The Feast (Al-Maa 'edah)
In the name of Allah, most benevolent, ever-merciful
۞ Believers, stand by your contracts (and obligations). Of all animals, cattle has been made lawful for you as food with certain exceptions. Hunting is not lawful for you during ihram (a part of the rituals during pilgrimage). God decrees as He wills. 1 Believers, do not disrespect the reminders of God, the sacred months, the animals brought for sacrifice, or what is marked for sacrificial offering or the people heading to the precinct of the Sacred House to seek the favor and pleasure of their Lord. Once the restrictions of ihram are over, you may hunt. Do not let the hostility of a group of people keep you away from the Sacred Mosque or make you express animosity. Co-operate with each other in righteousness and piety, not in sin and hostility. Have fear of God; He is stern in His retribution. 2 Forbidden unto you (for food) are carrion and blood and swineflesh, and that which hath been dedicated unto any other than Allah, and the strangled, and the dead through beating, and the dead through falling from a height, and that which hath been killed by (the goring of) horns, and the devoured of wild beasts, saving that which ye make lawful (by the death-stroke), and that which hath been immolated unto idols. And (forbidden is it) that ye swear by the divining arrows. This is an abomination. This day are those who disbelieve in despair of (ever harming) your religion; so fear them not, fear Me! This day have I perfected your religion for you and completed My favour unto you, and have chosen for you as religion al-Islam. Whoso is forced by hunger, not by will, to sin: (for him) lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. 3 (Muhammad), they ask you what has been made lawful for them (as food). Tell them, "All pure things are made lawful for you." If you train dogs or other beasts for hunting, you should train them according to what God has taught you. It, then, is lawful for you to eat the animals that they hunt, provided you mention the Name of God over the prey. Have fear of God. Certainly God's reckoning is swift. 4 On this day all things that are clean have been made lawful for you; and made lawful for you is the food of the people of the Book, as your food is made lawful for them. And lawful are the chaste Muslim women, and the women of the people of the Book who are chaste, (for marriage) and not fornication or liaison, if you give them their dowries. Useless shall be rendered the acts of those who turn back on their faith, and they will be among the losers in the life to come. 5