Everyone knows hamburgers don’t actually contain ham — or do they? “The chain has had some queries from Muslim customers in the past on the ‘ham’ part of the name, Klopper said, by way of Majlisush Shura Al Islami, the non-profit that certifies Burger King’s remaining halaal outlets as being in compliance with Shari’ah law.”
And so even as Burger King in South Africa stops being completely halal, it offers a special accommodation to Muslims. What other religious community gets this kind of consideration?
“Burger King now serves bacon in South Africa – but dropped ‘ham’ from the names of burgers ‘to be more respectful’ of halaal clients,” by Phillip de Wet, Business Insider SA, September 6, 2019 (thanks to Steven):
Burger King in South Africa is dropping the word “ham” from its menu, after adding bacon at some of its stores, in order to be respectful of Muslim customers.
On Friday the chain confirmed it has changed the names of three of its products. What was previously known as a “Double Spicy Hamburger” will now just be a “Double Spicy Burger”; the “Triple Hamburger with Cheese” becomes the “Triple Burger with Cheese”, and a “Hamburger King Jr” on the kids menu will now be just a “Kids Burger”.
The names are being changed “to be more respectful of” its halaal client base, the chain said in a statement.
The name changes will apply across all Burger Kings in SA, including those that now serve bacon.
The word “ham” has featured on the Burger King menu since the chain opened its first store in South Africa in 2013. Up to September, all of its stores were fully halaal.
A hamburger is by definition made of minced beef and does not contain pork. The “ham” is in reference to the German city of Hamburg, where hamburger patties were supposedly first made.
Burger King knows this, South African chief operating officer Juan Klopper told Business Insider South Africa on Friday, but it still wants to avoid any possible confusion.
“It is just to be super-sensitive to perceptions, and to be super clear,” he said.
The chain has had some queries from Muslim customers in the past on the “ham” part of the name, Klopper said, by way of Majlisush Shura Al Islami, the non-profit that certifies Burger King’s remaining halaal outlets as being in compliance with Shari’ah law.
So, while the chain was making changes, it decided to drop the word.
As of this month, 44 Burger Kings in South Africa are no longer halaal certified after the chain decided to introduce the line of bacon items that are popular for the brand in many other parts of the world….
mortimer says
Etymology of HAMBURG has nothing to do with ‘ham’ or ‘pork’ or ‘pigs’
German city, the -burg is German Burg “fort,” in reference to the moated castle built there c. 825; the first element is perhaps Old High German hamma “ham, back of the knee” in a transferred sense of “bend, angle,” with reference to its position on a river bend promontory; or Middle High German hamme “enclosed area of pastureland.”
Blankety-blank MUSLIM MORONS!
CogitoErgoSum says
Did the public schools in New York start their meatless Mondays yet? I wonder why they decided to make the meatless day on Monday — because it’s a day starting with the letter M? Why couldn’t they have made the meatless day on Friday? Could it be because Catholics don’t eat meat on Fridays during Lent? I’ll bet a lot of consideration went into that one.
J D S says
Why has, what seems like the whole world, bent the knee to islamic ways?
It is just unbelievable that a FREE world has given up without firing the proverbial shot.
gravenimage says
Good question, J D S.
Giacomo Latta says
Blankety-blank Burger King morons! By selling out to any special interest group but especially Muslims. How long before Germany renames Hamburg, Burg. Hamiltons everywhere get renamed Iltons. Footballs may no longer be pigskins. Christchurch becomes Moham, whoops, Momedmosque. Someone should film these ”sensitive” then replay it or them so they can see what idiots they are.
somehistory says
It’s not enough to be sensitive to moslims’ stupidity…one must now go so far as “to be super-sensitive/”
Has anyone ever gotten this kind of consideration from any company anywhere, so that a few people are considered so special that the best interests of others is tossed so easily aside? Even those times when a little consideration from a big company would only affect one person, it doesn’t happen to non moslims.
