Merciful.”
Surah al-An‘ām, 145

These two verses occur in the two Meccan surahs, al-An‘ām and al-Nahl.

In the two Medinan surahs, He said:

“O you who believe, eat of the good things We have provided for you and give thanks,”

up to His words:

“But whoever is compelled by necessity, neither desiring it nor exceeding the limits—there is no sin upon him. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.”
Surah al-Baqarah, 172–173

And in the other verse:

“Forbidden to you are carrion, blood, the flesh of swine, and that over which a name other than Allah’s has been invoked; animals killed by strangling, by a violent blow, by a fall, or by goring; and those partly eaten by a wild beast—unless you slaughter them before they die—and whatever is sacrificed on stone altars. You are also forbidden to seek decisions through divining arrows. That is disobedience. Today those who disbelieve have lost hope of overcoming your religion, so do not fear them, but fear Me. Today I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and chosen Islam as your religion. But whoever is compelled by severe hunger, without inclining to sin—then Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.”
Surah al-Mā’idah, 3

Thus, concerning forbidden foods, He has removed sin from whoever is compelled by necessity, neither desiring it nor exceeding the limits. It has been said that the terms bāghī (transgressing) and ‘ādī (exceeding the limits) describe the person in general. Thus, the bāghī would include someone who rebels against the ruler of the Muslims and those among them who uphold justice, as the Most High said:

“But if one of the two groups transgresses against the other, then fight