Why is Pig Haraam in Islam?

MV: In Islam it is a major sin to eat Pork and it is considered to be the dirtiest animal in Islam. But many Muslims, including me, don’t even know why its so forbidden. This answer by a khair from Islam-qa.com, tells us of how dangerous pigs can be to the human brain and death it helped clear up many of us from being lost :)

A Christian is asking about the reason for the prohibition on pork Why does Islam forbid pork, when the pig is one of the creations of God?.

Praise be to Allaah.


Our Lord has forbidden eating pork in definitive terms. 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)”

[al-An’aam 6:145]

By the mercy of Allaah and His kindness towards us, Allaah has permitted us to eat all good things, and He has not forbidden anything but those that are impure. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):


[al-A’raaf 7:157]

We do not doubt for an instant that the pig is a dirty and filthy animal, and that eating it is harmful to man. Moreover it lives on dirt and filth, and it is something that is off-putting to those of a sound nature who refuse to touch it, because eating it is either a cause or a sign of a person’s oddness.


With regard to the physical harm caused by eating pork, modern science has proved a number of things, such as the following:

‎    Pork is regarded as one of the kinds of meat that contain the most cholesterol, an increase of which in the bloodstream leads to an increased likelihood of blocked arteries. The fatty acids in pork are also of an unusual formation, when compared with the fatty acids in other types of food, which makes them more easily absorbed by the body, thus increasing cholesterol levels.

‎    Pork meat and pork fat contribute to the spread of cancers of the colon, rectum, prostate and blood.

‎    Pork meat and pork fat contribute to obesity and related diseases that are difficult to treat.

‎    Eating pork leads to scabies, allergies and stomach ulcers.

‎    Eating pork causes lung infections which result from tapeworms, lungworms and microbial infections of the lungs.

The most serious danger of eating pork is that pork contains tapeworms which may grow to a length of 2-3 meters. The growth of the eggs of these worms in the human body may lead to insanity and hysteria if they grow in the area of the brain. If they grow in the region of the heart that may lead to high blood pressure and heart attacks. Another kind of worm that is to be found in pork is the trichinosis worm that cannot be killed by cooking, the growth of which in the body may lead to paralysis and skin rashes.

The doctors have confirmed that tapeworm disease is regarded as one of the serious diseases that may result from eating pork. It may develop in the small intestine and after several months may grow into a large worm whose body is composed of a thousand segments, with a length of 4-10 meters, which lives alone in the intestine of the infected person and part of it may appear when he defecates. When the pig swallows and ingests its eggs, they enter the tissues and muscles in the form of larvae sacs containing fluid and the head of the tapeworm. When a person eats infected pork, the larva turns into a complete worm in the intestine. These worms cause weakness and vitamin B12 deficiency, which leads to a specific type of anaemia, which may in turn cause nervous problems. In some cases the larvae may reach the brain, causing convulsions, increased pressure within the brain, epilepsy and even paralysis.

Eating pork that is not thoroughly cooked may also lead to trichinosis (infestation with a hairlike nematode worm). When these parasites reach the small intestine, three to five days later many larvae appear which enter the intestine and reach the blood, from which they reach most of the tissues of the body. The larvae move to the muscles and form cysts there, and the patient suffers intense muscle pains. The disease may develop into infection of the cerebral membrane and brain, and infections of the heart muscle, lungs, kidneys and nerves. It may be a fatal disease in rare cases.

It is well known that there are some diseases that are unique to humans and are nor shared with any other animals except pigs, such as rheumatism and joint pain. Allaah indeed spoke the truth when He said (interpretation of the meaning):

“He has forbidden you only the Maytah (dead animals), and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that which is slaughtered as a sacrifice for others than Allaah (or has been slaughtered for idols, on which Allaah’s Name has not been mentioned while slaughtering). But if one is forced by necessity without willful disobedience nor transgressing due limits, then there is no sin on him. Truly, Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful”

[al-Baqarah 2:173]

These are some of the harmful effects of eating pork. Perhaps after studying them you will not have any doubts that it is forbidden. We hope that this will be the first step in your being guided towards the true religion. So stop, research, look and think, objectively and fairly, seeking only to find out the truth and follow it. I ask Allaah to guide you to that which is best for you in this world and in the Hereafter.

But even if we did not know about the harmful effects of eating pork, this would not change our belief that it is haraam in the slightest, or weaken our resolve to abstain from it. You know that when Adam (peace be upon him) was expelled from the Garden, it was because he ate from the tree from which Allaah forbade him to eat. We do not know anything about that tree, and Adam did not need to enquire into the reason why it was forbidden to eat from it. Rather it was sufficient for him, as it is sufficient for us and for every believer, to know that Allaah has forbidden it.

Look at some of the harmful effects of eating pork; look at the research of the Fourth Annual Conference of Islamic Medicine, Kuwait edition, p. 731 ff; and al-Wiqaayah al-Sihhiyyah fi Daw’ al-Kitaab wa’l-Sunnah by Lu’lu’ah bint Saalih, p. 635 ff.

But we ask you once again: Isn’t pork forbidden in the Old Testament which forms part of your Holy Book?

“Do not eat any detestable thing. These are the animals you may eat… The pig is also unclean; although it has a split hoof, it does not chew the cud, you are not to eat their meat or touch their carcasses.”

(Deuteronomy 14:3-8)

See also Leviticus 11-1-8.

We do not need to quote evidence that pork is forbidden for the Jews. If you have any doubt then ask people and they will tell you. But what we think we need to draw you attention to is some other things that are also mentioned in your Holy Book, this time in the New Testament which tells you that the rulings of the Torah still apply to you and cannot be changed. Does’t it say in the Bible that the Messiah said:


Matthew 5:17-18?

With this text, we do not need to look for another ruling on pork in the New Testament, but we will add here another quotation which shows definitively that pork is impure:

“A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. The demons begged Jesus: ‘Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.’ He gave them permission, and the evil spirits came out and went into the pigs.”

