful (, ).