HARAM DOES NOT MEAN PROHIBITED

Aaron Moses

Perhaps it will be timely to repeat what I have shown in the earlier instalments in this series. Firstly, there is absolutely no connection whatsoever between the Quran and the religion of Islam. As an example there is no five times daily prayer in the Quran. The prayer is also not found in the authentic hadith.

Secondly, we have already provided 55 examples of Islamic beliefs and practises which are plagiarised from the Jewish and Christian Bible. The list is much longer. The religion of Islam that is practised by the mullahs is defined by the hadith and sunnah, the alleged sayings and the practises of the prophet respectively, which are both fake. The hadith and sunnah are largely plagiarised from the Jews and Christians.

Thirdly Bukhari never wrote with his own hands even a single line of what would become known later as the ‘authentic’ hadith collection of Bukhari. Out of the approximately 7,275 hadiths in Bukhari (including repetitions) 5374 of them or 74% were narrated by Abu Hurairah or the ‘Father of Cats’ who was a fake character. Despite the passage of 1,400 years the mullahs do not know the real identity of the ‘Father of Cats’. Yet his hadith narrations are regarded as authentic.

Today we will discuss haram and halal. In the Quran, haram does not mean prohibited. Perhaps ‘sanction’ is the best English word to capture the meaning of haram.

6:151 Say, "Come let me tell you what your Lord has really made HARAM for you (maa har-rama rab-bukum), that you shall not set up idols besides Him, that you honor both your parents, that you do not kill your children from fear of poverty - we provide for you and for them, that you must not commit gross indecencies, obvious or hidden, that you shall not kill any person, ALLAH has made life sanctioned (har-rama) - except in the course of justice. These are His commandments to you, that you may understand.”

This verse pronounces a list of “haram” such as do not set up idols besides Allah, do not kill your children, do not commit gross sins, do not kill people and “honour both your parents” (wa-bil waa-lidayni ihsaa-nan).

Surely it cannot be prohibited to honour both your parents. Yet it is listed as a ‘haram’ in 6:151. Hence it is clear that haram does not mean ‘prohibited’. The English word ‘sanction’ suits the meaning of haram much better. Honouring your parents is something that is sanctioned - you should honour both your parents.

To drive the point home the word ‘haram’ appears twice in 6:151 above and in the second occurrence it says that we should not kill humans because ‘Allah made life sanctioned’ (allatee HAR-RAMA Allahu). Life is sanctioned (haram). Not prohibited.

Whether it is a positive sanction (something that should be done) or a negative sanction (something that must be avoided) or something that needs to be handled in an appropriate manner depends upon the context of the verse.

Here is another verse which shows clearly that haram means “sanction” and not
prohibited. First the traditional translation by Shakir:

22:30 And whoever respects the sacred ordinances of Allah (HURUMA-TILLAAH), it is better for him with his Lord . . . (Shakir).

(Transliteration: Tha-lika wa-man yuaz-zim HURUMAT-ILLAAHI fa-huwa khayrun lahu inda-rabbihi…)

Note that in 22:30 the word ‘hurumat’ (haram) is translated (by Shakir) as ‘sacred ordinances.’ So once again even the traditional translators do not translate haram as prohibited. Hurumat-illaah means ‘Allah’s sanctions.’ 22:30 And that whoever respects Allah’s sanctions (HURUMA-TILLAAH), it is better for him with his Lord.

So, going back to 6:151 it means the following: “Say, "Come let me tell you what your Lord has really SANCTIONED for you (maa HARAMA rabbukum), that you shall not set up idols besides Him, that you honor your parents, that you do not kill your children from fear of poverty - we provide for you and for them, that you must not commit gross indecencies, obvious or hidden, that you shall not kill any person, Allah has SANCTIONED life (HARAMA) - except in the course of justice. These are His commandments to you, that you may understand."

