No wish to offend: Can I take my ornamental pigs to Egypt?

Question

I have been collecting pig ornaments for many years and have them in all shapes and uses:
Chopping boards
Salt and Pepper
Pictures
Glass, wood, china etc.

I intend to retire in Egypt and want to know if my "pig icons" would cause offense. I know that eating the flesh of pigs is against the muslim religion, but would my collection offend.

I have posted this question as I do not know the answer, not to offend anyone nor to invite criticism. When I do move I intend to respect the country fully.

I thank all those who are able to give me an educated answer in advance.

I just wanted to thank all of you who have not only replied, but taken the time to explain and share your views. It has been very enlightening and has served to make me look forward to sharing my life with you in the future all the more inviting.

Answer 1

Hello, muslims dont eats pigs of course, but we arent supposed to hate them either....I think theyre cute personally. BUT having said that, u will run into alot of "oink a phobia" Observant Muslims generally dont keep statues/ornaments either as it is thought of as an attempt to imitate the creation of Allah(swt) and the people who draw pictures, make statues etc will be asked to give life to what they created on the day of judgement. Ok BUT if youre just going to keep these things on a shelf at home, I wouldnt worry about it,its your home after all.....I urge u to become a muslim though and free your pigs :)

Answer 2

Thank you for being such a sensitive and considerate person. First of all, I'd like to apologize because of some of the ridiculous answers you have received despite being so polite in posting your question.
To answer your question, no, of course there is nothing wrong with you bringing your collection with you. I am a Muslim and personally I hate pigs, but I don't see any reason why anybody in their right state of mind would be offended by your collection. It's your home, and you are free to do whatever you want there. If anyone has a problem with that, they can just leave. We have a saying in Egypt which is roughly translated as "the door is wide enough to let a camel pass!" If you are generous enough to invite someone into your home, they ought to have the decency and the courtesy to respect your home and your personal choices.
Having said that, there are shops which sell pork in Egypt, and even though Muslims don't consume pork, I have not heard of anybody doing anything crazy like setting one of those shops on fire or something! So there really is no reason for you to worry.
Welcome to Egypt, and good luck with everything.

Answer 3

I really find some of the answers here quite narrow minded... so lets just put things into their right perspective.

1- You can definitely bring your collection along as there are no laws in Egypt banning Pigs... (Ornamental or the living animal itself).

2- To take it further; consumption of pork is not outlawed... You'll find a considerable number of "Charcuteries" selling pork products and meat, specially in areas with high concentration of Foreigners and Egyptian Christian Copts. There are pig farms in Egypt as well catering for this community.

3- Not many Egyptians though consume pork... Moslems and Christians alike... As a Moslem I have nothing against pigs but I don't eat pork out of respect to my religion... I have many Christian friends who hate eating it too.

4- From an Islamic theological point of view, the pig is considered a dirty or impure animal... and eating its meat is prohibited... But this is in no way a call for the extermination of the specie or treating pigs badly... The rule is simply If a pig touches anything we use it must be washed according to a specific rite... and they should not be allowed in places of worship or residence. This obviously doesn't apply to "fake pigs". By the way... dogs are in the same category. and we share this notion of dirtiness or impurity of the pig with the Jewish faith

So end result... do feel free to bring your collection along... I do not anticipate any issues whatsoever with custom authorities unless this collection is of considerable value. And no one in his right mind will feel culturaly offended by it.

Answer 4

Pork is not banned in Egypt. There are a few places that offer pork, but most Egyptians -Muslims and Copts alike- do not consume it. As for your question, well I doubt they'll be offended by your pork statues.
Islam also prohibits the worship of gods, yet you don't see Egyptians go destroying the Sphinx and Pyramids.

Answer 5

First of all thank you very much for the respect you show for our culture.

There is no problem at all. This is my opinion and I think it's the opinion of the majority of Egyptians. Unless you'll invite some fundamentalists to your home, no offence at all.

The most important : Welcome among Egyptians and I wish you take us as your new friends. Good friends are the best thing in Egypt.

Answer 6

No, i do no longer think of that grew to become into needed. i could have quarantined them till i grew to become into helpful they have been healthy, yet no longer slaughtered. to look at it, that probably will boost the threat of spreading that particular virus. extra human beings could be getting into touch with the actual fluids of the pigs. sort of like the chook flu some years in the past, the chinese language destroyed uncounted numbers of chickens in an attempt to keep away from the unfold, yet it nonetheless controlled to realize back to the U. S.. a extensive part of the priority is mass transit, exceptionally, and it pains me to confess, jet liners. besides the certainty that outdoors air drawn off the engines is used for pressurization and has to bypass throughout the out circulate valve, it is recirculated to maintain cabin temperatures. in the adventure that your motor vehicle has air con, you get extra constructive cooling in case you placed it to recirculate. If somebody smokes a cigarette or cigar, although in the event that they crack the window, you are going to sniff it for a week or so each and every time you turn on the A/C. the comparable is authentic for a virulent disease. finding on a small scale, say between the numerous fashions of RJ, one person ought to probably infect yet another 60 passengers. Who will then bypass directly to unfold it to human beings. A 747-4 hundred capacity one person ought to effectively infect around 4 hundred human beings in a unmarried flight. And once you look on the certainty that many airways use connecting flights to maintain funds, extra human beings run the threat of being contaminated. I took a visit out to Tuscon, Az some years in the past. Southwest airways, 737's. I had to alter planes two times. in case you do no longer even count sort each and all the human beings i grew to become into around in diverse airports, had I been sick, i will have contaminated 402 human beings interior the plane on my own. information, final I checked, shows the flu coming from Mexico. whilst I doubt that Mexico is going to alter its standards, i think of the significant is going to be arising a vaccine against the swine flu, which will take time. interior the period in-between, Tamiflu seems to be doing a solid job of helping human beings recover from the virus. previous requiring all passengers to placed on hermetic mask the duct a cough, or sneeze into the combustion part of an engine or elctroparticle filter out, we are going to probably see a relentless unfold. D

Answer 7

No it's okay, pigs are not to be eaten according to our teachings but your ornaments wouldn't be offending to any of us at all...at least not to me and those I know..

Answer 8

im not sure u could cause offenses but i think its better not to bring it coz we had already know that pig r symbols of the dirtiest animal according from them....if u want to bring it try not to show from them....

Answer 9

no you better not you might not get them back .