Muslims and Food

Islam pretty much sucks in every way you can imagine.

Muslim Migrants RIOT over Halal Food


“Covered in fecal matter”: Muslim chef prepared food after wiping his bottom with his bare hands because he doesn’t use toilet paper for Islamic reasons 

We Muslims should be appalled by the sale of halal meat by stealth

From Taj Hargey in the Daily Mail:

When I walk into a restaurant, I’m usually a hungry customer. It shouldn’t be important to the waiter what my religion is. I could be a Muslim, a Christian or a Jedi warrior. Whatever my beliefs, I have a right to enjoy my meal without any hidden agendas. 

Pizza Express, one of Britain’s favourite food institutions, admitted this week that all the chicken it serves has been killed according to traditional halal methods. The blood was drained from the bird and prayers were recited during the slaughter. 

Now it turns out that the meat in many supermarkets is also halal — though there is no recognisable label to indicate this fact to consumers. 

This is covert religious extremism and creeping Islamic fundamentalism making its way into Britain by the back door. 

It is completely wrong that the food sensitivities of Britain’s Muslims — who amount to just 4.8 per cent of the population — should take precedence over the other 95 per cent. 

Halal meat should never be forced on customers without their knowing, surreptitiously and using clandestine methods. It’s unfair to everyone, non-Muslims and Muslims alike. 

It’s deception on a grand scale for the former, while it could fuel bitter resentment against the latter. 

Of course I understand that many of my fellow Muslims, who are moderates not militants, will feel strongly that they wish to eat meat that has been killed by customary halal methods — and they have a perfect right to do so. 

But many misconceptions need to be clarified, because I am certain that most people don’t understand where these rules about food came from, and who benefits from them. 

First of all, if you’ve just tucked into a chicken pizza without knowing it was halal meat, it hasn’t done you any physical harm. 

But it hasn’t done you any spiritual good, either. Muslims don’t believe that religious observance can be used as a holy shortcut or a ticket to paradise. 

Furthermore, the idea that Muslims cannot eat non-halal food — food that is suitable for Christians — is completely wrong, and it has no theological basis in the Koran, the supreme text of Islam. 

I’m a dedicated Muslim, a devout religionist, an imam and intellectual scholar of Islam, but I eat whatever food is placed before me, with the obvious exception of pork. If you’re kind enough to invite me to your home, I would eat whatever meat you chose to serve: turkey, lamb, chicken, beef … anything except pork. 

This is perfectly permissible in Islam, and the crucial thing is that it doesn’t have to be halal meat. 

No one wants an imam to be quoting chapter and verse of the Koran over the turkey sandwiches, but it is important that everyone understands how clearcut the teaching is. Chapter five, verse five of the Koran states: 

‘This day all good things are made lawful for you. The food of the People of the Book [meaning the Jews and the Christians] is lawful for you, and your food is lawful for them …’ 

There are no ifs and buts about that. The Koran does expect us to be thankful for our food, however. I teach in Oxford, and when I go to dining halls in the university, I eat what is available. I must say, I’m partial to a slice of steak. 

At the point of consumption, before I put the food in my mouth, I give thanks, with a brief prayer that Muslims have been saying for more than 1,400 years. 

I say: ‘In the name of God, the most Merciful, the most Gracious.’ Christian readers will recognise what I’m doing — it’s very similar to the concept of saying grace. 

The Koran says we cannot eat slaughtered meat unless the name of God exclusively has been pronounced over it, not any other deity or idol. So, it does not really matter if, when that cow or lamb was slaughtered, the abattoir workers were saying prayers or playing heavy rock music at full blast on their radios. 

The individual prayer just prior to actual consumption makes the meat fit — halal — to eat. 

But if the Koran does not insist on what have become the customary halal methods, why are they now so prevalent in Britain? 

One reason is that religious zealots and theological ideologues are deliberately promoting confusion about halal to sow discord and resentment. 

Three of the main fundamentalist Muslim sects — the Wahhabi fanatics in Saudi Arabia, the Salafi extremists of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, and the Deobandi zealots from India-Pakistan — are foisting their fabricated notions about it down our collective throats. 

Muslim fundamentalist insistence on halal meat does not come from the Koran itself — it derives from a secondary and often suspect source, called the Hadith. 

The Hadith consists of the reputed sayings of the Prophet Mohammad, only compiled some 300 years after his death, and it is replete with gross contradictions and anti-Koranic statements.

GO READ THE WHOLE THING.

