Forbidden Practices, Food, and Drinks in Islam - Research Paper Example

?Forbidden practices, food and drink in Muslim religion Every religion has rules and the Muslim religion is no exception. Islam is a religion that has many strict rules and laws and all followers are expected to abide by them. The laws are based on the Quran, teachings from Prophet Muhammad and from teachings of scholars and followers of Islam. The practices affect every facet of life. Muslim believes that their religion influence everything in their lives so every aspect no matter how simple is directed by their faith. One of the most important forbidden acts in Islam has to do with relationships, marriage and sex. In the western world and in other major religion dating and premarital sex is generally accepted but this is a forbidden act among Muslims. Young persons of the opposite sex are not allowed to be together by themselves. One could question how does a relationship develops between young persons which can lead to marriage. There is a systematic way in which this can be done. Persons of the same sex are encouraged to foster good friendships that they will have for a lifetime. Through these friendships they will get to know families of their friends and this can lead to potential marriage at the appropriate time. Marriage just does not happen as is the practice of couples who are non-Muslims. It follows a pattern. Firstly the young person inquires of Allah as to who the person should be. He asks for spiritual help in finding the right person. On a personal level the family communicates among the members of the family who the partner should be. It is normal for the parents to approach another family where there is a potential partner. Even after the couple and the family decide that the marriage should take place, the two persons who have decided to marry will never meet alone, by themselves. They always have to be accompanied by others. This action is a direct command given by the Prophet Muhammad who warns against the potential danger of two unmarried persons of the opposite sex meeting alone. “Not one of you should meet a woman alone unless she is accompanied by a relative. Whenever a man is alone with a woman, Satan is the third among them.” Muslims are forbidden to marry blood relatives or persons from another religion. Blood relatives include parents, sisters, brothers, foster parents, in-laws, maternal and paternal uncles, aunts, nieces and nephews. There are some days which Muslims do not chose to get married. Days such as the day when the death of the Prophet is commemorated and other days of mourning are forbidden days for persons who are getting married. There are some sexual acts that are forbidden even between married couples. One of the most common one is the law of Islam that forbids men to have sexual intercourse with their wives during the time of their menstrual periods. This law is mentioned in the Quran. “Menstruation is a discomfort. Do not establish sexual relations with them during their menses and do not approach them until the blood stops. Then when they have cleansed themselves, you go into them as Allah has commanded you. There is a technical period and terminology that goes with the definition for menstruation. It is not considered to be menstruation if the bleeding occurs less than three day. It is called menstruation if it runs between three and ten days. Similarly a woman who has a menstrual period for over ten days can have sexual relations with her husband on the eleventh day since this would be termed as irregular bleeding. Husbands are also not allowed to have sex with their wives during the day in the month of Ramadan, for ten days after the woman has given birth and also during the time the couple is on pilgrimage to Mecca. Homosexuality and other unnatural sexual acts are strictly forbidden in Islam. There is also reference in the Quran about homosexuality. “Do ye commit lewdness such as no people in creation committed before you? For ye practice your lusts on men in preference to women: ye are indeed a people transgressing beyond bounds.” The Shariah rule is that homosexual intercourse leads to the participants receiving one hundred whiplashes if the man is unmarried and if he is a married man he should be put to death by stoning. Other forbidden practices that reflect the day to day life of Muslims comes in the form of dressing. The laws of Islam show concern for decency and modesty. A woman should ensure that certain parts of her body be covered especially her chest. The Prophet Muhammad gave recommendations for women to cover most parts of their bodies. The only exception according to the Prophet is their face and hands. Within the law the dress code for men is not as strict. It is required that the lower sections of the body should always be covered. It is forbidden for Muslims to wear tight clothing. Islam prohibits their followers, both men and women to wear clothing that reveal the contours of their body. This is why many Muslim men wear long loose clothing. Another aspect of clothing is that Muslims should not wear clothing made of transparent materials. The material should be such that nothing beneath the garment is visible to others. It is