ISLAM ( MY NEW FAITH)

Regarding the pork issue: Why is the eating of pork forbidden in Islam?


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.


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 some 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 neighbor'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. It is scientifically known that our food has a direct influence on our behavior...


The answer was elaborated by Dr. Zakir Naik, a very known Islamic scholar and doctor.

Welcome NewSoul and Muslim1. Interesting posts, both of you. I saved the Quran text in my favorites and will peruse it. My dad used to read us from Quran and from the Bible when we were little. He's an atheist and so am I, but I find it inspirational and educational nonetheless. Hope to see lot more posts from you.

Assalam Alykum Muslim1, JazakumAllah kayran,

I am just trying to help those souls :-) , Maybe oneday they will take the time to read the Quran and will see the difference between the Quran and the bibles that we grew up in. The Quran is saying just the Truth, I swear by Allah ( God in Arabic) .

dagmaraka,

Thank you for welcoming me here. It shows that your father is aknowledging the fact that the Quran and the Bible have some wisdom in them. Well the Quran is showing nothing but a lot of wisdom that God wants us to follow to live happily and to be safe from his extrem punishment. Tsunami was a severe punishment and a reminder to us that we exist yes but that we are in the mercy of God , the most powerful. Tsunami is a reminder of how little and fragile we are. However, Tsunami is not what is prepared for whom were living like animals , transgressing laws and just because nobody have seen them doing anything does not mean that God is not watching them and recording their sins until the day of judgment. thinking they created themselves and were self-sufficient.Tsunami could be a tickle compared to the Hellfire as described . Eternity of extrem punishment makes it more scary and if we just try to imagine that we will not be able to sleep thinking what if he/she was gonna suffer eternally . We human beings can not even stand a headache, even a headache that will last for ever will be an extrem punishment but God is promissing that , as he designed the Heavens to have the extrem beauty and the most amazing continuous fun and rewards he designed Hellfire as extremly horrific and extremly severe and that we all shall pay for all sins and the worse of the sins is to not aknowledge that he is the provider of everything and without just water or air we can't survive. Guys and Girls, please realize how criminal your self-sufficiency, arrogance and selfishness is pretending that you are what you are because of who you are and not because of the creator who created you from dust and water. Take a look at your skin, don't you have hair, does not that look like plants? does not that skin look like layers of soil ?

Again, I am not insulting anybody but I just wanted to make a point and warn you from your carelessness of facing the reality of this subject. I know that without thinking we are not strong enough to think about our death oneday and the possibility to be in trial and punished for all the sins and unjustice we ve committed against ourselves, others and especially the creator. Common sense tells us that it is unfair that criminals go away with their wrongdoings without receiving any punishment. Imagine if what I say is true, are you able to risk your life for small glimpses of fun of what God prepared for us in the Hereafter for whomever are gonna be admitted to the Heavens. If God created all this Universe, can't he create better ? If he created us, can't he keep us for ever ???


Regards,
Michael

Bad news.

Pigs are not the only animal that invites others to have sex with his wife.

I didn't read most of it either.

I'm glad you have found a religion which will hopefully give you peace. If it makes you appreciate life more, then all the better. I do not personally agree with your religious tenets, but I do agree that finding something that fits into your personality can be very rewarding.
I did just that and I'll never look back.

Good luck to you!

Lash;



What are the other animals ? Can you specify ?

Best Regards.

welcome to A2K newsoul-

its nice to have another muslim on the forum

Alhamdulilah (all praise be to Allah),

It is good to see more muslims on this site. When I first joined this, I dont think i saw any other muslim on the forms. I just wanted to say it is good to have others help spread the true message of Islam and not what we hear or see in the media. Insha'Allah (God willing) we will all gain from this.

