We often hear: “This is lawful and this is unlawful” while God has sent down the Quran more than 1400 years ago completing and perfecting His religion for us (5:3) as well as permitting all good food to be lawful for us (5:5) to remove our burden and shackles from us to be successful in the Hereafter (7:157). But it is unfortunate that we are still confusing some of the matters which are associated with our everyday life, and eating right food as well as accepting nice things are a big concern, especially for those who are living in the Western countries. God has clearly commanded us what is forbidden or unlawful for us in all our circumstances through the instances of “Harrama” in the Quran, and so does through the instances of “Halal” in the Quran what is permitted or what has been made lawful for us. However, here are details of the instances of “Halal” referring to “make lawful” including its derived forms both in the verb and noun forms to understand what God has permitted or has made lawful for us eliminating any confusion from our hearts.
Verb form I “حَلَلْ” (Halal)
[2:228] And the divorced women shall wait three monthly cycles. And it is not lawful (wa-laa-yahillu) for them to conceal what God has created in their wombs if they believe in God and the Last Day, and their husbands would have right to take them back in that case if they wish reconciliation. And they (women) have similar equitable rights for them in that while men have a privilege over them. And God is Almighty, Wise.
Note: The divorced women have to wait three monthly cycles before getting married to another husband. If they are pregnant, then their husbands have a privilege to take them back.
[2:229] Divorce can be retreated twice. Then it is either retaining together in an equitable manner or separating with kindness. And it is not lawful (wa-laa-yahillu) for you to take back anything what you have given them (women)except if both of you fear that they will not exceed God’s limits. But if both of you fear that they will exceed God’s limits, then there is no sin upon them for what is taken back. These are God’s limits so do not transgress them. And whoever transgresses God’s limits, then these are the wicked.
[2:230] Then if he divorces her (third time), then she is not lawful (fa-laa-tahillu) for him from after (that) until she marries another husband other than him. Then if he (the other husband) divorces her, then there is no sin on them if they return to each other if they believe that they can keep God’s limits. These are God’s limits, He clarifies them for a people who know.
[4:19] O you who have believed, it is not lawful (laa-yahillu) for you that you inherit the women by force, and you shall not force them so that you may take away some of what you have given them, unless they commit a proven adultery. And you shall treat them nicely. But if you dislike them, then perhaps you may dislike a thing that God has placed a lot of good in it.
[5:2] O you who have believed, do not violate the rites of God, nor the sacred month, nor the animal sacrifice, nor what is garlanded with, nor those coming to the Sacred House for seeking bounty from their Lord and blessing. And when you come out of Ihram (wa-idhaa halaltum), then you may hunt. And let not you incite the hatred for a people when you are prevented from going to the Sacred Masjid that you transgress. And help one another in righteousness and piety, but do not help one another in committing sin and aggression. And you shall fear God, indeed, God is severe in enforcing the retribution.
[33:52] It is not lawful for you (laa yahillu laka) the women beyond this, nor can you (Muhammad) exchange them for other wives, even if their beauty pleases you, except whom you rightfully possess. And God is watchful over all things.
[60:10] O you who have believed, if the believing women come to you as emigrants, then you shall test them. God is aware of their faith. And if you know them that they are believers, then you shall not return them to the disbelievers. They (female) are not lawful (laa-hunna hillun) for them (male), nor are they (male) lawful (wa-laa-hum yahilloona) for them (female), and return them what they have paid. And there is no sin for you if you marry them when you have given them their (bridal) dues. And do not continue marriage with the disbelieving women, and ask what you have spent and let them ask what they have spent. That is God’s judgment, He judges among you. And God is Omniscient, Wise.
Verb form IV “أَحَلَّ” (Aḥalla)
[2:187] Permitted for you (uhilla lakum) is to approach unto your wives during the nights of fasting. They are garments for you and you are garments for them. God knew that you used to betray your souls. So He has redeemed you and has forgiven you. Now, you may have relation with them and seek what God has prescribed for you. And you may eat and drink until the white thread becomes distinct to you from the black thread of the dawn. Then, you shall fast until the night. And do not have relation with them while you are devoted in the masjid. These are the God given limits, so do not transgress them. Thus, God makes His revelations clear to the people so that they may be righteous.
[2:275] Those who consume usury, they do not stand except as the one who has been confounded him driven by the devil. That is because they say, trade and usury are the same while God has made trade lawful (wa-ahalla allahu al-bay’a) but has forbidden usury. Then whoever has accepted this admonition from his Lord and has refrained, then he may have what has passed, and his case is with God. But whoever returns, those are the people of the Fire, they will abide in it forever.