Housewife and mother of three believes Halal certification goes against Australian values and is pushing for an investigation into whether the profits fund terrorism

From the Daily Mail:

An Aussie housewife claims to have discovered ‘deception and corruption’ within the food industry, campaigning to uncover the truth about the relationship between Islam and some of Australia's major food companies. 

Kirralie Smith is concerned that Australians are unknowingly funding Islamic bodies every time they do the grocery shopping. 

She is seeking full disclosure from food companies so Aussie shoppers are fully informed so they have a choice on whether or not to buy from companies are allegedly giving funds to Islamic organisations. 

She is also calling for an investigation of these Australian organisations, alleging that the international counterparts of the Islamic bodies were found using the proceeds to fund terrorism. 

Ms Smith is the director and founder of ‘Halal Choices' and has made a shopping guide to inform shoppers about which companies are 'Halal Certified' - meaning their foods are appropriate for Muslims to consume. 

To become Halal-certified, a company must pay an ongoing fee to an Islamic body to gain certification. This certification deems that the product is acceptable to be prepared in accordance with Muslim law. 

She argues that Australians are being ‘deceived’ by food companies who are not open about funding Islamic bodies through ‘Halal certification’. 

‘I believe that as non-Muslims we should have a choice of whether or not we want to practice and fund Islamic religious ritual practices with our everyday grocery purchases,’ said Ms Smith. 

Dr Muhammad Khan, the CEO of Halal Australia, said the fact that the money from Halal certification went to mosques was not an issue. 

'It is absolutely not necessary to talk about this subject matter,' he told The ABC. 'Don't [Kosher certification organisations] fund their own synagogues? Why can't the Islamic certification body give donations to mosque projects?' 

Ms Smith insists that she does not encourage any boycott of the products, clarifying that she is ‘all about choices and giving people information so they can make their own informed decisions.' 

‘As a wife and a mother of three who does the shopping, I thought I should do something to take responsibility for what we bring into the household.’ 

The mother-of-three feels that at present Australia’s culture and core values are at risk. ‘I’m passionate about Australia – our values, our culture and especially our freedoms that have been hard fought for. 

'In Australia, we generally have freedom of speech, equality, democracy and freedom of religion,' she said during a speech at a forum in March this year. 

‘I believe Halal certification is in opposition to these values.’ 

On her website, Ms Smith encourages people to lobby the companies and government, suggesting they send the message: 'I do not wish to support any brand that pays an Islamic religious tax to have their product halal certified. 

'Less than 2% of this population is Muslim and I do not want to fund special religious rituals or political campaigns to increase the presence of Sharia Law in Australia. 

'Please respect consumers and give them/us the necessary information so we can make our own choices.' 

Ms Smith is also concerned about the impact of the extra expense of Halal-certified production on the cost of the final product. 

‘In chicken processing plants at Steggles, six fulltime, Muslim-only slaughtermen are employed,’ claims Ms Smith. 

‘Two of these employees who do not actual slaughter the chickens, but their jobs are to say prayers over them.' 

‘From my point of view, I don’t need people there, paid on a fulltime basis, to pray over the chickens.’ 

Ms Smith is questioning how much these processes cost considering it is a service that she, as a Christian, does not want nor require. 

‘The figures are huge but companies won’t disclose them because they have signed non-disclosure forms.’ 

Ms Smith argues the companies are failing to disclose what fees are being paid, their involvement with Halal Cerification authorities, where the money is going and even frequently failing to label their product as ‘halal-certified’. 

‘I have a problem with funding being imposed upon me. ‘People shouldn’t be paying money towards those causes every time they buy groceries.’ 

Ms Smith is concerned about how the funds are being used Islamic Certification authorities and is advocating for an investigation. 

‘The reality is that overseas it has been proven that the certification fees are going towards funding terrorism,’ said Ms Smith. 

‘I feel so passionate because big companies, like Nestle and Sanitarium, pay big halal certification fees but don’t make it publically known so consumers can’t make a choice of whether or not they want to pay more. 

‘We give information to the consumer because Australians have every right to buy or not to buy the products. She is deeply concerned, alleging that many companies are paying unnecessary fees for food products that are already Halal. 

‘Capilano honey pays certification fees, yet honey is universally considered halal. 

It is the same with white milk and yet Parmalat pays fees for certification,’ said Ms Smith. 

Ms Smith eamiled Capilano regarding the halal certification, and received a response which said that while honey was already considered halal under Islamic law, 'it is our customer's requirement to provide halal certification in order for us to conduct business with them,' reported The Sydney Morning Herald. 

