Islamic vegetarianism and veganism is the practice ofabstention from meat (and other animal products in case ofvegans) amongMuslims. The vast majority of Muslims eat meat; many Islamicjurists consider vegetarianism permissible but not superior to meat-eating. The religious arguments for the vegetarian diet include the requirement for compassion imposed on Muslims byQuran andsunnah and the concept of stewardship (khalifa). Modern vegetarian Muslims often encounter prejudice for their diet. A particular case is the tradition of killing an animal during the celebration of theEid al-Adha, which many Muslims see as compulsory or at least an emphasized sunnah.
Vegetarianism is very rare among Muslims, but is widespread among the adherents of other religions such asJainism,Hinduism andBuddhism.[1][2][3] Many Muslims eat meat as often as they can.[4]
Although the Quran and thehadith strongly encourage Muslims totreat animals humanely and the Islamic prophetMuhammad spoke against recreationalhunting, Quran explicitly permits the consumption of (halal) meat in the firstayah of theal-Ma'idah sura.[5][1] The rules of halal ritual slaughter mention that the animal must not suffer more than needed.[1] Historically, the first Muslims, nomadic Arabs, had to eat meat to sustain themselves.[6]
Vegetarians were historically often seen asheretics; examples includeal-Ma'arri.[7] The view that vegetarianism is un-Islamic stems from the historic animosity between Muslims and practitioners of Buddhism and Hinduism.[1] Modern Muslim vegetarians and vegans often have to face prejudice and hostility.[8]
SeveralSufis, including Suhrawardi Hamiduddin Nagori fromNagaur,Bawa Muhaiyaddeen and some others in North Africa were practising a strict vegan diet.[1][9] The 9th–10th century secret societyBrethren of Purity produced anepistle titledThe Case of the Animals versus Man, in which they relayed a story aboutRabi'a al-Basri tellingHasan al-Basri that animals come to her but run from him because of his meat diet.[1] Indian Islamic scholarBashir Ahmad Masri, a pioneer of animal welfare, has expressed his dissatisfaction with the amount ofcruelty inflicted upon animals stemming fromanthropocentrism and advocated for a vegetarian Muslim diet.[1][10] Some thinkers connect the topic of meat abstention with thekhilafa, duty ofstewardship imposed upon humans by God.[11]
Severalfatwas issued by jurists such asEbrahim Desai,Hamza Yusuf,Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah,Muzammil H. Siddiqi,Muhammad al-Munajjid andAli Khamenei state that abstaining from meat is permissible for Muslims as long as they do not deem it an obligation or a way of being a better Muslim than others.[12][8]Inayat Khan concluded that not eating meat is desirable because meat "hinders spiritual progress" while the act of killing is unkind.[13] Modern proponents of Islamic veganism cite the excessivesuffering of the factory-farmed animals, theenvironmental harms of the meat and dairy industries and thezoonotic infections as the reasons to switch to a vegan diet.[14] Vegetarian believers express their concerns about whether any meat from inhumanely raised animal can behalal, even if it has beencertified as such.[15] Muslim doctors advocating for vegetarianism from the health standpoint also use the example of Muhammad as a person leading a "mostly vegetarian" lifestyle.[16] Modern Muslim academics who advocate for vegetarianism include Duke McLeod and Mohamed Ghilan.[17]
Iraqi Islamic scholarMawil Izzi Dien ruled that Islamic vegetarianism is completely unacceptable.[12]Izz al-Din ibn 'Abd al-Salam: "The unbeliever who prohibits the slaughtering of an animal [for no reason but] to achieve the interest of the animal is incorrect because in so doing he gives preference to a lower, khasis, animal over a higher, nafis, animal" in "Qawa'id al-ahkam fi masalih al-anam"[1]Ibn Hazm believed that only creatures who can show an understanding ofIslamic laws are subject to it.[1] Pakistani Islamic scholarAbul A'la Mawdudi said that Islam allows humans killing other animals for food and permits killing animals perceived as harmful because humans are thekhalifa (deputies) of God.[18] Some scholars praise reduced meat consumption, others stress the importance of humane treatment of animals, but not support vegetarianism.[19]
The custom ofanimal slaughter during theEid al-Adha is widespread among Muslims, but mostjurists rule that killing animals on that day is desired but not compulsory.[20][1] Bashir Ahmad Masri and several other faqih suggested replacing the animal sacrifice with charitable donations orfasting.[21][22] Several others voiced their opposition to the current practice of "excessive" killing of animals whose meat often stays uneaten and goes to waste.[23] Activist Shahid Ali Muttaqi wrote that the slaughter during the celebration of Eid al-Adha is performed for people'snafs.[24]
Muslims who are practising veganism either donate money to have the slaughter done in their name without participating in it, or donate to charitable purposes.[22]