[3:50] “And confirming what was before me (Jesus) of the Torah, and that I make lawful for you (wa-lihilla lakum) some of that which was forbidden to you; and I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, so you shall fear God and obey me.”
[4:24] And forbidden are the married women, except who is rightfully yours, is a decree of God upon you. And are made lawful for you (wa-uhilla lakum) what is beyond this, that you may seek with your wealth to be chaste not being lustful. So to be benefitted from them, then you shall give them their bridal due as an obligation. But there is no sin upon you for what you agree of it beyond the obligation. Indeed, God is Omniscient, Wise.
[4:160] Then because of wrongdoing of those who were Jews, we made unlawful good things for them, which were lawful for them (uhillat lahum); and because of their hindering many from the path of God.
[5:1] O you who have believed, you shall fulfill your covenants. Has been made lawful for you (uhillat lakum) are the livestock, except what is specified to you, not being permitted to hunting while you are in the state of Ihram. Indeed, God decrees whatever He wills.
[5:2] O you who have believed, you are not to violate the rites of God (laa-yuhilla sha’aa-i-ra allahi), nor the sacred month, nor the animal sacrifice, nor what is garlanded with, nor those coming to the Sacred House for seeking bounty from their Lord and blessing. And when you come out of Ihram, then you may hunt. And let not you incite the hatred for a people when you are prevented from going to the Sacred Masjid that you transgress. And help one another in righteousness and piety, but do not help one another in committing sin and aggression. And you shall fear God, indeed, God is severe in enforcing the retribution.
[5:4] They ask you what has been made lawful for them, say: “Has been made lawful for you (uhilla lakumu) all the good things, and what you have taught of the hunting animals as trainers to hunt, you teach them of what God has taught you.” So you shall eat from what they have caught for you and shall mention God’s name upon it and shall fear God. Indeed, God is quick in reckoning.
[5:5] Today, it has been made lawful for you (uhilla lakumu) all the good things; and food of those who have been given the scripture is lawful for you, and your food is lawful for them, and the chaste women from the believers and the chaste women of those who have been given the scripture before yourselves, when you have given them their bridal dues, are being chaste not being lewd ones nor being ones taking secret lovers. And whoever denies in the faith, has surely wasted his deeds, and in the Hereafter, he will be with the losers.
[5:87] O you who have believed, you should not make unlawful good things what God has made lawful for you (maa ahalla allahu lakum), and should not transgress; indeed, God does not love the transgressors.
[5:96] It has been made lawful for you (uhilla lakumu) is a game of the sea and its food as provision for you as well as for the travelers but has been made unlawful for you is a game of the land as long as you have been in a state of Ihram. And you shall fear God the One to Him you will be gathered.
[7:157] “Those who follow the messenger, the gentile prophet whom they find written for them in the Torah and the Injeel; he enjoins them to the right, and prevents them from the evil, and he makes lawful for them (wa-yuhillu lakum) the good things, and forbids the bad things for them, and he removes their burden on them and the shackles that are upon them. So, those who have believed in him, and honor him, and support him, and have followed the light which has been sent down with him; those – they are the successful ones.”
[9:37] Surely, the postponing is a sign of excessive disbelief led astray by it of those who disbelieved. They make it lawful (yuhilloonahu) one year and make it unlawful (another) year to adjust the count which God has made unlawful, and making lawful (fa-yuhillu) what God has made unlawful is their evil works, which are fair-seeming to them. And God does not guide the disbelieving people.
[14:28] Have you not seen those who have changed God’s favor for disbelief, and they led (wa-ahalloo) their people to the abode of destruction?
[22:30] Thus, and whoever honors the sacred rites of God, then it is better for him at his Lord. And made lawful for you (wa-uhillat lakum) is the livestock except what is mentioned to you. So avoid the abomination of idols and avoid saying false statements.
[33:50] O prophet, we have made lawful for you (ahlalnaa laka) the wives to whom you have given their bridal due, and whom you rightfully possess of those whom God has given to you, and the daughters of your father’s brothers, and the daughters of your father’s sisters, and the daughters of your mother’s brothers, and the daughters of your mother’s sisters who have emigrated with you, and any believing woman if she gives herself to the prophet when the prophet wishes to marry her, is only for you but not the believers. Certainly, we know what we have made obligatory for them with regard to their wives and whom they rightfully possess, that should not be a discomfort for you. And God is Forgiving, Merciful.
[35:35] “The One who has admitted us (ahallanaa) into the abode of eternal bliss out of His grace. In it, no fatigue touches us, nor does any boredom therein.”
[66:1] O you prophet, why do you forbid what God has made lawful for you (maa ahalla allahu lakum), seeking to please your wives? And God is Forgiving, Merciful.
