Riba (Interest/Usury)

The literal meaning of interest or Al-RIBA as it is used in the Arabic language means to excess or increase. In the Islamic terminology interest means effortless profit or that profit which comes free from compensation or that extra earning obtained that is free of exchange. Hazrat Shah Waliullah Dehlvi a great scholar and leader has given a very concise and precise definition of interest. He says,

"Riba` is a loan with the condition that the borrower will return to the lender more than and better than the quantity borrowed."

Interest In Pre-Islamic Times

Hafiz Ibn Hajr writes in his commentary of Sahih Bukhari (Fathul Bari):

"Imam Malik reports on the authority of Zaid Ibn Aslam that in the period of ignorance (pre-Islamic times) interest was changed according to the following scheme. One person had a right in the property of another person. It may have been a general right because of the amount lent or the price of something purchased or in any other form. A time was set when the claim would be settled. When the appointed time arrived the creditor would ask the debtor if he wanted to settle the claim or pay interest with an extension to the time. If the claim was settled then there was no increase in the payment. Otherwise the debtor would increase the amount payable and the creditor would extend the period further. (Vol. IV P.264)

Islam’s View Of Trade

Interest is not a subject without trade and commerce. Islam recognises trade and commerce not only as a lawful profession but also as a moral duty. Islam has laid down a complete set of rules for trade. The reason for these rules is to specify what halal earning is. There are many traditions of Prophet Muhammadh (peace and blessings of God be upon him)  concerning halal provision that can also be found in the books containing the traditions of the prophet (pbuh). Actually, Islam has encouraged men to earn their own provision and to provide it to their families. The condition is that the earning has to be according to the conditions set by the Shari’ah (Islamic Law). Any sort of transaction that does not correspond to the rules of trade will not be allowed. These rules can be found under the heading of trade in the books of jurisprudence. Interest is amongst those conditions which all dealings must be free from.

How Is Interest Illegal

The definition of interest has already been mentioned as well as that it is prohibited. If we explore the Qur’an we will come across several places where Allah has mentioned interest.

These translations are from Abdullah Yusuf Ali (May God reward him in abundance)

In Surah Al-baqarah (Chapter 2) Verse no.275, God says:

“Those who devour usury will not stand except as stand one whom the Evil one by his touch Hath driven to madness. That is because they say: "Trade is like usury," but Allah hath permitted trade and forbidden usury. Those who after receiving direction from their Lord, desist, shall be pardoned for the past; their case is for Allah (to judge); but those who repeat (The offence) are companions of the Fire: They will abide therein (for ever).” 

And in the next verse 276 he states:

“Allah will deprive usury of all blessing, but will give increase for deeds of charity: For He loveth not creatures ungrateful and wicked.”

Two verses later in verse 278 he says:

“O ye who believe! Fear Allah, and give up what remains of your demand for usury, if ye are indeed believers.”

And in verse 279he says:

“If ye do it not, Take notice of war from Allah and His Messenger. But if ye turn back, ye shall have your capital sums: Deal not unjustly, and ye shall not be dealt with unjustly.”

Also in Surah Aal-Imran, (Chapter 3) Verse no.130 Allah says,

“O ye who believe! Devour not usury, doubled and multiplied; but fear Allah. that ye may (really) prosper.”

And in Surah Al-Nisaa (Chapter 4) Allah states in Verse no.161,

“That they took usury, though they were forbidden; and that they devoured men's substance wrongfully;- we have prepared for those among them who reject faith a grievous punishment.”

And in Surah Al-Room,(Chapter 30) Verse no.39 Allah mentions

“That which ye lay out for increase through the property of (other) people, will have no increase with Allah. but that which ye lay out for charity, seeking the Countenance of Allah, (will increase): it is these who will get a recompense multiplied.”

Ahaadith (traditions of the Prophet Muhammadh -pbuh) Concerning Interest

These ahaadith have been taken from Mishkat-ul-Masabih under the section of interest and the English translation has been taken from its English version written by Al Hajj Moulana Fazl Karim (218-227 vol. II)
   

Hazrat Jabir (May Allah bless his soul) reported that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) cursed the devourer of usury, its payer, its scribe and its two witnesses. He also said that they were equal (in sin). (Narrated by Muslim)

Hazrat Abu Hurairah (May Allah bless his soul) reported that the Holy Prophet (pbuh)said: A time will certainly come over the people when none will remain who will not devour usury. If he does not devour it, its vapour will overtake him. (Narrated by Ahmed, Abu Dawood, Nisai,and  Ibn Majah.)