Assalam Alykum my dear brothers,

Islam is great because Islam is the truth. No matter how much people try to fight it with all means there will be still people who have heard just false things about it, in the News, from people talking about it , calling it Muhammadian ..Etc and revert to it when they read the Quran and find out that many are trying to hide the laws of God from spreading, the truth behind this entire Universe and this life in general. Allah ( God in Arabic ) will always keep Islam the fastest growing religion in the world because believe me, there are people that have good hearts around every corner of the planet and there is God, the most merciful that never give up on guiding people to be just, fair, humble and grateful of all the blessings to God example, blessings that we never think of , example a blanket, a blessing that saves our bodies from cold so we thank God for providing whole ..Etc.
When God guide those who are looking for the true guidance they accept Islam without questioning it because Islam has nothing but Justice, nothing but Laws that let you taste the real Happiness and success. So many people think that we are so intelligent that we must be self-sufficient. Then tell me, what can anyone of us do in the time of a Tsunami, an earthquake, a volcano, a tornado? What can we do against death? Don't we use whatever minerals, ions, electrons, and protons we find in this world to make our homes, our cars? What does Oil or Water or Nuclear powers represent in our industries? Isn't it the essential driver, the soul of all machines? Didn't God provide us with minds as a tool to assemble things for our benefit and use the fuels to put those machines alive? Didn't God told us by sending so many messengers how to live and tell us to use whatever he, Almighty gave us but warns us from doing some of the things that he dislikes? It sounds like the story of Adam and Eve!!! Well just like Adam and Eve made mistakes we are making mistakes too but what did Adam and Eve do? They asked for forgiveness and never committed sins again but still they were sent for trial. Many people think that God is all forgiving. True, he is but he also punishes severely and the best among us are the one who work hard on themselves everyday to stop sinning and do better. Do we stop from sinning or at least try? Life is a hardship because we should all be stronger than our desires and that's what God wants from us and he is telling us to be patient., he is telling us that this life is a very short part of our eternal life only. God created us perfectly not to live for a short time and then go to dust, No, he created us to live eternally under his greatness and will either honor whoever deserves his Honor and will punish severely wrongdoers and will treat them like stones that will satisfy the hunger of the biggest beast God created which is Hellfire, the eternal infinite punishment. God wants us to be stronger than our desires to deserve to be leaders of justice and give everything everyone what it deserves so that we live an eternal life purified from all kinds of injustice such as arrogance, self-sufficiency, hatry, anger, selfishness.. etc , to live in a such better place that this which is the Heavens, a paradise of continuous enjoyment and a kingdom of eternal beauty where enjoyment gets better day after day and never ends. The question is ? Isn't it the dream of all to have fun, see beautiful things, be around people that love you and be happy and enjoy life ? Everybody knows that we all have dreams to be in a beautiful island , with a beautiful woman …etc God knows best his creation and he knows best what will make him happy. He is giving us glimpses of what is waiting for us in the Heavens. He designed this world, surely he can design better and much better and he only knows what is waiting for us and the key here is patience and acknowledgment of the existence of the one God, the king of the worlds , the most powerful, and we thanking him for all his bounties and blessings on us. When we do that, it is so easy to be just and good with others because whenever you do something you are reminded that God is watching you and I assure you that the Heavens can not be described by words because there are no earthly-words to describe them but the Quran is the best on describing it and we should refer to the Quran to know what is waiting for us.

Everybody should ask for guidance from GOD(ALLAH in Arabic) and let me tell you , there is no similar happiness than the happiness from living the right path. May Allah accepts our efforts and struggles on ourselves, our prayers and goodness toward our brothers and sisters black, white, yellow, red, old young, tall , short, it doesn't matter which race they come from, InshaAllah.

Muslim1 had some very interesting things to say concerning how unhealthy it is to eat pork. I would first of all like to remind him that Muslims eat water buffalo. Water buffalo love to lie in the muck for the same reasons pigs lie in mud--to cool off. Muslims also eat chicken. Have they ever seen where chicken feet go and what they eat in many Mulim countries? It is not a pretty sight.

Next, let's examine the health conditions under which Halal meat is prepared in some countries with very large Muslim populations. Most people in the West or Japan would find the condtions of Indonesian, Bangladeshi, Indian, and Pakistani slaughterhouses absolutely disgusting. Next go to a public market in any of these countries. You will often find fly-infested meat hanging in less than hygenic conditions. If it does not have any flies, it has probably been sprayed with some kind of chemical pesticide. So you have a choice of flies or poison. I would certainly say that a pork chop in any North American, West European, Australian, or Japanese supermarket to be less likely to make you sick than most Halal meat from any of the contries I mentioned.

Also, we should not forget that chickens and cattle have been known to contract bird flu and mad cow disease, respectively. Pigs are not the only animals capable of causing disease.

One more thing. Substitute an ethnic group for pig in the diatribe about pigs. Anyone saying that about a group of fellow human beings leaves himself open to accusations of bigotry.

Pepito,

Congratulations!!!! You know better than scientists and doctors who say that any pig carries worms and its meat can causes some 60 deadly diseases ...

What an intelligent man!!! You has no knowledge whatsoever on how the meat should be prepared according to the Islamic Law, which was proven scientifically that it is the best way to get rid of all the germs and any causes of diseases.


