Bahirah, Sa'ibah, Wasilah, Ham
بَحِيرَةٍ وَلَا سَائِبَةٍ وَلَا وَصِيلَةٍ وَلَا حَامٍ
Bahirah, Sa'ibah, Wasilah, and Ham refer to specific pre-Islamic Arabian customs concerning livestock, where certain animals were designated with special, often superstitious, statuses. These traditions involved restricting the use, slaughter, or consumption of these animals based on human-made rules rather than divine guidance. For instance, a 'bahirah' was a camel whose ear was slit, dedicated to idols and freed from work, while a 'sa'ibah' was an animal released after a vow, and a 'ham' was a stud camel freed from use. The Quran explicitly clarifies that [Allah has not appointed such innovations as bahirah or sa'ibah or wasilah or ham]. Instead, it states that [those who disbelieve invent falsehood about Allah, and most of them do not reason]. This emphatic rejection by Islam underscores a core principle: that dietary laws and religious obligations come directly from God, not from human superstition or invented traditions. The Quran condemns those who [invent untruth about Him] by forbidding what Allah has made lawful, reminding believers that true guidance comes from divine revelation alone, freeing humanity from arbitrary restrictions and superstitions.
Quran 2 verses
مَا جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ مِنۢ بَحِيرَةٍ وَلَا سَآئِبَةٍ وَلَا وَصِيلَةٍ وَلَا حَامٍ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلْكَذِبَ وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ
Maa ja'alal laahu mim baheeratinw wa laa saaa'ibatinw wa laa waseelatinw wa laa haaminw wa laakinnal lazeena kafaroo yaftaroona 'alallaahil kazib; wa aksaruhum laa ya'qiloon
Allah has not appointed [such innovations as] bahirah or sa'ibah or wasilah or ham. But those who disbelieve invent falsehood about Allah, and most of them do not reason.
خدا نے نہ تو بحیرہ کچھ چیز بنایا ہے اور نہ سائبہ اور نہ وصیلہ اور نہ حام بلکہ کافر خدا پر جھوٹ افترا کرتے ہیں اور یہ اکثر عقل نہیں رکھتے
Commentary
وَقَالُوا۟ هَٰذِهِۦٓ أَنْعَٰمٌ وَحَرْثٌ حِجْرٌ لَّا يَطْعَمُهَآ إِلَّا مَن نَّشَآءُ بِزَعْمِهِمْ وَأَنْعَٰمٌ حُرِّمَتْ ظُهُورُهَا وَأَنْعَٰمٌ لَّا يَذْكُرُونَ ٱسْمَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْهَا ٱفْتِرَآءً عَلَيْهِ سَيَجْزِيهِم بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَفْتَرُونَ
Wa qaaloo haaziheee an'aamunw wa harsun hijrun laa yat'amuhaaa illaa man nashaaa'u biza'mihim wa an'aamun hurrimat zuhooruhaa wa an'aamul laa yazkuroonas mal laahi 'alaihaf tiraaa'an 'alaih; sa yajzeehim bimaa kaanoo yaftaroon
And they say, "These animals and crops are forbidden; no one may eat from them except whom we will," by their claim. And there are those [camels] whose backs are forbidden [by them] and those upon which the name of Allah is not mentioned - [all of this] an invention of untruth about Him. He will punish them for what they were inventing.
اور اپنے خیال سے یہ بھی کہتے ہیں کہ یہ چارپائے اور کھیتی منع ہے اسے اس شخص کے سوا جسے ہم چاہیں کوئی نہ کھائے اور (بعض) چارپائے ایسے ہیں کہ ان کی پیٹ پر چڑھنا منع کر دیا گیا ہے اور بعض مویشی ایسے ہیں جن پر (ذبح کرتے وقت) خدا کا نام نہیں لیتے سب خدا پر جھوٹ ہے وہ عنقریب ان کو ان کے جھوٹ کا بدلہ دے گا
Commentary
A detailed scholarly analysis for this topic is not yet available. Get in touch to request one.