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.
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
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.
What Are They Saying About: ISLAM?
Printable Version [click]
"Most Influential Person In History" - Michael H. Hart
"My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world's most influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular level." [Michael H. Hart, THE 100: A RANKING OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSONS IN HISTORY, New York: Hart Publishing Company, Inc., 1978, p. 33.]
Fastest growing religion in America - Hillary Rodman Clinton
"Islam is the fastest-growing religion in America, a guide and pillar of stability for many of our people..." [HILLARY RODMAN CLINTON, Los Angeles Times, May 31, 1996, p.3]
Moslems - fastest growing group... - USA Today
Already more than a billion-people strong, Islam is the world's fastest-growing religion. [ABCNEWS, Abcnews.com]
God sent me Quran - Cat Stevens (former Jazz singer from England)
"Everything made so much sense. This is the beauty of the Qur'an; it asks you to reflect and reason....When I read the Qur'an further, it talked about prayer, kindness and charity. I was not a Muslim yet, but I felt the only answer for me was the Qur'an and God had sent it to me." [Cat Stevens (Now Yusuf Islam), former British pop star.]
"Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the country." [NEWSDAY, March 7, 1989, p.4]
"Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the United States..." [NEW YORK TIMES, Feb 21, 1989, p.1]
Moslems are the world's fastest-growing group..." [USA TODAY, The Population Reference bureau, Feb. 17, 1989, p.4A ]
"Muhummed is the most successful of all Prophets and religious personalities. " [Encyclopedia Britannica]
"There are more Muslims in North America then Jews Now." [Dan Rathers, CBSNEWS]
"Islam is the fastest growing religion in North America." [TIMES MAGAZINE]
"Islam continues to grow in America, and no one can doubt that!" [CNN, December 15, 1995]
"The Religion of Islam is growing faster than any other religion in the world." [MIKE WALLACE, 60 MINUTES]
"Five to 6 million strong, Muslims in America already outnumber Presbyterians, Episcopalians, and Mormons, and they are more numerous than Quakers, Unitarians, Seventh-day Adventists, Mennonites, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Christian Scientists, combined. Many demographers say Islam has overtaken Judaism as the country's second-most commonly practiced religion; others say it is in the passing lane." [JOHAN BLANK, US NEWS (7/20/98)]
"In fact, Religion experts say Islam is the second-largest religion in the United States... Islam has 5 million to 6 million members, followed by Judaism, with approximately 4.5 million..... And Islam is believed to be fastest-growing religion in the country, with half its expansion coming from new immigrants and the other half from conversions." [By ELSA C. ARNETT Knight-Ridder News Service]
"It has been a great pleasure for me to help clarify statements in the Quran about human development. It is clear to me that these statements must have come to Muhammad from Allah, or Allah, because almost all of this knowledge was not discovered until many centuries later. This proves to me that Muhammad must have been a messenger of God or Allah." Professor Keith Moore, one of the world's prominent scientists of anatomy and embryology. University of Toronto, Canada]
"But Islam has a still further service to render to the cause of humanity. It stands after all nearer to the real East than Europe does, and it possesses a magnificent tradition of inter-racial understanding and cooperation. No other society has such a record of success uniting in an equality of status, of opportunity, and of endeavours so many and so various races of mankind . . . Islam has still the power to reconcile apparently irreconcilable elements of race and tradition. If ever the opposition of the great societies of East and West is to be replaced by cooperation, the mediation of Islam is an indispensable condition. In its hands lies very largely the solution of the problem with which Europe is faced in its relation with East. If they unite, the hope of a peaceful issue is immeasurably enhanced. But if Europe, by rejecting the cooperation of Islam, throws it into the arms of its rivals, the issue can only be disastrous for both." [H.A.R. Gibb, WHITHER ISLAM, London, 1932, P. 379.]
"It (Islam) replaced monkishness by manliness. It gives hope to the slave, brotherhood to mankind, and recognition of the fundamental facts of human nature." [Canon Taylor, Paper read before the Church Congress at Walverhamton, Oct. 7, 1887; Quoted by Arnoud in THE PREACHING OF ISLAM, pp. 71-72.]
