93. " every food was lawful to the children of israel except what israel
(jacob) had forbidden to himself before the torah was sent down.
say: ` bring you hither then the torah and read it,
if you are truthful'."

commentary:
it is cited in some commentary books that the children of israel
raised objections to the prophet of islam (p.b.u.h.) that if his teachings
were adopted to the teachings of the former prophets, such as abraham,
moses, and issac (a.s.), why he (p.b.u.h.) did not decree meat and milk of
camel unlawful.

in answer to them, this verse was revealed saying that all kinds of
food were lawful to the israelites, but it was the israel himself that made
some of foods unlawful for himself.

" every food was lawful to the children of israel except what israel
(jacob) had forbidden to himself before the torah was sent down.
say: ` bring you hither then the torah and read it,
if you are truthful'."

the reason for this treatment, as it has been mentioned in some
authentic commentary books, is that whenever israel consumed these kinds
of food (meat of camel, for example), they were harmful for him and
caused him to be physically unhealthy. therefore, he avoided eating those
sorts of food but the children of israel thought that it was an eternal
canonical prohibition.
1

the arabic term /ta`am/ `food' is applied for something which is
tasteful for human beings. the qur'anic word /hill/ means: ` to be free
from , or released from ', therefore /t¤a`am-i-halal / is stated for ` the lawful
edible things '.


1 in tafsir nimunah, vol. 3, p. 6, it is cited that eating meat of camel caused
 his sciatic nerve to be moved and pain appeared in his feet.