Hence 6:151 has four negative and one positive sanction. If haram means prohibited, then the famous ‘Masjidil Haram’ in Mecca will become the ‘Prohibited Mosque’ – no one should enter it. So, the mullahs simply change the meaning of haram in ‘Masjidil Haram’ to “sacred” and call it the Sacred Mosque. Problem solved. More mullah shuffle. ‘Masaajidil haram’ in the Quran refers to a ‘sanctioned submission’.

The mullah’s prohibitions over food and the slaughtering of animals for meat are all plagiarised from the Jewish Bible. In the Jewish Bible pork is stated as unclean and it is prohibited for consumption.

‘And the pig, because it has a cloven hoof that is completely split but will not regurgitate its cud; it is unclean for you. You shall not eat of their flesh, and you shall not touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you’ Leviticus 11:7-8.

‘And the pig, because it has a split hoof, but does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you. You shall neither eat of their flesh nor touch their carcass.’ Deuteronomy 14:8

This Jewish teaching has been plagiarised by the mullahs. In their mistranslation of 6:145 the mullahs say ‘the flesh of swine is prohibited because it is rijasa or unclean’. Exactly what the Jewish Bible says.

6:145 Say: I do not find in that which has been revealed to me anything prohibited (haram) for an eater to eat except what has died of itself, or running blood, or flesh of swine -- for that surely is unclean (rijasa) -- or that which is a transgression, devoted to other than Allah; but whoever is driven to necessity, not desiring nor exceeding the limits, then surely your Lord is Forgiving, Merciful (Shakir).

But the mullahs bungle because in other verses of the Quran the same word rijasa is correctly understood and translated as ‘doubtful’. For example, here is a string of traditional translations of 9:125.

1. But those in whose hearts is a disease, - it will add doubt to their doubt (rijsun ila rijsi-him) ... Translator Abdullah Yusuf Ali.

2. But as for those in whose hearts is a disease it will add suspicion and doubt to their suspicion, disbelief and doubt (rijsun ila rijsi-him) ... Translator Hilali Khan.

3. But as to those in whose hearts is a disease, it will add doubt to their doubt (rijsun ila rijsi-him... Translator Rodwell.

4. But unto those in whose hearts there is an infirmity, it will add [farther] doubt unto their [present] doubt (rijsun ila rijsihim).. Translator George Sale.

Here is another verse 10:100 which also mentions the word rijasa: ‘No soul can believe, except by the will of Allah, and He will place doubt (rijasa) on those who will not understand.’ Translator Abdullah Yusuf Ali.

Therefore, rijasa does not mean unclean. Rijasa means something that is doubtful. There is a very big difference between ‘doubtful’ and ‘unclean’.

It will be much simpler for Muslims to see what the Quran makes halal or permissible for their eating:

5:4 They ask you what is halal for them. Say, "Halal for you are all good things (tayyiban), including what the hunting dogs catch for you." You train the dogs (‘mukallibeena’) according to Allah's teachings. You may eat what they catch for you and remember Allah’s name thereupon. You shall observe Allah. Allah is most efficient in reckoning.

If the food is good for you (tayyiban) then it is halal. In the entire Quran this is the one and only criterion for food to be halal.

Whatever is good for you or tayyiban is halal or permissible to be eaten. This is the overriding commandment in the Quran. So, it is you who must decide what is good for you. Seals, walruses, killer whales are good for eating for Inuits in the frozen north. There are no sheep, cows or chicken at the North Pole.

In the tropical climates native people may eat animals like pigs, porcupines, crocodiles, snakes, kangaroos, locusts, insects and other creatures – besides lamb, goats, cows and chicken. They have been eating these animals since they were created. For thousands of years the human species has been able to survive and remain healthy by eating all these animals for food.

So, looking at 5:3

5:3 "Sanctioned (haram) for you are dead animals, and blood and flesh of swine, and that which has been devoted to other than Allah….”

These foods – dead animals, blood, flesh of swine - are sanctioned (haram) indicating there are doubts about them and we need to properly handle or process them before consumption. Here are some examples.

1. The English eat dead pheasant birds that have been ‘hung’ in the air for days. It is called aging or ‘game hanging’. It makes the meat tender and flavourful. The dead birds are thus processed prior to consumption. Inuits bury seals, whales and other Arctic animals in the ground and can consume them for months. These meats are good for them, and they have survived on these foods for centuries.