a popular trend for person especially the young to wear tattoos on their bodies. This is forbidden in Islam. Muslims are encouraged to pay close attention to the teaching of Prophet Muhammad and to imitate him in dressing and personal hygiene. This include keeping the hair and nails clean and trimmed, frequent bathing and observing and keeping basic personal hygiene rules after one has been to the toilet. There are some forms of entertainment that are forbidden in Islam. These include any form that involves certain types of music and drugs. Music that is capable of leading to other forbidden acts is unacceptable. Muslims do not go to clubs, bars, or other places where they would be mixing with non-Muslims for entertainment purposes. Gambling in any form is also prohibited. Many Muslims participate in fun activities such as sports and some games. Muslims are not allowed to take part in sports or entertaining activities that involve the use of chess and cards. Most other sporting activities are accepted. Arts such as poetry and painting can be supported. Movies, books and other literary materials are forbidden if they contain indecent words or images. These include pornographic films and books and since the advent of the internet it also follows that Muslims should use the internet in a way that improve their intellect rather than in ways that can be detrimental to their intellect. One of the tenets of Islam is warning against practices that are termed innovative. This means that they were not mentioned by Allah or the Prophet as an important part in worshipping and following Allah. Certain celebrations such as birthdays are forbidden. Birthdays are also looked upon as celebrations coming from other religions such as Judaism and Christianity. The only birthday that is celebrated is that of Prophet Muhammad. They won’t accept invitation to birthday parties of non-Muslim nor will they accept or present gifts. Muslims are not permitted to hang images and sculptures in their homes. Although dolls and certain stuffed toys can be used by Muslim children the religion prohibits the use of making images of humans and animals. These things are seen as idolatry. Many of the teachings support making of images even creating images of the Prophet Muhammad. There are many prohibitions when it comes to food drinks for followers of Islam. Alcoholic beverages of any sorts are forbidden. The Quran states, “O you who believe. Draw not near to prayer when you are drunken, till you know which you utter.” Another verse gives a summary of many of things that are considered as forms of entertainment in many cultures. “O you who believe. Strong drink and games of chance and idols and divining arrows are only an infamy of Satan’s handiwork. Leave it aside in order that ye may succeed. Since Muslims use the Quran and other prescribed laws in their daily lives it is one of the reasons why they not congregate with Muslims in situations where alcohol is used. Any drink that is intoxicating is forbidden in Islam. There are some beverages that are cultural in nature but may not necessarily be alcoholic. However, as long as they are suspected to contain intoxicants Muslims will not consume such beverages. Just like alcohol, drugs and related substances are forbidden. Any substance that interferes with the intellect and someone’s way of thinking is prohibited. The Prophet Muhammad has been consistent in advising his followers about such substances. He believed that imbibing drugs, alcohol and other substances will not only affect the intellect but prevent one from communicating fully with Allah. Muslims should avoid sitting and eating at tables where alcohol is served while they are eating. Muslims have strict dietary laws. The term, halal is not only used with food but anything that is permissible under Islamic law. Foods and other things that are forbidden are referred to as haraam. The Muslim faith integrates food into their beliefs and understanding of Allah and his commands. Eating the right kinds of food shows obedience to Allah and is an integral part of living as a Muslim. Foods considered to be haraam include pork and any pork by products. A Muslim has committed a sin if he knowingly consumes haraam food. The Quran specifically mentions the consumption of pork. “Forbidden to you are dead meat, blood and the flesh of the swine and that which had been invoked the name other than Allah.” There are also health reasons that support the prohibition of pork. The pig is an animal that will consume almost anything that they can find. They are scavengers. They are carriers of various worms and diseases that are harmful to man. Whether the meat is processed or not it is still forbidden. As a result Muslims are not allowed to eat foods such as bacon, ham and sausages. It must be noted that although pork and other forbidden foods such as alcoholic beverages are hazardous to man’s health that is not the primary reason why it is forbidden by Muslims. The primary reason is that it comes from the Quran and other laws that govern the life of a Muslim. Muslims adhere to the laws in every way. “The Prophet commands them what is just and prohibits what is evil. He allows them as lawful what is good and prohibits