Halal Pigs

The prohibition of consuming pork is one of the most widely known in Islamic dietary law. Traditionally, this has been understood as a total ban on the pig, making the animal itself unclean and forbidden. But what does the Qur'an actually say about the pig?

Qur'an language is divine precision

The main approach to interpreting the Qur'an is to pay attention to the specific words Allah chooses. In a divine revelation, precision is important; every word carries weight. When Allah uses the same precise phrase time and time again, it signals a deliberate legal limit. An analysis of the verses prohibiting pork demonstrates this principle with total clarity.

The Qur'an addresses this prohibition in four distinct passages, and the consistency of the language is notable:

2:173

He has only forbidden for you that which is already dead, and blood, and the meat of pig, and what was sacrificed with to other than Allah...

5:3

Forbidden for you is that which is already dead, and blood, and the meat of pig, and what was sacrificed with to other than Allah...

6:145

Say: “I do not find in what is inspired to me to be forbidden for any eater to eat, except: that it be already dead, or running blood, or the meat of pig—for it is foul—or what has become nasty by being sacrificed to other than Allah.”

16:115

He has only forbidden for you that which is already dead, and blood, and the meat of pig, and what was sacrificed with to other than Allah...

Across these verses, the terminology is consistent: the prohibition is on 'the meat of pig'. The verses do not declare the animal itself to be forbidden, but rather a specific part of it: its flesh. In Qur'an 6:145, the justification provided—"for it is foul"—is tied directly to "the meat of pig," leaving no basis to extend this to the entire animal. Furthermore, verses like 16:115 use the restrictive phrase "He has only forbidden for you," which implies a closed list of prohibited items.

But is this understanding found elsewhere in the Qur'an? The answer is yes, given there are other examples in the Qur'an for making only parts of an animal prohibited but still leaving the animal otherwise permissible.

Partial prohibition of animals: running blood

We know Allah has previously shown a practice of forbidding a specific part of an animal while leaving the rest permissible. This provides the basis for understanding the prohibition related to the pig.

Within the prohibited foods mentioned in each of the four verses above, there is one type of food that exists within all permissible animals: blood and more specifically running blood. We know that if running blood is not separated from the permissible animal, the whole animal becomes carrion and is prohibited in its entirety. Once the running blood has been separated from the animal, the rest of the animal becomes permissible. So we know that simply having running blood in an animal does not render the whole animal prohibited.

Partial prohibition: Jewish dietary laws

Allah details specific prohibitions that were applied to the Jewish people as a 'reward' for their transgressions. This verse serves as a crucial piece of evidence:

6:146

And for those who are Jewish We have made forbidden all that have undivided hoofs; and from the cattle and the sheep We made forbidden their fat except what is attached to the back, or entrails, or mixed with bone. That is a punishment for their rebellion, and We are truthful.

An animal can belong to a permissible category (like cattle and sheep) while a specific part of it (certain fats) is prohibited through a specific ruling. Allah did not forbid the entirety of the cattle and sheep for the Jewish people; He only specified certain fats to be prohibited.

Pig as livestock

The Qur'an establishes that it is consistent with Allah's revelations for the pig to be a permissible animal (i.e., livestock) while its meat is specifically designated as haram for consumption because the meat is described as foul. If the pig is indeed a permissible animal with a forbidden part, then how can we ensure the non-meat parts of the animal are permissible to consume.

22:34

And for every nation We have established a practice that they may mention the name of Allah for what He has provided for them of the animal livestock. Your Allah is One Allah; submit to Him and give good tidings to those who obey.

This verse indicates that mentioning Allah's name over 'animal livestock' is a required ritual. The term 'animal livestock' is a general classification. The pig falls into this category of 'animal livestock' as the Qur'an does not create a special exception for the pig. Therefore, it is subject to the same rules as other livestock. 

The details of this ritual are further clarified in a subsequent verse:

22:36

And the plump animal, We have made it for you to be among the rites of Allah; you will have goodness in it. So remember the name of Allah upon them as they are lined up; then, once their bodies have become still, you may eat from them...

Combining these verses complete the picture. The ritual slaughter of the animal by mentioning Allah's name renders it permissible for use. While the specific Qur'anic prohibition on its meat (from verses such as 2:173 and 5:3) remains absolute and are not overridden. This synthesis leads to the conclusion that using the pig's hide, bones, or other non-meat components is permissible under Islamic dietary laws. This understanding prevents us from overstepping the boundaries set by Allah.

Prohibition against human additions

A running theme in the Qur'an is that only Allah possesses the authority to declare something lawful (halal) or unlawful (haram). The Qur'an repeatedly warns believers against the grave error of adding their own prohibitions to the religion, a transgression described as inventing lies about Allah. The Qur'an contains numerous severe warnings against this practice.

To expand the specific, carefully worded prohibition of "pig's meat" to include the entire animal—its hide, its bones, its very existence—is to risk falling into the category of adding to Allah's law. The Qur'an frames such additions not as piety, but as an aggression and an invention against Allah. Therefore, adhering strictly to the text and limiting the prohibition to the meat is an act of greater submission, as it refrains from forbidding what Allah has not explicitly forbidden.

Conclusion

This analysis, based solely on the Qur'an, presents a consistent argument for a more nuanced understanding of the prohibition related to the pig. The evidence can be summarised by drawing directly from the Qur'anic text:

• The Qur'an precisely forbids the "meat of the pig," not the entire animal. This consistent language across four separate verses signifies a deliberate legal boundary.
• Qur'anic precedent exists in the Qur'an where Allah forbade specific parts (running blood generally and certain fats for the Jews) of permissible animals, establishing the principle of partial prohibition.
• The pig falls under the general category of 'animal livestock (Qur'an 22:34), over which divine rituals are to be performed, affirming the pigs allowed status even if a part of it is forbidden for consumption.

Extending the prohibition beyond the explicit text risks constituting a human addition to Allah's law, an act the Qur'an severely and repeatedly prohibits.

A detailed reading of the Qur'an leads to the understanding that while the meat of the pig is unequivocally haram, the animal itself is a creation of Allah and classified as livestock. Consequently, its other components, such as the skin or bones, are permissible for use, provided the appropriate rituals of mentioning Allah's name are observed before slaughter.