بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

The topic of lawful and unlawful food is an interesting topic. Normally vegan food which is not harmful for human consumptions is not controversial in this regard. The differences occurs mostly in the opinions about, which animals are lawful to eat and which are not. In addition, if a certain method of killing the animal is not followed then even the lawful animal would become unlawful to eat. We will review in this post the injunctions about lawful and unlawful food in Al-Quran.

5:87  يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُحَرِّمُوا طَيِّبَاتِ مَا أَحَلَّ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَلَا تَعْتَدُوا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُعْتَدِينَ

O you people who believe! make not Haram/forbidden, the good things which Allah has made lawful for you, and you commit no excesses, for Allah loves not those who transgress.

The above ayat states a principle that the good things are not to be declared unlawful by people, which means that all good food is lawful unless there is a clear injunction by Allah against eating it.

In absence of clear injunction of Allah, if any body persuades or creates doubts about a certain food, his advise is not to be considered.

6:150  قُلْ هَلُمَّ شُهَدَاءَكُمُ الَّذِينَ يَشْهَدُونَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ حَرَّمَ هَٰذَا ۖ فَإِن شَهِدُوا فَلَا تَشْهَدْ مَعَهُمْ ۚ وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَاءَ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا وَالَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْآخِرَةِ وَهُم بِرَبِّهِمْ يَعْدِلُونَ

Say, “bring forward your witnesses who witness that Allah did forbid it, then If they give (such) witness, you (the messenger) do not witness with them, nor follow the desires of those who treat our ayahs/signs as falsehoods, and those who don’t believe in the hereafter, for they hold others as equal with their Lord.

It seems that the fascination of declaring food, haram and halal was prevalent in the times of the messenger as well. Therefore Allah asks the messenger (pbuh) to challenge those people who do that, to bring their witnesses. Allah orders the messenger that when these people give such witness, you don’t witness with them as these people equate Allah’s orders with others’ orders.

6:114  فَكُلُوا مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ اللَّهُ حَلَالًا طَيِّبًا وَاشْكُرُوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ إِيَّاهُ تَعْبُدُونَ

So eat of the sustenance which Allah has provided for you, lawful and good; and be grateful for the favors of Allah, if it is He whom you serve.

The below ayat warns that majority of people will mislead in matters of lawful and unlawful food. Therefore you should make efforts to find out what Allah has clarified about lawful and unlawful food from Allah’s ayahs.

6:119  وَمَا لَكُمْ أَلَّا تَأْكُلُوا مِمَّا ذُكِرَ اسْمُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ وَقَدْ فَصَّلَ لَكُم مَّا حَرَّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِلَّا مَا اضْطُرِرْتُمْ إِلَيْهِ ۗ وَإِنَّ كَثِيرًا لَّيُضِلُّونَ بِأَهْوَائِهِم بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ ۗ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُعْتَدِينَ

Why should you not eat of, on which Allah’s name has been pronounced, when He has explained to you in detail what is forbidden to you – except to which you are compelled to, But many mislead without knowledge due to their desires, Verily your Lord knows best, the transgressors.

The messenger proclaims that he does not find any thing unlawful for eating except that it be a carrion or flowing blood or swine flesh or other than Allah’s name is proclaimed on it.

6:145  قُل لَّا أَجِدُ فِي مَا أُوحِيَ إِلَيَّ مُحَرَّمًا عَلَىٰ طَاعِمٍ يَطْعَمُهُ إِلَّا أَن يَكُونَ مَيْتَةً أَوْ دَمًا مَّسْفُوحًا أَوْ لَحْمَ خِنزِيرٍ فَإِنَّهُ رِجْسٌ أَوْ فِسْقًا أُهِلَّ لِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ بِهِ ۚ فَمَنِ اضْطُرَّ غَيْرَ بَاغٍ وَلَا عَادٍ فَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

Say. “I do not find in what is inspired to me, any thing forbidden to be eaten by one who wishes to eat it, unless it be dead meat, or blood flowing forth, or the flesh of swine,- for it is unclean or, transgression.  (Food) which  has been celebrated, for some one other than Allah”. But (even so), if a person is forced by necessity, without willful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits,- your Lord is Oft-forgiving, most Merciful.

