Veganism / Vegetarian

[Bhabha]

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

As a convert who resides with my non-Muslim family, I have slowly started to cut eating animals out of my life.

It began first with the issue of halal/haram in order to avoid the problem of having to ask whether something is haram or halal when they are cooking.

Then it grew with the acknowledgement that even though I want to trust things when they say "halal" I am so skeptical about the practices of companies that churn out animal products in massive quantities and would put "halal" on top of something.

I understand that some people would say that I can just say bismillah and it will be ok. But the concern is the ethical treatment of the animal and my involvement in the unethical treatment of an animal when purchasing a product. I do not allow my money to be used in these kind of purchases.

A lot of people have argued that be being a vegetarian or slowly starting to become a vegan is against Islam. I have no clue where they are getting that from, since Islam dictates the ethical treatment of animals and not their massive production, consumption and waste. Which is what I see now a days. People wasting food and throwing out parts of animals that have died for their festivities.

Is it against Islam for me to practice ethical consumption? Because from my understanding the halal/haram is not just the direct eating of an animal that has been slaughtered in a halal way, but the avoidance of consuming products that contain animals which have been slaughtered in an unethical and thus haram matter. This includes their treatment, involvement in leather products, milk, eggs, cheese and extending across the board. At the moment, I do eat milk, eggs and cheese until I find an organic supplier or can grow my own (I would love to have a farm where I can have cows and chickens to give me goodies in exchange for snuggles and hugs) ;D:p

I also do not like to kill animal for my consumption either ways. I love animals and I think that they have a right to live, to enjoy nature and to age and die. We have other things we can consume that are more beneficial for our health and beneficial for the health of our planet. [emoji24]

جز اكُنّ اللهُ خير اً

For your replies.

[MariaOwl]

Thanks sister great post! I have been thinking about this too a lot. I don't like the "halal" meat from our local market, it is sure mass production, very fatty and there are often broken bones. I see it the same way, the ethical treatment is a important part of halal meat, but I assume this is not what many people think of in the first place.

Just yesterday I read an article of an lady raising rabbits for her own food, that is a great idea. Althoug I think my kids would not be happy to eat them :)

[noraina]

Wa Alaykum Assalam,

Sis, I am a vegetarian as well. For similar reasons to you I:statisfie disagree with the way animals are mistreated in the commercial food industry, for example the broiler chickens which are pumped with steroids and kept in horrible conditions before slaughter. People forget that just because meat it 'halal' it is not fardh or a condition of Islam to actually consume it.

As Muslims, however, we understand that there is nothing wrong with actually eating animals, Allah SWT has given us animals to eat as a blessing and kindness and so we shouldn't make it haraam upon us in the sense that we say it is wrong or unethical to kill animals for meat. If I lived near an organic or Muslim-owned farm where I knew the animals were treated with respect, and permitted to roam the earth Allah SWT has provided, I wouldn't think twice about eating meat tbh.

I am very concerned about the way animals are treated prior to consumption these days, I couldn't bear to eat the meat not knowing whether the animal suffered a terrible life before it was killed. And the health and condition of the animal whilst it was alive are vital conditions for it to be truly 'halal'. From my research, Islam strongly encourages kindness and mercy to all living creatures - for example in the lifetime of the Prophet (pbuh) things such as battery farms or mass-production did not exist, animals were treated well prior to slaughter, there are so many of his narrations commanding believers to respect their rights even while they are being slaughtered subhanAllah!

I am not a vegan though, but I am assuming this would be very difficult wouldn't it? Many stores in the UK sell free-range eggs and milk, I am not sure where you live but it is always worth checking it out?

BTW, I also have chickens :statisfie Alhamdulillah amazing little creatures

[Bhabha]

جز اكُنّ اللهُ خير اً

Well, sometimes my parents do go to a Muslim place that sells halal meat so that they can cook and I can enjoy. They make the effort and so in these cases when I know for sure they have gone, I accept their cooking and join them and eat a little.

However, I am starting to dislike the smell of cooked animal though. So there's that problem [emoji28]

I can't wait until I have my own house where I can have little chickens to give me eggs.

ان شاء الله

That would be the most amazing thing. Lol. How many chickens do you have? When I lived in Florida I had two chickens but I think they couldn't make eggs because they never did. But they were fun company. [emoji5][emoji5][emoji5]

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[*charisma*]

Assalamu Alaikum,

It's not haram to become vegetarian or vegan unless you think that it's haram to eat meat lol. Avoiding doubtful meat is okay, but that doesn't mean that if you come across halal meat that you should make it haram for yourself just because you've adapted this meatless lifestyle, does that make sense? Basically don't lose your intention. If I remember correctly, the prophet pbuh actually did not eat meat much because eating too much meat was considered unhealthy. Eating halal meat means that the animal was taken care of with the best care and is slaughtered for the sake of nutrition and not waste or gluttony.

[Bhabha]

Assalamu Alaikum,

It's not haram to become vegetarian or vegan unless you think that it's haram to eat meat lol. Avoiding doubtful meat is okay, but that doesn't mean that if you come across halal meat that you should make it haram for yourself just because you've adapted this meatless lifestyle, does that make sense? Basically don't lose your intention. If I remember correctly, the prophet pbuh actually did not eat meat much because eating too much meat was considered unhealthy. Eating halal meat means that the animal was taken care of with the best care and is slaughtered for the sake of nutrition and not waste or gluttony.

وعليكم السلام
جز اكِ اللهُ خيراً

For this post. So I can avoid meat if I feel sad for the animal, as long as I do not avoid it because I feel it is haram.

باركَ اللهُ فيكِ
[emoji5][emoji5][emoji5][emoji5][emoji5][emoji5][emoji5][emoji5][emoji5][emoji5][emoji5][emoji5][emoji813]️

[noraina]

I have three chickens, two hens and a rooster. They are Orpington chickens, basically huge fluffy masses of cuddles and hugs.:Emoji50: One hen lays an egg everyday, the other hen will lay only around five-six eggs in a month lol, but they are more pets than anything for me, the eggs are a bonus.

I made a thread about them, :D http://www.islamicboard.com/general/...e-chicken.html

[Ridwaan Ravat]

A Muslim may be a vegetarian. However, he should not regard eating meat as prohibited.

And Allah Taãla knows best.

Was salaam.

—Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Fatwa Department

[Bhabha]

A Muslim may be a vegetarian. However, he should not regard eating meat as prohibited.

And Allah Taãla knows best.

Was salaam.

—Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Fatwa Department

جز اكَ اللهُ خير اً

[emoji5]

[Khalid Saifullah]

[Serinity]

:salam:

It is allowed to eat halal meat.

Just don't regard it as haram to eat meat in general. Obv. you don't. I always ask my parents for whether the meat is haram or halal. Sometimes I don't trust, and skip a dinner.

[1Omar]

لا اله الا الله