Summary from the instances of Halal/Ahalla in verb forms
- The divorced women have to wait three monthly cycles before getting married to another husband. If they are pregnant, then their husbands have a privilege to take them back
- Divorce can be retreated twice and it is not lawful for the husbands to take back anything what is given to them.
- Divorce cannot be retreated after third time but they can return to each other if the other husband divorces her.
- It is not lawful to inherit the women by force or to take away some of what given to them by force.
- God does not want us to violate any of His rites nor to help each other in committing sin and aggression while He wants us to cooperate in righteousness and piety.
- It was not lawful any other women for the prophet beyond what has been specified in the Quran.
- The believers were to first test the faith of the believing women who came to them as emigrants. If they found them to be the believers, then they were not supposed to be returned to the disbelievers as they were not any more lawful for them. The believers can marry them with their bridal due along with paying off what their disbeliever husbands spent for them.
- Sexual relation with wives is made lawful during the nights of fasting if anyone does not devote himself in the masjid.
- Trade is made lawful while usury is unlawful.
- Some of which were forbidden for the Children of Israel are made lawful with the revelation of the Injeel sent down through Jesus.
- The married women are made unlawful for you except what is rightfully yours. You shall seek with your wealth to be chaste not being lustful and shall give bridal due to be benefited from the women.
- All the good food are lawful including what the trained animals capture for us with mentioning God’s name upon it.
- All good food what is lawful for you is also lawful for the people of the previous scripture. The chaste women of the previous scripture are lawful for you upon giving them their bridal due.
- The game of the sea is lawful while the game of the land is unlawful in the state of Ihram.
- The Quran revealed through the gentile prophet has made good things lawful while it has forbidden bad things providing an opportunity for us to remove our burden and shackles from us.
- The postponing and adjusting the sacred months is a sign of excessive disbelief which was made lawful one year and then made unlawful another year.
- Those who change God’s word lead to the abode of destruction.
- Saying of this is lawful and this is unlawful is a false statement.
- Prophet was given permission to marry four categories of women from the thirteen categories of women who are forbidden in marriage.
- The abode of the eternal bliss is granted by God.
- God has reprimanded prophet to forbid what is lawful to please his wives.
Noun “حِلّ” (Hill)
[3:93] All food was lawful (kaana hillan) to the Children of Israel except what Israel made unlawful for himself before the Torah was sent down. Say: “Bring the Torah and recite it if you are truthful.”
[5:5] Today, all the good things are made lawful for you, and the food of those who were given the scripture is lawful for you (hillun lakum), and your food is lawful for them (hillun lahum), and the chaste women from the believers and the chaste women of those who were given the scripture before you, when you have given them their bridal dues, being chaste not being unchaste and not having secret lovers. And whoever ignores the faith, then surely, his works are wasted, and in the Hereafter he will be with the losers.
[60:10] O you who have believed, if the believing women come to you as emigrants, then you shall test them. God is aware of their faith. And if you know them that they are believers, then you shall not return them to the disbelievers. They (female) are not lawful (laa-hunna hillun) for them (male), nor are they (male) lawful for them (female), and return them what they have paid. And there is no sin for you if you marry them when you have given them their (bridal) dues. And do not continue marriage with the disbelieving women, and ask what you have spent and let them ask what they have spent. That is God’s judgment, He judges among you. And God is Omniscient, Wise.
[90:2] And you are free (wa-anta hillun) in this city.
Noun “حَلَٰل” (Halaal)
[2:168] O the people, you shall eat of what is lawful and good (halaalan tayyiban) in the earth, and you should not follow the Satan’s footsteps. Indeed, he is your open enemy.
[5:88] And you shall eat of what God has provided you, lawful and good (halaalan tayyiban); and you shall fear God, the One in whom you are believers.
[8:69] So you shall eat of what you have got the spoils of war, lawful and good (halaalan tayyiban); and you shall fear God. Indeed, God is Forgiving, Merciful.
[10:59] Say: “Have you seen what God has sent down for you of provision, then you made of it unlawful (harraman) and lawful (wa-halaalan)?” Say: “Has God permitted you, or you have invented against God?”
[16:114] So you shall eat of what God has provided you, lawful and good (halaalan tayyiban), and you shall appreciate God’s favor, if you have done to worship Him alone.
[16:116] And you do not say that which your tongues assert the lie: “This is lawful (halaalun) and this is unlawful (haraamun),” that you invent the lie about God. Indeed, those who invent the lie about God, they will not succeed.
Active participle form IV “مُحِلِّى” (Muḥillee)
[5:1] O you who have believed, you shall fulfill your covenants. Has been made lawful for you are the livestock, except what is specified to you, not being permitted (muhillee) to hunting while you are in the state of Ihram. Indeed, God decrees whatever He wills.
