(172) Believers! Eat of the pure things wherewith We have provided you for sustenance and give thanks to Allah if it is Him that you serve. (173) He has made unlawful to you only carrion and blood and the flesh of swine and that over which there has been pronounced the name of anyone other than Allah’s. ▶
48
Al-Baqarah 2: 174–6
But he who is constrained (to eat of them) – and he neither covets them nor exceeds the indispensable limit incurs no sin: Allah is All-Forgiving, All- Compassionate.52
(174) Those who conceal anything of the Book revealed by Allah and sell it away for a trifling gain are merely filling their bellies with Fire. Allah will neither address them on the Day of Resurrection, nor shall He pronounce them “pure”. A painful chastisement lies in store for them. (175) They are the ones who bought error in exchange for true guidance, and chastisement in exchange for forgiveness. How patient they are in enduring the Fire! (176) This is so because Allah revealed the Book with the Truth, but those who disagreed concerning the Book veered far away from the Truth.
52 This verse grants permission to use prohibited things on three conditions. First, that one must be in a state of extreme compulsion, for example, one is gravely ill or so hungry and thirsty that one’s very life is in danger, and a prohibited thing is all that is available to save one’s life. Second, the person who consumes a prohibited thing in such a dire state of compulsion should have no inclination to violate the Law of God. Third, in consuming the prohibited thing one should not exceed the limit of bare necessity. If a few bites or a few drops are enough to save one’s life, one ought not to go beyond this absolute minimum.
49
Al-Baqarah 2: 177–8
(177) Righteousness does not consist in turning your faces towards the east or towards the west; true righteousness consists in believing in Allah and the Last Day, the angels, the Book and the Prophets, and in giving away one’s property in love of Him to one’s kinsmen, the orphans, the poor and the wayfarer, and to those who ask for help, and in freeing the necks of slaves, and in establishing Prayer and dispensing the Zakah. True righteousness is attained by those who are faithful to their promise once they have made it and by those who remain steadfast in adversity and affliction and at the time of battle (between Truth and fal sehood) . Such are the truthful ones; such are the God-fearing.
(178) Believers! Retribution is prescribed for you in cases of killing: if a freeman is guilty then the freeman; if a slave is guilty then the slave; if a female is guilty, then the female. ▶
50
Al-Baqarah 2: 179–80
But if something of a murder- er’s guilt is remitted by his brother this should be adhered to in fairness, and payment be made in a goodly manner.53 This is an alleviation and a mercy from your Lord; and for him who commits excess54 after that there is a painful chastisement. (179) People of understanding, there is life for you in retribution that you may guard yourselves against violating the Law.
(180) It is decreed that when death approaches, those of you who leave behind property shall bequeath equitably to parents and kinsmen.55 ▶
53 This verse also makes it clear that according to the Islamic penal law the question of homicide can be settled by the mutual consent of the two parties. It is the prerogative of the heirs of the victim to forgive the murderer, and if they want to exercise this prerogative not even a judge has the authority to insist on carrying out the death sentence. In such a case, however, as the verse mentions, the murderer will be required to pay blood money.
54 “Excess” might consist of the attempt, on the part of the heirs of the murdered person after they have settled the matter and received blood money to take revenge for the blood of the victim. It will also be excess, and in this case it will be on the part of the murderer, if he tries to delay the payment of blood money to the heirs of the victim. They would thus be repaying the heirs of the victim with ingratitude for their kindness and goodwill.
55 This injunction relates to a period when no rules had yet been laid down for the distribution of inheritance. Thus everyone was required to make testamentary disposal of their property so as to ensure that no disputes arose in the family and no legitimate claimant to inheritance was deprived of his due share. Later on
51
Al-Baqarah 2: 181–4
This is an obligation on the God- fearing. (181) Then if anyone alters the will after hearing it, this sin shall be upon them who alter. Surely Allah is All- Hearing, All-Knowing. (182) He who suspects that the testator has committed an error or injustice and then brings about a settlement among the parties concerned incurs no sin. Surely Allah is Much-Forgiving, Most Compassionate.
(183) Believers! Fasting is enjoined upon you, as it was enjoined upon those before you, that you become God- fearing. (184) Fasting is for a fixed number of days, and if one of you be sick, or if one of you be on a journey, you will fast the same number of other days later on. For those who are capable of fasting (but still do not fast) there is a redemption: feeding a needy man for each day missed. ▶
when God revealed a set of laws regarding the distribution of inheritance (see Surah al-Nisa’ 4: 11 ff.), the Prophet (peace be on him) further elucidated the laws relating to inheritance and testamentary disposition by expounding three rules. First, that no person can make any will regarding his estate in favour of any of his legal heirs. The portions of the legal heirs were laid down in the Qur’an and it was not permitted either to increase or decrease them. Second, that testamentary disposition might be made only to the extent of one-third of the estate, but no more. Third, neither a Muslim nor a non-Muslim could be each other’s legal heirs.
52
Al-Baqarah 2: 185–6
Whoever voluntarily does more good than is required, will find it better for him; and that you should fast is better for you, if you only know.56
(185) During the month of Ramadan the Qur’an was sent down as a guidance to the people with Clear Signs of the true guidance and as the Criterion (between right and wrong). So those of you who live to see that month should fast it, and whoever is sick or on a journey should fast the same number of other days instead. Allah wants ease and not hardship for you so that you may complete the number of days required, magnify Allah for what He has guided you to, and give thanks to Him.
(186) (O Muhammad), when My servants ask you about Me, tell them I am quite near; ▶
56 Like most other injunctions of Islam those relating to fasting were revealed gradually. In the beginning the Prophet (peace be on him) had instructed the Muslims to fast three days in every month, though this was not obligatory. When the injunction