Question
Was swine (pork) permissible in the religion of the Christians?
Answer
Swine is najis al-ʿayn (intrinsically impure) and has never been permissible in any religion. The claim made by some Christians that swine was made lawful in their religion is a sheer falsehood and an innovation within their faith.
Evidence from Ḥadīth
❀ Sayyiduna Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
والذي نفسي بيده، ليوشكن أن ينزل فيكم ابن مريم حكما عدلا، فيكسر الصليب، ويقتل الخنزير، ويضع الجزية، ويفيض المال حتى لا يقبله أحد، حتى تكون السجدة الواحدة خيرا من الدنيا وما فيها
“By Him in Whose Hand is my soul, soon the son of Maryam (ʿĪsā عليه السلام) will descend among you as a just ruler. He will break the cross, kill the swine, abolish the jizyah, and wealth will flow in such abundance that no one will accept it. At that time, one prostration will be better than the world and all that is in it.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3448; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 155)
Scholarly Commentary
❀ Imām Ibn Baṭṭāl (رحمه الله, d. 449H) said:
فيه دليل أن الخنزير حرام فى شريعة عيسى، وقتله له تكذيب للنصارى أنه حلال فى شريعتهم
“This ḥadīth is evidence that swine was forbidden in the Sharīʿah of ʿĪsā (عليه السلام). His killing of the swine is a refutation of the Christians’ claim that swine was lawful in their law.”
(Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6/344; al-Tawḍīḥ by Ibn al-Mulaqqin 14/555)
Conclusion:Swine has never been permissible in any divine religion, including the Sharīʿah of Prophet ʿĪsā (عليه السلام). The claim of Christians regarding its permissibility is false and contradicted by authentic narrations.
