ANSWERED: why is pork haram?

[hole299]

Asslamualikum.

Recently I went out for lunch with a non-muslim co-worker of mine and we started disscussing haram and halal foods. She asked me why pork is haram? I told her because they eat unclean things (e.g. feces). To which she said that chickens too eat their feces. I was stumped, I did not have an answer to her question. So does anybody here know why pork is haram?

Wasalaam.

[abby]

Salamu'alaikum, I'm not sure why pork is haraam...but what I do know is that it's very difficult to rationalize everything. No doubt, it's good to find the wisdom as to why Allah has prohibited, and allowed things. It's also very good to explain these wisdoms, but at the end of the day, you won't be able to rationalize everything, and one thing you gotta drive home, is that you do things because Allah said so. You have to explain that Allah is perfect, we put our trust in Him, and we submit to him before anything.

[Muawiyah]

The proper answer to why something is haraam is that it's haraam because Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala forbade us from eating it. Allah Ta'ala is not asked why He does this or that "He is not asked about what He does but they are asked". surah Anbiyaa ayah 23. So when we know something is definitely from Allah Ta'ala we cannot question it. This was also taught to us by our mother Sayyidah Aishah Radhi Allaahu `anhu when she was asked such a question by a woman she {radhi Allaahu 'anha} asked that woman in reply, "are you a Hururiyah? {a member of a devient group}. The hadeeth is in sahih Muslim

Some of the Ulama have compiled benefits of the orders of Allah Subahnahu wa Ta'la but this is possibly to convince non-Muslims or rationalist sects and not actually the REASON for the order.

I'd like to know why some of the Ulama have spoken of the hikmah behind some of the ahkaam?

[UmmIbrahimIsa]

2:219 => They ask you about drinking and gambling. Say: "There is great harm in both, although there is some benefit for men, but their sin is greater than their benefit." And they ask you what they should spend; say: "What is superfluous." Thus Allah makes plain to you His revelations, so that you may ponder.

(Drinking wine or any other kind of alcoholic beverage is, in the Islamic vision, a prohibited vice. However, just because it has been prohibited does not mean that it has no benefit, but only that its harm outweighs its benefit.

Similarly with gambling; the one who gains something in gambling appears to gain some benefit, but since the practice as a whole yields, on balance more suffering than advantage, the Lord has forbidden it).

5:90-91 => O you who believe! Intoxicants and gambling and stones and divining arrows are only an infamy of Satan's handiwork. Leave them aside in order that you may succeed.
Satan seeks only to ast among you enmity and hatred by means of strong drink and gambling, and to turn you from remembrance of Allah and from His worship. WIll you not then abstain? ( During the period of ignorance before Islam the pagan Arabs were given to drinking wine and other alcoholic drinks.
The Islamic prohibition was effected in three stages. Allah first discouraged the believing Muslims from drinking wine, drawing to their attention the fact that there was more evil than benefit in intoxicants.

Later, they were forbidden from praying while under the influence of alcohol. With the above verse, the practice was definitively forbidden. At the same time, gambling was also outlawed, the two vices having many of the same properties.

The "arrows" referred to were used for the division of meant by a sort of lottery or raffle. They were also used for divinition, for example, in ascertaining lucky or inauspicious moments, or learning the wishes of the heathen gods, as to whether men should undertake certain actions or not.

All superstitions, whether or not they seem to have an occult reality, are outlawed by God's Law).


2:73=> He has only forbidden you carrion, blood, and swine, and that which has been consecrated (to the name of) any other than Allah. But he who is driven by necessity, neither craving nor transgressing, it is no sin for him. For Allah is Forgiving,Merciful. (Since Islam is the religion of ease, absolute necessity renders permissible certain things which are normally forbidden, for as long as such conditions continue. Hence a man may eat of pig or other impurities if he will otherwise be in real danger of starvation; for Allah is Forgiving, Mericful).