Mark 5:11-13

Perhaps you will say that this is abrogated, and that Peter said such and such and Paul said such and such…?

This is changing the words of Allaah and abrogating the Torah and the words of the Messiah who confirmed to you that it would abide as long as heaven and earth remain. Can this be abrogated by the words of Paul or Peter?

Let us assume that this is true and that the prohibition was indeed abrogated, but why are you criticizing this prohibition in Islam when it was prohibited for you at first?


With regard to your saying that if eating it is forbidden, then why did Allaah create pigs? We do not think that you are serious, otherwise we would ask you: why did Allaah create such and such of other things that are harmful or repulsive? Rather we would ask you: why did Allaah create the Shaytaan?

Is it not the prerogative of the Creator to command His slaves as He will, and to rule them as He will. No one can overturn His ruling or change His words.

Is it not the duty of the created being, the slave, to say to his Lord, whenever He commands him to do something: “We hear and we obey”?

You may enjoy its taste and want to eat it, and those around you may enjoy it, but doesn’t Paradise deserve some sacrifice on your part of that which your heart desires?.

Islam Q&A

81 thoughts on “Why is Pig Haraam in Islam?

  1. Allah or The Lord Jesus Christ? … By Rick Mathes

    Last month I attended my annual training session that’s required for

    maintaining my state prison security clearance. During the training

    session there was a presentation by three speakers representing the

    Roman Catholic, Protestant and Muslim faiths, who explained each of their beliefs.



    a video. After the presentations, time was provided for Questions and Answers.



    and Clerics of Islam have declared a holy jihad [holy war] against the




    There was no disagreement with my statements and, without

    hesitation, he replied, ‘non-believers! ‘


    followers Of Allah have been commanded to kill everyone who is not of your


    The expression on his face changed from one of authority and command

    to that of ‘a little boy who had just been caught with his hand in the

    cookie jar.’

    He sheepishly replied, ‘Yes.’


    Pope Benedict commanding all Catholics to kill those of your faith or


    guarantee them a place in heaven!’

    The Imam was speechless!

    I continued, ‘I also have problem with being your ‘friend’ when you


    ask You a question. Would you rather have your Allah, who tells you to




    Needless to say, the organizers and/or promoters of the

    training seminar were not happy with Rick’s way of dealing with

    the Islamic Imam and exposing the truth about the Muslims’ beliefs..

  2. In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

    All thanks and praise are due to Allah and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

    Dear questioner, we would like to express our deep appreciation to you for the great confidence you have in us and we hope these humble efforts of us meet your expectations.

    First, we would like to start with stating that Islam does not call for violence; rather it abhors all forms of violence and terrorism, whether against Muslims or non-Muslims. Islam, moreover, calls for peace, cooperation, and maintaining justice, and provides for the happiness and welfare of humanity as a whole. This fact is declared in the Qur’an when Allah says: (Allah commands justice, the doing of good, and liberality to kith and kin, and He forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and rebellion: He instructs you, that ye may receive admonition.) (An-Nahl 16: 90)

    Islam makes it obligatory upon Muslims to stand by the oppressed regardless of their race, color, religion or affiliation and say NO to the oppressor and ask him to respond to the voice of reason and justice.

    As regards the question you posed, we would like to cite for you the fatwa issued by the eminent Muslim scholar, Sheikh `Atiyyah Saqr, former Head of Al-Azhar Fatwa Committee, that reads:

    Jihad is one of the words that have been misused due to misunderstanding its true meaning. The word “Jihad” is derived from the Arabic word “Jahd” which means fatigue or the word “Juhd” which means effort. A Mujahid is he who strives in the Cause of Allah and exerts efforts which makes him feel fatigued. The word “Jihad” means exerting effort to achieve a desired thing or prevent an undesired one. In other words, it is an effort that aims at bringing about benefit or preventing harm.

    Jihad can be observed through any means and in any field whether material or moral. Among the types of Jihad are struggling against one’s desires, the accursed Satan, poverty, illiteracy, disease, and fighting all evil forces in the world.

    There are many religious texts that refer to these types of Jihad. Among the forms of Jihad is defending life, property or honor. Those who die while engaging in Jihad are considered to be martyrs, as confirmed by Hadith. Jihad is also done to avert aggression on home countries and on all that is held sacred, or in order to face those who try to hinder the march of the call of truth.

    In Islamic Shari`ah, Jihad in the Cause of Allah means fighting in order to make the Word of Allah most high, and the means for doing so is taking up arms in addition to preparation, financing and planning strategies. A large number of people are supposed to take part in Jihad including farmers, craftsmen, traders, doctors, engineers, workers, security men, preachers, writers and all those who directly or indirectly participate in the battle.

    This type of Jihad was a major concern of Muslims in the beginning of the formation of the Islamic community, and a lot of verses of the Glorious Qur’an and the Hadith advocated and encouraged it. Almighty Allah says: (March forth, whether you are light (being healthy, young and wealthy) or heavy (being ill, old and poor) and strive with your wealth and your lives in the Cause of Allah.) (At-Tawbah 9: 41) Jihad is considered an individual duty (Fard `Ein), on all Muslims who are capable and fit to fight, in the event of being invaded by the enemy, and is considered a collective duty (Fard Kifayah) in the event of not being invaded. However, if the Imam (leader) calls to Jihad, people must respond to his call. This is evident from Allah’s Saying, (O you who believe! What is the matter with you, that when you are asked to march forth in the Cause of Allah (i.e. Jihad) you cling heavily on the earth?) (At-Tawbah 9: 38), and the Hadith narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim, “When you are called to Jihad, then go forth.”

