Children usually ask this after a school lunch, a party or a friend’s question. A confident, simple answer helps them explain it themselves.
Answers by age
| Age | What to say |
|---|---|
| 4–6 | “Allah told Muslims not to eat pork, so we don’t. Allah loves it when we listen to Him.” |
| 7–10 | “It’s in the Quran. Allah made some foods halal and some haram. We trust that Allah knows what is best for us, even when we don’t know every reason.” |
| 11+ | Discuss obedience as part of faith, and that Jewish dietary laws also forbid pork, so it is not a strange rule. |
From the Quran
Allah says that He has forbidden dead animals, blood and the flesh of pigs (Quran 2:173). The same verse says that someone forced by real necessity is not sinful, which shows Allah’s mercy.
Avoid weak arguments
Some people give health claims as “the reason”. It is better to say the reason is that Allah commanded it. If a classmate says “but pork is safe now”, your child can answer confidently: “We don’t eat it because Allah told us not to.”
A script for school
“I’m Muslim, and we don’t eat pork because it’s part of our religion. It’s a bit like how some people don’t eat meat at all.”
Respect others
Teach your child never to mock what others eat. Respecting others helps others respect us.
Teacher’s tip: practise the school script as a role play. Children who have said it once say it confidently in the dinner hall.
Related: Eating halal at school.
