SUMMARY:
PORK: POSSIBLE REASONS FOR ITS PROHIBITION
by
AHMAD H.SAKR
Professor of Biochemistry and Nutrition
keywords: pork=pig=hog=sow=swine.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
I. INTRODUCTION
Islam prohibits eating of the flesh of swine as it is a sin
and impiety to do so. To the practicing Muslim the fact that the
reason for its being prohibited has not been specified other than
this, does not mean that one is allowed to make it LAWFUL, nor does
one have the RIGHT to say that he knows with CERTAINTY the EXACT
reason(s) why it is forbidden. However, Muslims are encouraged to
investigate by scientific means the advantages and disadvantages,
as well as the wisdom of such prohibition.
Many food items on the market which contain pork or its by
products has caused much difficulty for the practicing Muslim
living in a non-Muslim society to adjust himself and at the same
time to satisfy his religious commitment. There are many facts and
fallacies in the society about eating pork. For these and other
reasons the author feels it incumbent to write this article that
brings to the reader's attention some of the basic scientific
findings in the field of biochemistry, microbiology, public health,
religion, history, behaviour, etc. In so doing, it is left to the
reader to deduce the significance of its prohibition and to act
accordingly.
II. PROHIBITION
The prohobition of pork in Islam may be found and mentioned
directly in four chapter of Qur'an, i.e.: Al-Baqarah (2:173), Al-
Ma'idah (5:3), Al-An'am (6:145), and Al-Nahl (16:115).
From this four verses one can say that pork is totally
prohibited in Islam to Muslim and non-Muslims as well. Chapter 6 is
clearly explained that the prohibition is to everyone, to every
human being. In this regard Allah says:
"........forbidden to be eaten by ONE who wishes to eat it,...."
(Al-An'am, 6:145)
III. GENERAL REASONS FOR PROHIBITION
The exact reason(s) and the real wisdom why the flesh of pork
is prohibited is known only to Allah Almighty. The knowledgeable believing
Muslims say:
"We believe in the Book, the whole of it is from our Lord....."
(Al-Imran, 3:7)
However, a Muslim is encouraged to look into the reasons for
its prohibition. It is the habit of the Qur'an in every aspect of
life to encourage the Muslims to think, to ponder, to remember, to
reflect, to find out, to search and to do something good about it.
Qur'an mentioned that Allah prohibits eating the flesh of
swine, because it is a SIN and an IMPIETY (Rijss). This word Rijss
(abdomination) has been mentioned ten times in the Qur'an in
different context, some are directly related to pork, alcohol,
raffle, gambling, idols, while others are indirectly related to
HUMAN MANNERS).
The word Rijss has been explained as meaning "filthy" and
"dirty" as mentioned in the Qur'an (9:95), (7:70), (9:96),
(10:100), (22:30) and (33:33).
IV. FLESH OR TOTAL ANIMAL
Is the prohibition of pork restricted to the FLESH of the
swine or does it include all parts of the animal? To answer this
question one has to deduce the answer directly from the Qur'an.
In the Arabic language the word "flesh" includes the totality of
the "edible" portion of the animal. Examples of this are many,
among which are the following:
"...Look further at the bones, how we bring them together and
clothe them with FLESH.............." (2:259)
"It is He who made the sea subject, that you may eat thereof FLESH
that is fresh and tender............" (16:14)
"....Then We made out of that hump bones and clothes the bones with
FLESH..............................." (23:14)
It is then obvious that the word "flesh" does not mean only
meat, but includes the fat as well. This mean that every edible
organ, system or tissue in pig is prohibited whether it is rich or
poor of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, etc.
V. PORK VERSUS OTHER ANIMAL'S MEAT
The question is asked regularly why is pork the ONLY animal to
be prohibited while the flesh of other animals is not? The answer
to that would be: PORK IS NOT THE ONLY ANIMAL WHICH IS PROHIBITED
BUT THE FLESH OF ALL CARNIVOROUS ANIMALS, as well as that human
being, is not allowed to be eaten. The meat of the CAT, DOG, RAT,
MOUSE, TIGER, FOX, LION, EAGLE, FALCON, HAWK, etc. is prohibited,
while the flesh of HERBIVOROUS ANIMALS is allowed to be eaten, i.e.