The founder of twenty terrestrial empires and of one spiritual empire, that is Muhammed. As regards all standards by which
human greatness may be measured, we may well ask, is there any man greater than he? " [Lamartine, Historie de la Turquie, Paris 1854, Vol. 11 pp. 276-2727]
"If a man like Muhammed were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems that would bring it the much needed peace and happiness." [George Bernard Shaw]
"How, for instance, can any other appeal stand against that of the Moslem who, in approaching the pagan, says to him, however obscure or degraded he may be 'Embrace the faith, and you are at once equal and a brother.' Islam knows no color line." [S. S. Leeder, VEILED MYSTERIES OF EGYPT]
I think it seems to me very, very mysterious, almost unbelievable. I really think if what you have said is true, [Professor Siaveda , He is also one of the most famous scientists in the world.]
Professor William W. Hay is one of the best known marine scientists in the United States. satellite photography and emote-sensing techniques. Professor Hay replied: I find it very interesting that this sort of information is in the ancient scripture of the Holy Quran, and I have no way of knowing where they would come from, but I think it is extremely interesting that they are there and that this work is going on to discover it, the meaning of some of the passages. Professor Hay: Well, I would think it must be the divine being!
[Professor Yushudi Kusan: Director of the Tokyo Observatory] I can say, I am very mush impressed by finding true astronomical facts in the Quran.
[Professor Alfred Kroner who is one of the world's most famous geologists] "Thinking about many of these questions and thinking where Muhammad came from, he was after all a bedouin. I think it is almost impossible that he could have known about things like the common origin of the universe,
because scientists have only found out within the last few years with very complicated and advanced technological methods that this is the case.
[Dr. T.V.N. Persaud is a Professor of Anatomy and Head of the Department of Anatomy, and a professor of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He is the author or editor of 25 books, and has published over 181 scientific papers. In 1991, he received the most distinguished award presented in the field of anatomy in Canada.]
"It seems to me that Muhammad was a very ordinary man. He could not read or write. In fact, he was illiterate. We are talking about 1400 years ago. You have someone who was illiterate making profound pronouncement
and statements and are amazingly accurate about scientific nature. I personally cannot see how this could be mere chance. There are too many accuracy's and, like Dr. Moore, I have no difficulty in my mind in concerning that this is a divine inspiration or revelation which led him to these statements."
Joe Leigh Simpson, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the North Western University in Chicago in the United States of America. Professor Simpson said: It follows, I think, that not only is there no conflict between genetics and religion, but in fact religion can guide science by adding revelation to some traditional scientific approaches. That there exists statements in the Quran shown by science to be valid, which supports knowledge in the Quran having been derived from Allah.
[Professor Palmer a scientist from the U.S.] We need research into the history of early Middle Eastern oral traditions to know whether in fact such historical events have been reported. If there is no such record, it strengthens the belief that Allah transmitted through Muhammad bits of his knowledge that we have only discovered for ourselves in recent times. We look forward to a continuing dialogue on the topic of science in the Quran in the context of geology. Thank you very much.
[Professor Tagata Tagasone, formerly Head of the Department of Anatomy and Embryology at the University of Shiang Mai in Thailand. He is now the Dean of the College of the Medicine at the University.]
From my studies and from what I have learned throughout this conference, I believe that everything that has been recorded in the Quran 1400 years ago must be the truth, that can be proved by the scientific means. Since the Prophet Muhammad could neither read nor write, Muhammad must be a messenger who relayed this truth which was revealed to him as an enlightenment by the One Who is an Eligible Creator. This Creator must
be Allah, or Allah. Therefore, I think this is the time to say ?'Laa ilaaha illallah', that there is no Allah to worship except Allah, ?'Muhammad Rasool Allah', Muhammad is messenger of Allah...
[Professor Armstrong, Scientist works at NASA] I am impressed that how remarkably some of the ancient writings seem to correspond to modern and recent Astronomy. There may well have to be something beyond what we understand as ordinary human experience to account for the writings that we have seen.
[Professor Durga Rao] It is difficult to imagine that this type of knowledge was existing at that time, around 1400 years back. May be some of the things they have simple idea about, but do describe those things in great detail is very difficult. So, this is definitely not a simple human knowledge.
