Does Islam Allow Cannibalism?

[Bodi]

I think that the answer is clearly yes:

(1) Quran (2: 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. But if one is forced by necessity, without wilful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits,- then is he guiltless. For Allah is Oft-forgiving Most Merciful”

(2) Quran (16: 115):
“He has only forbidden you dead meat, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and any (food) over which the name of other than Allah has been invoked. But if one is forced by necessity, without wilful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits,- then Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful”

https://quranexplained.wordpress.com/2010/01/11/cannibalism-in-the-quran/

So the interesting question is, Was Muhammed also a cannibal?

 

[Sherman123]

I think that the answer is clearly yes:

(1) Quran (2: 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. But if one is forced by necessity, without wilful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits,- then is he guiltless. For Allah is Oft-forgiving Most Merciful”

(2) Quran (16: 115):
“He has only forbidden you dead meat, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and any (food) over which the name of other than Allah has been invoked. But if one is forced by necessity, without wilful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits,- then Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful”

https://quranexplained.wordpress.com/2010/01/11/cannibalism-in-the-quran/

So the interesting question is, Was Muhammed also a cannibal?

No it isn't. Islam does not allow the consumption of human flesh, this is broadly acknowledged across virtually all the major schools of Islamic thought and jurisprudence. There are numerous other lines and phrases from the Quran which indicate that such an act would be Haram. For example:

O you who have believed, avoid much [negative] assumption. Indeed, some assumption is sin. And do not spy or backbite each other. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his brother when dead? You would detest it. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Accepting of repentance and Merciful. [Qur’an 49:12]

The implication being that consuming the flesh of your brother, another human being, is wrong. There are numerous others.

Similarly one could conclude that Judaism, and by extension Christianity, allows for cannibalism because the Pentateuch does not explicitly forbid eating human flesh when it reviews the laws of kashrut. Obviously that isn't the case and there is a wealth of passages and halacha which outline why the practice is forbidden.

The only exception is that some Imams (and Rabbis) have a narrow exception for those facing starvation who are presented with a corpse to consume.

 

[OrphanSlug]

opcorn2:

Anyone else?

 

[Bodi]

No it isn't. Islam does not allow the consumption of human flesh, this is broadly acknowledged across virtually all the major schools of Islamic thought and jurisprudence. There are numerous other lines and phrases from the Quran which indicate that such an act would be Haram. For example:

I just posted two passages that disagree with your assessment...

 

[Sherman123]

I just posted two passages that disagree with your assessment...

No they don't. They just don't reference cannibalism directly. They also don't say anything about eating razor blades or rocks.

Consequently the Torah doesn't explicitly forbid consuming human flesh. On that basis would you conclude that Moses and Jesus were cannibals? Of course not (I'd hope) because of the wealth of other passages and even more voluminous commentary which indicate that the practice is generally forbidden. Likewise for Islam.

 

[German guy]

opcorn2:

Anyone else?

Yep!


I've heard an interesting theory, no idea if it's true, as for why Judaism and then Islam ban pork.

You often hear the theory that in hot climates, pork easily goes bad and/or pigs host many illnesses potentially dangerous for humans. But this is another theory:

Allegedly, it's the one kind of flesh that in smell and texture is most similar to human flesh. When the ancient Jews, and later Mohammed wanted to end the practize of cannibalism common in some of the regions where they lived, they banned pork too, to take an excuse or substitute from the cannibals, too.

 

[Bodi]

No they don't. They just don't reference cannibalism directly. They also don't say anything about eating razor blades or rocks.

Consequently the Torah doesn't explicitly forbid consuming human flesh. On that basis would you conclude that Moses and Jesus were cannibals? Of course not (I'd hope) because of the wealth of other passages and even more voluminous commentary which indicate that the practice is generally forbidden. Likewise for Islam.

It discusses eating dead flesh and if you do, forced by necessity, you are guiltless...

 

[Bodi]

Yep!


I've heard an interesting theory, no idea if it's true, as for why Judaism and then Islam ban pork.

You often hear the theory that in hot climates, pork easily goes bad and/or pigs host many illnesses potentially dangerous for humans. But this is another theory:

Allegedly, it's the one kind of flesh that in smell and texture is most similar to human flesh. When the ancient Jews, and later Mohammed wanted to end the practize of cannibalism common in some of the regions where they lived, they banned pork too, to take an excuse or substitute from the cannibals, too.

Pakistani cannibals dug up and ate over 100 corpses from graveyard | Daily Mail Online

 

[Orly?]

Pakistani cannibals dug up and ate over 100 corpses from graveyard | Daily Mail Online

Were they starving or just want to eat people?

 

[Sherman123]

It discusses eating dead flesh and if you do, forced by necessity, you are guiltless...

Dead Flesh as in Carrion or that which has died of its own accord. Take your quotes and google them, it's the universally accepted translation and understanding of the phrase. This is part of the reason why Halal and Kosher meat is more expensive because it must be slaughtered according to very specific and prescribed circumstances.

