May I respectfully ask a question about Islam?

[Francis]

I was watching India v Pakistan with a few of my friends. One of them was from Sri Lanka, many from India, and one or two from Pakistan. We were having a great time watching the game, and decided we'd order a couple of pizzas.

My Sri Lankan friend is a Muslim and asked for a chicken pizza. Unfortunately instead of putitng chicken slices on the pizza, they put bacon on the pizza. However, at first glance it wasn't easy to detect. She was half way through the pizza when she realized she'd eaten pork.

She was increidbly upset about having eaten the pork. So much so that when she complained to the pizza shop she couldn't bring herself to talk, instead relying on a Napalese friend of ours to do the job and tell the guy off.

What really incensed her was when the pizza guys suggested that their pork was halel. I was later told that pork can never be halal, or something like that.

Anyway she's a friend of mine, and pretty upset about the whole thing. Can I ask:

In Islam what's the reprocussions of eating pork? I mean my friend knows she didn't do it on purpose, so I don't think she feels any reprocussions from eating the pork, but she's really upset and disappointed that she did.

 

[Bun]

It is considered extremely unclean.

 

[Francis]

Thank you.

However, I kind of understood that from a brief google search. The google search went through all the bacteria etc pork carries etc, as well as it being an animal that eats its own... well you know. As well as some Old Testament instructions not to eat pork.

But I'm kind of more interested in the reprocussions. For example, I'm a Christian (Catholic), and if a person murdered another person (and failed to ever sincerely repent of it, and amend his life because of it), I think most Christians would expect that perosn to go to hell.

But what does eating pork mean in Islam? Would you have to fast or do penance etc?

I'm somewhat loath to talk about religion here at CW because so many people laugh and scoff at religion these days, making sarcastic responses here and there. But I love my Muslim friends. I have many of them. And it was disappointing to see such a sweet girl become so very upset.

 

[Burgey]

It is considered extremely unclean.

That's it?

 

[Adamc]

It's possible that pork taboos originally arose because the animal was literally unclean, but my impression was that the main reason the rule is observed is simply because the holy text of Islam (and for that matter Judaism and possibly Christianity) says so. Don't know what the alleged punishment is but your friend may be off the hook anyway:

He hath only forbidden you dead meat, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that on which any other name hath been invoked besides that of Allah. But if one is forced by necessity, without wilful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits,- then is he guiltless. For Allah is Oft-forgiving Most Merciful.

Would suggest that you keep it to yourself though especially if she's from an observant family as some people can be pretty humourless about these things. And lol at the idea of halal pork.

 

[benchmark00]

It's possible that pork taboos originally arose because the animal was literally unclean, but my impression was that the main reason the rule is observed is simply because the holy text of Islam (and for that matter Judaism and possibly Christianity) says so. Don't know what the alleged punishment is but your friend may be off the hook anyway:

He hath only forbidden you dead meat, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that on which any other name hath been invoked besides that of Allah. But if one is forced by necessity, without wilful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits,- then is he guiltless. For Allah is Oft-forgiving Most Merciful.

Would suggest that you keep it to yourself though especially if she's from an observant family as some people can be pretty humourless about these things. And lol at the idea of halal pork.

I porked your sister.

u mad?

 

[profernity]

My understanding from a friend was that if for example you were stuck on a desert island with no food but pork, then the knowing consumption of pork would be acceptable (with a prior prayer for forgiveness) because allowing yourself to starve to death was a greater sin.

 

[Fusion]

But what does eating pork mean in Islam? Would you have to fast or do penance etc?

If you ate the pork accidentally, it is not considered a sin. Since it was accidental, there is no need for pennance.

Now if you just choose to ignore the rule and eat pork intentionally, then it would be considered sin. As for punishment, AFAIK, there is no explicit punishment stated in the Quran for it. I suppose that matter will be decided on the day of judgement, according to Islam.

My understanding from a friend was that if for example you were stuck on a desert island with no food but pork, then the knowing consumption of pork would be acceptable (with a prior prayer for forgiveness) because allowing yourself to starve to death was a greater sin.

Your understanding is correct.

 

[Weezy]

The Islamic prohibition of pork comes from the religion's derivative roots in Judaism. Pork was considered unclean in the strict dietary part of the Mosaic laws in the Torah (Exodus) and reinforced in Leviticus. Jews of all sects would abstain from it.

The classification of the pig as dirty in Judaism goes very far back. Even before the time when Antipus IV desecrated the Temple at Jerusalem by letting pigs run in. That pretty much set the stage for the Maccabees to kick him out..

Since Islam is basically a reformation and syncretism of Judaism and Christianity, it's easy to see where they got the idea from.

 

[Spark]

That's basically it. No idea what the specific religious justifications/implications of "uncleanliness" are.

 

[Ikki]

Your friend should chill out a bit IMO. Not a sin if she didn't know it was Pork.

 

[andyc]

Your friend should chill out a bit IMO. Not a sin if she didn't know it was Pork.

Meh, I've known vegetarians who have freaked out when they've found out that they just ate meat accidentally. If you spend your life actively avoiding something for a moral reason, you're justified to be annoyed if you end up doing it just because someone else ****ed up.

 

[vcs]

I would certainly be pissed off if I negligently got served non-veg when I had ordered a confirmed veg dish. However, I suppose it's much easier to distinguish between veg and non-veg in a couple of bites than tell pork apart from chicken (have never tasted pork).

 

[biased indian]

think its easier to identify chicken from pork ....but i have only ate pork curry..it pretty hard to chew and taste differently...how they taste in Pizza i don't know

 

[biased indian]

Your friend should chill out a bit IMO. Not a sin if she didn't know it was Pork.

More than the Sin ..the thought that some one's mistake made her do it .might be the reason she is feeling bad

and ya the idea of Halal Pork is funny...but he could be right also in a way ..halal means the way you have killed the animal rt or there is more to it ?

 

[Daemon]

It's the manner in which the animal is slaughtered. IIRC it's not possible for a pig to be slaughtered in that manner. Not sure though.

 

[Ikki]

Meh, I've known vegetarians who have freaked out when they've found out that they just ate meat accidentally. If you spend your life actively avoiding something for a moral reason, you're justified to be annoyed if you end up doing it just because someone else ****ed up.

It's slightly different though. The reason a muslim wouldn't want to eat pork is so as not to sin. Well, if you didn't know the meat was pork it isn't a sin. The reason to be anxious/upset no longer exists. Seems silly to me personally.

 

[Teja.]

Ikki, Having grown up with more vegetarians than non-vegetarians, I can tell from my personal experience that though people don't eat something due to a religious/moral obligation, If it happens for a prolonged period of time, esp. from their formative years of childhood, They come to associate eating said food with extreme unpleasantness/disgust and it's perfectly understandable for someone to be shaken temporarily due to it. It's not as black and white as whether the act breaks the code or not. Such a view ignores the built up negative emotions the person associates with that food.

 

[Fusion]

Ikki, Having grown up with more vegetarians than non-vegetarians, I can tell from my personal experience that though people don't eat something due to a religious/moral obligation, If it happens for a prolonged period of time, esp. from their formative years of childhood, They come to associate eating said food with extreme unpleasantness/disgust and it's perfectly understandable for someone to be shaken temporarily due to it. It's not as black and white as whether the act breaks the code or not. Such a view ignores the built up negative emotions the person associates with that food.

Yeah, AWTA.

 

[Marcuss]

I porked your sister.

u mad?

Ha, lal.