In below ayat, it is written down on people, which methods of killing makes an animal forbidden for eating. These methods are:

1- An animal which is already dead before it is killed for eating is carrion and is not allowed. Flowing/spurting blood (دَمًا مَّسْفُوحًا ) is not allowed to be consumed. The blood which remains in the muscles of an animal after it is killed for eating, is not flowing blood and therefore is not a problem. About the pigs, the forbidden part of it is the meat ( لَحْمَ خِنزِيرٍ).  Some times long lists of apparently harmless food items are circulated touted as ‘haram’/forbidden, because they may contain certain chemicals/enzymes from pig products. Only pig meat is declared haram, therefore we should not worry ourselves to death by comparing these lists for non meat items. Also, there is no indication in Quran that pig is to be hated as a creature. They deserve mercy like all other animals and not hate. 

5:3  حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَيْتَةُ وَالدَّمُ وَلَحْمُ الْخِنزِيرِ وَمَا أُهِلَّ لِغَيْرِ اللَّهِ بِهِ وَالْمُنْخَنِقَةُ وَالْمَوْقُوذَةُ وَالْمُتَرَدِّيَةُ وَالنَّطِيحَةُ وَمَا أَكَلَ السَّبُعُ إِلَّا مَا ذَكَّيْتُمْ وَمَا ذُبِحَ عَلَى النُّصُبِ وَأَن تَسْتَقْسِمُوا بِالْأَزْلَامِ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ فِسْقٌ ۗ الْيَوْمَ يَئِسَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِن دِينِكُمْ فَلَا تَخْشَوْهُمْ وَاخْشَوْنِ ۚ الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ

Forbidden to you (for food) are; dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which has been invoked a name, other than Allah’s; and that which has been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by being gored to death; and that which has been (partly) eaten by a wild animal; unless you are able to purify it; that which is slaughtered on fixed altars; (forbidden) also is the division by raffling with arrows (prospective). That is impiety. This day those who reject have given up hope from your Deen/judgment so fear them not but fear me. This day I have perfected your Deen/judgment for you and completed My favor upon you and have chosen for you Islam/Peace as your Deen. But if any is forced by hunger, with no inclination to transgression, Allah is indeed Oft-forgiving, most Merciful.

The above ayat informs about the methods of killing that would make even a lawful animal, unlawful to eat. These methods are given below:

1. If the animal is killed by strangulation
2. If the animal is killed by a violent blow for example by bolt stunning gun.
3. If the animal is killed by falling down e.g from a height
4. If the animal is gored to death or fallen prey to predatory animals except if you are able to purify and salvage it before it dies.
5. If the animal is slaughtered on fixed places of altar, for example where personalities are celebrated for divine qualities e.g mausoleums/(mazars) of celebrated saints.  
6. Distribution of the meat of an animal on flying arrows means, If the animal is killed and its meat distributed for a superstitious future benefit or avoidance of loss. E.g a black goat or chicken killed and its meat distributed for avoidance of bad omen, evil eye, presumed future hurts/injuries etc (animals slaughtered as sadaqa). 

5:4 يَسْأَلُونَكَ مَاذَا أُحِلَّ لَهُمْ ۖ قُلْ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ الطَّيِّبَاتُ ۙ وَمَا عَلَّمْتُم مِّنَ الْجَوَارِحِ مُكَلِّبِينَ تُعَلِّمُونَهُنَّ مِمَّا عَلَّمَكُمُ اللَّهُ ۖ فَكُلُوا مِمَّا أَمْسَكْنَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَاذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ ۖ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ

They ask you (the messenger) what is lawful to them (as food). Say. lawful to you are (all) good things and what you have taught your trained hunting animals (to catch) in the manner taught by Allah to you, thus eat what they hold (catch) for you and remember the name of Allah over it. And take guard of Allah; for Allah is swift in taking account.

When the trained hunting animals catch lawful prey for you, you are to proclaim the name of Allah on it before eating. 

The four legged cattle which graze are lawful animals for eating except those who are killed by methods mentioned in ayat 5:3. 

5:1 يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَوْفُوا بِالْعُقُودِ ۚ أُحِلَّتْ لَكُم بَهِيمَةُ الْأَنْعَامِ إِلَّا مَا يُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ غَيْرَ مُحِلِّي الصَّيْدِ وَأَنتُمْ حُرُمٌ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَحْكُمُ مَا يُرِيدُ

O you people who believe! fulfill your obligations. For you are made lawful the cattle except for those which are read unto you. But when you are in Ahram, hunting/game is not lawful . Verily Allah gives orders of what He intends.

