The reason why it is forbidden to eat meat without draining the blood

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Say (O Muhammad): I find not in that which has been
revealed to me anything forbidden to be eaten by one who wishes to eat it,
unless it be Maytah (a dead animal) or blood poured forth (by slaughtering
or the like), or the flesh of swine (pork); for that surely, is impure or
impious (unlawful) meat (of an animal) which is slaughtered as a sacrifice
for others than Allaah (or has been slaughtered for idols, or on which
Allaah’s Name has not been mentioned while slaughtering). But whosoever is
forced by necessity without wilful disobedience, nor transgressing due
limits; (for him) certainly, your Lord is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful”

[al-An’aam 6:145]

Blood is the reason why it is forbidden to eat meat that has
not been slaughtered according to sharee’ah. Our sharee’ah intends that the
slaughtered animal should be drained of blood as completely as possible, and
that is because of the extreme harm that would result from eating its
blood. 

It does not make sense, and it is unacceptable to suggest,
that Islam would set out all these conditions to get rid of the blood of the
slaughtered animal in the manner prescribed, then allow us to drink or eat
blood after it is drained from the animal. For this reason it is a definite
fact that Islam has forbidden blood as a means of nutrition for man. Rather
this prohibition is a clear sign of the wisdom and purpose of sharee’ah in
purifying the animal by draining the blood from it because blood is one of
the most evil and unlawful kinds of food, which the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) was sent to abolish.  

“he allows them as lawful At-Tayyibaat (i.e. all good and
lawful as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons and foods), and prohibits
them as unlawful Al-Khabaa’ith (i.e. all evil and unlawful as regards
things, deeds, beliefs, persons and foods)”

[al-A’raaf 7:157 – interpretation of the meaning]

Al-Tabari said in his Tafseer: “ The phrase ‘blood
poured forth’ means blood that flows copiously. This is how Allaah
described the blood when He told His slaves that it is haraam. ‘Ikrimah
said: were it not for this aayah, the Muslims would gone to extremes in
avoiding the blood that remains in the veins as the Jews do. Al-Maawardi
said that with regard to blood that is not ‘poured forth’, if it has
solidified in the veins, as in the liver and spleen, then it is halaal,
because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“Two kinds of dead meat and two kinds of blood have been permitted to us…” 

The reason why the blood that is “poured forth” is forbidden
to us is because of the information that has become well known and well
established nowadays among the doctors and those who carry out medical tests
and study microscopic creatures, which is that blood is considered to be the
optimum environment for the growth of germs. So if a person drinks blood it
is as if he has drunk a “farm” for growing germs, in which the germs can
multiply and grow, producing lethal poisons which, as is well known, have
extremely harmful effects which result in germs invading the human body
resulting in the person contracting contagious and lethal diseases. 

If it is said that cooking the blood and eating it will
surely kill these bacteria and microbes and put an end to them whilst
preserving the hoped-for nutritional benefits of the blood, our answer is
that some of these toxins cannot be altered by boiling and changed in such a
manner that they become beneficial to the body. There are some that do not
change at all, rather they remain lethal poisons even after being boiled, or
the heat may alter them in such a way that they become even more lethal and
harmful. 

With regard to the benefits expected by the one who drinks
blood thinking that it is a nutritious substance that strengthens the body,
these benefits are non-existent, if we examine the composition of blood.
Blood is very difficult to digest, so much so that if some of it is poured
into a man’s stomach, he will vomit immediately, or it will come out in his
stools without having been digested, in the form of a black substance. The
reason why it is so hard to digest and it turns the stools black is the
presence of the red substance (haemoglobin) which is basically formed of
iron. As the blood passes through the digestive tract and as time passes, it
starts to disintegrate and break down, and thus it also harms the body. If
it were said that cooking also helps to break down the components of blood
and make it easier to digest and benefit from its nutritional value, our
answer is that boiling solidifies the proteins in the blood and makes it
even more difficult to digest, more harmful and less beneficial. 

After hundreds of scientific experiments and huge
advancements in modern science, carrying out blood tests and precise
scientific research in this field, it has become indisputably clear to all
those who are concerned with human health of all nationalities and
specialties that the great harm done to health by eating blood or cooking it
and using it all boil down to the fact that drinking blood is ingesting a
lethal poison. This is clear from the following scientific facts: 

1 – Blood is basically composed of two basic elements, namely
water which represents 90% of the liquid in which the components of blood
swim (which is known as plasma). The rest is formed of blood cells and other
elements. The one who wants to drink blood or cook it and eat it does so
because he wants to consume something with a high or regular nutritional
value. But these scientific facts prove that he would have to drink such a
huge amount of blood in order to avail himself of a small amount of blood
protein and a little bit of iron that it is not worth the risk of exposing
himself to the dangers that result from that. 

In brief, blood is the opposite of what people think, it is
very poor in nutritional values. Therefore the fact that it is forbidden
does not mean that the Muslims are being deprived of any major nutritional
benefit. 

2 – Major harm may result from this small amount of blood
protein mixed with very harmful and poisonous elements, which means that
ingesting it poses a great risk and puts a person in danger. Foremost among
these dangers is the poisonous gas with which blood is filled, namely carbon
dioxide which flows in venous blood from all parts of the body. 

Because the one who drinks blood takes it from the animal
when it is full of carbon dioxide, which is a gas that kills by
asphyxiation. When a person dies of asphyxiation, it is because of the
accumulation of this gas in his blood, the lethal effects of which result in
death. 

So it is obvious that repeatedly drinking blood which is
filled with carbon dioxide, on the part of one who is accustomed to this
practice, will lead to harmful results depending on the extent to which this
gas is present in the animal’s blood and the extent to which the body of the
drinker is susceptible to it. 

What we have mentioned here are only the effects that result
from the components of blood on the one who drinks it or eats it after
cooking it. We have also mentioned other extremely harmful effects which are
directly connected to the specific functions that Allaah has created in
blood and the roles that it plays in the animal’s body, functions that
cannot be performed unless the blood is in a liquid, flowing state. If we
were to content ourselves with the above bad effects of using blood for
food, that would be sufficient to make any nation that appreciates knowledge
to promulgate laws banning this practice, even if that nation was kaafir. 

“He grants Hikmah [wisdom] to whom He wills, and he, to
whom Hikmah is granted, is indeed granted abundant good. But none remember
(will receive admonition) except men of understanding”

[al-Baqarah 2:269 – interpretation of the meaning]

Glory be to the One Who taught the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) that which he did not know and bestowed
that blessing upon him. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Allaah has sent down to you the book (the Qur’aan), and
Al-Hikmah (Islamic laws, knowledge of legal and illegal things, i.e. the
Prophet’s Sunnah — legal ways), and taught you that which you knew not. And
Ever Great is the Grace of Allaah unto you (O Muhammad)”[al-Nisa’ 4:113]

Glory be to the One Who
honoured the world with this true religion which has not left any major or
minor matter without explaining to mankind the right way and the straight
path. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Indeed, there has come to you from Allaah a light
(Prophet Muhammad) and a plain Book (this Qur’aan).

16. Wherewith Allaah guides all those who seek His Good
Pleasure to ways of peace, and He brings them out of darkness by His Will
unto light and guides them to the Straight Way (Islamic Monotheism)” [al-Maa’idah
5:15-16]