Breakfast Sausage (Confessions of a Sinner)
I had the most amazing breakfast this morning. Eggs, potato salad, breakfast sausage, fresh bagels, orangina drink and coffee.
"Astaghfiralla! Pig meat? Haram!" You exclaim.
And I say, "Yes, I know, I am a sinner."
In fact, I have been "sinning" for quite some time and thought I would finally come out to you as a breakfast sausage lover.
Now I know some of you out there are disgusted and horrified by what I've said. And I completely understand. But seriously though, what is it about eating pig meat that makes it the ultimate taboo?
I know plenty of Muslims who have sex before marriage, don't pray, drink alcohol and gamble, but god forbid, they will not touch the pig meat. Why? Because they are "Muslim." What is up with that? I mean, I'm not trying to encourage the eating of swine, and I'm not challenging people's relationship to Islam (God knows we all have our complex negotiations). I'm just trying to figure out what it is about eating pork that makes it more haram than, let's say, masturbating for some people.
Not sure.
But I would love some light shed on this.
PQ
I had the most amazing breakfast this morning. Eggs, potato salad, breakfast sausage, fresh bagels, orangina drink and coffee.
"Astaghfiralla! Pig meat? Haram!" You exclaim.
And I say, "Yes, I know, I am a sinner."
In fact, I have been "sinning" for quite some time and thought I would finally come out to you as a breakfast sausage lover.
Now I know some of you out there are disgusted and horrified by what I've said. And I completely understand. But seriously though, what is it about eating pig meat that makes it the ultimate taboo?
I know plenty of Muslims who have sex before marriage, don't pray, drink alcohol and gamble, but god forbid, they will not touch the pig meat. Why? Because they are "Muslim." What is up with that? I mean, I'm not trying to encourage the eating of swine, and I'm not challenging people's relationship to Islam (God knows we all have our complex negotiations). I'm just trying to figure out what it is about eating pork that makes it more haram than, let's say, masturbating for some people.
Not sure.
But I would love some light shed on this.
PQ
posted by pomegranate queen at 3/07/2006
7 Comments:
hahaha...that's a great question. i was just thinking about this too, cuz i recently came across some forum while doing a google search, and someone made a similar observation (but it was more along the lines of "no muslim, no matter how far they have strayed off the path, will touch pig meat"). i don't really know why this is...why it's the ultimate taboo. i guess, off the top of my head, that there's no real pressure on us to consume pig meat, no real reason why we would desire it (unlike alcohol, gambling, or pre-marital sex). also, i think we have immediate bodily reactions to food...i personally am repulsed by the smell of pig meat (actually, even the fake bacon bits or imitation pork turns me off, geez...) and for the most part, i've been fine with not deconstructing that :)(i guess it's similar to how many vegetarians are repulsed by any meat smell...or the way some of my family members, who don't eat a lot of seafood, have some element of repulsion to those smells).
with that said, and given that eating piggies is such a taboo, i have to say, congrats for coming out as a breakfast sausage lover! that takes guts man.
scream, I love it.
I know what you mean! I keep saying to myself--there's no reason not to, man, and so I broke my sausage virginity last year in New Orleans--but it was so nasty (it was andouille). I echo Been's analysis. Not enough motivation, and some seriously strong body reaction for some of us (and luckily not all). one day i will try bacon though--i hear its good. The day I have good sausage there's no turning back!
Congrats :)
Asalaamu alaikum sister.
You are so funny! I gave up pork in the fifth grade, partially because I hated it anyway and partially because I read the Autobiography of Malcolm X. I didn't understand all the Islam, but I felt something there and giving up pork was an easy way. I didn't become Muslim until I was 23 though. I don't for one minute regret not eating pork, and right now am in the process of giving up meat in general, or at least have cut seriously back, because lately none of it tastes good to me.
But I totally understand what you mean about how many Muslims do whatever they want to do and commit all kinds of haram but make a big issue out of pork. I agree with the last two comments about why. But I still think it is two-faced and ridiculous. My husband points out this type of hypocritical stuff to me all the time in my own life. Like, I have a terrible temper so if I am being really difficult, then he will call me out about the effort I put in to cover myself and get my hijab coverage etc. He's like "yo, you can scream at me and call me names, but then when you go out you gotta cover everything like you are some good Muslimah". I dunno, we all got our issues, but it is funny the way we can make a big thing of one and ignore another. And worse, how we can judge others for one while committing our own haram at the same time.
aleikum salam aaminah - I hear you girl and that is exactly what I was trying to get at, how can we judge others for one haram while committing our own like you said.
I'm hoping to give up eating meat at some point in my life. I know it's healthier.
Been and Rabfish, I totally agree that there is no social pressure when it comes to pig meat. It's the least "tempting" of all the harams, right? I mean, it's swine, it's already a nasty meat to begin with...so not eating it doesn't really take THAT much effort.
yeah, no social pressure to eat pig meat...but still, how come its so much more of a big deal than almost everything else--moving out of the family home, being 'single' and 'unmarried', drugs, public nudity, dating, transgressive sexuality, kinky sex, polymory, left radical politics, not eating ziba meat, smoking, tank tops, hairy armpits, public displays of emotion--the pig trumps it. big ole taboo. wonder what function it plays? certainly a big one for identity--some people eat pig, others do not. same with dogs, in muslim cultures--some people own dogs, others do not. does the taboo play another role other than for identity? hmm
I think the fact that it *isn't* a big deal, makes it a big deal. So, no social pressure = easier to avoid = hyper focus on pig meat as haram (and not the other "bad" things that are harder to avoid)
do you know there's a black market for pig meat in Iran since it's officially not allowed to be produced or imported into the country. You have to see the range of chicken and turkey food products that emulate pig meat!
lol--love that black market!
yesterday someone asked me if i've ever had pork biryani. i was dumbfounded.
"isn't big deal=big deal" : it's like that fixating on the technicalities thing--did you wash your mouth out THREE TIMES during wudhu??
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