The Qur’ān invites man to the Truth, and knocks at his conscience by advancing argument after argument,in sūrah after sūrah, in favour of the Truth, and gives him freedom to obey it or reject it.It also presents before him the ultimate end of this obedience or rejection. This freedom of choice between the two distinct and diametrically opposed ways of life – of which one leads to ultimate success while the other to ultimate failure – is in fact ultimate test for man whether or not he is obedient to the Lord Creator.
In the verses 2:164-167 that we have discussed in the previous issues, the Qur’ān invites man to the Truth by drawinghis attention to His Signsi.e.the awe-inspiring wonders of the universe, and announces Reward for those who obey His commands and pronounces Divine Chastisement for those who choose to disobey Him.
In the succeeding verse i.e. 2:168, the Qur’ān points out two reasons for man’s failure at realising the Truth and obeying God: “O people! Eat of the lawful and pure things in the earth and follow not in the footsteps of Satan. For, surely, he is your open enemy.”
One reason for his failure is that he eats unlawful, impure and filthy thingswhich have their basis in superstitious beliefs or irrational usages. And the other reason for it is following in the footsteps of Satan.
Let’s discuss the first reason in detail here. The Qur’ān 2:173 presents a list of what has been forbidden to eat: “Hehas only forbidden you carrion, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which a name other thanGod’s has been invoked.”
Carrion is dead putrefying flesh; carrion and blood both are ‘unhygienic and offensiveto human taste’. The Qur’ān forbade these things over fourteen centuries ago. It is now that medical science has shown that both attract harmful germs and carry deadlysubstances. There could be many more reasons for their being forbidden,which the long arms of modern science haven’t reached yet.
Likewise, the flesh of swine is forbidden. The pig is an unattractive animal with foul habits. Modern science has proved it to be singularly prone to infection with parasitic worms that are a serious healthhazard to humans.
The meat of animals slaughtered in the name of something or someone otherthan God is also forbidden to eat. Apparently, there is nothingwrong with the meat, but it is spiritually tainted by the fact that it was slaughtered in reverence of a creature of God. This impairs one’s loyalty to, and faithin, God. This makes the meat akin to material impurity and dirtiness.
Thus, we learn here that what the Book of God has forbidden is harmful for us in all respects.