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Newsletter for April 2015

 

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WHY CERTAIN FOODS ARE PROHIBITED IN THE GLORIOUS QUR'AN

 

 

The Almighty and Al-Wise created human beings in a way that whatever they eat influences their bodies and the most important of all their soul. According to a Tradition Allah loves man seventy times more than his mother. Hence, in His profound Wisdom, He has allowed certain foods (Halal) and prohibited certain foods (Haram). This has been mentioned in the Surah al-Baqarah and Surah al-Ma'idah in which 12 items have been stated, these are; pig, blood, dead animals, liquor, animals not slaughtered according to Islamic rules, animals dead by beating, strangled animals, animals killed by wild animals, stabbed animals, animals dead by falling from height, animals sacrificed to idols, animals slaughtered by lottery. 

Although, a faithful should accept the Divine directives but it is human nature to ascertain the validity of any prohibition. 

It might be of interest to note that Professor Schultz and Doctor Hazim of the Hanover University, Germany, proved through an experiment, using an electroencephalograph (EEG) and electrocardiogram (ECG) that Islamic slaughter is the most humane method of slaughter and the captive bolt stunning, practiced by the Western method causes severe pain to the animal. 

Pig: It is scientifically proven that its meat contains 2 dangerous parasites; Trichina and Measles. Trichina spawns 15,000 eggs every month, causing anemia, dizziness, diarrhea fever, rheumatic pains, nerve injury, itching, excess fat, fatigue, difficulty in chewing, swallowing and breathing. The meat of every animal carries the features of that animal, and it influence the conduct of the one who eats it. Consuming pig can lead to sexual laxity and indifference to reputation and chastity of one's wife and daughters or other prohibited relatives. 

Blood: Eating of the blood is detrimental both to the body and soul. Blood is haven for microbe growth. Microbes are single cell organism so tiny that millions can fit into the eye of a needle. All microbes entering the body concentrate in the blood, the white blood cells destroy the bacteria. When blood stops circulating in the body, the white cells are destroyed, and microbes multiply rapidly making the body filthy. Thus a man who consumes the blood, it influences his glands and producing hormones, it affects his temperament and conduct making him a cruel and hard-hear ted man.

Dead animals: The scientific reasons for the harmful effects of the blood of a dead animal has been stated above. The Infallible Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (a.s.) said: “No body eats a dead animal, but he becomes feeble and has no off-springs; the one who eats pig die unexpectedly. (Tafsir-e-Namoona volume 1 page 585) 

Moreover, it becomes impure (Najis) and should be avoided altogether. 

Liquor: It includes each and every intoxicating fluid. The physical harmful effects includes the disorder of the stomach, intestine, liver, lungs, nerves, blood vessels, heart, and the five senses. Statistics indicate that the consumption of the intoxicants may lead to heart disease, stroke, throat cancer, breast cancer, and high blood pressure.

The adverse moral effects apart from negative effects on soul, includes a person's gracelessness, or committing unintentional actions such as insulting, harming others, committing crimes or murder, divulging personal or others secrets and trampling on social rules and sanctity. It dissipates one's wisdom and disrupts sound decision making capability and kills perception and discretion. It is one of the “Greater Sins” 

Recent reports say that the predominant reason for insanity is the consumption of intoxicants. An English scholar by the name of Bentham writes: “The religion of Islam has prohibited all kinds of alcoholic drinks and this is one of the distinctive features of Islam.”

Animals dead by beating, strangled animals, animals killed by wild animals, stabbed animals, animals dead by falling: In all these cases, since the animal's main artery is not properly cut and consequently the blood does not completely oozed out and remain in the body of the animal, hence it becomes unfit for human consumption. Moreover, in all these cases the Islamic rules of slaughter are not followed. Hence it is prohibited. 

Animals sacrificed to idols and also animals slaughtered by lottery:

In both these cases, the prohibition relates to ancient practices. Lottery relates to gambling which is prohibited, hence such meat s are also prohibited. The reason for such prohibitions are moral and spiritual. 

Conclusion: The philosophy behind these prohibitions is to protect human beings from physical and moral harm to their bodies as well as souls!

 

 

 

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