THE DAILY ISLAMIC REMINDERS. Yaum Al-Ithnayn, 14th day of Muharram 1440, (Monday 24th September, 2018). NON MUSLIMS AND EVEN SOME MUSLIMS ASK WHY PORK IS FORBIDDEN TO EAT. BismilLah. Our Lord, The Mighty ALLAH (GOD, in English) has forbidden eating pork in definitive terms and in all religious beliefs. ALLAH commanded in the holy Quran; O Muhammad, say to mankind: I find not in that which has been revealed to me anything forbidden to be eaten by one who wishes to eat it, unless it be Maytah (a dead animal) or blood poured forth (by slaughtering or the like), or the flesh of swine (pork); for that surely, is impure or impious (unlawful) meat (of an animal) which is slaughtered as a sacrifice for others than Allaah (or has been slaughtered for idols, or on which Allaah’s Name has not been mentioned while slaughtering)” [al-An’aam 6:145]. By the mercy of ALLAH and HIS kindness towards us, ALLAH has permitted us to eat all good things, and He has not forbidden anything but those that are impure that HE created to test our obedience to HIM and HIS MESSENGER. ALLAH says:  “…he allows them as lawful At‑Tayyibaat (i.e. all good and lawful as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons and foods), and prohibits them as unlawful Al‑Khabaa’ith (i.e. all evil and unlawful as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons and foods)” [al-A’raaf 7:157]  We do not doubt for an instant that the pig is a dirty and filthy animal, and that eating it is harmful to man. Moreover it lives on dirt and filth, and it is something that is off-putting to those of a sound nature who refuse to touch it, because eating it is either a cause or a sign of a person’s oddness.  With regard to the physical harm caused by eating pork, modern science has proved a number of things, such as the following:  Pork is regarded as one of the kinds of meat that contain the most cholesterol, an increase of which in the bloodstream leads to an increased likelihood of blocked arteries. The fatty acids in pork are also of an unusual formation, when compared with the fatty acids in other types of food, which makes them more easily absorbed by the body, thus increasing cholesterol levels. Pork meat and pork fat contribute to the spread of cancers of the colon, rectum, prostate and blood. Pork meat and pork fat contribute to obesity and related diseases that are difficult to treat. Eating pork leads to scabies, allergies and stomach ulcers. Eating pork causes lung infections which result from tapeworms, lungworms and microbial infections of the lungs.  The most serious danger of eating pork is that pork contains tapeworms which may grow to a length of 2-3 meters. The growth of the eggs of these worms in the human body may lead to insanity and hysteria if they grow in the area of the brain. If they grow in the region of the heart that may lead to high blood pressure and heart attacks. Another kind of worm that is to be found in pork is the trichinosis worm that cannot be killed by cooking, the growth of which in the body may lead to paralysis and skin rashes.  The doctors have confirmed that tapeworm disease is regarded as one of the serious diseases that may result from eating pork. It may develop in the small intestine and after several months may grow into a large worm whose body is composed of a thousand segments, with a length of 4-10 meters, which lives alone in the intestine of the infected person and part of it may appear when he defecates. When the pig swallows and ingests its eggs, they enter the tissues and muscles in the form of larvae sacs containing fluid and the head of the tapeworm. When a person eats infected pork, the larva turns into a complete worm in the intestine. These worms cause weakness and vitamin B12 deficiency, which leads to a specific type of anaemia, which may in turn cause nervous problems. In some cases the larvae may reach the brain, causing convulsions, increased pressure within the brain, epilepsy and even paralysis. WHAT else do you want to hear to stop eating what the CREATOR has prohibited? May ALLAH keep guiding us all and protect us from any satanic influences. Aameen. My apologies for the delay as I left my phone home and had to come back for it from work.