5:103

Sura 5:3 describes a pagan practice of dividing the meat through a game of chance, yet God informs us that such meat is not prohibited (more on this topic in the next section below). Another common pagan practice among early Arabs was to set aside a portion of their crops and livestock to their idols.

[6:136] They even set aside a share of GOD’s provisions of crops and livestock, saying, “This share belongs to GOD,” according to their claims, “and this share belongs to our idols.” However, what was set aside for their idols never reached GOD, while the share they set aside for GOD invariably went to their idols. Miserable indeed is their judgment.

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

This practice was so rampant that they had specific names for certain kinds of livestock that they deemed prohibited for eating because they were considered to be dedicated to their idols. This is best depicted in the following verse:

[5:103] GOD did not prohibit livestock that begets certain combinations of males and females, nor livestock liberated by an oath, nor the one that begets two males in a row, nor the bull that fathers ten. It is the disbelievers who invented such lies about GOD. Most of them do not understand.

مَا جَعَلَ اللَّهُ مِنْ بَحِيرَةٍ وَلَا سَائِبَةٍ وَلَا وَصِيلَةٍ وَلَا حَامٍ وَلَٰكِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ

These different kinds of livestock in the Arabic of 5:103 are not spelled out like in the translation. The Arabic, on the other hand, uses the pagan names for this list of animals that the pagan Arabs determined were set aside for their idols and, therefore, prohibited from being slaughtered for food. These names are the following:

• Bahirah (بَحِيرَةٍ): livestock that begets certain combinations of males and females

• Saibah (سَائِبَةٍ): livestock liberated by an oath

• Wasilah (وَصِيلَةٍ): cattle that begets two males in a row

• Hami (حَامٍ): a bull that fathers ten

1	mā	مَا	Not
2	jaʿala	جَعَلَ	[He] made
3	l-lahu	ٱللَّهُ	God
4	min	مِنۢ	of
5	baḥīratin	بَحِيرَةٍ	a Bahirah (*livestock that begets certain combination of males and females),
6	walā	وَلَا	and not
7	sāibatin	سَآئِبَةٍ	a Saibah (*livestock liberated by an oath),
8	walā	وَلَا	and not
9	waṣīlatin	وَصِيلَةٍ	a Wasilah (*cattle that begets two males in a row),
10	walā	وَلَا	and not
11	ḥāmin	حَامٍ	Hami (*a bull that fathers ten).
12	walākinna	وَلَـٰكِنَّ	But
13	alladhīna	ٱلَّذِينَ	those who
14	kafarū	كَفَرُوا۟	[they] disbelieved
15	yaftarūna	يَفْتَرُونَ	they fabricate
16	ʿalā	عَلَى	against
17	l-lahi	ٱللَّهِ	God
18	l-kadhiba	ٱلْكَذِبَ	the lie,
19	wa-aktharuhum	وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ	and most of them
20	lā	لَا	(do) not
21	yaʿqilūna	يَعْقِلُونَ	they understand.

Here is the verse translated by Dr. Rashad Khalifa in his 1981 translation of the Quran.

Quran Final Testament, 1981, Rashad Khalifa, Sura 5 verse 103

Sura 5:103 describes livestock that is dedicated to other than God, which the pagans prohibited others from slaughtering and killing, yet God tells us that if we abide by these pagan rituals due to their dedications, we would be innovating by giving pagans the power of making lawful food unlawful for us to eat.

We are informed that we should not attribute lies to God and that prohibiting food that is not prohibited is tantamount to idol worship.

[16:116] You shall not utter lies with your own tongues stating: “This is lawful, and this is unlawful,” to fabricate lies and attribute them to GOD. Surely, those who fabricate lies and attribute them to GOD will never succeed.

وَلَا تَقُولُوا لِمَا تَصِفُ أَلْسِنَتُكُمُ الْكَذِبَ هَٰذَا حَلَالٌ وَهَٰذَا حَرَامٌ لِتَفْتَرُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ لَا يُفْلِحُونَ

This is also echoed in the footnote for 2:172-173 by Dr. Rashad Khalifa

Footnote 2:172-173: Throughout the Quran, only four meats are prohibited (6:145, 16:115, Appendix 16). Dietary prohibitions beyond these four are tantamount to idol worship (6:121,148, 150; 7:32).