have forbidden every fanged beast of prey.” Thus, he made clear that another revelation had been sent down to him—the Wisdom, distinct from the Book—and that, through this revelation, Allah had forbidden to him the things he declared prohibited. This did not abrogate the Book, for the Book had never declared these things lawful.

It had only declared good things lawful, and these are not among the good things. He said:

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

Thus, the general wording of this verse did not encompass these animals. Yet He had not prohibited them: their prohibition had been left unstated as a matter of pardon, rather than their consumption being authorized.

As for “the disbelievers,” Allah has not authorized them to eat anything, declared anything lawful for them, or granted them any exemption regarding what they eat. Rather, He said:

“O mankind, eat of whatever is on earth that is lawful and good.”

He therefore stipulated that what they eat must be lawful—that is, authorized by Allah and His Messenger. Allah has authorized eating only for those who believe in Him; thus, He has not authorized them to eat anything unless they believe.

For this reason, their property was not theirs by ownership recognized under Islamic law. Such ownership means the authority to dispose of property in a manner permitted by the Lawgiver, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. The Lawgiver has not permitted them to dispose of property except on condition of faith. Their property therefore remained open to acquisition. If one group of them overpowered another in a manner they considered lawful in their religion and took their property, the takers stood in the same relation to it as those from whom it had been taken.

When Muslims gain control of it and take it as spoils of war, they acquire ownership recognized under Islamic law, because Allah has permitted spoils of war to them and has not permitted them to others. They may conduct transactions with disbelievers concerning what some of them have forcibly taken from others in a manner they consider lawful in their religion. It is also permissible to purchase from some of them what