    A question arises: is taking up arms the only means to spread Islam? Fighting originally had two main objectives: the first one was to ward off an actual or an anticipated aggression, and the second one was to clear the hurdles in the path of Da`wah (call for Islam). The battles of Badr, Uhud, Al-Khandaq and others are examples of staving off actual aggression and some of them were fought in order to aid the oppressed. Almighty Allah says: (But if they seek your help in religion, it is your duty to help them…) (Al-Anfal 8: 72). The conquest of Makkah was undertaken for the purpose of staving off an expected aggression after the Quraish had violated its covenant with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in Al-Hudaybyah; this was also the case of the expedition of Tabuk and other expeditions. It also cleared the obstacles placed in the path of Islam by enabling the Muslims to leave Madinah and spread the call to Islam all over the world because Islam is a universal message. Since Jihad was legalized in Islam and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said that he was sent by Allah to wage war against disbelief and that his sustenance was “tied” to his spear, as related by Ahmad on the authority of Ibn `Umar, then we have to understand that Islam advocated acquiring the highest degree of power, and the reason for this is that Islam, at that time, was a newly rising power and was expected to be “attacked” by the already existing powers to prevent it from competing with them over power – a conflict that is common to all ages.

    Therefore, the new entity had to be defended in order to prove its strength and deliver its message. If Islam were a local temporary call, taking up arms would be just for the purpose of defense, but Islam is a universal call that had to reach the whole world. However, the only means at that time was traveling, which was, and still is fraught with dangers; so taking up arms was necessary to prevent the enemies from standing in the path of the Islamic call.

    While arms were necessary to remove the hurdles in the past, their sole mission now is to defend Islam against those who want to harm it and harm those who embrace it. As for spreading Islam, there are several means that spare people the trouble of traveling, such as newspapers, books, the Internet and other means that have known no boarders, although they may be controlled to some extent. However, radio stations have become of such power and prevalence that they can reach people while being at home or even in bed, and they can neither be prevented by any authority, nor held back by any door or border.

    The superficial understanding of the legality of fighting contained in the verses of the Glorious Qur’an and the Prophet’s hadiths may give the impression that Islam has been spread by force and that if it had not been for force, Islam would not have existed or become predominant in many countries or embraced by such a large number of people. But how could this be said about Islam which is the religion of mercy? Allah Almighty says: (But if the enemy inclines towards peace, do thou also incline towards peace and trust in Allah.) (Al-Anfal 8: 61) .The Prophet also says: “O people! Do not wish to face the enemy (in a battle) and ask Allah to save you (from calamities) but if you should face the enemy, then be patient and let it be known to you that Paradise is under the shades of swords.”

    The call to Islam is not meant to be imposed on anyone, people are completely free to make their choice. In fact, creeds can never propagated by a dagger. Allah Almighty says to Noah: (Shall We compel you to accept it when you are averse to it?) (Hud 11: 28). Allah says to Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him): (Wilt thou compel mankind against their will to believe!) (Yunus 10: 99); many other verses convey the same meaning.

    While there are texts that explicitly indicate the absolute order to fight, there are others that restrict it to whether it is for the purpose of staving off an aggression, preventing an expected aggression or making it a punishment for violating a covenant. Allah Almighty says: (Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits.) (Al-Baqarah 2: 190). And says: (But if they violate their oaths after their covenant and taunt you for your faith, fight thee the chiefs of unfaith.) (At-Tawbah 9:12). In fact, the previous verse specifies the meaning of the verses: (And fight the pagans all together as they fight you all together.) (At-Tawbah 9: 36), And: (And slay them wherever ye catch them.”

    As for those who call for taking up arms to change the current state of the Islamic communities, we have previously said that any means of reform based on violence will not achieve its goals. In addition to this, exercising power requires extensive preparation and planning including a careful study of all existing circumstances before taking such a step, i.e. calling arms. However, this should not be understood as undermining the importance of Jihad in its general sense. Jihad will continue till the end of days in all its forms and through all its means. This is evident from the Hadith narrated by Abu Dawud: “Jihad will continue from the day I was sent by Allah till the last people of my nation fight against the Antichrist (Dajjal), it will neither be stopped by oppression nor abstention”. This Hadith denotes the continuance of Jihad in all fields including armed Jihad, is an integral element; this fact is evident from referring to fighting against the Antichrist.

  3. Hi Richard that jihad does not mean Holy War: Please refer to this article
    Actually, as it has been clarified again and again that while Jihad serves as a means of defense for Muslims against aggression, and acts as a deterrent factor against any anti-Islam scheme launched by enemies, it must never be construed as something synonymous with aggression.

    Jihad is never a tool of waging war against the innocents; it’s never a means of flexing muscles or bullying the weak and oppressed. Jihad in Islam is something unique, established to defend the divine message from being eliminated or hindered by its enemies.

    Shedding more light on the true concept of Jihad, here is the statement made by Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqi, president of the Fiqh Council ofNorth America, states:

    Allah says, (And strive in His cause as ye ought to strive (with sincerity and under discipline). He has chosen you, and has imposed no difficulties on you in religion; it is the religion of your father Abraham. It is He (Allah) Who has named you Muslims, both before and in this (Revelation); that the Messenger may be a witness for you, and you be witnesses for mankind! So establish regular Prayer, give regular Charity, and hold fast to Allah! He is your Protector, the best to protect and the Best to help!) (Al-Hajj 22: 78)

    Jihad is one of the most misunderstood, and abused aspects of Islam. There are some Muslims who exploit and misuse this concept for their own political objectives. There are many non-Muslims who misunderstand it. There are some non-Muslims who misinterpret it to discredit Islam and Muslims.

    What is Jihad?

    The word Jihad does not mean “Holy War”. It means “struggle” or “striving”. The word for war in the Qur’an is “Harb” or “Qital”. Jihad means serious and sincere struggle on the personal as well as on the social level. It is a struggle to do good and to remove injustice, oppression and evil from the society. This struggle should be spiritual as well as social, economic and political. Jihad is to work hard to do right things. In the Qur’an this word is used in its different forms 33 times. It often comes with other Qur’anic concepts such as faith, repentance, righteous deeds and migration.