Hazrat Abu Hurairah  also reported that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said : Usury has got seventy divisions. The easiest division of them is a man marrying his mother.(Narrated by Ibn Majah)

Hazrat Abu Hurairah also reported that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: I came across some people in the night in which I was taken to the heavens.(Mi’raj) Their stomachs were like houses wherein there were serpents, which could be seen from the front of their stomachs. I asked: O Gabriel! Who are these people? He replied these are those who devoured usury. (Narrated by Ahmed and Ibn Majah)

Hazrat Ali (4th Caliph of Islam - May the blessings of Allah be with him) reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh)  cursing the devourer of usury, its giver, its scribe and one who refuses to give Zakat (Alms tax :Islamic charity)and he used to forbid mourning for them.(Narrated by Nisai)

Hazrat Umar bin Al-Khattab (2nd Caliph of Islam - May the blessings of Allah be with him) reported: the last of what was revealed was the verse of usury. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was taken and he had not explained it to us. So, give up usury and doubt.  (Narrated by Ibn Majah and Darimi)

Hazrat Abdullah bin Hanzalah (who was washed by the angels) reported that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: A dirham of usury that a man devours and he knows is greater than 36 fornications. (Narrated by Ahmed and  Darqutni)

Baihaqi reported from Ibn Abbas (May Allah bless his soul in Shuabul Iman. He added and said: (as for) one whose flesh has grown out of unlawful food, the fire is more suitable for him.

After narrating all these verses from the Qur’an and relating all the Ahaadith it is apparent to us that interest could never be legal and halal. How could anybody even take the time out to think about a matter in which Allah has declared war on the user and his Beloved Prophet sallallahu alaihe wasallm (pbuh) has cursed him? As sensible people we can understand that what our creator has chosen for us is for our own prosperity only.

Interest From A Jurisprudical View

We should deeply thank the Sahaabah – Companions of the Prophet (pbuh) (May the blessings of God be upon all of them) in their efforts to spread the religion as they learnt it from the Prophet (pbuh) Then when the religion started to spread vastly Allah brought about four imams who described the religion in general terms in order to make the common public understand.

They spent their lives trying to put the whole religion in a collective form through the Qur’an and the Ahaadith and the concise decisions of the Sahaabah. In the case of interest, all four imams established a general rule mainly concentrating on this statement made by the Prophet (pbuh)

Hazrat Al-Khudri (May Allah bless his soul) reported that the Prophet (pbuh) said: Gold in exchange for gold, silver in exchange for silver, wheat in exchange for wheat, barley in exchange for barley, dates in exchange for dates, salt in exchange for salt is in the same category and (should be exchanged) hand to hand, so who ever adds or demands increase he has practised usury. The giver and taker are the same.

Out of the four imams, Imam Abu Hanifah (May God be pleased with him) has ruled that if the measurement system (volumetric or in compounds) is the same and the two items are in the same category, then they should be sold in the same amount and direct not in credit otherwise interest will be found.

Imam Shaf’ee (May God be pleased with him) says that if the items are valuable and could be considered food then there is the chance of interest. Imam Malik (May God be pleased with him) says that if the items are valuable and are edible then interest is a subject.

Advice

As you may have realised, giving and taking interest is unlawful. Unfortunately, the basis of many of the transactions (especially in banking and insurance), personal or business involve interest. Thus it is becoming increasingly difficult for the majority of the Muslims, especially those who are comercially orientated to abstain from dealings involving interest. Many of us purchase items on ‘Buy now, Pay later' schemes thinking that this sort of scheme is of great benefit to us. Sadly, what we fail to recognize at the time of purchasing this ‘supposed bargain' is the fact that if we fail to pay the required amount at the due time, we will be liable to pay interest.

Now, suppose a couple of months ago, we were purchased an item on a ‘Pay later' scheme in which there was no question about us keeping upto date with payments, however due to a change in our financial situation, we have failed to pay the required amount, and are paying interest now as a result. We would have joined a group of those unfortunate people who have been cursed by the Prophet(pbuh)

Our advice to anyone who is involved in any form of interest is that the individual should minimise his expenditure in these dealings and if possible abstain completely from these transactions. In any case, every individual should continue to seek Allah’s forgiveness. The philosophy shows that a person who takes interest does not gain anything in reality but through the explanation of the Qur’an verse,

" Allah decreases interest and increases sadqah (charity)"

That in reality the money just goes to waste and the person does not even realize it and a person who gives money in the path of Allah, in whatever form it may be, actually gains although in reality it seems as though he is loosing out.

Every person should take all necessary precautions in their financial and social dealings. If a person neglects in keeping a watchful eye on financial dealings, this negligence will slowly spread to other aspects of religion. This will have a very detrimental effect on religious matters.

