A lot of people really enjoy bacon and pork chops, but two of the world’s major religions say that people should not eat any pig products. Most people know that Jews and Muslims don’t eat pork, but many don’t know why in particular. Though some pigs might be cute, they’re considered “unclean” according to religious dietary standards.
These two religions have more in common than you might think, including their dietary beliefs. In both Islam and Judaism, it is forbidden to eat pork. There are other food rules that are the same, like not eating reptiles or mammals that hunt, because they are seen as unclean in those religions. To fully understand these religions, you should also know why they avoid pork dishes.
This article talks about specific Bible verses that say pork is not kosher or halal in Judaism and Islam. It also talks about some other reasons why pigs might be seen as dirty.
Pork is one of the most commonly consumed meats worldwide. However, some major religions prohibit their followers from eating pork and pork products. Two of the most prominent faiths that ban pork are Judaism and Islam. This prohibition against pork has deep historical, cultural, and spiritual significance for both religions.
Why Jews Don’t Eat Pork
In Judaism, abstaining from pork stems directly from biblical commandments in the Torah. Leviticus 11:7-8 clearly states that the pig is considered an unclean animal and should not be eaten:
“And the pig, because it parts the hoof and is cloven-footed but does not chew the cud, is unclean to you. You shall not eat any of their flesh, and you shall not touch their carcasses; they are unclean to you.”
This decree is repeated in Deuteronomy 14 8. Consuming any part of a pig including the meat fat, organs, and blood, is forbidden.
The Torah does not explicitly explain why pigs are deemed unclean. However, Jewish scholars have theorized several reasons:
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Pigs are omnivores and scavengers eating both meat and vegetable matter indiscriminately. Such unrestrained eating habits were viewed as animalistic and impure.
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Pigs wallow in mud, which was perceived as a filthy behavior that rendered the animal unclean.
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In ancient times, pork may have been taboo because of associated pagan rituals or disease risks from undercooked pork.
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The ban on pork consumption marked Jews as a people set apart from others. Avoiding pork was a defining act of Jewish identity and obedience to God.
More than just a dietary restriction, the Jewish pork taboo has deep cultural and historical meaning. Scholars point out that ancient Jewish sages associated pigs with excessive greed and rebelliousness against God. Swine were even linked to the Roman oppression of Jews.
Why Muslims Don’t Eat Pork
Islam adopted the Jewish pork prohibition, with the Quran expressly forbidding consumption of pig meat. For instance, Surah 5:3 states:
“Forbidden to you (for food) are: dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine…”
Several verses in the Quran reinforce that pork is haram, or forbidden. As in Judaism, the reasons behind this prohibition are not definitively stated. However, possible explanations include:
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Pigs were considered physically and spiritually impure creatures.
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Concerns about pigs spreading disease due to their scavenging habits.
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Association of pigs with laziness and gluttony.
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Avoiding pork set Muslims apart from pagan Arabs and Jews.
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Scholars link the ban to pigs’ perceived intelligence, arguing that an intelligent animal should not be eaten.
By abstaining from pork, observant Jews and Muslims fulfill a shared biblical commandment and honor their covenant with God. More deeply, avoiding pork is central to both religions’ values of spiritual purity, obedience, and group identity.
Other Religions That Forbid Pork
Judaism and Islam are not the only faiths that restrict pork consumption. Here are some other religions and cultures that traditionally abstain from pork:
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Seventh-day Adventists base their pork ban on biblical law. Most Adventists also avoid other types of meat.
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Rastafarians follow a strict Ital vegetarian diet that excludes pork and shellfish, among other foods.
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Some sects of Hinduism consider pigs impure and avoid pork. However, eating pork is not universally banned.
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Jains advocate vegetarianism and do not eat meat from any animal, including pigs.
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Ethiopian Orthodox Christians traditionally avoid pork during fasts and Lent.
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Many ancient cultures in the Middle East and Mediterranean linked pigs with impurity and demonic forces.
Are All Pork Products Forbidden?
The parameters of the pork prohibition vary between faiths. Many Jews and Muslims seek to avoid all pork-derived food products:
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Meat from pigs, boars, hogs is completely forbidden. This includes pork, ham, bacon, sausage, chops, ribs, hot dogs, pepperoni, etc.
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Lard, animal fat derived from swine, cannot be used in cooking.
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Gelatin made from pork products is avoided.
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Natural casings for sausages made from pig intestines are not permitted.
However, items like cheese made with traditional rennet containing pork enzymes are more controversial. Some consider such ingredients kosher; others take a stricter stance. Each individual determines their degree of observance.
Are There Any Exceptions?
Most branches of Judaism and Islam mandate complete abstinence from pork with no exceptions. However, some denominations allow limited consumption if avoiding pork causes undue hardship, such as malnutrition or starvation. But pork should only be eaten in small quantities if absolutely necessary.