The ‘Anaam’/animals, mentioned here are those cattle who graze vegetation that comes out from earth i.e they are not carnivorous predatory animals (please see ayat 32:27). However, not allowed to hunt during the state of ‘Ahram’/pilgrimage garb.

32:27  أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّا نَسُوقُ الْمَاءَ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ الْجُرُزِ فَنُخْرِجُ بِهِ زَرْعًا تَأْكُلُ مِنْهُ أَنْعَامُهُمْ وَأَنفُسُهُمْ ۖ أَفَلَا يُبْصِرُونَ

And do they not see that We do drive water to parched soil (bare of herbage), and produce therewith crops, providing food for their cattle/animals and themselves? Have they not the vision?

The good/tayyab food on which Allah’s name is remembered, you should not refrain eating from it. 

6:119 وَمَا لَكُمْ أَلَّا تَأْكُلُوا مِمَّا ذُكِرَ اسْمُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ وَقَدْ فَصَّلَ لَكُم مَّا حَرَّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِلَّا مَا اضْطُرِرْتُمْ إِلَيْهِ ۗ وَإِنَّ كَثِيرًا لَّيُضِلُّونَ بِأَهْوَائِهِم بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ ۗ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُعْتَدِينَ

Why should you not eat of, on which Allah’s name has been pronounced, when He has explained to you in detail what is forbidden to you – except to which you are compelled to, but many mislead without knowledge due to their desires, Verily your Lord knows best the transgressors.

Note that nobody even the messenger and prophets have the right to declare any food item as lawful or unlawful. Only Allah can pronounce the regulation. Messengers and prophets explain the injunctions to people from the Book. Therefore any order related to the lawfulness or unlawfulness of food, attributed to messengers, prophets or imams, if not backed up by Al-Kitab, is not credible. The satans are those people who are described in ayat 6:112 as those who are greatly inspired by golden words of personalities. 

10:59  قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُم مَّا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ لَكُم مِّن رِّزْقٍ فَجَعَلْتُم مِّنْهُ حَرَامًا وَحَلَالًا قُلْ آللَّهُ أَذِنَ لَكُمْ ۖ أَمْ عَلَى اللَّهِ تَفْتَرُونَ

Say. “Do you see what things Allah hath sent down to you for sustenance? Yet you hold forbidden some things thereof and (some things) lawful.” Say. “Has Allah indeed permitted you, or do you invent (things) to attribute to Allah?”

16:114  فَكُلُوا مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ اللَّهُ حَلَالًا طَيِّبًا وَاشْكُرُوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ إِيَّاهُ تَعْبُدُونَ

So eat of the sustenance which Allah has provided for you, lawful and good; and be grateful for the favors of Allah, if it is He whom you serve.

16:116  وَلَا تَقُولُوا لِمَا تَصِفُ أَلْسِنَتُكُمُ الْكَذِبَ هَٰذَا حَلَالٌ وَهَٰذَا حَرَامٌ لِّتَفْتَرُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ ۚ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ لَا يُفْلِحُونَ

But say not – for any false thing that your tongues may put forth,- “This is lawful, and this is forbidden,” so as to ascribe false things to Allah. For those who ascribe false things to Allah, will never prosper.

5:96 أُحِلَّ لَكُمْ صَيْدُ الْبَحْرِ وَطَعَامُهُ مَتَاعًا لَّكُمْ وَلِلسَّيَّارَةِ ۖ وَحُرِّمَ عَلَيْكُمْ صَيْدُ الْبَرِّ مَا دُمْتُمْ حُرُمًا ۗ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ الَّذِي إِلَيْهِ تُحْشَرُونَ

Lawful to you is the hunting of water-game and its eating,- This is the benefit for yourselves and for the travelers; and forbidden is the pursuit of land-game when you are in Ahram/pilgrim garb. And take guard from Allah, to whom you shall be gathered.

The sea food i.e meat obtained from sea or rivers (water) is lawful to be eaten as long it is fresh. 

