And do not eat of that upon which the name of Allāh has not been mentioned, for indeed, it is grave disobedience. And indeed do the devils inspire their allies [among men] to dispute with you. And if you were to obey them, indeed, you would be associators [of others with Him].341
Notes
[341] i.e., by your obedience to them - obedience being the basis of worship.
Verse 121 of Surah Al-An’am (6:121), a Meccan surah, is in juz 8, on page 143 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 74 reciters.
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Tafsir of verse 121
Al-Mukhtasar
O Muslims, do not eat that which was not slaughtered in the name of Allah, whether the name of someone other than Allah was mentioned over it or not. Eating such forbidden food is to abandon obedience to Allah in favour of disobedience. The satans whisper to their friends, inspiring them with doubts, so that they argue with you about eating carrion. If you, O Muslims, were to follow them in the doubts they present for the lawfulness of carrion, then you would be equal to them in associating partners with Allah.
Do not eat of that [meat] over which the name of Allah is not mentioned, for this is a grave disobedience. But the devils whisper to their [human] friends to argue with you; if you were to obey them39, you would surely become polytheists.
Notes
[39] As obedience being the basis of worship.
Eat not (O believers) of that (meat) on which Allâh’s Name has not been pronounced (at the time of the slaughtering of the animal), for sure it is Fisq (a sin and disobedience of Allâh). And certainly, the Shayâtîn (devils) do inspire their friends (from mankind) to dispute with you, and if you obey them15 [by making Al-Maitah (a dead animal) legal by eating it], then you would indeed be Mushrikûn (polytheists); [because they (devils and their friends) made lawful to you to eat that which Allâh has made unlawful to eat and you obeyed them by considering it lawful to eat, and by doing so you worshipped them; and to worship others besides Allâh is polytheism].
Notes
[15] (V.6:121) Narrated by Ahmad, At-Tirmidhi, and Ibn Jarîr: Once while Allâh’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم was reciting the Verse (9:31) ‘Adî bin Hâtim said, "O Allâh’s Messenger! They do not worship them (i.e., rabbis and monks)." Allâh’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said: "They certainly do. They (i.e., rabbis and monks) made lawful things as unlawful, and unlawful things as lawful, and they (i.e. Jews and Christians) followed them; and by doing so, they really worshipped them." (Tafsir At-Tabari ).
And eat not of that whereon Allah's name hath not been mentioned, for lo! it is abomination. Lo! the devils do inspire their minions to dispute with you. But if ye obey them, ye will be in truth idolaters.
Eat not of (meats) on which Allah's name hath not been pronounced: That would be impiety. But the evil ones ever inspire their friends to contend with you if ye were to obey them, ye would indeed be Pagans.
And do not eat of that on which Allah's name has not been mentioned, and that is most surely a transgression; and most surely the Shaitans suggest to their friends that they should contend with you; and if you obey them, you shall most surely be polytheists.
And do not eat of that over which The Name of Allah has not been mentioned, and surely it is indeed an immorality. And surely Ash-Shayatin (The all-vicious "ones", i.e., the devil) do indeed reveal to their patrons to dispute with you. And in case you obey them, (then) surely you are indeed associators (i.e., those who associate others with Allah).
They ask you, [O Muḥammad], what has been made lawful for them. Say, "Lawful for you are [all] good foods and [game caught by] what you have trained of hunting animals which you train as Allāh has taught you. So eat of what they catch for you, and mention the name of Allāh upon it, and fear Allāh." Indeed, Allāh is swift in account. …
Say, "I do not find within that which was revealed to me [anything] forbidden to one who would eat it unless it be a dead animal or blood spilled out or the flesh of swine - for indeed, it is impure - or it be [that slaughtered in] disobedience, dedicated to other than Allāh. But whoever is forced [by necessity], neither desiring [it] nor transgressing [its limit], then indeed, your Lord is Forgiving and Merciful."
They have taken their scholars and monks as lords besides Allāh, and [also] the Messiah, the son of Mary. And they were not commanded except to worship one God; there is no deity except Him. Exalted is He above whatever they associate with Him.