Reform and Reconstructionist Jewish communities tend to be more lenient, leaving it up to each person’s individual choice. But Orthodox and Conservative Jews stress strict adherence to kosher dietary laws, including the biblically-mandated pork prohibition.
Among Muslims, the Shia view is generally less strict concerning accidental or forced consumption of pork. But all major Islamic schools of thought still strongly condemn and prohibit intentionally eating pork products.
Cultural Significance of Avoiding Pork
Abstaining from pork holds tremendous cultural and historical significance for Jews and Muslims. More than just a dietary restriction, avoiding pork is a sacred act that has shaped both culinary traditions for thousands of years.
Pork taboos have influenced trade and economics in regions where Judaism and Islam are prevalent. Specialty butchers and grocers catering to kosher and halal consumers continue strong traditions around ritual slaughter and avoiding cross-contamination with non-kosher foods.
Socially, abstaining from pork sets Jewish and Muslim communities apart, strengthening bonds and identity. Historically, being unable to eat the pork offered by non-Jews or non-Muslims faced by Jews and Muslims created obstacles to assimilation and highlighted differences in faith.
Culturally, cuisines adapted so that prohibited ingredients like pork lard were substituted with alternates like lamb fat or vegetable oil in Jewish and Muslim cooking. Holiday meals evolved without traditional pork dishes. Over centuries, new culinary traditions flourished that aligned with spiritual values.
For believing Jews and Muslims, abstaining from pork is a concrete way to demonstrate piety, obedience to God’s will, and adherence to moral codes of purity. These parallel taboos have shaped the histories of both religions and remain an important aspect of Jewish and Islamic culture today. More than just abstaining from a food source, shunning pork products is an act intertwined with theology, identity, and community.
Where the Two Religions Meet on Pork
The three Abrahamic religions — Islam, Judaism and Christianity — have many things in common. These faiths all share the belief of fasting for a designated period to feel closer to their spirituality or possibly reconnect with their faith. However, Christians eat pork, while followers of the other two faiths do not. Eating pork in Islam and Judaism is forbidden, and depending on who you ask, you may hear several reasons why this particular animal was deemed unclean.
Why Are Pigs Unclean?
Unfortunately, around 30 diseases pigs can contract can be passed on to humans, which might be one reason they’re considered unclean. For certain diseases, like African Swine Fever, incubation periods can last up to 15 days, making it difficult to detect immediately. These diseases can typically be passed through contact with the animal or contaminated food or fluids. In both of these religions, God is known as a healer. It would make sense for God’s people to follow the rules of not eating an animal that can easily spread illnesses.
Another reason pork could have been forbidden might be the difficulty of raising pigs in the Middle East. They require a balanced diet with several nutrients mixed, and having them in shady, wooded areas is a great way to let them root for what they want while enjoying a reprieve from the sun. While there are forests in the Middle East, they aren’t as common as in the West.
Here are just some of the things that pigs require to raise well:
- Plenty of water
- Shady, wooded environments
- A balanced diet with several nutrients
- Supplemental feedstuffs for guaranteed nutrition
- Indoor space to keep piglets warm
- Additional equipment when breeding pigs and raising piglets
Pigs will also eat almost anything they find, so they may come across trash, rotten food, or meat and eat it. Because they consume carrion and other unclean things, they themselves might be unclean as well. Pigs will eat almost anything they come across and will root the ground for anything to consume. People who eat pigs are sort of putting what the pigs ate into their bodies, but not really.
Why Is Pork Forbidden?
FAQ
What religions do not eat pork and why?
Does the Bible say not to eat pork?
Why is pork forbidden for Muslims?
Why do Jamaicans not eat pork?
Is pork forbidden in Judaism?
The religions that forbid the consumption of pork are Judaism and Islam. Both religions have strict dietary laws that prohibit the consumption of pork and its products. In Judaism, the prohibition of pork is a way of showing Jewish identity and challenging cultural norms. The Torah explicitly forbids the consumption of pork in Leviticus 11:7.
Do religions eat pork?
Pork, being one of the most commonly consumed types of meat worldwide, is regarded as a delicacy in many culinary traditions. However, there are several religions that follow dietary restrictions and abstain from consuming pork for various reasons. Here, we will explore some of the major religions that avoid pork in their dietary practices. 1.
Is pork forbidden in the Bible?
Pork (or swine) is unclean and impure, both in the Quran and the Bible, and as such is completely prohibited. In the Bible, God forbids Moses and his followers to eat swine, as in Leviticus (11:27). The Bible also associates pork with death, idolatry, and sin as mentioned in the Book of Isaiah (65:4; 66:3). Does the Bible say not to eat pork?
Why is pork forbidden in Islam?
In Islam, consuming pork is strictly prohibited and is considered haram (forbidden). This prohibition stems from the teachings of the Quran, the holy book of Islam, which deems pork impure and spiritually unclean. 2. Judaism: Why do Jews avoid eating pork?