16:14  وَهُوَ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ الْبَحْرَ لِتَأْكُلُوا مِنْهُ لَحْمًا طَرِيًّا وَتَسْتَخْرِجُوا مِنْهُ حِلْيَةً تَلْبَسُونَهَا وَتَرَى الْفُلْكَ مَوَاخِرَ فِيهِ وَلِتَبْتَغُوا مِن فَضْلِهِ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ

It is He who has made the sea subservient, so that you may eat fresh meat from it, and that you may extract therefrom ornaments to wear; and you sees the ships therein that plough the waves, that you may seek (thus) of the bounty of Allah and that you may be grateful.

6:118 فَكُلُوا مِمَّا ذُكِرَ اسْمُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ إِن كُنتُم بِآيَاتِهِ مُؤْمِنِينَ

So eat of which Allah’s name has been pronounced, if you believe in His ayahs/signs.

22:36 وَالْبُدْنَ جَعَلْنَاهَا لَكُم مِّن شَعَائِرِ اللَّهِ لَكُمْ فِيهَا خَيْرٌ ۖ فَاذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهَا صَوَافَّ ۖ فَإِذَا وَجَبَتْ جُنُوبُهَا فَكُلُوا مِنْهَا وَأَطْعِمُوا الْقَانِعَ وَالْمُعْتَرَّ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ سَخَّرْنَاهَا لَكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ

The sacrificial animals, we have made for you as among the symbols from Allah. In them is (much) good for you. Then pronounce the name of Allah over them lined up. When they are down on their sides (after slaughter), eat you thereof, and feed the needy contended and the ones who asks . Thus have We made animals subject to you, that you may be grateful.

 If you are killing the animal yourself for eating or sacrifice such as during Hajj, then while killing them you have to proclaim Allahs’ name on them. If you did not kill the animal yourself nor witnessed its killing then you have to proclaim Allah’s name on the animals when eating. 

The food on which Allah’s name is not remembered, is not allowed to be eaten. 

6:121 وَلَا تَأْكُلُوا مِمَّا لَمْ يُذْكَرِ اسْمُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ وَإِنَّهُ لَفِسْقٌ ۗ وَإِنَّ الشَّيَاطِينَ لَيُوحُونَ إِلَىٰ أَوْلِيَائِهِمْ لِيُجَادِلُوكُمْ ۖ وَإِنْ أَطَعْتُمُوهُمْ إِنَّكُمْ لَمُشْرِكُونَ

Eat not of which Allah’s name has not been pronounced. That would be impiety. But satans inspire their protectors to argue with you. If you were to obey them, you would indeed be mushrikeen/associaters.

22:34  وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ جَعَلْنَا مَنسَكًا لِّيَذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ عَلَىٰ مَا رَزَقَهُم مِّن بَهِيمَةِ الْأَنْعَامِ ۗ فَإِلَٰهُكُمْ إِلَٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ فَلَهُ أَسْلِمُوا ۗ وَبَشِّرِ الْمُخْبِتِينَ

To every people did We appoint rites, that they may remember the name of Allah over the sustenance He gave them from animals/cattle. Your God is One God. submit to Him (in Islam). and give the good news to those who humble themselves,-

3:93 كُلُّ الطَّعَامِ كَانَ حِلًّا لِّبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ إِلَّا مَا حَرَّمَ إِسْرَائِيلُ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِهِ مِن قَبْلِ أَن تُنَزَّلَ التَّوْرَاةُ ۗ قُلْ فَأْتُوا بِالتَّوْرَاةِ فَاتْلُوهَا إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ

All food was lawful to the Children of Israel, except what Israel made unlawful for itself, before the Taurat/Law was revealed. Say. “Bring the Taurat/Law and recite it, if you are truthful.”

All good food was lawful to children of Israeel, except that there were certain foods that Israel on their own, had made unlawful for himself before the Taurat/law was made clear. Israel is the one who as per ayat 17:03 was in the ark of prophet Nooh (a.s) i.e among the first generation of people with the prophet. They considered certain good food unlawful for them following traditions which was otherwise good and lawful and no prohibition of it was in Allah’s book (Taurat). So after Taurat (the ayahs of the Book containing explicit orders 3:7, 5:43) was clarified for them by the prophet, they should have let self imposed restrictions to go away.  