FYI says
Surely mu-HAM-med must be banned too at this rate as it contains the word…. HAM.
burger king must ban any employees called muHAMmed:it is insulting to islam and the “prophet” muhhamed
Burger king:Right Mr Mu-HAM-med we will ban the word HAM
mu- HAM- med:thanks Burger king for your virtue-signalling exercise:the word HAM is offensive to us muslims
islamic logic:the name muhammed contains the word HAM does it not?So maybe it should be banned by teh same logic Burger King is using.
From now on muhammed must be spoken as mumed.
mortimer says
Exactly! Same stupid, illogical FAKE etymology. Uneducated, subliterate morons!
FYI says
If the word HAM in hamburger is considered offensive to muslims then by the same logic, HAM in mu-HAM-med must be offensive too.
I guess Burger King didn’t think it through.A HAMfisted attempt to be politically correct?
A sHAMe they didn’t consider us infidels.
What would HAMlet say?
“To order or not to order:that is the question”
I’ll stick with another Franchise:mmm ..”I’m lovin it”!
mu-HAM-med
Contains HAM
May offend
mortimer says
Thanks, FYI, a nice collection. As in Hamburg and HAM-let, the word HAM is derived from HAIMAZ (home) in Old Saxon. Many towns from Jutland to Germany to Belgium and East Anglia have the world -HAM, -UM, -EM or -HEIM in them. They all refer to a small group of ‘homes’ or a small village without its own church … a hamlet.
Do we also get rid of all those other place names that contain -HAM … Birmingham, Nottingham, Durham, Bellingham, Waltham, Pelham, Evesham, Gresham, Hampton ???
Trick_or_Treat says
Ha, ha ?. Perfect, never ever thought of that one before [writes down for future reference]. It’s enough to take the ‘ham’ right out of mohammed!
gravenimage says
Brilliant, FYI!
Kay says
Perfect! (and a good chuckle)
mortimer says
WORD STUDY: ‘ham’ (English noun) – part of the human leg behind the knee; from Old English hamm, “hollow or bend of the knee,” from Proto-Germanic *hamma-. Also: hamstring (n.) “tendon at the back of the knee,” 1560s, from ham “bend of the knee”.
This term is from ANATOMY and originally did not refer to a salted, cured meat known by the name today.
Namenbedeutung von “Hamburg” :
1. Zum Teil ist man der Meinung, mittelniederdeutsch hamme “umfriedetes Stück Weideland” sei hier zu verbinden. 2. Andererseits – und dies ist der wahrscheinlichere, weil den Geländegegebenheiten entsprechende Ansatz – lassen sich germanisch *ham- “Winkel, winkelförmiges Terrain an Flüssen, Bucht” (so auch in Hameln), althochdeutsch hamm “Biegung, toter Flussarm, Landstück zwischen Gräben, Kniekehle, Hinterbug”; altsächsisch hamm(a), altfriesisch hamme, mittelniederdeutsch ham, nordfriesisch Hamm, Haam “Land in einer Flussbiegung; Landzunge; etwas Gekrümmtes” hier ansetzen.
Summary: Hamburg = a walled town at a bend in the river.
Kay says
Interesting. Thanks.
mortimer says
But Burger King will sell BACON BURGERS that also have no HAM in them. Morons!
mortimer says
Muslims can turn all non-halal meat into MAGIC HALAL by merely praying over it. That’s the MAGIC of *DARURA* !!!
“DARURA” is the Sharia doctrine of “NECESSITY”. Muslims can forego any Islamic ruling when necessary and not sin. Darura is the equivalent of the saying, “NO PROBLEM!”
DARURA applies wherever Sharia Law is NOT the law of the land.
Koran 4:28 “Allah wishes to lighten your burden, for man was created weak.”
If a Muslim is hungry, he may eat pork. If meat is not halal, a Muslim may say a special prayer and it *magically* becomes halal.
If it is inconvenient to pray, he may defer prayer until another time. If a female Muslim *needs* to swim in the local pool, watched by males, then she may do so, if there is no other pool. If a Muslim cab driver does not want a working blind guide dog in his cab because Islam considers dogs filthy and because he will need immediately to clean his cab inside and out, he does not have to cleanse it, if it interferes with earning a living.
