Food Prohibitions in the Holy Qur'an: An Analytical Study

Abstract

This study aims to examine the prohibited foods in the Holy Qur’an through an objective and analytical approach that highlights the Qur’anic methodology in legislation and its higher objectives (maqāṣid). The research explores the linguistic and technical meanings of prohibited foods and the related Qur’anic concepts, and it analyzes the Qur’anic verses that explicitly mention the prohibited types of food through linguistic, rhetorical, and juristic analysis, while also clarifying the concept of necessity (ḍarūrah) and its implications of ease and mercy for humankind.

The study further includes a classification of the different categories of prohibited foods and provides a detailed explanation of their terms and meanings. It also discusses the underlying legal reasons and wisdom behind prohibition, as well as the concept of invoking the name of Allah (tasmiyah) at the time of slaughter and its associated jurisprudential and legislative rulings.