"No other society has such a record of success in uniting in an equality of status, of opportunity and Endeavour so many and so varied races of mankind. The great Muslim communities of Africa, India and Indonesia, perhaps also the small community in
Japan, show that Islam has still the power to reconcile apparently irreconcilable elements of race and tradition. If
ever the opposition of the great societies of the East and west is to be replaced by cooperation, the mediation of Islam is
an indispensable condition." [H.A.R. Gibb, WHITHER ISLAM, p. 379]
The nation's claim to be a Christian country is about to meet its first challenge: the number of practising Muslims is set to overtake Anglican Christians.... There has also been a number of high-profile conversions to Islam from Christianity. These include Mike Tyson, the former world champion boxer; Chris Eubank, the British middleweight boxing champion, who has changed his name to Hamdan; and Cat Stevens, the pop musician, who calls himself Yusuf Islam.... Prince Charles courted controversy earlier this year when he reaffirmed his
claim that when he succeeds the throne, he does not wish to be the defender of only the Christian faith. [Rajeev Syal and Christopher Morgan Sunday Times (London, U.K.)]
Savior of Humanity (Muhammad) - George Bernard Shaw
"I have studied him - the wonderful man - and in my opinion far from being an anti-Christ he must be called the saviour of humanity. " [George Bernard Shaw in "The Genuine Islam"]
Muhammad - inspired man - founder of Islam James A. Michener - famous author
"Muhammad, the inspired man who founded Islam, was born about A.D. 570 into an Arabian tribe that worshipped idols. Orphaned at birth, he was always particularly solicitous of the poor and needy, the widow and the orphan, the slave and the downtrodden. At twenty, he was already a successful businessman, and soon became director of camel caravans for a wealthy widow. When he reached twenty-five, his employer, recognizing his merit, proposed marriage. Even though she was fifteen years older, he married her, and as long as she lived, remained a devoted husband. "Like almost every major prophet before him, Muhammad fought shy of serving as the transmitter of God's word, sensing his own inadequacy. But the angel commanded 'Read.' So far as we know, Muhammad was unable to read or write, but he began to dictate those inspired words which would soon revolutionize a large segment of the earth: 'There is one God.' "In all things Muhammad was profoundly practical. When his beloved son Ibrahim died, an eclipse occurred, and rumours of God's personal condolence quickly arose. Whereupon Muhammad is said to have announced, 'An eclipse is a phenomenon of nature. It is foolish to attribute such things to the death or birth of a human being. "At Muhammad's own death an attempt was made to deify him, but the man who was to become his administrative successor killed the hysteria with one of the noblest speeches in religious history: 'If there are any among you who worshipped Muhammad, he is dead. But if it is God you worshipped, He lives forever." [James A. Michener, "Islam: The Misunderstood Religion," in READER'S DIGEST (American edition), May 1955, pp. 68-70.]
"In little more than a year he was actually the spiritual, nominal and temporal rule of Medina, with his hands on the lever that was to shake the world." [John Austin, "Muhammad the Prophet of Allah," in T.P. 's and Cassel's Weekly for 24th September 1927.]
"Four years after the death of Justinian, A.D. 569, was born at Mecca, in Arabia the man who, of all men exercised the greatest influence upon the human race . . . Mohammed . . . " [John William Draper, M.D., L.L.D., A History of the Intellectual Development of Europe, London 1875, Vol.1, pp.329-330]
"Muhammad was the soul of kindness, and his influence was felt and never forgotten by those around him." [Diwan Chand Sharma, The Prophets of the East, Calcutta 1935, p. l 22.]
"People like Pasteur and Salk are leaders in the first sense. People like Gandhi and Confucius, on one hand, and Alexander, Caesar and Hitler on the other, are leaders in the second and perhaps the third sense. Jesus and Buddha belong in the third category alone. Perhaps the greatest leader of all times was Mohammed, who combined all three functions. To a lesser
degree, Moses did the same." [Professor Jules Masserman]
[Ahmed Versi, editor of the weekly Muslim News,] said the growth of Islam has been constant: "The younger generation of Muslims that I have encountered is becoming more aware of its Muslim identity and is therefore practising its faith with vigour."