Summary from the instances of Halal/Hill/Muhillee in noun forms
- All food was lawful to the Children of Israel except what Israel made unlawful for himself.
- All good food what is lawful for you is also lawful for the people of the previous scripture. The chaste women of the previous scripture are lawful for you upon giving them their bridal due.
- The believers were to first test the faith of the believing women who came to them as emigrants. If they found them to be the believers, then they will not return to the disbelievers as they were not any more lawful for them. The believers can marry them with their bridal due along with paying off what their disbeliever husbands spent for them.
- God has ordered us to eat what is lawful and good but not to follow the steps of the Satan.
- You shall eat what is lawful and good, and shall fear God in whom we are believers.
- God has sent down provision for us but we have made some of them lawful and some of them unlawful.
- You shall eat what you have got as war spoil, lawful and good and shall fear God.
- We are allowed to eat whatever lawful and good, and be grateful to God.
- Those who say that this is lawful and this is unlawful is a lie that they have invented will not succeed.
- The livestock is made lawful for us except what is specifically mentioned while hunting is not permitted in the state of Ihram
Mathematical confirmation
There are 2 sets of verses in the Quran repeating what is made lawful and is lawful for us: one set consisting of 22 verses across 11 suras in the verb forms and the other set consisting of 10 verses across 10 suras in the noun forms. Thus, there is total of 32 verses across 18 suras detailing what God has made or is lawful for us. If the relevant sura and verse numbers are added, the sum is a multiple of 19 =>3040 = 19 x 160 (See table below for details):
Note: This mathematical interpretation is a physical confirmation of the details what God has made lawful for us through His final revelation indicating that if anyone of us says, “This is lawful and this this is unlawful” means he is leading us to the abode of the Fire. The set of verses in the verb forms is highlighted with light red and the set of verses in the noun forms is highlighted with olive green.
Conclusion
God has detailed out in the Quran what has been made lawful and what has been made unlawful for us referring to divorce and marriage, food and eating, nice things and the spoils of war, righteousness. The divorced women have to wait three monthly cycles before getting married to another husband. If they are pregnant, then their husbands have a privilege to take them back while it is not lawful for the husbands to take back anything what is given to them. However, divorce can be retreated twice but cannot be retreated after third time while they can return to each other if the other husband divorces her.
It is not lawful to inherit the women by force. The married women are made unlawful for you except what is rightfully yours. We should seek with our wealth to be chaste not being lustful and shall give bridal due to be benefited from them. The believers were to test the faith of the believing women who came to them as emigrants. If they found them to be believers, then they should not return them to their disbeliever husbands as they were not any more lawful for them. The believers can marry them with their bridal due along with paying off what their disbeliever husbands spent for them. The chaste women of the previous scripture are lawful for the followers of the Quran upon giving them their bridal due. 13 categories of women are forbidden in marriage while prophet was given permission to marry 4 categories of women from the forbidden categories. God has reprimanded prophet to forbid what is lawful to please his wives.
God does not want us to violate any of His rites nor to help each other in committing sin and aggression while He wants us to cooperate in righteousness and piety. Sexual relation with wives is made lawful during the nights of fasting if anyone does not devote himself in the masjid. Trade is made lawful while usury is made unlawful. The postponing and adjusting the sacred months is a sign of excessive disbelief which was made lawful one year and then made unlawful another year. Those who change God’s word lead to the abode of destruction while saying of ‘this is lawful and this is unlawful’ is a false statement.
God has commanded us to eat all the good things what He has provided us while some of which were forbidden for the Children of Israel are made lawful with the revelation of the Injeel sent down through Jesus. All the good food are lawful including what the trained animals capture for us with mentioning God’s name upon it.The food what is lawful for us is also lawful for the people of the previous scripture. The game of the sea is lawful while the game of the land is unlawful in the state of Ihram when hunting is forbidden. God has ordered us to eat what is lawful and good but not to follow the steps of the Satan. He has reminded us to eat what is lawful and good, and we should fear Him in whom we are believers. We are permitted to eat whatever lawful and good including war spoils, and to be grateful to Him. God has sent down provision for us but we have made some of them lawful and some of them unlawful saying that this is lawful and this is unlawful, which is a lie, and those have invented it will not succeed.
God has revealed the Quran through the gentile prophet who had no knowledge of the previous scripture making all good things lawful as well as making all bad things unlawful is an opportunity for us to remove our burden and shackles from us to enter the abode of the eternal bliss, which is granted by Him. Hence, if we are true believers, we must avoid those who say: “This is lawful and this is unlawful” not to be in the abode of the Fire.
Peaceful Friday, salaam and God bless.
Tafazzal (12/22/2017).