among birds, and every hoofed animal among beasts of burden.” He attributed this view to some of the Quran commentators and said: “A hoof is figuratively called a nail.”

“And of cattle and sheep We forbade them their fats,” meaning the fats of the inner cavity—namely, the cauls—and the fat around the kidneys. “Except what their backs carry,” that is, what adheres to the back and sides within their bellies; “or the entrails,” meaning the bowels—one of which is called a hawiyah or hawiyyah—that is, the fat contained by the entrails; “or what is joined to bone,” meaning the fat of the tail. All of this falls under the exception, while the prohibition applies specifically to the caul (2) and the fat around the kidneys.

Abd al-Wahid al-Mulayhi informed us: Ahmad ibn Abd Allah al-Na'imi informed us; Muhammad ibn Yusuf narrated to us; Muhammad ibn Ismail narrated to us; Qutaybah narrated to us; al-Layth informed us, from Yazid ibn Abi Habib, from Ata ibn Abi Rabah, from Jabir ibn Abd Allah, may Allah be pleased with him, that he heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say in the year of the Conquest, while he was in Mecca: “Allah and His Messenger have forbidden the sale of wine, carrion, swine, and idols.” It was said, “O Messenger of Allah, what of the fat of carrion? Ships are caulked with it, hides are greased with it, and people use it for lamps.” He replied, “No; it is forbidden.” Then the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said on that occasion: “May Allah curse the Jews. When Allah, mighty and majestic, forbade them their fats, they melted them down, then sold them and consumed their price.” (3)

“That is how We recompensed them,” that is, this prohibition was a punishment for them, “for their rebellion,” meaning their wrongdoing: their killing of the prophets, their barring others from the way of Allah, their taking of usury, and their consuming people’s wealth unlawfully. “And indeed, We are truthful”—in informing of what We forbade them and of their rebellion.