Here we are, I've bolded the relevant portions:

002:173 Khan
:
He has forbidden you only the Maytatah (dead animals), and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that which is slaughtered as a scrifice for others than Allah (or has been slaughtered for idols, etc., on which Allah's Name has not been mentioned while slaughtering). But if one is forced by necessity without wilful disobedience nor transgressing due limits, then there is no sin on him. Truly, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
002:173 Maulana
:
He has forbidden you only what dies of itself, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that over which any other (name) than (that of) Allah has been invoked. Then whoever is driven by necessity, not desiring, nor exceeding the limit, no sin is upon him. Surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
002:173 Pickthal
:
He hath forbidden you only carrion, and blood, and swineflesh, and that which hath been immolated to (the name of) any other than Allah. But he who is driven by necessity, neither craving nor transgressing, it is no sin for him. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
002:173 Rashad
:
He only prohibits for you the eating of animals that die of themselves (without human interference), blood, the meat of pigs, and animals dedicated to other than GOD. If one is forced (to eat these), without being malicious or deliberate, he incurs no sin. GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful.
002:173 Sarwar
:
God has forbidden you to eat that which has not been properly slaughtered, blood, pork, and the flesh of any animal which has not been consecrated with a mention of the Name of God. However, in an emergency, without the intention of transgression or repeating transgression, one will not be considered to have committed a sin. God is All-forgiving and All-merciful.
002:173 Shakir
:
He has only forbidden you what dies of itself, and blood, and flesh of swine, and that over which any other (name) than (that of) Allah has been invoked; but whoever is driven to necessity, not desiring, nor exceeding the limit, no sin shall be upon him; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
002:173 Sherali
:
HE has made unlawful to you only that which dies of itself, and blood and the flesh of swine, and that on which the name of any other than ALLAH has been invoked. But he who is driven by necessity, being neither disobedient nor exceeding the limit, it shall be no sin for him. Surely, ALLAH is most Forgiving, Merciful.
002:173 Yusufali
:
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. But if one is forced by necessity, without wilful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits,- then is he guiltless. For Allah is Oft-forgiving Most Merciful.

Quran Chapter Al-Baqra(2), VerseNo. (173)

Every translation and iteration of the phrase is included. The meaning is abundantly clear. Your assertion is simply incorrect.

 

[Bodi]

Were they starving or just want to eat people?

Pretty sure that you have to be hungry in order to want to eat...

 

[German guy]

Were they starving or just want to eat people?

To stay true to the style of this thread, I could bring up a wild speculation: The cannibals in Pakistan were not Pakistani Muslims, but imported workers from the Papuan jungle who were held as slaves there, to build a sports stadion. Islam does not outlaw slavery, after all. So it's basically proven.

 

[StillBallin75]

I think that the answer is clearly yes:

(1) Quran (2: 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. But if one is forced by necessity, without wilful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits,- then is he guiltless. For Allah is Oft-forgiving Most Merciful”

(2) Quran (16: 115):
“He has only forbidden you dead meat, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and any (food) over which the name of other than Allah has been invoked. But if one is forced by necessity, without wilful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits,- then Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful”

https://quranexplained.wordpress.com/2010/01/11/cannibalism-in-the-quran/

So the interesting question is, Was Muhammed also a cannibal?

From what I'm gathering this passage is referring specifically to when one is facing starvation and has no other options, which Sherman mentioned.

 

[Sherman123]

From what I'm gathering this passage is referring specifically to when one is facing starvation and has no other options, which Sherman mentioned.

It refers to animals that die of their own accord and arent slaughtered according to halal prescriptions. The cannibalism 'exemption' is discussed elsewhere in Islamic texts.

 

[OrphanSlug]

At first glance I assumed this thread was going to be a opcorn2: ready thread, but now it is just pathetic and sad.

If you look at the Quran (2: 173, and 16: 115) then there are two statements that can be construed as acceptance of cannibalism.

*But,* that is an oversimplification of the argument all devoid of religious practice and evolution of faiths. The idea that someone follows a faith down to the letter of the holy text suggests several things, but namely it suggests a sort of religious social conservative and literal view of scripture (for any religion.)

If you look at the Bible (Leviticus 24:16) in the original context then there is a statement on "blasphemes the name of the LORD" and the result being the whole community stones the person to death. As in the historical account of a group killing someone by hitting them repeatedly with stones until there is nothing left but a lifeless bloody mess.

If you apply the thinking of the OP to the Bible, then the question becomes does Christianity allow for brutal and cruel means of murder over a spoken word.

Now, you may find the occasional Christian who thinks in terms of the literal view of the Bible, and who probably happens to have a very religious social conservative view of dealing with the populace but odds are we are talking about a minority. Same story with the Quran and Islam. There will be the occasional Muslim with such a strong social conservative view that they might condone the idea of cannibalism, but odds are we are talking about a minority of them.

The only caveat I would add to this is Islam tends to teach far more in literalism than say Christianity that uses more metaphor and allegory to make a point, but that does not mean we should engage in fear mongering about Islam because of two passages concerning cannibalism. Same story on dealing with subjects like pedophilia, not every Muslim believes in the idea of marrying someone 11 or 12.

This is the sort of questioning, and reasoning for the questioning, that leads to real complications.

 

[ALiberalModerate]

From what I'm gathering this passage is referring specifically to when one is facing starvation and has no other options, which Sherman mentioned.

Right its not like they have a whole ritual centered around the consumption of their god's body and blood.