“Forbidden to you are carrion, blood, the flesh of swine, that over which a name other than Allah has been invoked, animals that die by strangulation, by a blow, by a fall, or by being gored, and that which a predatory beast has eaten—except for what you are able to slaughter properly—and that which is sacrificed on stone altars, and that you seek decisions through divining arrows. That is grave disobedience. Today, those who disbelieve have despaired of your religion, so do not fear them; rather, fear Me. Today I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and approved Islam as your religion. But whoever is compelled by severe hunger, without inclining toward sin—then surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.” (3)

As for His saying, exalted is He: “Forbidden to you are carrion, blood, the flesh of swine, and that over which a name other than Allah has been invoked”: that is, an animal over whose slaughter the name of someone other than Allah, Most High, was mentioned.

“Animals that die by strangulation” are those that choke to death. Ibn Abbas said: “The people of the Age of Ignorance used to strangle a sheep, and when it died, they would eat it.”

“Animals that die by a blow” are those killed with wood. Qatadah said: “They used to strike them with a stick, and when they died, they would eat them.”

“Animals that die by a fall” are those that fall from a high place or into a well and die. “Animals that die by being gored” are those gored by another animal and killed.

The feminine ending is added to an adjective of this pattern when it carries an active meaning. When it carries a passive meaning, however, the masculine and feminine forms are the same, as in “a kohl-lined eye” and “a dyed hand.” If the noun is omitted and the adjective is used alone, they add the feminine ending, saying: “We saw a kohl-lined one and a dyed one.” Here, the feminine ending was added because the noun does not precede it; had it been omitted, it would not have been known whether it described a feminine or masculine noun. Similar forms include a slaughtered animal, a sacrificial offering, and the prey of a predatory beast.

“And that which a predatory beast has eaten” means what remains of that which the beast has eaten; the people of the Age of Ignorance used to eat it. “Except for what you are able to slaughter properly” means: except those of these animals whose proper slaughter you are able to catch in time.