Ayah 173 of Surah Al-Baqarah, as one of the pivotal verses in explaining the prohibitions in the Holy Quran, directly addresses the believers, declaring the prohibition of certain specific items (carrion, blood, pork, and that which has been sacrificed for other than Allah). At the same time, it highlights the flexibility of Sharia law in emergency situations, underscoring the supreme value of human life. This verse, with a comprehensive and expansive approach, not only limits the prohibitions to consuming these items but also facilitates the preservation of life in emergency circumstances by lifting the sin in such situations. The exegesis of this verse, through a scholarly and systematic approach, derives its legal and ethical principles and, by connecting these principles to contemporary social issues, demonstrates the applicability of Quranic rulings within the context of a civil society. In this paper, the lecture content is integrated with supplementary analyses to present a cohesive, dignified, and academically appropriate text.
Key Point: Ayah 173 of Surah Al-Baqarah emphasizes the limitation of prohibitions to the consumption of specific items and the flexibility in emergency situations, highlighting the value of life and the comprehensiveness of divine rulings.
Text and Translation of the Verse:
Arabic: إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَيْتَةَ وَالدَّمَ وَلَحْمَ الْخِنْزِيرِ وَمَا أُهِلَّ بِهِ لِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ ۖ فَمَنِ اضْطُرَّ غَيْرَ بَاغٍ وَلَا عَادٍ فَلَا إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ
Translation: "He has only forbidden to you dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which has been invoked the name of other than Allah; that which has been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by being gored to death; that which has been (sacrificed) on the altars (of idols); (forbidden is also) the division (of meat) by chance arrows: that is impiety. This day have those who reject faith given up all hope of your religion: yet fear them not but fear Me. This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion. But if any is forced by hunger, with no inclination to transgression, Allah is indeed Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Translation of the Holy Quran)
Prohibition of Items, Not Actions:
The prohibition in Ayah 173 pertains to specific items (carrion, blood, pork, and what has been sacrificed for other than Allah), not to actions. This distinction highlights the methodological approach in Islamic jurisprudence, focusing on the inherent or religiously determined nature of the items themselves, while prohibiting actions like backbiting due to their human-related behavioral nature. For example, the verse forbids eating these items specifically rather than prohibiting any particular acts.
Permission for Non-Food Usage:
Non-food uses of these prohibited items, such as using carrion for making fertilizer or fat, are not subject to the prohibition. This flexibility reflects the comprehensive nature of Islamic law, which permits the use of these items in non-food contexts. For instance, the skin of a dead animal (like a sheep) may be used if it does not lead to consumption and is not impure, thus allowing for its use in industrial or agricultural processes.
Key Point: The permissibility of non-food uses of prohibited items demonstrates the expansiveness of religious law and the optimal utilization of natural resources within the framework of Sharia.
Absolution in Emergency Situations:
The verse, with the phrase فَمَنِ اضْطُرَّ غَيْرَ بَاغٍ وَلَا عَادٍ فَلَا إِثْمَ عَلَيْهِ, lifts the sin in cases of necessity, provided the individual is neither a transgressor (oppressor) nor an aggressor (wrongdoer). "Bgh" refers to one who is unjust to Allah (a sinner), and "d" refers to someone who transgresses the rights of others (usurper). This lifting of sin emphasizes the importance of preserving life in Islamic law.
Key Point: The lifting of sin in necessity demonstrates the prioritization of life preservation over prohibitions and the flexibility of Islamic law in critical situations.
Critique of the Narrow Focus of Religious Science:
Religious science, with its narrow focus on examples like the consumption of carrion or historical matters, has failed to apply rulings to contemporary social issues. This limitation reduces the effectiveness of religious rulings in modern civil society and highlights the need for innovation in applying these rulings to current challenges.
Social Relevance of the Verse:
Beyond traditional issues such as carrion, Ayah 173 applies to contemporary social issues such as bribery, administrative behavior, and transactions. For example, in workplace emergencies (such as being forced to participate in an invalid congregational prayer or pay a bribe), jurisprudential analysis is necessary to issue rulings appropriate to the needs of the society.
Key Point: Ayah 173, with its applicability to contemporary social issues, provides hundreds of jurisprudential rulings for professional and transactional matters.
The Meaning of 'Ill' in Slaughter:
The phrase مَا أُهِلَّ بِهِ لِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ refers to the slaughter of animals in the name of non-divine deities (such as the idols of Lt and Uzz). 'Ill' comes from the root h-l-l, meaning to pour out (blood or sound), pointing to the religious significance of the slaughter by invoking the name of Allah.
God's Forgiveness and Mercy in the Context of Emergency:
The phrase إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ refers to God's immense mercy in removing sin in emergency situations. However, this forgiveness does not extend to suicide (not eating the prohibited items in an emergency resulting in death), as suicide is an irremediable sin due to the violation of the right to life.
Key Point: Suicide in emergency situations is not covered by God's forgiveness, as the violation of the right to life is an irremediable sin.
Ayah