6:118-119,121 => Eat of that over which the name of Allah has been mentioned, if you are believers in His revelations. How should you not eat of meats over which the name of Allah has been mentioned, when He has explained to you that which is forbidden to you, unless you are compelled by necessity. But many do mislead men by their own disires through ignorance. Your Lord knows best those who transgress. Eat not of meats on which Allah's name has not been mentioned; that would be a foulness. The devils inspire their friends to dispute with you. But if you obey them, you will be in truth idolaters. (If the name of God has not been mentioned during the slaughter of an animal, it's life has been taken wrongly, and no Muslim may eat of its meat).

[UmmIbrahimIsa]

Both the Bible and the Qur'an prohibit the eating of pork. Muslims are are of this prohibition and observe it strictly. Hover, most readers of the Bible say they do not know where they can find this in the Bible. In the book of Leviticus, ch 11, v. 7, it is recorded that God declares the pig to be unclean for believers.

Then, in verse 8, God says: "You must not eat their meat or touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you." This command is repeated in Deuteronomy 14:7-8.

Then in Isaiah 65:2-4, and 66:17, God issues a stern warning against those who eat pork. Some people are aware of this prohibition from God, but they say they can eat pork because St. Paul said that all food is clean in his letter to the Romans 14:20. St. Paul sid this because he believed (as he wrote in his letter to the Ephesians 2:14-15) that Jesus had abolished the Law with all its commandments and regulations.

He seems, however, to have misunderstood what he heard about Jesus. In the Gospel According to Matthew 5:17-20, Jesus is reported to have said quite the contrary, as follows: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law..."

Jesus then went on in that passage (in verse 19) to denounce anyone who would break the smallest commandment and teach others likewise. He also praised his true followers who will practice and teach even the smallest commandment.

One of the commandments, as we have seen, is to stay away from pork. This is why the true followers of Jesus, holding on to his teachings, did not let unclean food such as pork enter their mouths, so that Peter, the chief disciple can say, "I have never eaten anythng impure or unclean" (Acts of the Apostles, ch 10, v. 14).

Five chapters later in the Acts of the Apostles, 15:29, we find that the original disciples still differentiate between clean and unclean foods, and this time Paul is in agreement with them.

Six chapters later, in ch. 21, v 25, their decision to impose food regulations on believers is mentioned without regret, and this time Paul is challenged to prove that he is in agreement with them; and he demonstrated his full agreement with them.

What remains, then is that Jesus (on whom be peace) upheld the prohibition against pork. His disciples also upheld it, and so must all his followers. Those who fail to uphold it need to be informed and reminded of this rule from God.

This is one reason why God sent His final messenger, on whom be peace, God says: "O people of the Scripture!

Now has Our Messenger come unto you, expounding unto you much of that which you used to hide in the Scripture, and forgiving much. Now has come unto you light from Allah and a plain Scripture." (The Meaning of the Glorious Qur'an 5:15).

[eat-halal guy]

The proper answer to why something is haraam is that it's haraam because Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala forbade us from eating it. Allah Ta'ala is not asked why He does this or that "He is not asked about what He does but they are asked". surah Anbiyaa ayah 23. So when we know something is definitely from Allah Ta'ala we cannot question it.
...
Some of the Ulama have compiled benefits of the orders of Allah Subahnahu wa Ta'la but this is possibly to convince non-Muslims or rationalist sects and not actually the REASON for the order.

I'd like to know why some of the Ulama have spoken of the hikmah behind some of the ahkaam?

:salam:

I agree. Some ulama have spoken about the wisdom behind it because the answer that "it is so because Allah said so" is fine for a Muslim (or should be), but as you stated, it can be a tough sell to non-Muslims or other sects. Therefore, the wisdom behind the orders is explained.

Well, that's what I think it is. I may be wrong.


In any case, below is an article regarding pork. Please also see http://www.eat-halal.com/articles/prohibitedfoods.shtml and http://www.eat-halal.com/articles/cbc.shtml .