6:148  سَيَقُولُ الَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا لَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ مَا أَشْرَكْنَا وَلَا آبَاؤُنَا وَلَا حَرَّمْنَا مِن شَيْءٍ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ كَذَّبَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ حَتَّىٰ ذَاقُوا بَأْسَنَا ۗ قُلْ هَلْ عِندَكُم مِّنْ عِلْمٍ فَتُخْرِجُوهُ لَنَا ۖ إِن تَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا الظَّنَّ وَإِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلَّا تَخْرُصُونَ

The people who set up partners (with Allah) shall say, “Had Allah willed, we would not have established partners with Allah, nor would our forefathers, nor would we prohibit anything.” Thus did those before them lied, until they incurred our retribution. Say, “Do you have any knowledge that you can show us? You follow nothing but conjecture; and you only make guesses.”

The people who share others’ orders with Allah’s orders, bring forth strange logics in matter of declaration of lawful and unlawful things, which they do on their own accord without authority from Allah. Their logic is that what they are doing  is as per will of Allah. In other words, Allah would have prevented them to do what they are doing, if it were not consented by Allah. 

Regarding haram and halal, people say absurd things and make a long list of haram items, so Allah says sarcastically how do you make such absurd statements ?Allah forbids in declaring halal and haram food without an authority from Him i.e from The Book. The following ayahs show the tone of anger and sarcasm by Allah to those who do the same in issuing strange fatwas in matters of declaring food lawful or otherwise:

6:143-144  ثَمَانِيَةَ أَزْوَاجٍ ۖ مِّنَ الضَّأْنِ اثْنَيْنِ وَمِنَ الْمَعْزِ اثْنَيْنِ ۗ قُلْ آلذَّكَرَيْنِ حَرَّمَ أَمِ الْأُنثَيَيْنِ أَمَّا اشْتَمَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ أَرْحَامُ الْأُنثَيَيْنِ ۖ نَبِّئُونِي بِعِلْمٍ إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ  وَمِنَ الْإِبِلِ اثْنَيْنِ وَمِنَ الْبَقَرِ اثْنَيْنِ ۗ قُلْ آلذَّكَرَيْنِ حَرَّمَ أَمِ الْأُنثَيَيْنِ أَمَّا اشْتَمَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ أَرْحَامُ الْأُنثَيَيْنِ ۖ أَمْ كُنتُمْ شُهَدَاءَ إِذْ وَصَّاكُمُ اللَّهُ بِهَٰذَا ۚ فَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنِ افْتَرَىٰ عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا لِّيُضِلَّ النَّاسَ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ

Eight pairs: from the sheep two, and from the goats two; say, “Is it the two males that He forbade or the two females, or what the womb of the two females bore? Inform me if you are truthful!” Of camels a pair, and oxen a pair; say, has He forbidden the two males, or the two females, or (the young) which the wombs of the two females enclose? – Were you present when Allah ordered you such a thing? But who does more wrong than one who invents a lie against Allah, to lead astray men without knowledge? For Allah does not guide the nation of wrongdoers.

In a sarcastic way, emphasizing the absurdity of the people who issues fatwas of haram and halal foods, Allah directs more detailed questions to the proponents of those prohibitions. These verses in a linguistic way expose those who follow man-made fabrications based on an assumption that, “Allah’s Word is not detailed.” and details are provided in books other than Allah’s book.  Allah informs us that His word is sufficiently detailed, and there is no limit for details if one wishes to ask more by asking further un-necessary questions.

6:140  قَدْ خَسِرَ الَّذِينَ قَتَلُوا أَوْلَادَهُمْ سَفَهًا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ وَحَرَّمُوا مَا رَزَقَهُمُ اللَّهُ افْتِرَاءً عَلَى اللَّهِ ۚ قَدْ ضَلُّوا وَمَا كَانُوا مُهْتَدِينَ

Losers are those who slayed their children with foolishness, without knowledge, and forbade food which Allah has provided for them, inventing (lies) against Allah. They have indeed gone astray and indeed they are not guided.

The partners of Allah are those who glorify the ware fare and encourage people to willfully send their off-springs to be killed in false holy wars. They are the same people who issues fatwas of the legality of food for which they cannot present evidence from Allah’s book. 

5:5  الْيَوْمَ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ الطَّيِّبَاتُ ۖ وَطَعَامُ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ حِلٌّ لَّكُمْ وَطَعَامُكُمْ حِلٌّ لَّهُمْ ….