The dealings of usury and interest are not only a disadvantage to us in this world but will also be a source of great discomfort and pain for us in the hereafter. The Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wassallam (pbuh) has informed us about the punishment that awaits those people who deal with interest:

The summary of the matter is that interest is hazardous and should be abstained from in all manners. If anybody has a case they wish to solve then they should contact a Mufti (a learned scholar) and present their problem as it is.

I conclude by asking you my dear reader, is it really worth destroying the eternal life of the hereafter, just so that we may have a few more comforts in a life which can come to an end any moment?

Adapted from an article written by a Student of Darul-Uloom, Bury, U.K.

Adultery

Adultery is considered a sin in all religions. The Bible decrees the death sentence for both the adulterer and the adulteress (Lev. 20:10) . Islam also equally punishes both the adulterer and the adulteress (Quran 24:2):

“The woman and the man guilty of adultery or fornication,- flog each of them with a hundred stripes: Let not compassion move you in their case, in a matter prescribed by Allah, if ye believe in Allah and the Last Day: and let a party of the Believers witness their punishment.”

However, the Quranic definition of adultery is very different from the Biblical definition. Adultery, according to the Quran, is the involvement of a married man or a married woman in an extramarital affair.

The Bible only considers the extramarital affair of a married woman as adultery (Leviticus 20:10, Deuteronomy 22:22, Proverbs 6:20-7:27):

"If a man is found sleeping with another man's wife, both the man who slept with her and the woman must die. You must purge the evil from Israel" (Deut. 22:22).

"If a man commits adultery with another man's wife both the adulterer and the adulteress must be put to death" (Lev. 20:10).

According to the Biblical definition, if a married man sleeps with an unmarried woman, this is not considered a crime at all. The married man who has extramarital affairs with unmarried women is not an adulterer and the unmarried women involved with him are not adulteresses. The crime of adultery is committed only when a man, whether married or single, sleeps with a married woman. In this case the man is considered adulterer, even if he is not married, and the woman is considered adulteress. In short, adultery is any illicit sexual intercourse involving a married woman. The extramarital affair of a married man is not per se a crime in the Bible. Why is the dual moral standard? According to Encyclopaedia Judaica, the wife was considered to be the husband's possession and adultery constituted a violation of the husband's exclusive right to her; the wife as the husband's possession had no such right to him. 15 That is, if a man had sexual intercourse with a married woman, he would be violating the property of another man and, thus, he should be punished.
To the present day in Israel, if a married man indulges in an extramarital affair with an unmarried woman, his children by that woman are considered legitimate. But, if a married woman has an affair with another man, whether married or not married, her children by that man are not only illegitimate but they are considered bastards and are forbidden to marry any other Jews except converts and other bastards. This ban is handed down to the children's descendants for 10 generations until the taint of adultery is presumably weakened. 

The Quran, on the other hand, never considers any woman to be the possession of any man. The Quran eloquently describes the relationship between the spouses by saying:

" And among His signs is that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that you may dwell in tranquility with them and He has put love and mercy between your hearts: verily in that are signs for those who reflect" (Quran 30:21).

This is the Quranic conception of marriage: love, mercy, and tranquillity, not possession and double standards.

Adapted from an article on IslamiCity called:
Women in Islam Versus Women in the Judaeo-Christian TraditionThe Myth and The Reality
By: Sherif Abdel Azim, Ph.D.- Queens University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada

What does the Qur'an say about Christians?

In the Qur'an, Christians are often referred to as among the "People of the Book," i.e. people who have received and believed in previous revelation from God's prophets. There are verses that highlight the commonalities between Christians and Muslims (those who believe in the oneness of God), and other verses that warn Christians against sliding towards polytheism in their worship of Jesus Christ.

Commonalities:

"Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabians -- whoever believes in God and the Last Day and does good, they shall have their reward from their Lord. And there will be no fear for them, nor shall they grieve" (Chapter 2:Verse 62, Chapter 5:Verse 69, and many other verses of the Glorious Qur’an)

"...and nearest among them in love to the believers will you find those who say, 'We are Christians,' because amongst these are men devoted to learning and men who have renounced the world, and they are not arrogant" (Chapter 5, Verse 82 of the Qur’an).

"O you who believe! Be helpers of God -- as Jesus the son of Mary said to the Disciples, 'Who will be my helpers in (the work of) God?' Said the disciples, 'We are God's helpers!' Then a portion of the Children of Israel believed, and a portion disbelieved. But We gave power to those who believed, against their enemies, and they became the ones that prevailed" (Chapter 6, Verse 14).

Warnings:

"If only they [i.e. Christians] had stood fast by the Law, the Gospel, and all the revelation that was sent to them from their Lord, they would have enjoyed happiness from every side. There is from among them a party on the right course, but many of them follow a course that is evil" (5:66).