2. It does not need science to tell us that uncoagulated blood may carry disease causing germs. But the British black pudding or blood sausage is pig’s blood that has been cooked in oatmeal. It has become part of their diet. Cooking the blood kills off bacteria.

3. Pork has been consumed by human beings for 7,000 years or more. Pork has to be well cooked before consumption. Pork is the most widely consumed meat, making up over 38% of all meat eaten around the world. If pork was unclean and not good (tayyiban) for consumption surely the pork eaters would have become extinct over the past 7,000 years.

Hence the Quran makes things much easier and simpler for human beings. No food is prohibited in the Quran, as long as it is tayyiban or good for you (5:4). “Haram” does not mean prohibited.

ALCOHOL IS NOT PROHIBITED IN THE QURAN

A discussion of permissible food would not be complete without touching on alcohol. This discussion is shorter because nowhere in the Quran does it say that alcohol is prohibited. The word haram is not even used anywhere in the Quran to describe any alcoholic drinks. This is a simple fact.

The Quran instead advises us to avoid upholding our daily obligations if we are in a condition of being intoxicated. The Arabic words used are ‘wa antum sukaara’ which means ‘and while you are intoxicated’.

4:43 “O you who believe, do not come near your obligations while you are intoxicated (wa antum sukkaara), so that you know what you are saying.”

It is important to be always coherent and aware of what we say and do. Intoxication and incoherence can be caused by drugs, medicines, alcohol, over excitement, stress, anger or psychiatric disorder. Under such circumstances we should not go near our daily duties and responsibilities. We should lay off or take a rest until we come back to our good senses. This is a simple and logical statement.

And in 16:67 intoxicants (sakaran) are mentioned as being good provisions for us.

16:67 And of the fruits of date palms and grapes you produce from them intoxicants and good provisions (minhu sakaran wa rizkan hasanan). This should be proof for people who understand.

Arrack and palm wine are alcoholic drinks made from date palms while grapes yield wines and brandy. If alcohol is forbidden, why allow the Muslims to “produce from them intoxicants” in the first place? Once again there is no prohibition against intoxicants here. Instead, intoxicants are listed as good provisions (rizkan hasanan).

In the Quran other than sukkaara the word khamri is also used for reference to intoxication. Literally the word khamri means a cover – in this case something that can cover or befog the mind.

2:219 They ask thee concerning intoxicants (khamri) and gambling (maysiri). Say: "In them is great wrong, and some benefit for men; but the wrong is greater than the benefit."

This is general advice that there is some benefit in intoxicants and gambling but the bad outweighs the good. Indulging in both has to be measured. Again, there is no outright prohibition of intoxicants and gambling.

5:90 O you who believe, intoxicants (khamri) and gambling, and the altars of idols, and the games of chance are dubious (rijsun), the works of satan you shall avoid them, that you may succeed.

5:91 Satan’s plan is to excite enmity and hatred between you, with intoxicants (khamri) and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah, and from your obligations: Will ye not then refrain?

Note that the word haram is not found in these verses. Recall that khamri means anything that befogs the mind including alcohol, drugs, other substances or actions that can make you lose your mind. There is no specific prohibition against the consumption of alcohol alone. The word haram is never used in the Quran with reference to consuming alcohol. Plus, haram does not mean prohibited.

The mullah’s ritual slaughter is Jewish.

The mullahs make a big fuss over halal slaughter. It is another control mechanism which the mullahs have plagiarised from the Old Testament. It is just more mullah intolerance which makes life difficult for Muslims. It also makes the Muslims such poor dinner guests.

Nowhere does the Quran say that an animal needs to be ritually slaughtered before the meat is permissible (halal) for eating. Neither does the Quran say that only a Muslim must slaughter the animal.

The mullahs' non-Quranic slaughter is called zabeeha in Arabic. And once again the mullahs have plagiarised their zabeeha rituals from Jewish teachings in this case the Jewish shechita rules for the ritual slaughter of animals.

