The Feast (Al-Maa 'edah)
In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Most 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 violate the rites of Allah, or the sacred month, or the offerings, or (those hung with) necklaces, nor those whose aim is to the Sacred House seeking from their Lord bounty and pleasure. Once your pilgrimage has ended, you are free to hunt. Do not allow your hatred for a nation who would bar you from the Holy Mosque to lead you to transgress. And cooperate in righteousness and warding off (evil), and do not cooperate in sinfulness and transgression. Have fear of Allah, for Allah is Stern in retribution. 2 Prohibited to you are dead animals, blood, the flesh of swine, and that which has been dedicated to other than Allah, and [those animals] killed by strangling or by a violent blow or by a head-long fall or by the goring of horns, and those from which a wild animal has eaten, except what you [are able to] slaughter [before its death], and those which are sacrificed on stone altars, and [prohibited is] that you seek decision through divining arrows. That is grave disobedience. This day those who disbelieve have despaired of [defeating] your religion; so fear them not, but fear Me. This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion. But whoever is forced by severe hunger with no inclination to sin - then indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. 3 They ask you as to what is allowed to them. Say: The good things are allowed to you, and what you have taught the beasts and birds of prey, training them to hunt-- you teach them of what Allah has taught you-- so eat of that which they catch for you and mention the name of Allah over it; and be careful of (your duty to) Allah; surely Allah is swift in reckoning. 4 The good things have this day been made lawful to you. The food of those to whom the Book was given is lawful to you, and your food is lawful to them. Lawful to you (in marriage) are the free believing women and the free women from among those who were given the Book before you, provided that you give them their dowries in marriage, neither committing fornication nor taking them as mistresses. Whosoever denies the belief, his labors will be annulled. In the Everlasting Life he is of the losers. 5