    Jihad is to protect one’s faith and one’s human rights. Jihad is not a war always although it can take the form of war. Islam is the religion of peace, but it does not mean that Islam accepts oppression. Islam teaches that one should do one’s utmost to eliminate tension and conflict. Islam promotes non-violent means to bring change and reform. Actually, Islam urges that one should eliminate evil through peaceful means without the use of force as much as possible. In Islamic history from the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) until now, Muslims most of the time resisted oppression and struggled for liberation in non-violent and peaceful manners.

    Islam teaches proper ethics in the situation of war also. The war is permissible in Islam, but only when other peaceful means such as dialogue, negotiations and treaties fail. It is a last resort and should be avoided as much as possible. Its purpose is not to convert people by force, or to colonize people or to acquire land or wealth or for self-glory. Its purpose is basically: defense of life, property, land, honor and freedom for oneself as well as defense of others from injustice and oppression.

    The basic rules of war in Islam are:

    1. Be strong so that your enemy fear you and should not attack you.
    2. Do not begin the hostilities. Work for peace as much as possible.
    3. Fight only those who fight, no collective punishment; non-combatants should not be harmed. Weapons of mass destruction should not be used.
    4. Stop hostilities as soon as the other party is inclined to peace.
    5. Observe the treaties and agreements as long as the enemy observes them.

    Allah says very clearly: (Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not do aggression, for Allah loves not the aggressors.) (Al-Baqarah 2: 190)

    (The prohibited month, for the prohibited month, and so for all things prohibited, there is the law of equality. If then any one transgresses the prohibition against you, transgress ye likewise against him. But fear Allah, and know that Allah is with those who restrain themselves.) (Al-Baqarah 2: 194)

    Jihad is not terrorism:

    It is to be emphasized that terrorism against the innocent civilians, whether through aggression or suicidal means, is under no circumstances permissible in Islam. Islam encourages the oppressed people to struggle for their liberation and it commands other Muslims to help those who are oppressed and suffering, but Islam does not allow, under any circumstance, terrorism against non-combatants and innocent people. Terrorism is not Jihad, it is Fasad (mischief). It is against the teachings of Islam. There are some people who use their twisted arguments to justify terrorism for their causes, but it has no justification: Allah says: (When it is said to them: ‘Make not mischief on the earth,’ they say: ‘Why, we only want to correct things.’ Indeed they are the mischief doers, but they realize (it) not.) (Al-Baqarah 2: 11-12)

    Islam wants to establish a world order where all human beings – Muslims and non-Muslims – can live with justice in peace, harmony and good will. It gives its followers full guidelines to find peace in their personal and social lives, but it also tells them how to extend the good will on the basis of human relations towards others. Muslims worked under these principles for centuries. People of many faiths lived with them and among them. Islamic societies were known for their tolerance, generosity and humanity.

    In our modern society where we are living in a global village, where non-Muslims are living with Muslims in the Muslim countries and Muslims are living with non-Muslims in countries where non-Muslims constitute a majority, it is our duty to bring better understanding among ourselves, work for peace and justice for all people and cooperate with each other in matters of goodness and virtue in order to stop all terrorism, aggression and violence against the innocent people. This is our Jihad today.

    Sourced http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?cid=1119503544490&pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar%2FFatwaE%2FFatwaEAskTheScholar

  4. Thanks for posting this article! It helped me with my research and my overall understanding of the Islamic culture. Too bad people are having flame wars in the comments, haha.

  5. Jihad … there are many kinds of jihaad

    jihad bin nafs – fight with your ownself that you wont do any sin..

    jihad bil qalm — fight through a pen and tell non belivers that islam want peace .

    jihad bil maal — if you cant fight and you are weak — spend money and buy armours for people who
    are fighting .
    jihad bil saif — fight for your rights and self defense ..

    these are few types … …. Quran tells me they all are not same …except elites zions illuminati and free masons but they are not friends for sure. i have to invite them first if they deny and they have intention to hurt me or my religion.. as they have been doing from last 1000 of years.. i have to fight .. otherwise my kids would have been worshiping satan like rihana or singing ommm like madona or smoking weed like eminem and they will forget their traditions and keep shaving their beards .thye wont pray five times

  6. Richard Mascarenhas… I hope that u understand Islam better and not misunderstood the whole thing.. Please read the other comments to clear away your confusion. We only want peace… Thank u! Assalamualaikum..(Peace be upon you..)

  7. assalumualikum,
    Iwant know about there is another world same as earth .many peopie are saying about alian (ufo) it real .fake ?
    in quran such thing are mentioned

  8. i want to know , is it okay if i get a piggy bank in my house? i need one and one i saw was so cute i wanted it immediately and some people didnt let me have it? i really want it. and plz give a valid reason if i am not supposed to keep it in the house. i understand pork is haraam! but a piggy bank?

  9. Aselamuaalaikum,

    First and far most Allah (SWT) knows best. The second thing is that I am not a Islamic Scholar so you should still research on this issue even after my answer.

    Al-Bukhaari (3226) and Muslim (2106) narrated from Abu Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said; “The angels do not enter a house in which there is an image.”

    ^Based on this hadith it says that Pictures it self in houses should not kept because they keep angels away. Now in regards to images the exact reason is because it competes with Allah (SWT)’s creation. Now there can be debates that if the image is slightly different then an animal or human, (in this case a piggy bank with a whole on it). The second thing is that only eating pig is haram. Ive heard many people say that even saying the word “pig” or looking at a pig is bad but thats not the case at all. So once again I am not a scholar but I would say in my opinion (based on the information) I would say you should be on the safe side and prefer a non image or even a non pig bank. Jazakullah khair.

  10. well..islam has alot to do with intention or intent..i personally do not think she should be judged for wanting to keep a piggy bank in an effort to save money..its just shaped that way..i think denying that would be a little extreme..but that’s just my opinion

  11. Salam,
    Dear Mona, You might like it and think its cute, but remember that the shaytan will do everything to try and prevent the love of Allah and his Blessed Angels entering the House of his believers, even something as small as a piggy bank shaped like a pig it might seem insignificant but then again it could be very significant. Why don’t you look for one of a different shape to save your money that will please Allah more and give you more of a blessing. At the end of the day the discussion is yours and its up to you what you do.