Even Christians know that and it is in their Bibles not to eat it. They just eat it because of their lack of faith.

The Pig is Poison

1 Do not eat the swine. Do not use any form of tobacco. Do not smoke it or chew it. According to medical scientists, the tobacco weed affects the whole body. The heart, lungs, liver, kidney and bladder can be affected by the use of tobacco.

2 WOULD THE government like for you to stop using the tobacco weed -- yes or no? The government harvests a great revenue from the tax on tobacco, therefore, it would not like to stop

its citizens from using tobacco. But, if the taxpayer is losing his life by producing and using the tobacco weed, the government, yet, will not win.

3 The poor man who uses quite a bit of tobacco and is not able to pay the doctor's bill for the harm that the tobacco will cause in his body, may have to go on charity. The taxpayers will have to pay the doctor's bill to cure the illnesses that are caused by using tobacco.

4 So, it does not make sense for the government to continue to allow the citizens of its country to use a poison that it knows is gradually taking the lives of its citizens.

5 THE PIG IS another poison people are eating. The government takes no steps towards stopping the raising of swine to be marketed for the people to eat, because it is another thing that brings much money to the government. But all the medical scientists know the hog should not be eaten as food by anyone.

6 It just shows how wicked the Christian race is. They preach "Thou shall not do this" and point it out in their religious book (Bible) and yet they are the ones who are breaking every forbidden thing of their law.

7 But, since we now have been given the truth from the mouth of God of this race of people -- that they are not what we thought they were and that they are only a race of devils by nature -- why should we expect anything from the devils but evil? They cannot be devils and be good.

8 WE HAVE been made so blind, deaf, and dumb knowing the people who have exercised rule and authority over us. We have wondered, time and again, why they treat us so wickedly.

9 But now we have been taught from the mouth of God the true knowledge of this people and ourselves, why should we be so foolish now to continue to follow them for right guidance? They could not guide us rightly, when by nature they were created to deceive and mislead.

10 The Bible is full of the teachings of the true knowledge of the nature of the devil, from Genesis to the Revelations, but we did not understand the Bible. Now, the truth has come and the knowledge of the book (Bible) has been made known.

11 SO, EAT THE good food that Allah (God) has given to us and stay away from the things that are no good and poison.

New Soul,

You are so condescending. "Even Christians know..." What is with this holier than thou attitude? "Pig is poison." This shows that your decision not to eat pork is based on faith. Surely no scientist knowing all facts would say this.

I would to mention that you did not challenge my assertions about the unsanitary conditions under which Halal meat is prepared and sold in the four countries I mentioned. To challenge them would demonstrate ignorance.

It is curious that you mention tobacco. Millions of Muslims smoke. It is not explicitly banned in the Quran. The reason is that the tobacco plant as we know it originated in the western hemisphere. It was completely unknown in the Arabian peninsula during the 7th century AD. In fact, it was the European colonialists that brought it to the old world after Columbus sailed to America. If tobacco were known in the Arabian peninsula I would be willing to bet that Mohamed (PBUH) would have banned it.

It is banned my friend , read the Quran

Muhammad PBUH banned all Drugs and Tobacco is a Drug

1. Danger to your health

Allah says, "...make not your own hands contribute to your destruction..." (Surah al-Baqarah 2:195); "...nor kill yourselves..." (Surah al-Nisaa 4:29). It is universally understood that cigarette smoking causes a number of health problems that often ultimately result in death. Men who smoke contract lung cancer at 22 times the rate of non-smokers. Smokers are also highly at risk for heart disease, emphysema, oral cancer, stroke, etc. There are hundreds of poisonous and toxic ingredients in the cigarette itself that the smoker inhales straight into the lungs. In an authentic hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that "Whomsoever drinks poison, thereby killing himself, will sip this poison forever and ever in the fire of Jahannum (Hell)." Over 3 million people worldwide die from smoking-related causes each year.

2. Danger to your family's health

In the Qur'an, Allah says: "Those who annoy believing men and women undeservedly bear on themselves a glaring sin" (Surat al-Ahzaab 33:58). And the Prophet (peace be upon him) said that "there should be neither harming, nor reciprocating harm." In another hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Anyone who believes in Allah and the Last Day should not hurt his neighbor." Those around the smoker inhale what is known as "second-hand smoke" - the unfiltered, poisonous waste that goes in the air around the smoker. There are over 4,000 chemicals in cigarette smoke, over 40 of which are known to cause cancer. Second-hand smoke causes or aggravates asthma, bronchitis, and other respiratory problems, especially in children.