"The extinction of race consciousness as between Muslims is one of the outstanding achievements of Islam and in the
contemporary world there is, as it happens, a crying need for the propagation of this Islamic virtue..." [A.J. Toynbee, CIVILIZATION ON TRIAL, New York, p. 205]
"Sense of justice is one of the most wonderful ideals of Islam, because as I read in the Qur'an I find those dynamic principles of life, not mystic but practical ethics for the daily conduct of life suited to the whole world." [Lectures on "The Ideals of Islam;" see SPEECHES AND WRITINGS OF SAROJINI NAIDU, Madras, 1918, p. 167.]
"History makes it clear however, that the legend of fanatical Muslims sweeping through the world and forcing Islam at the point of the sword upon conquered races is one of the most fantastically absurd myths that historians have ever repeated." [De Lacy O'Leary, ISLAM AT THE CROSSROADS, London, 1923, p. 8.]
"The Muslim community is much more aware of its religion and the use that religion plays within its community." [Dr Peter Brierley, Executive Director of the Christian Research Association, a London-based charity]
"I have always held the religion of Muhammad in high estimation because of its wonderful vitality. It is the only religion which appears to me to possess that assimilating capacity to the changing phase of existence which can make itself appeal to every age. I have studied him - the wonderful man and in my opinion for from being an anti-Christ, he must be called the Saviour of Humanity. I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it the much needed peace and happiness: I have prophesied about the faith of Muhammad that it would be acceptable to the Europe of tomorrow as it is beginning to be acceptable to the Europe of today." [George Bernard Shaw, THE GENUINE ISLAM, Vol. 1, No. 81936.]
"A growing number of Muslims in America, more than 40 percent are African-American," [Charles Bierbauer, from the Senior Washington Correspondent]
"The extinction of race consciousness as between Muslims is one of the outstanding achievements of Islam, and in the contemporary world there is, as it happens, a crying need for the propagation of this Islamic virtue." [A.J. Toynbee, CIVILIZATION ON TRIAL, New York, 1948, p. 205.]
"The rise of Islam is perhaps the most amazing event in human history. Springing from a land and a people like previously negligible, Islam spread within a century over half the earth, shattering great empires, overthrowing long established religions, remoulding the souls of races, and building up a whole new world - world of Islam.
"The closer we examine this development the more extraordinary does it appear. The other great religions won their way slowly, by painful struggle and finally triumphed with the aid of powerful monarchs converted to the new faith. Christianity had its Constantine, Buddhism its Asoka, and Zoroastrianism its Cyrus, each lending to his chosen cult the mighty force of secular authority. Not so Islam. Arising in a desert land sparsely inhabited by a nomad race previously undistinguished in human annals, Islam sallied forth on its great adventure with the slenderest human backing and against the heaviest material odds. Yet Islam triumphed with seemingly miraculous ease, and a couple of generations saw the Fiery Crescent borne victorious from the Pyrenees to the Himalayas and from the desert of Central Asia to the deserts of Central Africa." [A.M.L. Stoddard, quoted in ISLAM - THE RELIGION OF ALL PROPHETS, Begum Bawani Waqf, Karachi, Pakistan, p. 56.]
"I am not a Muslim in the usual sense, though I hope I am a "Muslim" as "one surrendered to God," but I believe that embedded in the Quran and other expressions of the Islamic vision are vast stores of divine truth from which I and other occidentals have still much to learn, and 'Islam is certainly a strong contender for the supplying of the basic framework of the one religion of the future.'" [W. Montgomery Watt, ISLAM AND CHRISTIANITY TODAY, London, 1983, p. ix.]
'I believe in One God and Mahomet the Apostle of God,' is the simple and invariable profession of Islam. The intellectual image of the Deity has never been degraded by any visible idol; the honours of the prophet have never transgressed the measure of human virtue, and his living precepts have restrained the gratitude of his disciples within the bounds of reason and religion." [Edward Gibbon and Simon Ocklay, HISTORY OF THE SARACEN EMPIRE, London, 1870, p. 54.]
"He was Caesar and Pope in one; but he was Pope without Pope's pretensions, Caesar without the legions of Caesar without a standing army, without a bodyguard, without a palace, without a fixed revenue; if ever any man had the right to say that he ruled by the right divine, it was Mohammed, for he had all the power without its instruments and without its supports." [Bosworth Smith, MOHAMMAD AND MOHAMMADANISM, London, 1874, p. 92.]
