MUHARRAMAT (THE FORBIDDEN THINGS)

1. Allah (Glory be to Him) has prescribed for us in the Holy Qur’an and in the
Sunnah (Traditions of the Prophet) many laws:

2. Some of these are obligations and others are Muharramat (forbidden things, when something is prohibited we say it is Haram).

3. As for the obligations, I have already pointed them out previously.

4. As for the Muharramat, some of the most important of them are the following:

First: Forbidden Foods:

1. Dead Meat: These are the dead bodies of animals which died naturally, (i.e. without being Islamically slaughtered) or by being strangled, or by falling from a high place, or by being partly eaten by a wild animal, and were not slaughtered before being dead.

2. Also, those animals slaughtered by other than Muslims, Jews or Christians.

3. But the meats of dead sea animals are not forbidden.

4. Blood poured forth.

5. Flesh of the Pig (pork).

6. Meat which has, when slaughtered, had the name of anything or anyone other than Allah invoked upon it, or that was slaughtered to glorify any one other than Allah.

7. The meat of beasts of prey, such as lions, dogs... etc, and those of preying birds
that attack with their claws, such as eagles, vultures… etc.

8. The meat of domestic donkeys and asses.

9. The meat of animals that feed on filthy things, except if they are isolated and fed clean food for sufficient time.

10. Any food spoiled by filth until it is cleaned by water if it is possible.

11. Wine and all kinds of intoxicants.

12. Foodstuffs containing toxic elements which are harmful to our bodies.

Second: Forbidden Deeds: Allah Hates these deeds and their doers and punishes them:

1. To associate (in worship) anything or anyone with Allah.

2. To be disobedient to our parents.

3. To give false testimony.

4. To kill a person whom Allah has forbidden to, except by Law (Legally).

5. Adultery and fornication.

6. To steal.

7. To take anything, unjustly, from the property of an orphan,

8. To desert the battle-field while fighting unbelievers.

9. To falsely accuse with adultery or fornication a chaste Muslim woman or man.

10. To uncover “Awra” infront of anybody.

11. To take others’ wealth illegally, by means of bribery, robbery trickery, or deceit.

12. To bribe in order to take others’ properties illegally, or to get what you have no
right to.

13. To marry mother, daughter, sister, paternal aunt, maternal aunt, brother’s daughter, sister’s daughter, whether they are through blood or foster relationship, your father’s wife, your son’s wife, your wife’s mother or daughter.

14. A Muslim man is not permitted to marry a non-Muslim woman unless she becomes Muslim.

15. A Muslim woman is not permitted to marry a non-Muslim man, even a Christian or a Jew, unless he becomes a Muslim.

16. To take part in back-biting or scandals.