Why Islam Forbids Pork?


http://www.eat-halal.com/articles/pork.shtml


Food and drink have direct effect on our health. That is why Islam has prescribed regulations about our food and drink. It lays great emphasis on our physical as well as moral health, because both of these are equally important for a healthy society. The abstention from eating pork is one of the steps taken by Islam to practise hygiene and to attain purity of soul.

Islam, for the cultivation of inner faculties, insists upon the cleanliness of body and the purification of soul through Salaat (prayers) Zikr (remembrance of Allah) and other devotional duties. Islam teaches us how to attain the virtues and how to give up bad habits because both good and bad grow in the man according to his upbringing, education and environment.

A human being has natural desires: food, sleep and sex being the three primary ones. He has also natural emotions: sorrow, happiness, love, fear, disgust and avarice etc. Islam doesn't recommend the complete abrogation of these impulses but offers a method of controlling them through religious education and discipline.

The prohibition of eating pork in Islam is relevant in this context. There is a saying in English that "a man becomes what he eats." According to physicians and medical experts, pork is a harmful diet. Consumption of swine-flesh creates lowliness in character and destroys moral and spiritual faculties in a man.

Body & Soul

The life of a man is a compound of body and soul. Anything, which is harmful for the body, hurts the soul as well. Consumption of swine-flesh reduces the feeling of shame and as such the standard of modesty. Those nations, which consume pork habitually, have a low standard of morality with the result that virginity, chastity and bashfulness are becoming a thing of the past in Europe today. The number of unwed mothers is on the increase despite the use of pills and other contraceptives.

According to a report, 60 to 70% girls in Sweden become mothers before marriage. The formula of "skin to skin is no sin" is having its toll but there is hardly and feeling of shame and remorse over the end-result. Since the European nations have become addicted to wine and pork, sexual freedom with all its attendant evils has got ingrained in their culture. Consequently, homosexuality has been legalized by the British Parliament.

The Holy Qur'an has prohibited the swine-flesh, hence the Muslims would not dare touch it. The Bible has also forbidden swine-flesh, but Christians disregarded this order and started consuming it. The Europeans now proclaim that pork is a very powerful diet, rich in protein. Some of them further argue that since there is a great scarcity of food-stuffs in the world and swines are available in abundant quantity, they should be consumed in diet to overcome the food shortage. If this argument is true, why don't they use dog's meat as dogs too are available in plenty? The Europeans perhaps hate the mention of dog's meat in the same way as the Muslims shun pork.

Another wrong notion about swine-flesh is that its consumption lengthens life-span, although this is a pure myth and absurdity. On the contrary, people, who abstain from pork and liquor, have a longer span of life. The Muslims in Central Asia bear a testimony to this truth.

However, in the consumption of flesh Muslims are required to be selective and distinguish between Halal (Lawful) and Haram (Unlawful). This step leads automatically to the deeper understanding of the need for the cultivation of a pure human nature. As blood is virtually our life-stream and whatever we consume ultimately affects the blood system, it is, therefore, necessary to exercise choice in the selection of our food and drink as per the requirements of the Shariah.

There are certain foods and drinks specified by Allah, and His Messenger Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) as forbidden. The prohibition of these foods and drinks is not by any means an arbitrary action or an unwarranted decree of Allah. It is the first and foremost a divine intervention in the best interest of man and for his own benefit.

The reasons behind the Divine intervention are numerous. They are of a nature intellectual and spiritual, moral and mental, physical and economic. And the sole purpose is to show man how to develop himself according to an upright course of life in order to be a healthy unit in the structure of the family, then of society and eventually of humanity at large.

Reliable medical doctors and social scientists are able to realize how those foods and drinks forbidden by Islam are harmful and destructive to the human spirit and morality as well as to the physique and moral fibre of man and to verify the benefits of Islamic legislations on the subjects.