'This sounds like extortion to me. 

It's The "Crime", Not The Punishment, That Makes Sharia Evil

People usually focus on the barbarity of the punishment. And it is horrific.

But it is the "crime" the punishment is for that is the real problem.

Women get stoned to death for being the victim of rape.

Women and men get stoned to death for "apostasy", which means leaving Islam.

The Sudanese woman, currently in the news, is being stoned to death for refusing to renounce her Christian faith.

Such punishment for the "Crime" of Apostasy means there is no freedom of Speech/Conscience in Islam.

Why this woman's story is in the news. It is not at all unusual for this to happen.

So why this story now?

That so much attention is being focused on the story of this one Sudanese woman, while a real tragedy, serves to belittle the hundreds and thousands of Christians and Jews, and people of other religions, who are murdered by Muslims for such "apostasy".

Islam is evil. Sharia, the law code of Islam, is evil. And, let's be clear, the punishments are often barbaric. Some crimes are punished by dismemberment. Some crimes are punished by stoning the criminal to death.

And yes, this is barbarity.

But barbarity, while disgusting and horrific is a form of spectacle.

We must not allow our attention to be diverted by the spectacle of Sharia, while something much more fundamental is being stolen from us.

The "Crime" of "Apostasy", as defined by Sharia Law is not a crime. It is the Free Expression of Human Thought.

Islam defines Freedom of Thought, Speech, and Expression as the worst "Crime", and it is therefore punishable by death.

THAT'S THE REAL PROBLEM.

Necrophilia Is Halal?

From The Pagan Temple, citing this fatwa dated May 10, 2011:

...acceptable for an Islamic man to have sex with the corpse of his dead wife. It's also acceptable, provided it's possible, for an Islamic woman to have sex with the corpse of her dead husband.

But hey, don't take my word for it, take the word of Sheikh Zamzari Abdelbari, an Islamic scholar and Imam from Morocco. According to him, the marriage bonds are not severed by death. That is because the Koran explicitly states that a man and his wife-wives where applicable-will be together in paradise after both have died. Therefore, they are still married, even during that time when one might be separate from the other....

The fatwa apparently states the following as well:

Sheikh Zamzami said that the husband has the right to have sex with his dead wife.

[...]

However, cheikh Zamzami, tempered his most unusual fatwa by stating that necrophilia, though Halal is a disgusting act that would be best avoided.

Islam shames itself on a regular basis.

FOOD SACRIFICED TO IDOLS A.K.A. HALAL FOOD

I have been wanting to write an article on the issue of eating Halal food for a long time but haven't really gotten around to doing it. However, recently Pastorius posted an excerpt from an article that was published on Jihad Watch. I was really happy that someone else had written an article about this whole thing and so I wouldn't have to do it. But then Epa commented and my hopes of being lazy were shattered. Pastorius summarized Epa's comment as follows:

"Who gives a crap? It's only food."

However, this is what Epa actually said:

“Halal OR Kosher for that fact are manifestations of 'what you have to do to safely eat meat/fish in a low/no tech desert or warm environment'”

Well, he said more (you can follow the link and read the whole thing) but this is what prompted me to pick up my pen (keyboard) and start writing this lengthy article.

I will first deal with whether Halal food is just like Kosher, a way for us to eat safe, clean food in a desert or warm environment or is it a ritualistic way of slaughtering meat in Islam, hence “food sacrificed to idols”, in the section “HALAL MEAT: ISLAM'S WAY OF SACRIFICING FOOD TO AN IDOL”. Then I will deal with whether Christians and Jews are to eat food sacrificed to idols or not in the section “BIBLICAL REASONS FOR NOT EATING FOOD SACRIFICED TO IDOLS”. And lastly, I will deal with why people in the West should boycott Halal meat for political purposes and not just for religious in the section “POLITICAL REASONS FOR BOYCOTTING HALAL MEAT ALONG WITH ANY OTHER PRODUCT PRODUCED IN ISLAM OR BY MUSLIMS”. Let us begin!

HALAL MEAT: ISLAM'S WAY OF SACRIFICING FOOD TO AN IDOL

This section should not take me long. The only thing I want to address here is Epa's comment. I am proposing that Halal is not just a way to eat clean meat (fish does not have to go through any religious sacrifice or prayer, Muslims can eat it right out of the water) but an offer and a thanks to Allah for providing the meat. Here is what the process entails.