• The animal must not be a prohibited animal.
• The slaughter or ‘shechita’ must be performed by a shochet.
• A shochet is a god-fearing Jew of consistent religious practice.
• Draw a very sharp knife back and forth rapidly across the animal's throat.
• Incising the main structures of the neck and allowing the blood to drain out.

Mimicking the Jews, the mullahs require similar prerequisites:

i. The animal must not be a prohibited animal.
ii. The slaughter must be done by a sane adult Muslim.
iii. They must use a sharp knife to make a swift, deep incision.
iv. Cut the carotid artery, windpipe and jugular veins
v. Mention Allah’s name at the time of slaughter

The mullahs have completely confused the Muslims between tayyiban (5:4) and their Jewish zabeeha ritual.

There is no mention in the Quran about any special slaughter ritual for animals. In 5:4 above the Quran says, “including what the hunting dogs catch for you." You train them (mukallibeen) according to Allah's teachings. You may eat what they catch for you.”

Mukallibeen refers to the training of hunting dogs and animals. It is rooted in ‘kalbi’ which means dog. What the hunting animals catch from the hunt is halal or permissible for consumption. Hunting dogs bite and tear into animals like rabbits and deer. They do not observe any zabeeha or shechita rituals. Despite doing so, what the hunting dogs catch is halal for consumption.

Hence the Quran makes life easy for Muslims. Muslims can travel anywhere in the world and eat any type of animals that have been killed and cooked by anyone, including non-Muslims. Or animals caught by dogs and other hunting animals. All food and all meat are halal or permissible for Muslims as long as they are tayyiban or “good for you” (5:4).

The mullahs also follow many other biblical prohibitions on food.

The Hanafi mullahs say that fish without scales are prohibited. This would include sharks and catfish. Some say that eels are prohibited because they are serpents. Some mullahs say mud crabs are ‘makruh’ or 'not encouraged' to be eaten because they live in two habitats i.e., in water and on land. These ideas are all plagiarized from the Bible:

[Lev 11:10] Anything in the seas or the rivers that has no fins and scales, of the crawling creatures in the waters and of the living creatures that are in the waters, is an abomination to you.

[Lev 11:11] They shall remain an abomination to you; of their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall have in abomination.

[Lev 11:12] Everything in the waters that has no fins and scales is an abomination to you.

This is exactly what the mullahs say. The mullahs have also made a list of birds that CANNOT be eaten, especially birds with talons or curved beaks. This list is also plagiarised from the Bible:

[Lev 11:13] "And these you shall have in abomination among the birds, they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, the vulture, the osprey,
[Lev 11:14] the kite, the falcon according to its kind,
[Lev 11:15] every raven according to its kind,
[Lev 11:16] the ostrich, the nighthawk, the sea gull, the hawk according to its kind,
[Lev 11:17] the owl, the cormorant, the ibis,
[Lev 11:18] the water hen, the pelican, the carrion vulture,
[Lev 11:19] the stork, the heron according to its kind, the hoopoe, and the bat

The Quran simply says ALL GOOD THINGS (TAYYIBAN) ARE HALAL FOR YOU (5:4). If the meat is clean and it makes you healthy then it must be tayyiban or good.

The mullahs then say eating locusts and some grasshoppers is permissible. This is also copied from the Bible.

[Lev 11:21] Yet among the winged insects that go on all fours you may eat those which have legs above their feet, with which to leap on the earth.

[Lev 11:22] Of them you may eat: the locust according to its kind, the bald locust according to its kind, the cricket according to its kind, and the grasshopper according to its kind.

Well insects have six legs and not four. These are more examples of false mullah teachings which they plagiarized from the Bible.

2:120 “And the Jews will not be pleased with you, nor the Christians until you follow their religion. Say: Surely Allah’s guidance, that is the (true) guidance. And if you follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to you, you shall have no guardian from Allah, nor any helper”.

The mullahs follow the Bible. They disregard the Quran.

Aaron Musa is a researcher of social affairs and religion.

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