When the circumstances are difficult and Sharia law is not in force, a Muslim’s burden is lightened. They are obligated to pray and not handle pork, for instance, but if the circumstances are difficult, then the requirements are lightened. This leads to the concept of *DARURA* (necessity).
If it is necessary, what is forbidden is permitted. If a Muslim is hungry and there is no halal (Sharia- compliant) food, then he can eat ANY food.
If a Muslim is where they cannot pray, then the prayer can be done later.
If Sharia law has not been implemented in a place, then a Muslim may also handle pork, for example, with no consequences.
Darura is the easy way for Muslims to turn ‘HARAM’ ham and bacon *magically* into ‘HALAL’ ham and ‘HALAL’ bacon !!!
somehistory says
moslims live in that MI town that begins with “ham,’ and don’t they also live in hamburg, Germany? and what about all of the Hamilton County’s around the country? Do they ever spend money with Hamilton’s likeness on it?
gravenimage says
Yes–all of this is absurd. Will they also demand that those with the name Bacon change their names?
owensgate says
I see this coming real soon… The German city of Hamburg must now be renamed.
gravenimage says
Yes–what about Muslims who have flooded into Germany?
Keys says
How about Hitlerhausen am Elbe ?
CogitoErgoSum says
I vote for renaming it Ground Round Town.
Don McKellar says
South Africa — now there’s a place with a bright future ahead of it.
Angemon says
Translation: No haram shenanigans here, please don’t wreck out stores…
Anyway, how long until the conspiracy theory that Burguer King uses ham in their burguers and is hiding it from muslims by changing the name gains traction?…
gravenimage says
South Africa: Burger King drops “ham” from names of burgers to avoid offending Muslims
……………………..
Really, this is absurd–Hamburgers do not as a rule have ham in them, and the name does not refer to pork products.
This is all about caving to Muslims.
What about their bacon cheeseburger?
Spiro says
It’s getting to be to much
Muslim insanity demands and people. cave in to it
How they cave in even before the. crazy Muslim make any demands
Question
Is it possible there will be any push back or is the non Muslim world just going to cave ?
Have we lost our will to defended our
Culture or sold out for our 30 pieces of silver
hornedviper9 says
I THINK i will go to McDonalds!
Yaya says
I’ll just continue to cook at home….cheaper, healthier and if I want I can call everything I cook………..HAM!!!
Hugh Fitzgerald says
Erst kommt das Fressen (Hamburger-Burger), dann kommt die Moral (Wahrlich, jene, die ungläubig sind unter dem Volk der Schrift und die Götzendiener werden im Feuer der Dschahannam sein; ewig werden sie darin bleiben; diese sind die schlechtesten der Geschöpfe.
gravenimage says
Ja, wirklich.
European pagan says
Sooft ihre Haut verbrannt ist, geben Wir ihnen eine andere Haut, damit sie die Strafe auskosten.
Sadist :/
Keys says
Oh-oh !
Burger King just opened a can of worms. Expect pressure to use only halal meat, because BK must feel subdued.
“Now We’re Proudly Halal Burger !
Try our all new Big Mo with Akbar Sauce.”
(closed during daytime Ramadan)
(and Fridays Prayers)
???????
Trick_or_Treat says
Looks like Burger King have not paid much attention to what recently happened to Proctor & Gamble’s ‘Gillette’ brand after their ‘very bright’ idea to buy into the Social Justice Warrior, social engineering thing, with the insulting and offensive ‘Toxic Masculinity’ propaganda campaign?! ????
“INSANITY: is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result every time” – Albert Einstein
Don says
what about moHAMmed?
infidel says
This is super so from now on it should be MOMED
European pagan says
Its Mo-HAM-MAD. Mad and haram.
Trick_or_Treat says
Consider, if you can, a situation where an Orthodox Jew might get so offended at me deciding to indulge in a Bacon and Egg Hamburger, with the lot, that they just might grab a scimitar and take to striking at my neck? Is this a situation that seems almost inconceivable to you? Looking at it in that context, that is just how f**ked, and psychologically deranged the contents of this evil doctrine of islam is!