Apart from making sure that the animal (or bird) has no blemishes and your knife is sharp, you have to lay down the animal and make sure it faces Makkah (Mecca). Then you have to say “Bismillah-e-Allah-u-akbar”, which means, literally, “In the name of Allah, Allah is greater”. And that's when you make a sharp cut in the animal's throat (without severing it completely) and let the blood drain. That completes the slaughtering part. Then you skin it and cook it, just like anybody else would do.

This sacrifice is Haram (not acceptable) if it is not done properly: if there was a blemish in the animal, if the animal didn't face Mecca, if Allah’s name was not recited and if the whole procedure was done by someone who is not a pious Muslim (a pious Muslim is one who offers prayers to Allah 5 times a day, pays Zaka', fasts during Ramadan, goes for Hajj at least once in his lifetime if he has the means to do so and most importantly, says the Shahadah, that is, “La-ilaha-ilAllah-e-Muhammad-ur-Rasul-Allah”, which means, “There is no god but Allah and Mohammed is his prophet/apostle/messenger).

What concerns me is not the facing of Mecca (as to me that is a joke), neither the blemishes (because I would rather eat an animal without any blemishes than one with some) but the part about invoking the name of Allah and it is that part that the Quran specifically tells Muslims to follow. Rest of it has been added through the Hadiths and later traditions (as far I know).

The Quran talks about invoking Allah's name in the following ways.

Sura 2. Verse 173: He hath only forbidden you dead meat, and blood and the flesh of swine, and that on which any other name hath been invoked besides that of Allah.

Sura 5. Verse 4: They ask thee what is lawful to them (as food): say: Lawful unto you are (all) things good and pure: and what ye have taught your trained hunting animals (to catch) in the manner directed to you by Allah; eat what they catch for you, but pronounce the name of Allah over it: and fear Allah; for Allah is swift in taking account.

This is the stuff that matters the most to me. I can not, and I will not, eat anything that is sacrificed in the name of an idol and Allah is nothing other than an old Meccan idol, there is no doubt about that.

This concludes the discussion about whether Halal (which just means “acceptable”) meat has been sacrificed to an idol, namely Allah, or not. To me the above verses leave no doubt about it at all. I am sorry Epa but this does not sound to me like a way to keep meat clean in the desert climate of the Middle East.

Now onto Biblical reasons as to why we shouldn't eat meat sacrificed to idols.

BIBLICAL REASONS FOR NOT EATING FOOD SACRIFICED TO IDOLS

I have been avoiding food sacrificed to idols for the last couple of years now. My primary reason for not eating food sacrificed to idols is simple: Biblical. However, my secondary reason is political. So this discussion should cater to both Christians/Jews and atheists/agnostics/theists. I will first start with the religious significances.

I know there is always a lot of debate amongst Christians whether this rule applies to us in this modern day and age. Many actually don't even think that there is any religion any more that sacrifices food to its god/gods so there isn't any food out there that can be labeled as “food-sacrificed-to-idols”. If we, as Christians, are ever to venture into the matter of idolatry committed through food that is sacrificed to idols, we should ask what the Bible has to say about it.

I am going to start with Paul, who is everyone's favorite when it comes to food sacrificed to idols. Before I begin, however, I just want to say that I have my reservations about Paul. Where sometimes he sounds like the smartest guy in the world, at other times he sounds like someone that has no idea at all what God said about a certain issue (I realize that it is quite possible that I have misunderstood Paul here, but so far I haven't heard a plausible argument to prove my misunderstanding). One of those issues is food sacrificed to idols.

Let's see what he has to say:

1 Corinthians 8:1 Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. 2 Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. 3 But whoever loves God is known by God. 4 So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.” 5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), 6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.7 But not everyone possesses this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. 8 But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols? 11 So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. 12 When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13 Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.

I highlighted the things that I think are related to the discussion at hand. (I just have a side-question: What the heck were the believers doing in an idol's temple in the first place?) Where I disagree with Paul is this. It is God who cares about food sacrificed to idols, it is not about someone's sensibilities. Read the following:

Deuteronomy 32: 15 But Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked; you grew fat, stout, and sleek; then he forsook God who made him and scoffed at the Rock of his salvation. 16 They stirred him to jealousy with strange gods; with abominations they provoked him to anger. 17 They sacrificed to demons that were no gods, to gods they had never known, to new gods that had come recently, whom your fathers had never dreaded. 18You were unmindful of the Rock that bore you, and you forgot the God who gave you birth.

Revelation 2: 13 I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14 But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. 15 So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. 20 But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. 21 I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. 22 Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, 23 and I will strike her children dead.