what is evil. So take what the Messenger assigns to you and deny yourselves that which he holds from you.” The pig is not the only meat that is forbidden in Islam. Any meat that is not slaughtered according to the laws of Islam is forbidden. The laws of Islam states that when an animal is slaughtered for consumption, the four main arteries that are found in the neck should be completely cut. These arteries are the windpipe, food pipe, jugular vein, and jugular artery. The spinal cord should not be cut or injured. The animal should be slaughtered by a practicing Muslim. The blood should flow from the slaughtered animal in a certain normal quantity. The head of the animal should not be removed until the blood is sufficiently drained. It is believed that blood can contain bacteria and other germs harmful to man. It is one of the reasons why the animal should be properly drained of the blood. The animal should also be slaughtered using a sharp object. This minimizes the time period of any suffering experienced by the animal. The Muslim considers even the health condition of the animal while it is slaughtered for food. Birds that fall within certain categories such as those with claws and talons are forbidden. The only birds that are allowed under Islamic law are those that fly in a certain way particularly those that flap the wings as they fly. These include chickens and pigeons. Birds such as eagles and crows are on the restricted list. These birds are considered as birds of prey and are therefore prohibited. Even for animals that have been slaughtered in the prescribed way there are certain parts that are forbidden to eat. These include the eye balls, the marrow, the testicles, the genitals and blood. It is also to be noted that if the animal dies before it is slaughtered the law states that this meat becomes haram and is therefore unfit for consumption. In addition to birds of prey all carnivorous animals are prohibited. Some of the teachings of Islam specifically mention them. These include:- Reptiles including snakes, and alligators Rodents such as rabbits, mice, rats. Any animals that fall within this category and possess claws are prohibited Animals that are from the cat families. These include lions, tigers, leopards, wolves. These animals are all carnivores and eat meats as their main food Birds such as the owl and other related birds of prey. Foods that are recommended include fish, chicken halal meat, milk honey and olive oil. The following personality practices are forbidden in Islam:- Cheating. This includes cheating of any sort. This also relates to cheating in relationships. Adultery is off the limit for Muslims. In some Muslim countries adultery is punishable by stoning to death. Other acts that fall under the category of cheating such as fornication are also punishable by death in some places. This is one of the reasons why it is forbidden to be seen in the company of the opposite sex if the person is not closely related. These practices help to minimize the incidences of fornication. Another aspect that is forbidden in Islam is to teach, spread or communicate ideas that are erroneous. The Muslim has enough material in the Quran and other sacred writings to direct his life. Teaching ideologies other than what is mentioned in the Quran can be dangerous to the minds of those who teach as well as those who receive the teaching. Taking part in astrology and related matters. Islam teaches that any answers that should be provided about the future should be done by Allah. One of the laws states, “Whoever acquires knowledge of any branch of astrology, has acquired knowledge of a branch of magic. The more he increases in that knowledge, the more he increases in sin.” Other types of practices that are forbidden include sorcery, witchcraft, palm reading, tea leaf reading and any customs and habits where foretelling the future is involved. The Holy Quran states, “None in the heavens or earth knows the unseen except Allah.” Muslims are prohibited from gaining money through unlawful practices. Persons who get money through selling substances such as wine, alcohol are breaking the laws and rules of Islam. Similarly if a Muslim obtains money through practices such as prostitution, gambling, or dancing it is considered as a sin. Gaining money in a way that is consistent with the laws of Islam is also applicable in the workplace. Therefore, someone who obtains money through bribery, false witness, and any other corrupt practices is also at fault. While smoking is not considered to be prohibited among Muslims the laws regarding the use of other substances is also relevant to smoking. Smoking is halal if the smoker uses a cigar, a pipe or a cigarette that has tobacco. Any substance that leads to intoxication is clearly prohibited. Muslims believe that all the practices, foods and drinks that are prohibited are well documented within the Quran or other authoritative writings of Islam. Allah and Prophet Muhammad know best and it demonstrates that all the forbidden practices help one to become a better person. If these are adhered to it will improve the quality of life for everyone. Cornell, J Vincent. Voices of Islam. Connecticut: Praeger Publishers, 2007. Print. Read More