SHEEP, COW, CAMEL, DEER, GAZELLE, GOAT, CHICKEN, DUCK, GOOSE,
RABBIT, BIRD, etc.
It seem there is a wisdom in prohibiting the flesh of
CARNIVOROUS ANIMALS and it will be mentioned later.
IX. RELIGIOUS EVIDENCE
It seems that all religions of the world prohibit the
consumption of pork. Judaism prohibits eating pork; Christianity in
general and Islam in particular do prohibit the eating of pork.
Searching out the literature, one finds out that Jesus came
originally to the Jews and hence logic dictates that Jesus di not
nullify the previous scripture but came to verify it, to purity it
and to add to it. There is no place in the literature that Jesus
himself ate pork in his life time. In "Levictus," chapter 11,
verses 7-8, God says about swine:"Though he divided the hoof, and
be cloven footed, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.
Of their flesh shall ye not eat."
H.L. Hastings, a noted Bible expositor, says in his book,
"Will the Old Book Stand," page 92:"Swine were designed to be
scavenger, to eat up filth and abominations; but when they had done
their work it was not designed that men should turn around and eat
swine."
"Isaiah," 65:2-5 that god says:" I have spread out My hands
all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that
was not good, after their own thoughts; a people that provoketh Me
to anger continually to My face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and
burneth incense upon altars of brick;...which eat swine's flesh and
broth of abominable things in their vessels; which say, stand by
Thyself, come not near Me; for I am holier than Thou. These are a
smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day."
Rev. C.L. Vories (1971) stated that the Bible so clearly and
definitely forbids the eating of pork that all who love the word of
God and would follow its teachings can have no question at all as
to whether or not they should abstain from feasting on the unclean
creature.
According to Islam, Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) was sent by
Allah to purify Christianity and Judaism, to verify the teachings
of churches and the rabbi, and to complement and to complete the
teachings of God to mankind. Islam, therefore, has placed an
emphatic stress on the prohibition of pork. Anyone who eats it
would be committing a sin and an impiety, whether he is a Muslim or
not.
X. BEHAVIORAL EVIDENCE
There is a large number of experiments at molecular basis
conducted on children to see the effect(s) upon their personality,
character and behavior. It has been found that breast-feeding for
infants, has instilled in them better humane characteristics than
bottle-feeding. It was proven that eating the meat of calves that
were injected with the hormone diethylstilbesterol (DES) has
influenced the character of people, i.e., it has increased
homosexuality. The type of food eaten affects the chemistry of the
body and hence affects the character and behavior of the
individual. The effect could be a result of an individual nutrient,
a gross nutrient or a food item.
Looking into diet of people, some are vegetarian (vegans,
fruitarians, lacto-vegetarians, ovo-vegetarians, ovo-lacto-
vegetarians) and others are meat eaters. Some experiments have been
conducted on children in Maryland (USA) that they were given daily
food of carbohydrate and sweets without animal proteins. The
children turned out to be hypersensitive, intolerant, aggresive,
not sociable and hyperactive. When their food was then changed to
normal diet including animal proteins, they became normal in their
habitat as other children. This may partially explain what goes on
in India for those who strict vegans toward the Muslims there. The
sensitiveness, the intolerance and the aggression of some of the
vegans toward the Muslims who are beef-eater.
Among the meat-eaters, there are herbivorous animal eaters and
both herbivorous and carnivous eaters. The strange thing about the
latter group is that they eat pork as the only animal from the
group of carnivorous animals, but do not eat the meat of cats,
rats, dogs, mice and the like. Fangary (1971) reported taht many
people who eat carnivorous animals tend to be vicious, lack of
humane attitudes toward other people, are ready to kill others
without reason, and some are even known to eat the meat of other
people.