"Oh People of the Book! Commit no excesses in your religion, nor say of God anything but the truth. Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, was (no more than) a messenger of God, and His Word which He bestowed on Mary, and a spirit proceeding from Him. So believe in God and His messengers. Say not, 'Trinity.' Desist! It will be better for you, for God is One God, Glory be to Him! (Far exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belong all things in the heavens and on earth. And enough is God as a Disposer of affairs" (Chapter 4, Verse  171).

"The Jews call 'Uzair a son of God, and the Christians call Christ the son of God. That is but a saying from their mouth; (in this) they but imitate what the unbelievers of old used to say. God's curse be on them; how they are deluded away from the Truth! They take their priests and their anchorites to be their lords in derogation of God, and (they take as their Lord) Christ the son of Mary. Yet they were commanded to worship but One God: there is no god but He. Praise and glory to Him! (Far is He) from having the partners they associate (with Him)" (Chapter 9, Verse 30 and 31).

http://islam.about.com/cs/jesus/f/christians.htm

What is the Quran?

What is the Qur'an?

The Qur'an comprehends the complete code for the Muslims (believers in the One true God, submitting to His will) to live a good, chaste, abundant and rewarding life in obedience to the commandments of Allah, in this life and to gain salvation in the next. It is the "chart of life" for every Muslim, and it is the "constitution" of the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth.

The Qur'an is the eternal contemporary of the Muslims. Each generation of Muslims has found new sources of strength, courage and inspiration in it. It is also, for them, a "compass" in the turbulent voyage of life, as it has explained itself in the following verses of the Qur'an:

Chapter 5, Verse 15: O people of the Book!(Refering to Jews and Christians) There hath come to you our Messenger, revealing to you much that ye used to hide in the Book, and passing over much (that is now unnecessary). There hath come to you from Allah a (new) light and a perspicuous Book,-
Chapter 5, Verse 16: Wherewith Allah guideth all who seek His good pleasure to ways of peace and safety, and leadeth them out of darkness, by His will, unto the light,- guideth them to a path that is straight.

It has created an all but new phase of human thought and a fresh type of character. It deserves the highest praise for its conceptions of Divine nature in reference to the attributes of Power, Knowledge, and Universal Providence and Unity--that its belief and trust is one God, creator of Heaven and Earth is deep and fervent, and that it embodies much of a noble and moral earnestness. It is Qur'an which transformed the simple shepherds and wandering Bedouins of Arabia into the founders of empires, the builders of cities, the collectors of libraries. If a system of religious teachings is evaluated by the changes which it introduces into the way of life, the customs and beliefs of its follower, then Qur'an as a code of life is second to none. It is not strange then, that more translations and more commentaries of the Holy Qur'an have been published than that of any other book claimed to be the Divine Revelation.

Adapted from: Anwer Ali's Preface to the Holy Qur'an. Published by Tahrike Tarsile Qur'an, Inc.

Swine Disease, Politics, and the Prohibition of Pork

Swine Disease, Politics, and the Prohibition of Pork
By Amel Abdullah
Freelance Writer - United States


In some cultures pork eating is an integral part of their cuisines, like these pork sandwiches at a food stall in Beijing. (Reuters)

It is commonly known that Muslims, Jews, and some Christians do not eat pork. In the Bible (King James Version), one can read,And the swine, though it has a split hoof completely divided, yet it chews not the cud; it is unclean to you. Of their flesh shall you not eat, and their carcass shall you not touch; they are unclean to you. (Leviticus 11:7–8)

And among other verses in the Qur'an addressing the issue, we read,
[He (Allah) has only forbidden you dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which any other name has been invoked besides that of Allah. But if one is forced by necessity, without willful disobedience or transgression of due limits, then he is guiltless. For Allah is Forgiving, Most Merciful.] (Al-Baqarah 2:173)

According to an authentic saying of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), the trade of swine is also prohibited in Islam (Al-Bukhari: Volume 3, Book 34, Number 438).

Peoples of various faiths and backgrounds often express curiosity about these restrictions on both diet and trade. In many places, pork products, such as pigs' feet or certain kinds of sausage, are considered delicacies. They are such an integral part of these cultures' cuisines that people often do not comprehend why this meat in particular is singled out for prohibition.

Muslim scholars are typically cautious in their response. Unlike the Bible, which (in the English translation) explicitly calls the meat and carcass of swine unclean, the Qur'an (Al-An`am 6:145) describes it as rijs, an Arabic word denoting impurity or — according to Sheikh Muhammad Salih Al-Munajjid, a prominent lecturer and author residing in Saudi Arabia — "anything that is regarded as abhorrent in Islam and according to the sound human nature." (Al-Munajjid)

Although pigs are associated with numerous zoonoses (animal diseases that can be transmitted to humans), rijs can be spiritual or physical. Thus, most scholars say that the potential for pigs to infect humans with diseases is not automatically the reason for prohibition. Obeying the commandments of Allah is also an expression of a believer's faith.