Some halfwits amongst the militant ‘vegans’ would probably be the only ones that are getting close to them in this form of madness.
gravenimage says
Yes, notice that Jews and vegetarians are not making such demands.
And no–not even the most militant vegans are beheading people for using the word ham. Where did you get that idea?
Trick_or_Treat says
Haw, where might have I got that idea from GI?
Sorry, I might be jumping a little too far ahead for some prophetically, when I say that some of the nasty halfwits among the ranks of the militant vegans are rapidly heading towards that same level of extremism. Obviously some of you might not be as clued in and informed as to what has been going on here in Australia recently with vegan invasions of prime producer farm properties, piggeries, poultry farms etc. One charming ‘spokesperson’ for these morons recently appearing on the TV News (speaking/whining through his dreadlocks, mouth-piercings, and nose-rings) making the declaration that they would take direct action and fight till the whole world was made vegan. That would unavoidably necessitate them having to come and kill me, …that is, if I don’t happen to kill them first [come to it, it WILL be the latter – and just as quickly as if it were a muslim]
gravenimage says
Yes, there are some vegetarians and vegans who are definitely pretty obnoxious. But if you think that vegans present the kind of threat that Muslims do, you are much mistaken. And this vegan meant that he was going to go on loudly protesting–not that he was going to start beheading people. And you do not have to start murdering vegans because some of them are rude.
SamB says
Wow, now that Merkel has given so many Muslims a home and rape and knife slashings are the new national sport, it is just a matter of time when this sizeable community is going to ask for the renaming of “Hamburg” to something more palatable
Joe Price says
If Burger King must change the name of a sandwich that has been served world wide for over a 100 years to drop the word snip “Ham” then why dose Hamtramck Mi have the largest Muslim population in the US?
It is not because they are offended but because they can make you bend to their will.
RichardL says
I have been boycotting KFC for over ten years since they want to 100% halal in the UK and now I will add BK to the growing list.
Rob Schwartzman says
Reminds me of the episode of All In The Family when Archie Bunker is surprised to find out that his late friend, “Stretch” Cunningham was a Jew. Archie proclaimed “He’s not supposed to have ham in his name!”
Rob Schwartzman says
I got the quote wrong, it’s “A Jewish name ain’t supposed to have no ‘ham’ in it,”
max brenner says
Nuts! I wonder if God should just wipe out humans and maybe the pigs can evolve to a better species.
gravenimage says
Most humans are actually pretty decent. Those taught a vicious creed like Islam, not so much.
James says
It seems to me that the name Hamburger is not about pork but about the name of a German city, Hamburg. I suppose that Alexander Hamilton will have to have his name changed to something that will not offend Islam. How about Alexander Beefilton? Or Alexander Halaliton or Chickilton? Or Hashilton? Or maybe when Muslims move to non-Muslim countries they should adapt, assimilate, accept the country’s customs and practices. They do not own these countries, they are not the bosses. The Hamptons on Long Island could be renamed the Beefptons or the Duckptons or the Gooseptons? Hashptons? Anyway we should never give in on such things. Just because somebody is offended does not mean one has to un-offend them by changing oneself. They should un-offend themselves by changing their attitudes.
Crusades Were Right says
Wait’ll they hear about “Baconham” Palace. lol
Trick_or_Treat says
In the UK, what we call bacon here in Australia, has always traditionally been called ham, and what we call ham, has always been called gammon there. Domestically, on the UK bacon and eggs on toast has always been referred to as ham and eggs on toast.l
gravenimage says
Then there is what we call “Canadian bacon” here in the States, which is also a type of ham.
dsinc says
In KwaZulu-Natal many fast food outlets have toasted egg and macon sandwiches on the menu. Macon is imitation bacon for Muslims. If the menu lists macon, I walk out. In Scottburgh the KFC and Nando’s are halaal, Muslim owned so will never support them either.
gravenimage says
“Macon” is “mutton bacon”.
Larry says
They are called Hamburgers because they were invented in Hamburg, Germany. Some restaurant started serving a fried beef sandwich, and the rest is history. They never have had anything to do with pork. But Muslims don’t care about facts, they need more to cry about.