The prohibition is based on the aim of the purification of one's nature, because food, when consumed, doesn't merely enter the stomach and intestines and become excreta. It is absorbed and metabolized into the system and circulated to all parts of the human body, including the brain, and this in no small way affects man's nature.

The pig is naturally lazy and indulgent in sex, it is dirty, greedy and gluttonous. It dislikes sunlight and lacks the spirit and will to "fight." It eats almost anything, be it human excreta or anything foul and unwholesome. Amongst all animal flesh, pork is the favoured cradle of harmful germs. Pork also serves as a carrier of diseases to mankind. It is for this reason that its flesh is not suitable for consumption.

Some people have argued that the "modern pig" reared in farms is given only clean foods, therefore, its flesh should be consumable. The answer is that you may feed the pig on clean, wholesome food, but you can't change its nature. It is still a pig. A pig is not a plant and you cannot change it by bud-grafting.

Medical Reports

Dr. E. Kazim. M.D. in his article "Medical aspects of forbidden foods in Islam" (July 1981 issue of Muslim Journal has described diseases carried or caused by the flesh of the swine. He writes:

The pig is a scavenger. It is an omnivorous animal. It eats everything. There are many disease carried from swine to man, particularly parasite infestations. Lately extensive research has been focused on senility-old age is characterized by hardening of inner lining of the blood vessels of the heart, brain etc. a process called atheroselerosis. When a clot forms, it results in coronary thrombosis or a heart attack, cerebral thrombosis or stroke.

Different dietary factors are responsible for atheroselerosis. Gross atheroma may be produced in rabbit by feeding it with cholesterol, but when you add lard (derived from hog fat) to the cholesterol, the incidence of atheroma is increased and thus you would produce coronary thrombosis, and myocardial infraction.

Besides, lard contains 2800 units of vitamin D per 100 grams and no vitamin A at all. Lately vitamin D has been held responsible for atheroma, by causing increased absorption of calcium in the blood vessels. In human beings, serum cholesterol is not dependent on the intake of cholesterol in the diet, but depends upon the proportion of animal fats in the diet, which elevate the beta-lipo protein level in the blood. Animal fats contain saturated fatty acids and these saturated fatty acids have been found to be as one of the causes of atheroma in man. Medium fat bacon contains 25% proteins and 55% fat."

According to medical research, the fat content in pork is more than any other meat (beef, mutton etc.) and it takes longer to digest. Dr. M Jaffer in an article in the Islamic Review (London) of January 1997 issue has listed 16 kinds of harmful germs, which have been discovered in pork in modern researches and the diseases, which could be caused by them. The number of patients suffering from tapeworm disease is the highest in the world among pork eating nations. Other diseases attributed to pigs are caused by tri-chinelia spirates and intestinal worms occupy first place among such nations too.

Dr. Glen Shepherd wrote the following on the dangers of eating pork in Washington Post (31 May 1952):

"One in six people in USA and Canada have germs in their muscles - trichinosis 8 from eating pork infected with trichina worms. Many people so infected have no symptoms. Most of those, who do have, recover slowly. Some die; some are reduced to permanent invalids. All were careless pork caters".

He continued "No one is immune from the disease and there is no cure. Neither antibiotics nor drugs or vaccines affect these tiny deadly worms. Preventing infection is the real answer."

After reading the statement of Dr. Shepherd, one can realize that there is no real guarantee of safety when eating pork that one would not be affected by trichina worm. That is why modern doctors advise three prohibitions during illness: no liquor, no pork and no smoking.

Muslims follow the divine law which is much higher than the medical advice. The Glorious Qur'an says, "So eat of the lawful and good food which Allah has provided for you, and thank the bounty of your Lord if it is Him you serve. He has forbidden for you only carrion and blood and swine-flesh and that which has been immolated in the name of any other than Allah; but he who is driven thereto, neither craving nor transgressing, Lo! then Allah is Forgiving, Merciful." (16:114-115)

The above is the order from the Creator of the universe and Supreme Law-Giver. All Muslims are under the obligation to obey it. This is a plain and straightforward answer to those, who usually ask why Muslims abstain from eating pork. Nevertheless, there is no sin, if a Muslims is forced by famine or starvation to eat pork in order to save his life.


