Answer: The style adopted by the
Qur’ān in prohibiting the swine is what we call synechdoche in linguistics, that
is "to imply the whole while referring to the part". In other words, by
referring to the part (lahm: meat) the whole (everything which can be eaten from
a pig's body) is implied. Therefore, its fat, bones or any other part of its
body which can be eaten is forbidden.
Such linguistic styles are found
in every language. For example, we say in Urdu: Bakray kā gosht halal hay (a
goat's meat is halal). The statement does not mean that the meat only of a goat
is halal while its bones and fats are forbidden. What we are actually implying
here is that a goat is a halal animal as a whole. |