THINGS THAT ARE HARÂM TO EAT AND DRINK

It is stated as follows in the book entitled Berîqa, in its section dealing with disasters incurred by way of stomach: “Things that are harâm to eat and drink are as follows:

1– Things that are called harâm-i-li-’aynihî and which are harâm themselves. Examples of them are lesh, (i.e. flesh of animals that have died of themselves or which have been killed in a way not prescribed by Islam,) pork, and wine. If a certain liquid would intoxicate a person who drank plenty of it, it is harâm to drink even a small amount of it. With the exception of a person in a state of mahmasa, i.e. about to die of hunger, and a person under ikrâh (duress), i.e. being intimidated with the threat that he will be killed, these things are harâm to eat and drink.

2– Things that are not harâm themselves but which have been obtained by way of extortion, theft, or bribery, (in any of which three cases the things obtained will be harâm,) even if they have been obtained from disbelievers in the Dâr-ul-harb, or which have been bought, even though from disbelievers in the Dâr-ul-islâm, by way of a bargain that has been made in defiance of the rules (set by Islam) and which therefore is called ‘fâsid’, (and which is explained in detail in the thirty-first chapter of the fifth fascicle of Endless Bliss.) Something obtained or bought in one of the aforesaid ways will become the property of the person who has obtained or bought it; yet it is his mulk-i-khabîth; it is harâm for him to use it. It is necessary to give it back to its previous owner; if that person cannot be found, it should be given as alms to poor people.

3– It is harâm to eat after being satiated.

4– To eat harmful things such as soil and mud.

5– Poisonous things. Food affected by verdigris or mixed with poison, poisonous grass, putrid meat, maggotty meat or fruit or cheese are a few examples.

6– Narcotic and addictive substances. Hashish, opium, morphine, and benzine are in this group. It is permissible to use them for medicinal purposes and in amounts prescribed by a doctor.

7– Najâsat. In this group are urine, blood that goes out of a blood vessel, and faeces.

8– Things that are clean but disgusting. A few examples are mucus, frogs (or toads), flies, crabs, and oysters.