"His readiness to undergo persecutions for his beliefs, the high moral character of the men who believed in him and looked up to him as leader, and the greatness of his ultimate achievement - all argue his fundamental integrity. To suppose Muhammad an impostor raises more problems than it solves. Moreover, none of the great figures of history is so poorly appreciated in the West as Muhammad." [W. Montgomery Watt, MOHAMMAD AT MECCA, Oxford, 1953, p. 52.]
"The doctrine of brotherhood of Islam extends to all human beings, no matter what color, race or creed. Islam is the only religion which has been able to realize this doctrine in practice. Muslims wherever on the world they are will recognize each other as brothers." [Mr. R. L. Mellema, Holland, Anthropologist, Writer and Scholar.]
"It is impossible for anyone who studies the life and character of the great Prophet of Arabia, who knows how he taught and how he lived, to feel anything but reverence for that mighty Prophet, one of the great messengers of the Supreme. And although in what I put to you I shall say many things which may be familiar to many, yet I myself feel whenever I re-read them, a new way of admiration, a new sense of reverence for that mighty Arabian teacher." [Annie Besant, THE LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF MUHAMMAD, Madras, 1932, p.4]
"The essential and definite element of my conversion to Islam was the Qur'an. I began to study it before my conversion with the critical spirit of a Western intellectual .... There are certain verses of this book, the Qur'an, revealed more than thirteen centuries ago, which teach exactly the same notions as the most modern scientific researches do. This definitely converted me." [Ali Selman Benoist, France, Doctor of Medicine.]
"I have read the Sacred Scriptures of every religion; nowhere have I found what I encountered in Islam: perfection. The Holy Qur'an, compared to any other scripture I have read, is like the Sun compared to that of a match. I firmly believe that anybody who reads the Word of Allah with a mind that is not completely closed to Truth, will become a Muslim." [Saifuddin Dirk Walter Mosig, U.S.A.]
"The universal brotherhood of Islam, regardless of race, politics, color or country, has been brought home to me most keenly many times in my life -- and this is another feature which drew me towards the Faith." [Col. Donald S. Rockwell, U.S.A. Poet, Critic and Author.]
"Medieval Islam was technologically advanced and open to innovation. It achieved far higher literacy rates than in contemporary Europe; it assimilated the legacy of classical Greek civilization to such a degree that many classical books are now known to us only through Arabic copies. It invented windmills ,trigonometry, lateen sails and made major advances in metallurgy, mechanical and chemical engineering and irrigation methods. In the middle-ages the flow of technology was overwhelmingly from Islam to Europe rather from Europe to Islam. Only after the 1500's did the net direction of flow begin to reverse." [(pg 253) Jared Diamond a world renowned UCLA sociologist, and physiologist won the Pulitzer Prize for his book: "Guns, Germs, and Steel."]
The scientists who participated in these dialogues were all non-Muslims, most of whom were explaining some scientific facts which they have realized only very recently and after several years of research and study. When they were told that what they have just discovered recently was already referred to either directly or indirectly in the Holy Quran more than 1400 years ago, they showed a great deal of astonishment. Their comments were varied, but almost all of them confessed that this Quran could not have come from any human or ordinary source. Indeed, some of them were convinced and have affirmed that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, is a messenger from Allah, to the point that one of them even embraced Islam by declaring the Islamic creed otherwise known as the "Shahaadah" and thus became a Muslim.
The Quran which was revealed 14 centuries ago mentioned facts only recently discovered by proven scientists. This proves without doubt that the Quran must be the literal word of Allah, revealed by Him to the Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) and it also proves that Muhammad (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) is truly a Messenger and Prophet sent by Allah. It is beyond reason that anyone fourteen hundred years ago would have known these facts discovered or proven only recently with advanced equipment and sophisticated methods. Moreover, the Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam) reviewed the Quran with the Angel Jibreel once each year and twice in the last year of his life. Since the Quran was revealed up until this day, there has always been a huge number of Muslims who have memorized all of the Quran, letter by letter. Some of them have been able to memorize all of the Quran by Heart.
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.
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.
