Why is pork forbidden in Islam?

Sources

• ✓ 5:3 · Al-Maaida

  5:3 · Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall

  حُرِّمَتْ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلْمَيْتَةُ وَٱلدَّمُ وَلَحْمُ ٱلْخِنزِيرِ وَمَآ أُهِلَّ لِغَيْرِ ٱللَّهِ بِهِۦ وَٱلْمُنْخَنِقَةُ وَٱلْمَوْقُوذَةُ وَٱلْمُتَرَدِّيَةُ وَٱلنَّطِيحَةُ وَمَآ أَكَلَ ٱلسَّبُعُ إِلَّا مَا ذَكَّيْتُمْ وَمَا ذُبِحَ عَلَى ٱلنُّصُبِ وَأَن تَسْتَقْسِمُوا۟ بِٱلْأَزْلَٰمِ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ فِسْقٌ ۗ ٱلْيَوْمَ يَئِسَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِن دِينِكُمْ فَلَا تَخْشَوْهُمْ وَٱخْشَوْنِ ۚ ٱلْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِى وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ ٱلْإِسْلَٰمَ دِينًۭا ۚ فَمَنِ ٱضْطُرَّ فِى مَخْمَصَةٍ غَيْرَ مُتَجَانِفٍۢ لِّإِثْمٍۢ ۙ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ

  Forbidden unto you (for food) are carrion and blood and swineflesh, and that which hath been dedicated unto any other than Allah, and the strangled, and the dead through beating, and the dead through falling from a height, and that which hath been killed by (the goring of) horns, and the devoured of wild beasts, saving that which ye make lawful (by the death-stroke), and that which hath been immolated unto idols. And (forbidden is it) that ye swear by the divining arrows. This is an abomination. This day are those who disbelieve in despair of (ever harming) your religion; so fear them not, fear Me! This day have I perfected your religion for you and completed My favour unto you, and have chosen for you as religion al-Islam. Whoso is forced by hunger, not by will, to sin: (for him) lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