Looking further into the behavior of the hog, one may find
that it is a unique animal. The boar (Babi jantan) does not mind
seeing his sow (betina) mating with another boar in front of him.
This habit is unique in that other animals can not tolerate it.
To speak for the boar, one may say that the boar is, in
effect, saying, let his sow mate with other boars; and who cares
who is mating as long as they (his sow and the other boars) agree
among themselves and they are enjoying sex among themselves. Thus,
the sow has the permission to mate with as many as she wants and
infront of her own boar without any shame of both. In a such a
situation the sow acts as the worst prostitute while the boar acts
with immoralities to allow his female to mate with others even
infront of his own eyes and without much concern.
To eat flesh of such animals may affect the persolity
character of the individual as it was mention before that such a
hormone injected into calves increase the ratio of homosexuality of
human who ate it. Therefore, eating the flesh of pork may affect
the personality character of the individual by increasing
IMMORALITY, including homosexuality, lesbianism, adultery, incest
and prostitution. The free mixing of the sexes is really a
dreadfull thing to observe. There is no concept of ethics or
morality among many people but their concept of sex enjoyment
without responsibility and free sex interchange. Pre-marital
relationships and the increased rate of illegitimate pregnancies
are predominant features in the western societies. The streakers
and the degree of publicity they received are among the symptoms of
the SICK societies that have been polluted by the wrong FOOD (and
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES[tambahan dari saya]) that they were eating. The
degree of rape and the general obsession with sex in western
societies, are beyond control. The rate of incidence of looting,
killing, stabbing, shooting, snipring, strangling, robbing,
stockpiling of arms, and the like are among the many other evils of
the modern societies that cannot be tolerated any more.
If any improvement has to take place in any society, it has to
be started from the diet so that to be able to chang the body
chemistry including the central the central nervous system and the
brain, and hence the moral standards of individuals. Moral
teachings are to be followed by the society and the family.
XI. FALLACIES AND FACTS
1. Many people think that as long as one cook pork, they will never
have the danger of contracting trichinosis. USDA/FDA (United States
Department of Agriculture/Foods and Drugs Administration) reported
that in a series of 24 cases of trichinosis, 22 were said to have
resulted from 'cooked pork'. (tambahan saya: kista [kapsul larva]
cacing pita dan sebangsanya baru bisa binasa pada suhu 400
derajat!)
2. Pork fat has high PUFA that has been said that it is good to be
used even for those who have heart attack problems. The reality is
that these fatty acid are located on 1 and 3 position of the TG
molecules and therefore they can not hydrolyse by PL. They are
absorbed as pork fat after being emulsified and deposited as such
in the human body.
3. Pork is nutritious and therefore one should continue to eat it
as a source of animal protein. Parret (19..?) stated that hog meat
is also more difficult to digest than most other kinds so that the
biologocal value (BV) is therefore low.
4. Pork was prohibited in Arabia for hygienic purposes. Nowadays
hogs are raised under more sanitary conditions. The fact that hog
is, by choice, a dirty and filthy animal; it insists on going to
garbage area to feed itself; it follows the cattle and other
animals on the farm to eat the dung (tahi) and to turn it into pork
for public market. Rev. Vories (1971) stated:"See the brute as he
wallows in the mud. See him in the very height of his glory, on top
of manure pile, with his head buried in the dung from which exalted
site he gives expression to his joy and satisfaction by his
rhythmical grunts". Harris (1964), anthropologist, wrote:"... it
will cover its skin with its own urine and feces."
5. Pork has the highest content of fat impregnated with the meat
that may cause overweight and obesity, high level of TG in the
plasma, high cholesterol that may lead to cardiovascular diseases.
6. Harris (1964) tried to give anthropological answer to the
riddley of the pig as to why God prohibited Jews and Muslims to
eat. He said:"Pigs tasted good but they ate you out of house and
home and, if you gave them a chance, used up you water as well.
Well, that's why my answer. Anyone have a better idea?"
Allah knows best
