ذَٰلِكَ وَمَن يُعَظِّمْ حُرُمَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّهُۥ عِندَ رَبِّهِۦ ۗ وَأُحِلَّتْ لَكُمُ ٱلْأَنْعَـٰمُ إِلَّا مَا يُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ ۖ فَٱجْتَنِبُوا۟ ٱلرِّجْسَ مِنَ ٱلْأَوْثَـٰنِ وَٱجْتَنِبُوا۟ قَوْلَ ٱلزُّورِ 30
Translations
That [has been commanded], and whoever honors the sacred ordinances of Allāh - it is best for him in the sight of his Lord. And permitted to you are the grazing livestock, except what is recited to you. So avoid the uncleanliness of idols and avoid false statement,
Transliteration
Dhālika wa-man yu'aẓẓim ḥurumāt Allāh fa-huwa khayrun lahu 'inda rabbihi wa-uḥillat lakum al-an'ām illā mā yutlā 'alaykum fa-jtanibū al-rijsa min al-awthān wa-jtanibū qawl al-zūr
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes that honoring the sacred boundaries and ordinances of Allah (ḥurumāt Allāh) brings benefit to the believer in the sight of their Lord. It then permits the consumption of livestock animals except those prohibited by Islamic law, commanding believers to avoid idolatry and false speech. Classical scholars like Al-Qurtubi emphasize that ḥurumāt Allāh encompasses all divine prohibitions—the sacred months, sacred places, sacred rites, and the commandments of halal and haram—and their observance demonstrates piety and obedience.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Hajj (Medinan), revealed in the context of regulating pilgrimage rites and clarifying Islamic dietary laws during the Prophet's time in Medina. It addresses the pagan Arab practice of dedicating certain animals to idols and declaring them forbidden, correcting this by establishing that Allah alone determines what is permissible and prohibited.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: 'Whoever honors the sacred things of Allah, for him is good in the sight of his Lord' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi). Additionally, 'The most hated speech to Allah is false and lying words' (related by Abu Dawud), reinforcing the prohibition against false speech mentioned in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers should recognize that respecting Allah's divine boundaries—whether in worship, speech, or conduct—demonstrates genuine piety and brings spiritual benefit. In our modern context, this teaches us to honor Islamic principles with sincerity, abandon falsehood and deception, and understand that true prosperity comes from submitting to Allah's ordinances.