• ✓ Tafsir Ibn Kathir on 5:3

  Sunni

  Tafsir Ibn Kathir · 5:3

  Allah Almighty informs His servants in this verse about the prohibition of consuming certain forbidden foods, specifically carrion (the flesh of animals that died without proper slaughter), blood that is spilled, and the flesh of swine. Carrion refers to an animal that dies by any cause other than lawful slaughter (dhikr) or hunting. The prohibition arises due to these foods' inherent harm, particularly the congealed, impure blood they contain, which is detrimental to both religion and the body. Therefore, Allah has declared them forbidden. An exception is made for fish and locusts, which are lawful regardless of whether they died by slaughter or not. This is confirmed by various hadith reported by Malik, Al-Shafi'i, Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, An-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah, Ibn Khuzaymah, Ibn Hibban, and others. For example, Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked about seawater, and he replied: "Its water purifies, and its dead is lawful to eat." Similarly, locusts are exempted for reasons elaborated later in the commentary. When the Quran mentions "and blood," it refers to that which is flowing or spilled, as indicated by Ibn Abbas and Sa'id ibn Jubayr in interpreting the phrase "or flowing blood" (Al-An'am 6:145). Ibn Abi Hatim narrated from Ibn Abbas regarding the spleen, which some considered to be blood, that the prohibition applies only to spilled blood. A similar narration comes from Aisha, who affirmed the prohibition was exclusively on flowing or spilled blood. Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Idris Al-Shafi'i reported from Ibn Umar that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Two dead things and two bloods are lawful for us: the dead animals are fish and locusts; the bloods are liver and spleen." This narration and others related are considered weak by some scholars but have chains supported by others, which some deem stronger. The report of Abu Umamah further illustrates the prohibition: he was sent by the Prophet ﷺ to his people to invite them to Islam and inform them of its rulings. They offered him a bowl of blood to eat, but he refused, reciting the verse about the prohibition of dead meat and blood (Quran 5:3). A poetic verse cited by Al-A'sha warns against approaching carrion or taking iron bones to barbecue and drink the blood — an expression of the ignorance and misguidance prevalent before Islam. Regarding the mention of pork, it includes all parts of the swine—domestic and wild—and encompasses all of its flesh, including fat. Some legalists argue for a limited interpretation, but language and tradition affirm that the prohibition covers every aspect of the pig's meat. Further hadith clarify the severity of engaging with pork. For instance, Buraidah ibn al-Khasib said the Prophet ﷺ likened playing with dice to dipping one's hand in pork blood and flesh, indicating the seriousness of even touching it. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ also prohibited selling wine, carrion, pork, and idols. Regarding meat slaughtered in the name of other than Allah, the verse forbids such meat because Allah requires that all creatures be slaughtered invoking His name alone. When the name of idols or other false deities is mentioned, the meat becomes forbidden by consensus. Scholars differ only on whether inadvertent or deliberate naming makes a difference; this will be explained further in the commentary on Surah Al-An'am. The verse continues with the prohibition of certain types of dead animals: those strangled, killed by a violent blow or fall, and those killed by wild beasts, as well as carrion touched by predatory animals (except those specifically mentioned as exceptions). Ibn Abbas and other companions interpret "the strangled" as those animals that died by choking, whether intended or accidental such as being entangled in a snare until death. The "beaten to death" refers to animals killed by blows of an unspecified heavy object, such as sticks. Pre-Islamic Arabs used to beat such dead animals and eat them, which Allah forbade. A hadith narrated by Adi ibn Hatim records the Prophet ﷺ distinguishing between animals hunted with a pierced wound by the arrow (permitted to be eaten) and those hit by the side but not pierced (not permitted). On a finer point, scholars disagree on the status of animals killed by a dog through force without wounding. Some consider such meat lawful by analogy to arrow hunting (guided by general Quranic permissions and hadith), especially as dogs were trained to hunt. Others reject this analogy, holding it forbidden, relying on principle that the killing is not by a sharpened or specified weapon and the meat has not properly bled. Various chains of narration from companions support both views, and the author records that the strongest position is that meat killed by a dog without wounding is unlawful. The verse also forbids meat sacrificed or slaughtered at sacred stones (nusub), which were pagan sites close to the Kaaba where idols were worshipped and sacrifices offered without invoking Allah's name. Such acts are clearly an expression of shirk (polytheism), and Allah commands believers to avoid eating such meat even if Allah's name was mentioned afterwards over the slaughter. Regarding the prohibition of divination or seeking decisions by arrows (azlam), these were sticks with inscriptions like "do" and "do not," used in pre-Islamic times to resolve disputes or make decisions by chance. This practice is declared an act of rebellion, confusion, and superstition, forbidden as it leads to polytheism and misguidance. Ibn Abbas explains that "azlam" are sticks used for making oaths and decisions. The Prophet ﷺ found depictions of Ibrahim and Ismail in the Kaaba holding such sticks and cursed those who practiced this. Historical reports confirm the prohibition of this practice and even relate to incidents where pre-Islamic people used to decide matters by azlam. The Prophet ﷺ forbade this and commanded relying on Allah instead. The verse concludes with promise to believers that the disbelievers have despaired of turning them from their religion, and commands believers not to fear them but to fear Allah Alone, assuring God's support and victory. Finally, the verse announces the completion and perfection of the Religion and the favor that Allah has bestowed by making Islam the chosen way fully accepted and satisfying, a complete and final legislation that needs no additions. Ibn Abbas and other early authorities date the revelation of this verse to the day of Arafah during the Farewell Pilgrimage, a sacred moment when the Prophet ﷺ stood on the plain of Arafah. This moment marks the culmination of prophethood and legislation. Other narrations describe the Prophet's mission and the confirmation that no new lawful or unlawful rulings would come after this, emphasizing the completeness of Islam. The text includes many hadith and statements from companions explaining details about the forbidden meats, exceptions, and the conditions of necessity that alleviate prohibition, allowing consumption if strictly compelled without desire for sin. For example, if a person is starving and cannot find lawful food, eating prohibited meat to survive is permitted, as Allah is forgiving and merciful. There are detailed discussions about whether such consumption permits satisfaction or only minimal sustenance, with scholars differing on specifics. Narrations clarify the signs of lawful meat after hunting: if the animal still shows signs of life after the cut (like movement of limbs), it is lawful to eat. Additional narrations elaborate on the concept of proper slaughter (dhikr) being in the throat or esophagus and that hastening death before this is not required. In conclusion, the verse and commentary clearly prohibit carrion, spilled blood, the flesh of swine, animals killed otherwise than by proper slaughtering or hunting, animals killed by predatory beasts or strangulations, meat sacrificed at pagan stones, and the superstition of casting arrows for decisions. Exceptions exist for fish, locusts, liver, and spleen, and allowances exist in cases of dire necessity. Believers are thus urged to uphold God's commands strictly, trust His mercy, and live in the religion completed and perfected by Allah through His Messenger ﷺ.