  12. Mr Richard as well concerned with your question .i think u would like the answer of your own wiuill and the Imman u asked may be he is not well educated .please dont spread Islam in negative way. As one of the Beliver said Jihad have a lot of Kinds.Why forien media raised in negative ways.other side thereare a lotofposotive Impacts are there.I will pray for u brother that ALLAH open your heart and U understand Islam.Amin……

  13. with all due respect, beef and egg yolk in some forms has higher cholesterol levels than pork.
    and the diseases mentioned, especially tapeworm and trichinosis, are not restricted to pork.

  14. =) got to read some more… with all due respect,the post or the article had taken both on the Islamic and Christian view…anyways, I agree that it’s better to be a vegetarian.. =)

  15. so why is pig/pork haram in islam?

    if the reasoning is because of cholesterol and the tapeworm etc are higher in pork products, well that’s inaccurate.
    if it is because it ‘lives in dirt and filth’ well, so do mushrooms. And what is compost if not ‘dirt and filth’?

    the original article mentioned pigs used as sacrifice – but so were cattle and sheep. Why are only pigs singled out?

  16. The Answer is because Allah said so! Nothing else and it probably has a really good reason behind it!

  17. islamic is the religion of peace the imam dat mr richard was talking must be on cocain or something remmeber 1 thing through out your life

    “a muslim is not a terrorist is not a muslim”

  18. Jihad doesn’t have 2 do anything with islam in the Al- Qur’an it said Allah S.W.T. hates those who commited suicide

  19. asslam o alikum i am raufoddin my profession buildership i need loan for complete my project its fair or not if not plz explain with hadith

  20. wow this is the worst piece of propaganda i have read in a long time. Meat from pigs is just as healthy for you as any other. The cholesterol is no higher than an egg and there is certainly no tapeworms. I have done a lot of research into islam in the past year or so and everything i read seems to tell me the same thing. Now correct me if I’m wrong but this is what I have gathered…

    “Islam is the last and true voice of God.” Aka “We’re better than you and arrogant to believe we are so.” All the rules and regulations seem to be put to keep people from searching for answers elsewhere. Try science? Unless your brain is too small to grasp it, in which case follow your islam and keep believing pigs are “dirty” animals. (Their skin and mouth have, on average, 78% less bacteria than a human… Who’s dirty now, moron?)

  21. and “because i said so” is a lousy excuse. I haven’t accepted that since i was 8 and my mother used it on me.

  22. Greetings to the above writer^

    First and far most I would like appreciate your concerns about Islam and I hope that I can help solve your misunderstandings (God-Willing) with the best of my abilities.

    Before I begin I would like to ask you, although you said you did some “research” on pigs and them being dirty animals; you never specified from where you got the information or any source of your research.

    Now as your second question, could you please specify from where you got the quote, “Islam is the last and true voice of God” from (let it be a hadith or from the Quran) so I can better help you understand what the quote could mean. I strongly doubt the verse or quote has the meanings of arrogance as there is actually a saying of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) that says:

    (narrated from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood) Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “No one who has an atom’s-weight of arrogance in his heart will enter Paradise.” A man said, “O Messenger of Allaah, what if a man likes his clothes and his shoes to look good?” He said, “Allaah is Beautiful and loves beauty. Arrogance means rejecting the truth and looking down on people.”

    Also, your statement of “using” science as means of finding answers in life, you should head over to our Science and Islam section over here: http://themuslimvoice.wordpress.com/category/islam-and-science/

    Many science discoveries where found in the Quran thousands of years ago while those discoveries are being found by scientists today.

    Thanks for your time.

    The Muslim Voice Team

  23. Hi Baloch and all others,
    I am an atheist.
    I have few doubts and would be great full if anyone could help me to get an answer for my below queries:

    Qur’an is the word of god so Do it contains all the knowledge of the world ? Do it contain all the answers to any question ? Please answer it clearly with a description why so and with a final conclusion , whether it has all the knowledge of the world , yes or no ?

  24. So much ignorance in this world.

    Biologically, the closer an animal species is to human, the more diseases they have in common with us and the easier it is to transfer diseases to people. That is why you can safely eat raw fish but not raw pork.

    In earlier times people did not understand about microbes and diseases, but they saw the results. They learned methods to avoid food problems and with time these became community rules and eventually religious laws. These laws also incorporated local eating customs that may have been unrelated to food safety.

    As with all laws, some people take an extreme view and choose not to alter or update them.
    Some people don’t want to discuss openly as they know they have nothing to say apart from…..god says so.

    The only God’s curse is ignorance.

  25. Aselamuaalaikum,

    Some people say that the reason pig is haraam is because when mohammed faught his soldiers or the others who fought with him ate pork and they became sick so mohammed abandoned it….is this true?? or was pork abandoned by Allaah…I am muslim and I’m really not clarified on this…I know it’s wrong to eat it but I want to know who and why it was abandoned…

  26. I thought Muslims didn’t eat Pig because they worship Pig as their God and are not cannibal like christians who eat their God at church.

    I have also been told by a muslim friend that this was a big secret in islam, and that most muslims would never admit they worship Pig as God, even though they do, because it is commandment of Pig that this stays secret.

  27. I don’t have a source but when me and my family get together we start talking about our religion and religous stuff, and this always seems to start an arguement because some say it was abandoned by Allah, and some say that Mohammed abandoned it.

  28. All my sources tell me is that there was no back story or reason (for all we know) that Allah (swt) forbid pork. The only reason one could find is that Pork is not pure and harmful as well. Other then that, besides the reasoning from the above post I strongly doubt there was any back story mentioned in the Quran or Sunnah.

    And Allah (swt) Knows Best.