However, we know from the Qur'an (Al-A`raf 7:157) that Allah's laws are not arbitrary. It is therefore only natural for people to seek out the possible wisdoms behind these laws from worldly (scientific) sources. Doing so is in line with

Islam's emphasis on seeking knowledge and taking the time to reflect on the intricacies of Allah's vast creation.
In the case of pigs, there are certainly many "worldly" reasons not to consume their meats or come into contact with them.

They Eat Anything

Pigs are highly adaptable and will generally consume anything available, which is why they are used for garbage collection in some countries.
Pigs are highly adaptable and will generally consume anything available, ranging from plants, leaves, grasses, worms, snails, and eggs to rotting carcasses, excrement, garbage, disease-ridden rodents, and other animals (Dewey and Hruby).
Pigs have played a role in the waste-management systems of many countries. In the US, for example, pigs were once allowed to roam the streets in order to eat garbage of all types, and the early 1900s saw numerous "piggeries" established to help manage the country's mounting garbage problem.

Through the late 1960s, garbage and offal were fed in the most hideous of conditions to pigs making piggeries a prime breeding ground for diseases and causing the spread of trichinosis (a type of roundworm infection) in the human population (Hickman and Eldredge; Milestones in Garbage: A Historical Timeline of Municipal Solid Waste Management; Trichinosis).

When other disease-infecting pigs (with vesicular exanthema) threatened to wipe out the pig population of the nation's piggeries, new laws were enacted, stating that the garbage fed to pigs had to be cooked instead of raw. In many US farms, cooked garbage still makes up the staple diet of the hogs that are later slaughtered and put on the market for popular consumption.

Modern piggeries are now called swine "garbage-feeding facilities" and are regulated by the government; however, these regulations generally do not apply to individual pig farmers, who may feed various types of household waste to their pigs at home (Hickman and Eldredge; Swine Garbage Feeding; Mebus).
Although one may think of the old-style piggeries as an unfortunate chapter from the ignorant past, pigs as raw-garbage collectors are still a reality in some areas of the world.

In Cairo, Egypt, for example, about a third of the city's trash is collected by a network of Coptic Christians who have worked in the industry for decades. By hand, the trash collectors bring the garbage to run-down areas of the city, where they work to separate items that might be sold or recycled. The remaining "organic" refuse is then fed to pigs, goats, and dogs, which roam the slums as scavengers (unlike pigs, goats may express interest in garbage but don't actually eat it). According to one report, pig meat from the slums is then sold to restaurants and hotels catering to Westerners (Epstein; Is It True That Goats Eat Anything?).
Disease-Spreading

"Major problems with this disease occur in Latin America and non-Islamic parts of Africa and Asia, especially India."

Similar operations exist all over the developing world and are a major reason behind the spread of disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cysticercosis - a dangerous and potentially fatal disease caused by the pork tapeworm - is "found most often in rural, developing countries with poor hygiene, where pigs are allowed to roam freely and eat human feces."

The CDC also note that tapeworm and cysticercosis are "very rare in Muslim countries where eating pork is forbidden." (Cysticercosis)

In Bolivia, says the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), "Many cases that have been diagnosed as epilepsy are, in fact, neurocisticercosis," cysticercosis that has spread to the brain.

In some regions, according to the FAO, cysticercosis, which occurs in 15 to 60 percent of pigs, "is prevalent in both rural and urban areas and is closely related to the economic standard, aspects of hygiene, and the way animals and people share the same living space. Major problems with this disease occur in Latin America and non-Islamic parts of Africa and Asia, especially India" (FAO Corporate Document Repository).

Hepatitis E is another zoonotic disease of concern. Although Hepatitis E is typically of low virulence, a fulminate (more virulent) form of the disease tends to affect pregnant women more than others and can be fatal, regularly causing death in 20 percent of infected pregnant women in their third trimester.

A study conducted by Iowa State University calls the virus a "significant public health problem in Mexico and developing countries in Africa and Asia" and mentions that cases in the Western hemisphere are on the rise as well. (Hepatitis E; Platt, Yoon, and Zimmerman).

Dr. Anwar Darwish, a professor at the Meat Section of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt, says that Hepatitis E is also a big problem in Egypt where 20 percent of the general population already has Hepatitis C. "So, if they contract [Hepatitis] E on top, it is even more dangerous," he says to IslamOnline.net. "Experiments are still needed on this issue."

