Answer
Wa `alaykum as-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
In this fatwa:
1- Islam orders the husband to treat his wife gently and to help her lead a good life irrespective of whether she is a Muslim or a non-Muslim.
2- Pork is prohibited by the Hebrew Scriptures, and that is why the husband is required to convince his non-Muslim wife to choose another alternative for the sake of the family harmony, especially when there are children.
Responding to the question, Dr. Jamal Badawi, Professor at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and member of the European Council for Fatwa and Research, states:
The Hebrew Scriptures make it unlawful to eat pork. Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) never revoked that law. Actually, he said, “I came not to destroy the law of Prophets.”
However, it was Paul and Peter who made it lawful. But we are not required to interpret Christianity for its own adherents. Your wife may follow what her religious authorities prescribe.
If you have children, it may be preferable to appeal to her to choose another alternative for the sake of family harmony. It is known that the pig is an unclean animal as both the Bible and the Quran state. It eats its own secretions. It is always carnivorous. There is much medical evidence which shows that it is harmful to health.
Allah Almighty knows best.
Editor’s note: This fatwa is from Ask the Scholar’s archive and was originally published at an earlier date.