  29. Praise be to Allah who is the supreme and the exalted.
    Surely Allah stops us from the things which are bad for us. This is what Allah and his messenger(p.b.u.h) forbidded us from eating and now after so many years science proves this.
    Without no doubt, all praise is for the Almighty Allah.

    My dear friends with all due respect…. Firstly JIHAD… Jihad is a HOLY WAR…
    Suppose, If your neighbors are Irritating you, teasing you, and of are sick of them, so 1 day you will surely gonna take some action against them…
    So if any 1 put hurdles in way of Islam We have to fight against him… Jihad doesn’t mean that we have too kill every NON-MUSLIM!!!!!!
    Pork is PROHIBITED in Islam, reasons are posted above…
    now we have to explain these reasons….
    First tell me 1thing that Pork is not PROHIBITED for CHRISTIANS????
    Then we(MUSLIMS) PROHIBITED to eat those animals:-
    Animals slaughtered in the name of anyone but God. All that has been dedicated or offered in sacrifice to an idolatrous altar or saint or a person considered to be “divine”…
    carcasses of dead animals…
    An animal that has been strangled, beaten (to death), killed by a fall, gored (to death), savaged by a beast of prey (except by a human)……..
    Food over which God’s name is not pronounced (or at least not in a name other than God)…..
    In Surah 5:5 of the Quran, it is written: “The food of the People of the Book [Jews and Christians] is lawful for you as your food is lawful for them.”….

  31. we arent living in paradise;there are so many other things which could corrupt,i dun think avoiding pork could help one preserve much purity.just what i think.its inevitability of living in an imperfect world

  32. Saad! You are doing the great service!!! Thanks for this post as this can be a great answer to the people who need to open their eyes without arguing with the muslims just to mislead them. May Allah give you the peace in your life and in the next. And i will be waiting for your posts. May Allah accept you in his way. Assalaam o Alaikum!!!!

  33. pig is harm cuz its ugly, filthy, harm and it dosent have a neack wich is haram cuz allah has mentiond that all animals should be slauterd and a pig can not be slauterd cuz its so fat it dosent have a neck, its not only Muslims that don’t eat pork its also Jews and Christina but Christians eat pork cuz they they r breaking their rules (no offence) it even says that in the bible. also there is a christan priest who said that. its also not nice to eat s animal who eats its own baby yuk and it eats rubish and its own toilt(pooh)

  34. Maasha Allah how ignorant can people be and more greedy can they be after science itself has proved such a thing and also when they are aware that muslims forbid eating of pork due to the impurity of the pig..Boody Ignorant…

  35. i just wanna say if pig i harm cuz it dosent have a neck(according to research) isnt rabbit haram then

  36. (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)” Your god needs a blood sacrifice?
    because eating it is either a cause or a sign of a person’s oddness! Any, any religion that requires a blood sacrifice to its God is a sign of a person’s oddness! Your god needs a blood sacrifice?
    “He has forbidden you only the Maytah (dead animals), and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that which is slaughtered as a sacrifice for others than Allaah! Your god needs a blood sacrifice?
    (or has been slaughtered for idols, on which Allaah’s Name has not been mentioned while slaughtering) Your god needs a blood sacrifice?
    As a Muslim I love to educate, motivate and communicate with Muslims in the community ‘no ordinary decent religious person wants to listen to our ranting and ravings’ I want to inspire others to do good. I love my faith,I and other religious lunatics of Islam want to further help spread this deem in a productive and active environment! Even at 4.am in the morning. Or, at any other time during the 24 hour day when an uneducated imam sees fit. The uneducated imam is allowed to shout, wail, and scream his head off over loud speakers at any time of the day he wishes. By the way there are no female imams in Islam ‘it is not allowed’ it is forbidden for an islamic woman to have a voice in our religion. Allaah be praised!

  37. Just responding to the statement relating to Adam in the garden of Eden and no mention of the tree and why he shouldn’t eat of it. It is actually mentioned in Genesis and clearly states the reason.

  38. Part of the standard religious text which was suitable at the time of writing. Pork consumed today is clean, tasty and fairly cheap – you’re shooting yourself in the foot by not consuming a nice bit of roast pork, bacon or chops. Not just the west either – the Chinese consume a lot of pork as they recognise just how damn tasty it is.

  39. Dear Reader, Asalamwalaikum and wadup (lol) to my non Muslim but God believing brothers and sisters,
    Ok so I read above that some people commented is Allah better then Jesus because Allah tells the Muslims to kill nonMuslim (which is btw not true) and Jesus teaches to love thy neighbor…..I think it was the prisoner guy (by the way u need to tell the imam to read the Quran again and understand and same goes to you my friend because if you want the real answer then you have to do some work yourself you can’t be expecting people to just hand you the answers). Ok so first of all I would like to say that in order to be a Muslim you have to believe in all the Prophets and ofcourse other stuff too which I’ll tell you if you want to know!!!…..so I don’t understand that how can you tells us that your Jesus is right. He is our Jesus also, we also believe in Him…..and by the way to know the answer to jihad or anything else that’s troubling you about Islam, the only thing you need to do is pick up a Quran and read, and please do not leave comments here unless you have done your homework……
    And for my Muslim brother and sisters as we all know that Allah has said in Quran that people will ask us hurtful questions but we have to be patience and fear Allah (al-E-imran: 186), so let’s leave it up to Him and He surely will takecare of us (Ameen).

    Oh and also incase if anyone doesn’t know……Allah is another name for God……you wouldn’t believe how many people doesn’t know that 😱😳.

    Let’s pray to Allah that He keeps us on the right path and keeps us true to Him. Ya Allah!! Please gives us patience and strength To over come the obstacles of life. Ameen!!!

    Thank you and Shaba Khair 😃

  40. i think its better if everyone just shuts up about why its haram and accepts the fact tht its haram because allah said so. its shaytan who makes you have these types of doubts and make you question allahs words and rules. seriously, LIKE COME ON!

