Vegetariansim - Haram or Halal?

[Muzna]

Is there any ruling in Islam against being vegetarian?

[mbmagsi]

No that I know of... The meat is there for us to eat but I don't think it is against the law to not eat meat....

[Muzna]

Well....I'm not sure and that's why I have asked.

I heard from one elder that not eating meat is wrong because it is imitating people of the hindu faith (i.e. kafirs).

[babydoll]

Muzna dear...I really don't believe in lowering myself in the food chain

However... I don't think becoming a vegetarian is wrong/Harram/Makruh. IMHO

If a person choose to become vegetarian (whatever the reason) they must not think (like the non-believer) that eating meat is a form of cruelty to an animal or other similar concept believe by those from animal rights group. Sometimes a person has no choice but to become vegetarian due to difficulty in obtaining halal food or for health reason.

Looking at the cow madness in UK, being vegetarian might really be a good idea, at least for now.....


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**call me baby**

[Peacemaker]

I will not put a looooooong cut-and-paste since they are difficult to read and harder to understand.

Eating only vegetables as a personal choice is not wrong. You can eat from any halal source and whatever you desire. However, do not consider meats haraam on yourself. I had read somewhere that a muslim is not allowed to make halaal things haraam on him/herself nor to make haraam things halaal.

[sholay]

The qur'aan makes it quite clear:

005.004 Forbidden to you (for food) are: dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which hath been invoked the name of other than Allah; that which hath been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by being gored to death; that which hath been (partly) eaten by a wild animal; unless ye are able to slaughter it (in due form); that which is sacrificed on stone (altars); (forbidden) also is the division (of meat) by raffling with arrows: that is impiety.

005.005 They ask thee what is lawful to them (as food). Say: lawful unto you are (all) things good and pure: and what ye have taught your trained hunting animals (to catch) in the manner directed to you by Allah: eat what they catch for you, but pronounce the name of Allah over it: and fear Allah; for Allah is swift in taking account.


It is not Haraam to not eat meat. This is a personal choice. As long as it is not a religious decision to refrain from meat.

[Akif]

66:1.
O Prophet! Why holdest thou to be forbidden that which Allah has made lawful to thee?

Avoiding something for personal reasons is fine, but the intention behind it should not be to negate the utility of that product. Being a vegetarian is fine as long as one doesnt cast eating meat as a wrong/inhumane act.

[Muzna]

Good. All of the above makes perfect sense.

As always, it comes back to your intentions.

I have had several bouts in life where I have completely gone off meats. I still have trouble eating chicken....avoid it if I can. I don't know why, but it's definitely not for any religious purpose.

[roshnie]

Muzna I think there is nothing in particular that is against being a vegetarian but I heard that muslims should not make halaal things haram on them without any valid reason.
On the other hand its ones personal choice too.

[rvikz]

only jewish and muslims have dietary laws
as part of the religen. in christianity
there is nor dietary law. in hinduism
it is much more of a cultural practise.
jewish and muslims have basicaly same dietary
laws except jewish are allowed alcohol.

[hk]

rvikz, certain verses in bible forbid pork.. christians choose to disregard them

one of the verses:
Leviticus, chapter 11
And the swine, because it parts the hoof and is cloven-footed but does not chew the cud, is unclean to you.

[This message has been edited by hk (edited July 07, 2001).]

[aMiGo]

It depends on why a person has chosen to become a vegetarian.

If he simply doesnt like meat, than he may choose not to eat it, as there was some type of food even our Holy Prophet didnt like, so he simply didn't eat it. Or if he has some kind of medical condition resulting in that he/she should not eat meat.

However if you are vegeterian, cuz you think that its a bad thing to kill animals or have similar beleifs, then in my opinoun it would be be-adabi of rizq Allah has given us.

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~Survival of the smartest~

[rvikz]

earliest man have to survive by whatever means he does not have the luxury to
follow the religious laws. i dont expect
eskimos or any others living in harsh condtion to follow any dietary laws
in finality human will follow law of survival
we would not be here if they have followed
any religen other than religen of survival.

[sholay]

Why don't Hindus eat BEEF.

Is this a religious dietry Law or is it due vegetarianism.

[ZZ]

Originally posted by sholay:

Why don't Hindus eat BEEF.

Is this a religious dietry Law or is it due vegetarianism.

vegetarianism cant be selective. no beef but chicken is fine does not make sense.

i think it is mainly due to fact that older society was agrarian and cows and bulls were a great help. even in rural china people do not eat animals that work on their farm (this is despite fact that chinese eat everything)

it is just like people wont eat ur pet dogs though it is a good and lean meat. in fact, british banned dog eating in hongkong and other colonies because of their bulldog love.

i eat beef because i do not get a good vegetarian food outside india.
having to cater so many vegetarians, india has amazing variety in veggie food which none can compete.