Rashid Shamsi (The Muslim World League Journal, Rajab 1420 - October 1999)

Courtesy of Islam.tc's Ask-Imam.com and Mufti Ebrahim Desai, Darul Ifta, Madrasah In'aamiyyah, Camperdown, South Africa.

[someone]

by Dr. Zakir Naik




Question:

Why is the eating of pork forbidden in Islam?

Answer:

The fact that consumption of pork is prohibited in Islam is well known. The following points explain various aspects of this prohibition:


1. Pork prohibited in Qur’an



The Qur’an prohibits the consumption of pork in no less than 4 different places. It is prohibited in 2:173, 5:3, 6:145 and 16:115.

"Forbidden to you (for food) are: dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which hath been invoked the name of other than Allah." [Al-Qur’an 5:3]

The above verses of the Holy Qur’an are sufficient to satisfy a Muslim as to why pork is forbidden.


2. Pork prohibited in the Bible



The Christian is likely to be convinced by his religious scriptures. The Bible prohibits the consumption of pork, in the book of Leviticus

"And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be cloven footed, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you".

"Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcass shall ye not touch, they are unclean to you."
[Leviticus 11:7-8]

Pork is also prohibited in the Bible in the book of Deuteronomy

"And the swine, because it divideth the hoof, yet cheweth not the cud, it is unclean unto you. Ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcass."
[Deuteronomy 14:8]

A similar prohibition is repeated in the Bible in the book of Isaiah chapter 65 verse 2-5.


3. Consumption of pork causes several diseases



The other non-Muslims and atheists will agree only if convinced through reason, logic and science. Eating of pork can cause no less than seventy different types of diseases. A person can have various helminthes like roundworm, pinworm, hookworm, etc. One of the most dangerous is Taenia Solium, which is in lay man’s terminology called tapeworm. It harbours in the intestine and is very long. Its ova i.e. eggs, enter the blood stream and can reach almost all the organs of the body. If it enters the brain it can cause memory loss. If it enters the heart it can cause heart attack, if it enters the eye it can cause blindness, if it enters the liver it can cause liver damage. It can damage almost all the organs of the body.

Another dangerous helminthes is Trichura Tichurasis. A common misconception about pork is that if it is cooked well, these ova die. In a research project undertaken in America, it was found that out of twenty-four people suffering from Trichura Tichurasis, twenty two had cooked the pork very well. This indicates that the ova present in the pork do not die under normal cooking temperature.


4. Pork has fat building material

Pork has very little muscle building material and contains excess of fat. This fat gets deposited in the vessels and can cause hypertension and heart attack. It is not surprising that over 50% of Americans suffer from hypertension.


5. Pig is one of the filthiest animals on earth


The pig is one of the filthiest animals on earth. It lives and thrives on muck, faeces and dirt. It is the best scavenger that I know that God has produced. In the villages they don’t have modern toilets and the villagers excrete in the open air. Very often excreta is cleared by pigs.

Some may argue that in advanced countries like Australia, pigs are bred in very clean and hygienic conditions. Even in these hygienic conditions the pigs are kept together in sties. No matter how hard you try to keep them clean they are filthy by nature. They eat and enjoy their own as well as their neighbour’s excreta.


6. Pig is the most shameless animal


The pig is the most shameless animal on the face of the earth. It is the only animal that invites its friends to have sex with its mate. In America, most people consume pork. Many times after dance parties, they have swapping of wives; i.e. many say "you sleep with my wife and I will sleep with your wife." If you eat pigs then you behave like pigs. We Indians look upon America to be very advanced and sophisticated. Whatever they do, we follow after a few years. According to an article in Island magazine, this practice of swapping wives has become common in the affluent circles of Bombay.