  41. Salam aleikom. Isnt pork also haram because a pig is an omnivorous animal? From what i understand, carnivorous animals are haram for humans to eat. So perhaps pork is haram, partly because it eats the meat of other animals too.

  42. I am a Christian and we are forbidden to eat pork also.

    Leviticus 11:7
    Leviticus 11:8

  43. Aslam alaikum…

    Pork is HARAM in Islam. Allah have forbidden pork. So, we don’t eat and Insha Allah our coming generation also will not eat it. But we can’t do anything with the people who eat pork and try to make themselves right by giving foolish excuses. Its like a drinker gives lot of reason why he drinks alcohol.. Same as a thief gives reason why he rob. So, like that you people also know very well that eating pork is harmful but you can’t make yourself away from eating pork and you people don’t have a valid reason which says that the holy Quran is wrong. So, for convincing yourself, you people, simply come and debate with the believers without any proof. Because you don’t have the dare to accept the truth of Quran and science.

    So, eat as much as you can. No harm will come to us. Our duty is to make people aware of the right and wrong. But listening or not listening is up to you.

    Jazakh Allah..

  44. ive been tracking this debate/argument whatever for a looong time now and as yet no one has been able to answer why pig/pork is haram in islam, beyond stating ‘its in the quran’.
    the poster: ‘the mv (saad)’ in a post has even said that there is no back story/reason in the quran supporting the view that pig/pork is haram.

  45. Mr. Thomas,

    i think u r not following the debate/argument with proper attention. If u were then u will never tell so.. It is very clearly answered by the scholar/admin about the harm or pig. Including Quran, Bible as well as modern science. So, kindly improve your eye sight and read the answer completely. I hope then your doubt may get clear if you really want to or else keep reading or eating things which u like. As i told before, no harm will come to the believers if non believers eat or during or do forbidden things.. Insha Allah.. Allah is greatest and he is watching and controlling the mind of his lovable slaves on earth.

    Jazakh Allah..

  46. My personal opinion is that pork was made haram historically in Islam and forbiddend by Christianity and Judaism for purely health reasons at that time, if we have found a way to remove those health risks are we certain God/Allah would not want us to reconsider our consumption of such items? What would we do do a messenger who came with that message? And while we can debate the health issues of pork, I think it is safe to say that there is no doubt about smoking… where is the prohibition against smoking by the various religions? We live in a world where we think God/Allah only spoke to us ages ago and we fail to try to listen to him now…

  47. jazakh allah,

    please do point out which of the commenters gave a valid scientific reason as to why eating pork is haram, beyond the ‘it’s allahs will’.

  48. Mr. Thomas,

    kindly go through the below article. then you will understand what science is telling about pork. or go to this site…


    Why You Should Avoid Pork

    If you’re at all familiar with the Bible you’ll probably remember that in it God specifically instructed His people not to eat pork and shellfish. Many people are surprised to find this out, but in the Old Testament God warned us that the pig was an unclean animal–a scavenger and not to be eaten (Check out Leviticus 11).

    No matter how you think about it, pigs are a rather dirty animal. They are considered the scavengers of the farm (created to eliminate any waste on the farm), often eating anything they can find. This includes not only bugs, insects, and whatever leftover scraps they find laying around, but also their own feces, as well as the dead carcasses of sick animals, including their own young.

    This in itself can explain why the meat of the pig can be so dirty or at the very least not so
    appetizing to consume. And while being ‘grossed out’ may or may not be a valid reason not
    to eat something it’s vital to understand a bit more about pork before reaching your own

    Pork 101: Know the Facts

    Pork is one of the most consumed meats in the world. China is the largest producer of pigs
    that were first domesticated way back around 7500 B.C.

    The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that more than 100 viruses
    come to the United States each year from China through pigs. There are some obvious
    concerns about this. Aside from not needing more viruses to fight off, some of these
    viruses can prove to be downright dangerous to humans.

    Of course, you’re probably familiar with H1N1, better known as ‘the swine flu.” This too is a virus that has made the leap from pig to human.

    But H1N1 is not the only disease to fear from the pig. There are other sicknesses you can get from eating the meat of the pig.

    Pork meat is loaded with toxins, more so than most other meats like beef and chicken.

    Is Pork Meat Toxic?

    A pig digests whatever it eats rather quickly, in up to about four hours. On the other hand a cow takes a good twenty-four hours to digest what it’s eaten. During the digestive process, animals (including humans) get rid of excess toxins as well as other components of the food eaten that could be dangerous to health.

    Since the pig’s digestive system operates rather basically, many of these toxins remain in their system to be stored in their more than adequate fatty tissues ready for our consumption.

    Another issue with the pig is that it doesn’t have any sweat glands. Sweat glands are a tool the body uses to be rid of toxins. This leaves more toxins in the pig’s body.

    I don’t have to tell you that when you consume pork meat, you too are getting all these toxins that weren’t eliminated from the pig. None of us need more toxins in our systems. In fact we should all be doing what we can to eliminate and cut down on toxin exposure. One vital way to do this is by choosing what you eat carefully.

    Trichinellosis, Pork Meat, and Your Health

    One of the biggest concerns with eating pork meat is trichinellosis or trichinosis. This is an infection that humans get from eating undercooked or uncooked pork that contains the larvae of the trichinella worm.


    And while no one particularly wants to consume worms, trichinellosis is a serious illness that you should do virtually anything to avoid.

    Common Symptoms of Trichinellosis:

    Swollen eyes
    Muscle pain
    Aching joints
    Coordination problems
    Heart issues
    Breathing problems
    These symptoms of trichinellosis can really put you out of the game for quite a while. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) these symptoms can last for weeks and in more serious cases months on end.


    In fact, it’s been theorized that trichinellosis is the exact cause of Mozart’s rather sudden death at age 35. An American researcher theorized this after studying all the documents recording the days before, during, and after Mozart’s death. He found that Mozart suffered many of the above listed symptoms and he, himself, had recorded in his journal the consumption of pork just forty-four days before his own death.

