Surah 6

Surah 6:118

"Eat from that over which the name of God has been mentioned, if you are believers in His signs."
Allowing What was Slaughtered in the Name of Allah Verses 6:118-119
Show Full Scripture Context (6:118-119) — 2 Verses
Verse 118

فَكُلُواْ مِمَّا ذُكِرَ ٱسۡمُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيۡهِ إِن كُنتُم بِـَٔايَٰتِهِۦ مُؤۡمِنِينَ

Eat from that over which the name of God has been mentioned, if you are believers in His signs.

Verse 119

وَمَا لَكُمۡ أَلَّا تَأۡكُلُواْ مِمَّا ذُكِرَ ٱسۡمُ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيۡهِ وَقَدۡ فَصَّلَ لَكُم مَّا حَرَّمَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ إِلَّا مَا ٱضۡطُرِرۡتُمۡ إِلَيۡهِۗ وَإِنَّ كَثِيرٗا لَّيُضِلُّونَ بِأَهۡوَآئِهِم بِغَيۡرِ عِلۡمٍۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِٱلۡمُعۡتَدِينَ

What is (the matter) with you that you do not eat from that over which the name of God has been mentioned, when He has already made distinct for you what He has forbidden you (to eat), unless you are forced to (eat) it? Surely many are indeed led astray by their (vain) desires without realizing (it). Surely your Lord – He knows about the transgressors.

118. So eat of that on which Allah's Name has been mentioned, if you are believers in His Aydt.
119. And why should you not eat of that on which Allah’s Name has been mentioned, while He has explained to you in detail what is forbidden to you, except under compulsion of necessity? And surely, many do lead astray by their own desires through lack of knowledge. Certainly your Lord knows best the transgressors .

This is a statement of permission from Allah, for His servants, allowing them to eat the slaughtered animals werein His Name was mentioned when slaughtering them. It is understood from it that He has not allowed that over which Allah’s Name was not mentioned when slaughtering. This was the practice of the pagans of Quraysh who used to eat dead animals and eat what was slaughtered for the idols.

Allah next encourages eating from the meat of sacrificed animals on which His Name was mentioned upon slaughtering,

And why should you not eat of that on which Allah's Name has been mentioned, while He has explained to you what is forbidden to you...}

meaning, He has explained and made clear to you what He has prohibited for you in detail,

except under compulsion of necessity.}

In which case, you are allowed to eat whatever you can find. Allah next mentions the ignorance of the idolators in their misguided ideas, such as eating dead animals and what was sacrificed while other than Allah’s Name was mentioned when slaughtering them. Allah said,

And surely, many do lead astray by their own desires through lack of knowledge. Certainly your Lord knows best the transgressors.}

He has complete knowledge of their transgression, lies and inventions.

— from Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Vol. 4, Page 449)

About this Source & Scholarly Authority (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Universal Sunni Consensus: Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim by Hafiz Ibn Kathir (701–774 AH / 1301–1373 AD) is universally regarded across all major schools of Sunni Islam (traditional, Salafi, Ash'ari) as the most authoritative classical exegesis. It is prized because it relies on Tafsir bil-Ma'thur—interpreting the Quran using the Quran itself, authentic Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad, and recorded statements of the early Companions (Sahabah).

Standard English Edition: This text is from the standard 10-volume English abridgment published by Dar-us-Salam Publications (supervised by Shaykh Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri), which is the official, most widely distributed English Quranic commentary in mosques and Islamic libraries worldwide today.