Islam is a holistic way of life, taking into account physical,
spiritual, and emotional well-being, each a separate but overlapping part of
the structure of a human being. God created us with a purpose; to worship
Him, (Quran 51:56) but He did not abandon us to a world of instability
and insecurity. He gave us a book of guidance, the Quran, and the example
of Prophets and Messengers to explain that trusting in God was the way for us
to achieve success in this life and in the hereafter.
. A Muslim spends his or her life endeavouring to please God by
worshipping Him and obeying His laws, or rules. One of those rules is
that the eating pork, or pork products is forbidden.
At first, one might wonder what harm could come from pork, a product
eaten in many parts of the world, and the fact that pork contains parasites and
diseases harmful to man may spring to mind as a justifiable reason for
abstaining. However, when analysing why Muslims are forbidden to eat
pork, this becomes a secondary reason. Muslims simply do not eat pork or
pork products because God has prohibited it.
“He has forbidden you only dead animals, and blood, and the swine, and
that which is slaughtered as a sacrifice for other than God.” (Quran 2:173)
Sometimes we may never know or understand why God has ordained some
things and prohibited others. In the case of pork, no specific reason for
the prohibition is given except in Quran 6: 145 when God says, in
reference to the flesh of swine (pig), “for that surely is impure”.
A Muslim submits to God’s commands willingly, without needing to know the
reason behind the divine rule. Moreover, God has expressly stated that a
believer hears the words of his Lord and obeys them.
“‘We hear and we obey.’ And such are the successful (who will live
forever in Paradise).” (Quran 24:51)
“When God and His Messenger have decreed a matter, they (the believers)
should not have any option in their decision. And whoever disobeys God
and His Messenger; he has indeed strayed into a plain error.” (Quran 33:36)
A believer understands that God is the Most Wise and the Most Just;
therefore, His rules are designed to benefit us in our daily needs, be they
physical, emotional, or spiritual. The Creator knows the best way for His
creation to live in this world and prepare for the next. It is not
permissible for a Muslim to consume pork under any circumstances except in
cases of dire necessity, such as, if a person’s life depends on eating
it. In cases of dire necessity, prohibited things are permitted.
God allows us to enjoy all the good lawful things and forbids us to
partake of those things that may be harmful to our beliefs, health, well being,
or morals. [1]
Consequently, Muslims are acutely aware of the dangers of eating things that
are forbidden and therefore make concerted efforts to seek out permissible
food, even if it involves extra effort or expense.
If a believer consumes pork unknowingly or by mistake, there is no sin
of him or her. God does not punish anyone for lack of knowledge, nor for
unintentional mistakes or forgetfulness. However if a believer is
certain, or thinks that any pork, or pork products may be in his food,
drinks or medicines then it is not permissible for him or her to consume
it. If he has doubts then he must make an effort to inquire about the
ingredients or ask for details. [2]
Nowadays knowledge about ingredients and the manufacturing process is
readily available and the prohibition applies whether there is a small amount
of pork or pork products, or a large amount.
The scholars of Islam differ over the issue of whether or not changing
the form of the impurity (in this case pork products) lifts the prohibition.
The Islamic Organisation for Medical Sciences is of the opinion that
changing the form (for example, food, and medicine additives) so that it
becomes something different, does lift the prohibition.
However, there is no doubt and no difference of opinion that it is forbidden to
consume meat derived from the pig, including ham and bacon.
The recent outbreak of swine flu in Mexico and North America led some
countries to slaughter pigs en masse however there is ample scientific evidence
to suggest that pigs harbour parasites that are harmful to humans and the pig
has long been considered the ideal breeding ground for influenza.
In Part 1 we discussed the primary reason for Muslims abstaining from
eating pork and pork products, and that is, that God has forbidden it. As
the Creator of humankind and all that exists, God knows what is good for us,
and He has sent guidance enabling us to make wise decisions. Just as a computer
would not work properly if it were incorrectly programmed, a human being is not
able to function if he is not nourished correctly. Islam is a holistic
religion that recognises the interconnectedness of spiritual, emotional, and
physical health. What a person eats and drinks has a direct bearing on
their overall health and well-being.
Virologists have long been aware that the pig is an ideal breeding
ground for influenza, so it is no surprise that the latest threat, swine flu,
originated in pigs. Microbiologist and immunology expert, Dr Graham
Burgess[3]
says, “Viruses that would normally grow in the chicken can potentially
grow in the pig and ones that grow in humans will potentially grow in
pigs. So we consider the pig a great mixing pot for viruses and this is
where it can play a real role in generating new viruses".
The pig is known to harbour parasites as well as bacteria and
viruses. Cysticercosis is an infection caused by the pork tapeworm,
Taenia solium. Infection occurs when the tapeworm larvae enter the body
and form cysticerci (cysts). When cysticerci are found in the brain, the
condition is called neurocysticercosis. This tapeworm in pigs is found
worldwide but is most problematic in poor and developing countries were pigs
are allowed to roam freely and often eat human faeces. This infection can
occur even in modern developed countries but the CDC reports that it is very
rare in Muslim countries where eating pork is forbidden. [4]
Trichinellosis, also called trichinosis, is caused by eating raw or
undercooked meat of animals infected with the larvae of a species of worm
called Trichinella. Infection occurs most commonly in certain wild
carnivorous (meat-eating) animals but it may also occur in domestic pigs.
The CDC warns that if a human eats meat containing infective Trichinella cysts,
the acid in the stomach dissolves the hard covering of the cyst and releases
the worms.
The worms pass into the small intestine and, in 1-2 days, become
mature. After mating, adult females lay eggs. These eggs develop
into immature worms, travel through the arteries, and are transported to
muscles. Within the muscles, the worms curl into a ball and encyst
(become enclosed in a capsule). This infection occurs when these encysted
worms are consumed in meat. The number of cases of trichinellosis
throughout the world has steadily decreased due to an awareness of the dangers
of eating raw and undercooked pork products and legislation prohibiting feeding
raw meat garbage to pigs. [5]
Pigs are omnivores,
which means they consume both plants and animals. Pigs will scavenge and
eat any type of food, including dead insects, worms, tree bark, rotting
carcasses, garbage, and even other pigs. Pigs have very few sweat glands
so therefore they are unable to completely rid their bodies of toxins.
New evidence indicates that farming practices are leading directly to the
spread of human bacterial infections.
Pigs often live in the small spaces and fetid conditions that exist in
many modern factory farms and studies are revealing that pigs frequently
harbour antibiotic resistant staph bacteria. This drug resistant
bacterium is now entering our food supply and recent investigations in the
United States of America indicate that 49% of pigs and 45% of pig workers now
harbour these bacteria responsible for killing more then 18,000 people in the
US every year. [6]
“He has forbidden you only dead animals, and blood, and the flesh of
swine...” (Quran 2:173)
“For that surely is impure” (Quran 6:145)
Muslims refrain from eating pork and pork products because God has
forbidden it. However a little investigation into the anatomy and
lifestyle of the pig reveals that it is certainly an unclean animal.
Those interested in consuming healthy, natural, and pure foods would do well to
abstain from pork and pork products.
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