    (If you want to read more on this intriguing story you can find it in the Archives of Internal Medicine’s June 2001 issue.)

    But that’s not all….

    Pigs carry many viruses and parasites with them. Whether by coming in direct contact with them through farms or by eating their meat we put ourselves at higher risk of getting one of these painful, often debilitating diseases (not to mention put our bodies on toxic overload.)

    Pigs are primary carriers of:

    Taenia solium tapeworm
    Hepatitis E virus (HEV)
    PRRS (Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome)
    Nipah virus
    Menangle virus

    What you choose to eat is up to you. Myself, I choose to stay away from unclean pork (and shellfish.) The reasons discussed here are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to eating pigs and your health.

    Do your own research, carefully consider what the Bible so many years ago warned us about, then make your own educated decision about what you choose to feed yourself and your loved ones.

    Jazakh Allah..

  49. From a health perspective and by almost every measure, beef is MUCH less healthy than pork. I would also say that considering the toxic mixture of drugs and growth enhancers that are routinely fed to poultry nowadays (in fact all livestock), pork is a less risky option that chicken for example. If you don’t want to eat pork for religious reasons then that is fine. To say that one shouldn’t eat pork for health reasons is misleading to say the least. By the way, I have a PhD in nutritional biochemistry, so my view is based on everything I have studied to date.

  50. It is rather unfair to make this solely a health issue. First and foremost a pigs diet must be called into question. A pig will eat feces, dead or nearly dead animals and therefore carrion.

    It is abjectly unfair to claim Muslims single out pig meat or that Islam does. This is utterly untrue. Islamic law forbids most animals with similar diets. Animals that live on the land and are not exclusively grazers or vegetarians are generally forbidden.

    In reality the Islamic rules win out scientifically, since pigs are NOT alone in Islamic restrictions. Predators and omnivores have in the past been collection points for both toxins contained in smaller amounts in prey animals and parasites. Sure modern feeding makes pigs a little more even on this mark than in the past, but the Islamic prohibition on terrestrial mammals and vermin stands up to scientific scrutiny without question.

    Further, look at the outbreak of mad cow disease and general distaste for past feeding practices to cows. Cows in the lead up to mad cow disease were essentially turned into pigs and chickens into vultures, look at the results. Pigs are still fed this cannibalistic diet.

    It should not in fact be surprising that pigs have less bacteria in their mouth… vultures are highly resistant to bacteria and eat carrion as a pig does (albeit a vulture does so exclusively).

    On another note… in general there is little difference between eating pork and dog. Perhaps people where it is common should give Europeans a hard time for not eating dog? European taboos seem much less consistent than Islamic ones.

    Lets face it, pigs ARE disgusting, they do live in filth and to this day in many parts of the world continue to eat feces and rotting garbage.

    If pigs are less filth ridden in Western society today… it is NOT due to pigs being wonderful healthy animals, but rather due to how low industry has sunk in its husbandry methods to make a buck off of meat production by turning other animals into pigs… all of which are equally disgusting and unacceptable under Islamic law as eating pork.

    Pigs aren’t mentioned in the Quran because they are somehow special, but rather because they are arguably the only domesticated animal that didn’t meet Islamic criterion that was commonly consumed.

  51. i have some questions for the islam , is any muslim bro, sis available to give me the answers , please , not debate , just sharing ? i m a non muslim

  52. We as Muslims, once it is mentioned in QURAN what we should do & what we should not that is enough for us we do not look for reasons. Our Prophet SAWS saying are also words of Allah SWT. Our prophet companions always said to Prophet SAWS that “Allah & his prophet knows better” Haven & hell is created & there will be many people in both side – May Allah keep us in good side, Ameen

  53. free thinker – Main message in Islam is mentioned in one of the chapter (Surah) in Quran. Which is surah iklas that is :: Say: He is Allah, the One and Only! Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; He begetteth not nor is He begotten. And there is none like unto Him:: after believing this then whole life is covered in Islam

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  56. 1) Every animal has some form of worms or virus. Not only pig. So the answer that it contains worms or viruses that can harm humans is not valid.

    2) The Bible, Quran and Torah is but a copy of one after the other. No explanation provided. Did ALLAH create a bad product??

    3) The Quran also prohibits consumption of carnivarous animals but these animals are not treated the same.

    4) Saying that it is unclean is also baseless. Because modern day pig farms provide better food for the pigs. Not like how it was in the middle east 2000 years ago.

    5) What about the fuss over dogs is Islam. Bad creation of ALLAH???

  57. Very often I find people using stuff of science to try justify a believe or religion.
    This justification of not eating Pork because it has worms or disease is NOT what the Quran say. The Quran didn’t say anything about worms and disease because in those days they don’t understand heart disease, bacteria, parasite or virus. And definitely they know nothing of hygiene and antibiotics.
    So this explanation that pork is dirty is NOT from Quran. It’s from people who tried to justify something. Why do you have to do that? Using your own limiited knowledge to try justify the words of your God? Trying to convince that the words of Allah is true by modern science?
    Your justication is so limited by your own lack of knowledge!
    And your knowledge is wrong! People having been eating pork for hundreds of years and nothing bad has become of them… Smoking cause more harm but the Quran has nothing on it…
    It go to show all this words of God or Alllah is very much incompete and wrong interpreted!

  58. I heard that there is a very big secret of pig and muslim, its like there is personal issue (reason) inside for not muslim not to eat pig.because after all above disccussions, there no specific reason why pig is haram!

  59. A’slam alikum friends I loved baloch’s comment tad was most clear… I would say eat pork or not what ever allah ordered us we will obey coz we r muslims n prok is nt an argument, means comon we r humans n we only need calaries so the argument is usless allah gifted so many other food sources to us so if he ordered to avoid 1 so its not wrong….well tads my opinion , I also have a question can I wear fashionable body covering cloths and n loss fashionable abays??? I wanted to know if its alowed in islam or nt? Please answer this quetion….may allah guide us :)

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