Now, as far as idols being no gods but demons or nothing, I agree with Paul as that is what God seems to be saying too. However, where I don't agree with him is when he seemingly makes it all sound like, “we should care about idols only in case someone is offended by it”, as if that was the only thing that mattered here, which, as we have seen above, is clearly not the case. So, either Paul is wrong here or he is just misunderstood; I am hoping it is the latter (I would really appreciate plausible explanations to this passage in case I am wrong). Now that I have made my viewpoint on this popular passage from Paul clear (hopefully), let us see what the Church was told about food sacrificed to idols (apart from the verses from Revelation).

Acts 15: 22 Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, 23 with the following letter: "The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. 24 Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, 25 it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. 28 For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: 29 that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell."

As we can see clearly, the Apostles didn't think it was their decision, rather that it was from the Holy Spirit. Another reference goes as follows:

Acts 21: 25 As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.”

I don't know whether what I have pasted here is sufficient evidence for it or not but it is enough for me to be convinced that I am to stay away from food sacrificed to idols.

My case stands more for the Christians. The reason there isn't a lot on food sacrificed to idols in the Tanakh is that the Israelites were told not to even deal with the idolaters around them. In fact, they were told to annihilate them once they conquered their land to avoid any idolatry within Israel. They weren’t even allowed to speak out the name of any other god.

This is it for the religious part of this discussion. I will post the section “POLITICAL REASONS FOR BOYCOTTING HALAL MEAT ALONGWITH ANY OTHER PRODUCT PRODUCED IN ISLAM OR BY MUSLIMS” later as this is already getting way too long for a blog post.

French Fast Food Chain Makes All Meals Halal

From the Telegraph:

Quick, one of France's most popular fast food chains, has taken pork off the menu at eight of its restaurants, turning them into halal-only outlets.

The chain has replaced bacon with smoked halal turkey in restaurants in three branches in a Paris suburb, two in Marseille, and the remainder in Toulouse, Villeurbanne, near Lyon, and Roubaix, northern France – all of them areas with high Muslim populations.

These restaurants now serve only halal food, seen as permissible according to Islamic law. The company said the move was part of a test, which began in November, and that pork may return to the menu at a later date.

Halal Guide Ponies In Chicago?

Hat tip to PaleoCon Command Center, citing this source:

"One woman in Chicago has found an original way to live with her disability. She is blind, and says her Muslim faith forbids the use of a guide dog. Instead, she's found a replacement -- the guide horse."

Brooke, the webmistress at PaleoCon Command Center, says:

Um... Is the pony potty-trained as a dog would be, or does it just 'go' like most horses do? Are businesses and public places required to give this Muslima and her pony access?

I get making exceptions for those with disabilities, but a horse? That's just a wee bit bigger than a guide dog.

If a dog is haram, I would suggest a guide pig, as I hear they are quite intelligent, cute, and would fit better in most public places... Heh.

Sometimes you just have to laugh at the absurdity of Islam.

Better watch out for pony pies on the public transportation system of Chicago and possibly in other public places as well.

UK: Halal Pizza Only At Domino's

From Mail Online (hat tip to Weasel Zippers), and it's not going over well with the infidels:

Residents have threatened to boycott a Domino's Pizza - after it took pork off its menu and now only offers halal food.

Customers in Blackburn are angry that the managers of the store - which is located in a heavily populated Asian area - made the move in a bid to attract more Muslim clients.

Toppings now include halal pepperoni, halal spicy beef sausage, and customers wanting a Hawaiian pizza traditionally topped with ham will be offered the new version which features halal cured turkey along with pineapple and mushrooms.

[...]

[So]me residents have slammed the move on the grounds that they want to eat pork dishes and others saying they think that the halal slaughter method is cruel.

Mike Costa from Blackburn said: 'They have now set their stall out to cater for Muslim customers. They won't get my trade. That's their business risk though so good luck to them.'

Another resident said: 'This place has just lost our custom. Every week we used to order from there for a youth club, but after getting their 'new' menu it looks like Pizza Hut is now our place to go.'

Another fan said: 'How long before K.F.C, Mcdonalds and Burger King start to alter their menus to suit.'...

Not long, at the rate things are going in certain sections of the UK.

Beef is considered somewhat risky in the UK, what with Mad Cow Disease. I guess that Moslems aren't concerned about that, huh?

In The Anger and the Pride, Oriana Fallaci warned that the mushrooming up of more halal stores and eateries inevitably brought in the radicals from among the Sons of Allah - something the UK should consider.