3. Addictive

The addiction to tobacco is a physical response that often interferes with one's life and worship. For example, smoking is clearly forbidden during the daytime fast of Ramadan. Many addicted smokers spend their fasting days sleeping, cranky, and short-tempered, just counting the hours until they can have their fix at sunset. The most severely addicted will wait outside the mosque door for the adhan, and break their fast by lighting up, before taking even food or water.

4. Noxious Smell

Muslims are advised to refrain from eating raw onions and garlic - simply as a courtesy to those around them because of the awful smell. The same goes even more so for the reek of cigarettes, which permeates everything around the smoker - hair, clothing, home, car, etc. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever has eaten from such greens as garlic, onions or leek should keep away from our mosque." Many smokers try to hide the smell by using breath mints or perfume. This does not get rid of the smell, it only masks it. Often the combination of smells is even more nauseating.

5. Waste of Money

Allah says, "...But spend not wastefully (your wealth) in the manner of a spendthrift. Verily spendthrifts are brothers of the devils..." {Surah al-Israa' 17:26-27} And in an authentic hadith the Prophet (peace be upon him) said that: "Allah hates for you three things: gossiping, begging, and wasting money." In the U.S. and other countries, cigarettes are taxed heavily in order to discourage this habit and reimburse the government for the overwhelming health care costs to care for those afflicted with diseases caused by smoking. Smokers often spend thousands of dollars a year that literally just go up in smoke.

Recent Opinions of Scholars

In more recent times, as these dangers of tobacco use have come to be proven beyond any doubt, scholars have become more unanimous in pronouncing tobacco use clearly haram (forbidden) to believers. They now use the strongest terms to condemn this habit. For example: "In view of the harm caused by tobacco, growing, trading in and smoking of tobacco are judged to be haram (forbidden). The Prophet, peace be upon him, is reported to have said, 'Do not harm yourselves or others.' Furthermore, tobacco is unwholesome, and God says in the Qur'an that the Prophet, peace be upon him, 'enjoins upon them that which is good and pure, and forbids them that which is unwholesome'" (Permanent Committee of Academic Research and Fatwa, Saudi Arabia).

As mentioned, one of the dangers of tobacco is that it is so addicting. It causes a physical response in your body when you try to give it up. Therefore, quitting is often difficult. However, with the help of Allah and the personal commitment to improve yourself for the sake of Allah, and for your own health, it is possible. It is first recommended to make the firm intention, from deep in your heart, to give up this evil habit. Trust in Allah's words: "...When you have taken a decision, put your trust in Allah. For Allah loves those who put their trust in Him. If Allah help you, none can overcome you; if He forsakes you, who is - after that - that can help you? In Allah, then, let believers put their trust" (Surah Al-'lmran 3:159-160).

Secondly, one must avoid situations where you are used to smoking, and people who do so around you. For example, if you have certain friends who gather together to smoke, make a choice to stay away from that environment for the time being. At a vulnerable stage, it is too easy to get sucked back in by having "just one." Remember, tobacco causes a physical addiction and you must stay away completely. Drink a lot of water and keep yourself busy in other endeavors. Spend time in the mosque. Play sports. And remember the words of Allah: "And those who strive hard in Our Cause, We will certainly guide them to Our Paths, for verily Allah is with those who do right" (Surah al-Ankabut 29:69).

For more information about the proven dangers of smoking, and advice on how to quit, visit About.com's Smoking Cessation website.

Living With a Smoker

If you live with or are friends with smokers, first of all encourage them to quit, for the sake of Allah, their deen, and their health. If they refuse (and ultimately we will face Allah alone), you have the right to protect your own health and the health of your family. Do not allow it in the house. Do not allow it in enclosed quarters with your family. Even if the smoker is a parent, we do not need to permit them to smoke merely because they are our parents or elders. The Qur'an is clear that we are not to obey our parents in things which are forbidden by Allah. Share with your loved ones the information above, and encourage them to give up this habit, for the sake of Allah.

Pepito,

If you wanna learn more about Tobacco go to this website :

http://islam.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://qss.org/articles/smoking.html

Resembling The People Of The Fire

A smoker inhales the smoke that does not give him any nourishment. This is similar to the action of the people of the Hell fire who eat harmful thorny plants:


<<No food will be there for them but a poisonous thorny plant, which will neither nourish them nor still their hunger.>>(14)