Say (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), “I do not find in what is sent down to me any eatable prohibited to a consumer, except if it is carrion, or blood flowing from blood vessels, or the flesh of swine – for that is indeed foul, or the sin causing animal over which the name of any other than Allah is taken at the time of slaughtering; so for one compelled by circumstances, neither himself desiring nor eating more than necessary, indeed your Lord is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.” 145 And for the Jews We forbade all animals with claws; and forbade them the fat of oxen and sheep except which is on their backs or joined to their intestines or to the bone; We awarded this to them for their rebellion; and indeed, surely, We are truthful. 146 'Then if they give you the lie, say: 'Your Lord is of unbounded mercy; but His punishment shall not be averted from the guilty folk.' 147 Those who associate others with Allah in His divinity will now surely say: 'Had Allah willed, neither we nor our forefathers would have associated others with Allah in His divinity, nor would we have declared anything (which Allah did not forbid) as forbidden.' Even so those who had lived before them gave the lie (to the Truth) until they tasted Our chastisement. Tell them: 'Have you any sure knowledge that you can produce before us? In fact you are only following idle fancies, merely conjecturing.' 148 Say, "Final authority belongs only to God. Had He wanted, He would have given you all guidance". 149 Say: "Bring forward your witnesses to prove that Allah did forbid so and so." If they bring such witnesses, be not thou amongst them: Nor follow thou the vain desires of such as treat our signs as falsehoods, and such as believe not in the Hereafter: for they hold others as equal with their Guardian-Lord. 150