The California Department of Food and Agriculture further notes that "many foreign animal diseases, including classical swine fever and foot-and-mouth disease, may be spread by feeding raw garbage derived from meat products to swine." (Swine Garbage Feeding)

Diseases Unique to Pigs
Partial list of zoonoses related to swine:
• Balantidiasis
• Brucellosis
• Campylobacteriosis
• Colibacillosis
• Cysticercosis
• Erysipelas
• Leptospirosis
• Trichinosis
• Yersiniosis

While many domesticated animals (including cows, sheep, and poultry) are capable of infecting humans with disease, Dr. Darwish says that pigs are unique in that they "harbor almost all the diseases that [can] be transmitted from animal to man." This is, he says, "unlike other species, where each [can] transmit only some of these diseases." According to Dr. Darwish, pig diseases may be parasitic, bacterial, or viral.

"The virulence of the disease in pigs is much more than [that of] other animals," Dr. Darwish tells IslamOnline.net, explaining the difference between two strains of Taenia (tapeworm) present in both cows and pigs.
The species saginata (cow Taenia) "can be expelled through diarrhea and [can] respond well to drugs," Dr. Darwish says. The species solium (pig Taenia) "is more virulent, can resist treatment, and can't be easily washed [out] by drugs causing diarrhea. [The species] saginata sticks itself to human mucosa through suckers, while solium has [both] suckers and hooks and is carcinogenic. If it reaches the brain, spinal cord, or heart, it may be very dangerous," Dr. Darwish adds.
Some diseases associated with swine occur when people touch or consume raw or improperly cooked pork products, while other infections can be transmitted by being in close contact with pigs, drinking water contaminated with their urine, or even inhaling soil that contains particles of pig waste. It is not always obvious when a pig is ill or infected with a particular type of bacteria - thus, it is considered unwise to touch pigs or handle them without taking certain precautions (Zoonotic Disease Prevention).

At highest risk for disease are those who handle swine on a regular basis, especially those who work in farms or in slaughterhouses and those who work as veterinarians. "If we [in vet medicine] find even one [tapeworm] cyst on the carcass of a pig, we exterminate the whole [carcass]," Dr. Darwish says, highlighting the dangers of these cysts to people working in the field of animal research.
Swine Politics

"Who can guarantee that there are no other undiscovered diseases in the swine's flesh?"

It is interesting to note that many of the diseases associated with pigs are also present in carcasses of other animals forbidden for consumption in Islam, including cats, dogs, rats, bears, and beasts of prey. Bear meat, for example, is currently the leading cause of cases of trichinosis in the US (Trichinosis).
While most people in the Western World would not dream of eating dogs, cats, or rats (and would express disgust when hearing of people in other parts of the world who do eat these animals), it seems that there is a peculiar cultural bias when it comes to swine. Such a bias exists despite the fact that many people are well aware of the dangers swine poses to human health and are old enough to remember the trichinosis outbreaks that plagued the US during the first half of the 20th century.
Swine herding, along with the production, sale, and export of swine products, is a billion-dollar industry in the US which may be a reason for downplaying the role of swine in various health conditions (US Breaks Pork Export Volume and Value Records).
Raising pigs requires enormous vigilance, care, and attention to their health and hygiene. In many countries, regulations may exist but are not meaningfully enforced, and the potential for disease to spread to humans is ever-present.
While some of the above diseases are admittedly rare, others are much more common, depending on the area of the world, the conditions pigs are raised in (and what they eat), the personal hygienic habits of the people responsible for the pigs, and other factors.

A disease that has been controlled for the time being in a particular location may easily appear again in the face of shifting government policies (and people's willingness to follow them), access to equipment and vaccines, wars, natural disasters and their impact on the environment, economic conditions, migration patterns, and people's level of knowledge and education (Arnold and other sources).
Several years ago, Egyptian writer and scholar Sayyid Qutub (1906-1966) commented on the controversy surrounding pork consumption when he wrote,

Some people may argue that modern cooking facilities could eliminate the affliction of these worms by the high temperatures used, but these people overlook the fact that it took them centuries to come to know about this one disease. Who can guarantee that there are no other undiscovered diseases in the swine's flesh?
Are we not supposed to trust the sacred law which preceded human science by tens of centuries and let it give us the decisive ruling on the matter? Are we not supposed to adhere to its laws whereby permission and prohibition come from our Lord who is full of wisdom and well acquainted with everything? (Al-Majid)

For many Muslims, the sentiments of Qutub and other scholars, combined with sound scientific data, provide the intellectual stimulation and food for thought to continue research on this issue, which is almost certain to magnify in importance as time progresses and environmental conditions deteriorate around the world.
The fact that consumption of pork is prohibited in Islam is well known. The following points explain various aspects of this prohibition:

1. Pork prohibited in the Qur’an:

The Qur’an prohibits the consumption of pork in no less than 4 different places. It’s prohibited in 2:173, 5:3, 6:145 and 16:115. For instance, Allah says: “Forbidden to you (for food) are: dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which hath been invoked a name other than that of Allah.” (Al-Ma’idah: 3)
The above verses of the Glorious Qur’an are sufficient to satisfy a Muslim as to why pork is forbidden.

