The wisdom behind the prohibition of blood in the Qur’an

He has only forbidden you carrion, blood and pork and what has been consecrated to other than Allah. But anyone who is forced to eat it – without desiring it or going to excess in it – commits no crime. Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Surat al-Baqara, 173)

The wisdom behind Allah’s prohibition of blood emerged during the 20th century. By carrying vitamins, hormones, oxygen and substances such as protein, sugar and fat absorbed during digestion to the cells, blood makes it possible for life to survive. On the other hand, it also carries various toxins and waste products that need to be expelled from the body. One of the most important tasks performed by blood is to transport substances such as urea, uric acid, keratin and carbon dioxide that need to be removed from the body.

Therefore, in the event that significant quantities of blood are consumed, the level of products in the body that should be expelled will rise considerably. That will increase the levels of urea, harmful substances transported to the kidneys for expulsion from the body. This can impair brain functions and even result in coma. That is why, because of its very nature, there will always be harmful compounds in blood, even if taken from healthy animals. If it is taken from a sick animal, various parasites and germs will also be transmitted in it. In that event, the germs may multiply and spread throughout the body. And that is the real danger. If someone consumes blood, all the germs and waste products in it may spread through the body and lead to such diseases as kidney insufficiency or liver coma. In addition, most of the microbes carried in the blood may cause other diseases by damaging the lining of the stomach and the intestines.

What is more, blood is not a sterile environment; to put it another way, it is ideal for germs to grow in. i Since microbes have excellent opportunities to feed in blood, it represents an ideal environment for them. When in equilibrium with the functions of the other fluids in the body and the immune system, blood does not support micro-organisms, and therefore disease. In a healthy individual, these micro-organisms live by making use of one another inside the body. When that environment is seriously impaired, when the internal equilibrium is damaged, in other words, they may turn into micro-organisms that cause disease when they find the appropriate surroundings.

For example, when the blood pH level (acid and alkali balance) is imbalanced because of poor nutrition or harmful chemicals, harmless microbes can change into ones that cause disease. If the body is to be healthy, the pH level of the blood should be around 7.3. Even small variations in that level may cause that balance to be impaired and cause micro-organisms to become more harmful in order to adapt to their surroundings. Blood being sterile may be compared to milk going off when left outside. Microbes already present in the blood exhibit harmful effects by adapting to their new environment. ii

In addition to all this, blood is not suitable for use as a food product. The level of digestible proteins such as albumin, globulin and fibrinogen is low; just 8 grams in 100 ml. of blood. The same applies to fats. In addition, blood contains a high level of hemoglobin, a complex protein that is very difficult to digest and is unacceptable to the stomach. When blood clots, the protein fibrinogen gives rise to a plate containing erythrocytes (red blood corpuscles) by turning into fibrin. Fibrin is one of the hardest proteins to digest, thus making blood even more difficult to digest. In conclusion, health experts agree that blood is unfit for human consumption in any form.

After saying: “Unlawful for you are carrion, blood and pork, and what has been consecrated to other than Allah, and animals which have been strangled, and animals which have been killed by a blow, and animals which have fallen to their death, and animals which have been gored, and animals which wild beasts have eaten – except those you are able to slaughter properly – and animals which have been sacrificed on altars, and deciding things by means of divining arrows – that is deviance….” Almighty Allah goes on to say…” But if anyone is forced by hunger, not intending any wrongdoing, Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful” (meaning that an exception can be made.) (Surat al-Ma’ida, 3) People of the time were unaware of the wisdom behind it, but were protected by abiding by Allah’s prohibition. Those who believe and trust in Allah and comply with His commandments and prohibitions will enjoy auspicious lives in terms of the Hereafter and also live under Allah’s protection and infinite mercy.

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References:

i http://www.explorepub.com/articles/enderlein1.html; Karl Windstosser, Polymorphic Symbionts as Potential Cofactors in Cancer Processes”, Explore, Vol. 7, no. 6, 1997.
ii http://biomedx.com/microscopes/rrintro/rr2.html