This day are (all) things good and pure made lawful unto you. The food of the People of the Book is lawful unto you and yours is lawful unto them.

The day on which you realize that you have to take directions from Allah’s book and leave the restrictions on food which are not based on Allah’s book, all good tayyab foods becomes lawful to you. Also, the food of the people of the book is lawful to you and your food is lawful to them, so this point should not become a constraint in socializing with them. Please note that people of the book are those who adhere to the Book of Allah, not other books which are not given by Allah e.g Bible.

6:136  وَجَعَلُوا لِلَّهِ مِمَّا ذَرَأَ مِنَ الْحَرْثِ وَالْأَنْعَامِ نَصِيبًا فَقَالُوا هَٰذَا لِلَّهِ بِزَعْمِهِمْ وَهَٰذَا لِشُرَكَائِنَا ۖ فَمَا كَانَ لِشُرَكَائِهِمْ فَلَا يَصِلُ إِلَى اللَّهِ ۖ وَمَا كَانَ لِلَّهِ فَهُوَ يَصِلُ إِلَىٰ شُرَكَائِهِمْ ۗ سَاءَ مَا يَحْكُمُونَ

Out of what Allah has produced of tilth and cattle, they assigned Him a share. They say, according to their fancies. “This is for Allah, and this” – for our “partners”! but the share of their” partners “does not reach Allah, while the share of Allah reaches their “partners” ! evil (and unjust) is what they order.

Some food and animals are reserved for some saints and during the ritual of ‘nazar’ portions of these foods are segregated and names of Allah and the partners (supposed saints) are proclaimed on these portions of foods. 

6:138 وَقَالُوا هَٰذِهِ أَنْعَامٌ وَحَرْثٌ حِجْرٌ لَّا يَطْعَمُهَا إِلَّا مَن نَّشَاءُ بِزَعْمِهِمْ وَأَنْعَامٌ حُرِّمَتْ ظُهُورُهَا وَأَنْعَامٌ لَّا يَذْكُرُونَ اسْمَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهَا افْتِرَاءً عَلَيْهِ ۚ سَيَجْزِيهِم بِمَا كَانُوا يَفْتَرُونَ

And they say that such and such cattle and crops are taboo, and none should eat of them except those whom – so they say – We wish; further, there are cattle forbidden to ride, and cattle on which, the name of Allah is not pronounced; – inventions against Allah’s name. Soon will He requite them for their inventions.

There are some animals which are Halal, however they don’t slaughter them because they consider them to be Haram. Some animals used for riding are reserved for processions and they are not used for riding. They give ‘Nazar’ on some food items and only caste members can eat from ‘Nazar’ its not open for all public to eat. These people are exposed in above ayat. 

16:56  وَيَجْعَلُونَ لِمَا لَا يَعْلَمُونَ نَصِيبًا مِّمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ ۗ تَاللَّهِ لَتُسْأَلُنَّ عَمَّا كُنتُمْ تَفْتَرُونَ

And they assign, to those they do not know, a portion of their sustenance! bestowed by Allah. , you shall certainly be called to account for your false inventions.

In ayat 2:219 , Quran informs us that khmar/intoxicants have big sin in them and in ayat 7:33, it states that big sins are forbidden. 

2:219 يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْخَمْرِ وَالْمَيْسِرِ ۖ قُلْ فِيهِمَا إِثْمٌ كَبِيرٌ وَمَنَافِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَإِثْمُهُمَا أَكْبَرُ مِن نَّفْعِهِمَا ۗ وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ مَاذَا يُنفِقُونَ قُلِ الْعَفْوَ ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمُ الْآيَاتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَفَكَّرُونَ

They ask you concerning intoxicants and gambling. Say. “In them is great sin, and some profit, for people; but the sin is greater than the profit. They ask you concerning what they should spend? Say “pardon/overlook”, likewise Allah clarifies His ayahs/signs to you so that you may ponder.

7:33 قُلْ إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ رَبِّيَ الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ وَالْإِثْمَ وَالْبَغْيَ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَأَن تُشْرِكُوا بِاللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ سُلْطَانًا وَأَن تَقُولُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

Say. my Lord has indeed forbidden shameful acts, whether open or secret; sins and unjust trespassing; and that you associate partners with Allah, for whom He has sent down no authority; and that you say things about Allah that you do not know.