2. Pork prohibited in the Bible:

Addressing the Christian who is likely to be convinced by his religious scriptures, the Bible prohibits the consumption of pork, in the book of Leviticus: “…and the swine, as he divideth 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 chapter 11 verse 7 and 8)
Pork is also prohibited 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 chapter 14 verse 8)
A similar prohibition is repeated 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 in a layman’s terminology is called tapeworm. It harbors 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 and 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 Taenia Trichuriasis. 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 Taenia tichurasis, twenty two had cooked the pork very well. This indicates that the ovas 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. The 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, filth and dirt. In the villages they don’t have modern toilets and the villagers excrete in the open air. Very often excreta are 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. ”

Manufacturing Fear

If I write a column arguing that Bernard Madoff, a Jew by birth, cheated mostly Christian investors of billions of dollars, you will rightly call me crazy.

If I argue that some Jewish religious organizations that received money from Madoff were thriving on the loot, you will rightly call me insane.

If I whisper that Madoff was a supporter of Israel and his intention was to financially help the Zionist land, you will call me an anti-Semitic.

If I say that Madoff was a family man who was trying to support his family and community that is always the victim of anti-Semites, you will definitely jump to my throat.

If I say that Madoff was reading the Jewish scriptures and using some verses that justify maltreatment of gentiles to launch his ponzy schemes, you will definitely call me a mad man and rightly so.

Similarly, If I argue that the gunman who shot 10 people dead in Alabama was a devout Christian and he killed all those who in his views were not practicing Christians, you would hate me for that.

If I write that he acted on the basis of his readings of the Bible where the Lord had condemned all those who deviate, you would call me ignorant.

If I say that several Biblical passages incite people to act violently you would ridicule me and rightly so.

Now if someone were to say the following:

Omar Hussein, a Muslim by birth, cheated mostly Christian investors of billions of dollars ...
Muslim religious organizations that receive money from Hussein were thriving on the loot ...

Hussein was a supporter of Palestine and his intention was to financially help the Muslim lands ...

Hussein was reading the Muslim scriptures and using some verses that defile gentiles to launch his ponzy schemes ...

The gunman who shot 10 people dead in Kabul was a devout Muslim and he killed all those who in his view were not practicing Muslims ...

He acted on the basis of his reading of the Quran where the Lord had condemned all those who deviate ...

Several Quranic passages incite people to act violently ...


Reading the above most people would tend to nod their head saying that Islam promotes these kinds of acts and Muslims follow the Quran whose teachings are based on such deceptions. This is what many in North America and Europe have done for the last several years. Since, they do not allow any counter argument, and the voices of Muslims are weak in challenging their absurdity and the average people do not care much about these things, they get away without being called crazy, insane, ignorant, lunatic, anti-Muslim or Islamophobic.

You may say that this is a weak argument because those Muslims who are killing innocent people are calling it an Islamic act. So what? If 675 people are killed in the United States every week because we have the freedom to own gun under second amendment, and the killer calls it a constitutional freedom, will we give any credence to their statement?

Will we hold democracy responsible for this?

But when it comes to Islam and Muslims, many of our pundits and experts and analysts indulge in the most insane, bizarre and crazy analysis without being questioned. Instead they are often rewarded for their nonsense.

Their analysis or explanation is just another manifestation of their deep rooted prejudices against Islam regardless of what they say. They have the notion that Islam is a primitive and backward religion because most Muslims in the world today are illiterate or poor. They still have the idea that Islam is a false religion that promotes violence and immorality because that is what they have read in books written by their predecessors hundreds of years ago or said by their pastors, rabbis or religious leaders uninterruptedly for years.

This kind of analysis can only promote hatred and sensationalize an issue. But it would not solve a problem. For almost nine years, we are fighting a war on terrorism which in the view of right wing Christians, Zealot Hindus, and Extremist Zionists is a war on Islamic terrorism. In their analysis the world faces the danger of Islamic terror.

Now look at the reality.

In Europe, according to a European Council report, in the year 2007, 583 failed, foiled and successful terrorist acts took place. Out of that four were attributed to Islamists, 21 to left wing, 1 to right wing, and 532 to separatists. How come we never heard of those terror acts committed by separatists? How come there was little analysis of those acts? How come the Western intellectuals are silent on such terror related incidents?

ps. EU Terrorism Situation And Trend Report http://www.europol.europa.eu/publications/EU_Terrorism_Situation_and_Trend_Report_TE-SAT/TESAT2008.pdf

Doubtlessly, our world faces a serious challenge from those who have used violence as a means to promote their political and even religious agenda. But we cannot simply hold an entire faith and community responsible for that. As long as we will continue to do that, we will never be able to understand the real motives behind such acts of terrorism. Consequently, we will promote hatred and prejudices that will never enable us to face the real problems and work towards establishing a more harmonious society. In the process, many innocent people would be condemned to torture, discrimination and even death.

By: Dr. Aslam Abdullah/ courtesy Islamicity

Top 10 Myths About Islam

Top 10 Myths About Islam
By Huda, About.com Guide

Islam is a widely-misunderstood religion. Those who are unfamiliar with the faith often have misunderstandings about its teachings and practices. Common misconceptions include that Muslims worship a moon-god, that Islam is oppressive against women, or that Islam is a faith that promotes violence. Here we bust these myths and expose the true teachings of Islam.

1. Muslims worship a moon-god
Some non-Muslims mistakenly believe that Allah is an "Arab god," a "moon god," or some sort of idol. Allah is the proper name of the One True God, in the Arabic language. The most fundamental belief that a Muslim has is that "There is only One God," the Creator, the Sustainer -- known in the Arabic language and by Muslims as Allah. Arabic-speaking Christians use the same word for the Almighty.

2. Muslims don't believe in Jesus
In the Qur'an, stories about the life and teachings of Jesus Christ (called 'Isa in Arabic) are abundant. The Qur'an recalls his miraculous birth, his teachings, and the miracles he performed by God's permission. There is even a chapter of the Qur'an named after his mother, Mary (Miriam in Arabic). However, Muslims believe that Jesus was a fully human prophet and not in any way divine himself.

3. Most Muslims are Arabs
While Islam is often associated with Arabs, they make up only 15% of the world's Muslim population. The country with the largest population of Muslims is Indonesia. Muslims make up 1/5 of the world's population, with large numbers found in Asia (69%), Africa (27%), Europe (3%) and other parts of the world.

4. Islam oppresses women
Most of the ill-treatment that women receive in the Muslim world is based on local culture and traditions, without any basis in the faith of Islam. In fact, practices such as forced marriage, spousal abuse, and restricted movement directly contradict Islamic law governing family behavior and personal freedom.

5. Muslims are violent, terrorist extremists
Terrorism cannot be justified under any valid interpretation of the Islamic faith. The entire Qur'an, taken as a complete text, gives a message of hope, faith, and peace to a faith community of one billion people. The overwhelming message is that peace is to be found through faith in God, and justice among fellow human beings. Muslim leaders and scholars do speak out against terrorism in all its forms, and offer explanations of misinterpreted or twisted teachings.

6. Islam is intolerant of other faiths
Throughout the Qur'an, Muslims are reminded that they are not the only ones who worship God. Jews and Christians are called "People of the Book," meaning people who have received previous revelations from the One Almighty God that we all worship. The Qur'an also commands Muslims to protect from harm not only mosques, but also monasteries, synagogues, and churches -- because "God is worshipped therein."

7. Islam promotes "jihad" to spread Islam by the sword and kill all unbelievers
The word Jihad stems from an Arabic word which means "to strive." Other related words include "effort," "labor," and "fatigue." Essentially Jihad is an effort to practice religion in the face of oppression and persecution. The effort may come in fighting the evil in your own heart, or in standing up to a dictator. Military effort is included as an option, but as a last resort and not "to spread Islam by the sword."

8. The Quran was written by Muhammad and copied from Christian and Jewish sources
The Qur'an was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad over a period of two decades, calling people to worship One Almighty God and to live their lives according to this faith. The Qur'an contains stories of Biblical prophets, because these prophets also preached the message of God. Stories are not merely copied, but the oral traditions are referred to in a way that focuses on the examples and teachings that we can learn from them.

9. Islamic prayer is just a ritualized performance with no heartfelt meaning
Prayer is a time to stand before God and express faith, give thanks for blessings, and seek guidance and forgiveness. During Islamic prayer, one is modest, submissive and respectful to God. By bowing and prostrating ourselves to the ground, we express our utmost humility before the Almighty.

10. The crescent moon is a universal symbol of Islam
The early Muslim community did not really have a symbol. During the time of the Prophet Muhammad, Islamic caravans and armies flew simple solid-colored flags (generally black, green, or white) for identification purposes. The crescent moon and star symbol actually pre-dates Islam by several thousand years, and wasn't affiliated with Islam at all until the Ottoman Empire placed it on their flag.

For more information please check:
http://islam.about.com/od/commonmisconceptions/tp/myths.htm

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Jazakallahu Khair (The final reward will be given by God Almighty)