Vegetarian Muslims

Vegetarian Muslims
source
http://vegetarianmuslim.org/
http://www.islamveg.com/

Victory for Vegetarian Muslims

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam,

Assalam-e-aliekum!

Islam teaches us compassion and mercy. When we take the name of Allah, we end it with “compassionate and merciful”.

Amongst many teachings religious in Islam, one of the things we have deviated ourselves from is compassion and mercy, to mankind, as well as to other sentient fellow beings( animals).

Today we muslims are referred to as a meat eating community. What does our religious belief and “ iman” has to do with eating meat? Nothing, if you see it from the religious point of view, but much ,if you see it from the community practice point of view.

Today almost every muslim household, all over the world, has at least one meat diet a day. Thing has come to such a pass that even during a small celebration,a cow or a goat/sheep or a few hens are slaughtered for the celebration,mostly in the name of religion.

During Eid-e- Adha , the cow, sheep or camel are procured instantly and slaughtered the next day. When someone has to flaunt his wealth within the community, he makes it a point to sacrifice several such animals .

The pinning down of the animal on the ground with a “ thud” is applauded by those standing by before the knife of sacrifice runs over the animals neck. 

Must we make meat our staple diet and must we sacrifice animals during Eid-e-Adha?. As a muslim, we need to see these two questions from a different perspective, instead of deviating from the principles of Islam.

1. When Allah himself is “compassionate and merciful” then why do not we look up to his example and spare the lives of the poor animals and instead use that money to help our muslim brothers and sisters in distress . There are so many brothers and sisters who need financial assistance. Better still would be, if with so much money each year, factories and businesses would be set up with the employment exclusively for muslims.

2. Sacrificing animal is not a “Farz” or compulsory on the day of Eid-e-Adha.

3. Avoid ye the seven obnoxious things {deadly sins}: polytheism; magic; the killing of breathing beings(humans and animals! Which God has forbidden except for rightful reason. (Narrated by Abu Huraira. Sahih Mulim - Kitab-ul-Imam [Ref. No. 46]; Chapt. XXXIX, Vol.I; p. 52. Bukhari, 4:23. Also Awn [Ref. No. 32]; Hadith No. 2857)

4. Being merciful for all creatures, the Prophet of Islam (the religion of mercy) has shown us through his commandments and teachings, how to tend and care for these creatures. Thus he said, “The merciful are shown mercy by the All-Merciful. Show mercy to those on earth, and He Who is in heaven will show mercy unto you.”

5. [6:38] All the creatures on earth, and all the birds that fly with wings, are communities like you. We did not leave anything out of this book(Quran). To their Lord, all these creatures will be summoned. The Quran tells us that animals are communities and nations unto their own and that they are more than mere resources. However, animals are treated as nothing but machines on today's "factory farms." Not only are these factory farms found all over the world, they are also becoming the dominant means of meat, egg, and milk production throughout the world. More than 20 billion animals are slaughtered for food each year worldwide. These billions of animals are confined to extremely small spaces so that producers can raise as many animals as possible. Ninety percent of U.S. eggs come from chickens who are crammed together up to five to a cage the size of a record album cover, and this method of egg production is spreading throughout the globe.

6. Muslims are exhorted to eat good, pure, and wholesome food. But we now know that eating animal products is implicated with a host of diseases. People who consume animal products are 10 times more susceptible to heart disease, 40 percent more susceptible to cancer, and at increased risk for many other illnesses, including stroke, obesity, appendicitis, osteoporosis, arthritis, diabetes, and food poisoning. Additionally, meat contains accumulations of pesticides and other chemicals up to 14 times more concentrated than those found in plant foods.When the animal is being slaughtered it is frightened and in pain, it then releases poisonous glandular secretions such as adrenalin which is extremely harmful to us. We also consume the blood of such animals with a completely different DNA which is processed in our liver. Our intestine is longer than carnivores animals , as such, it takes a long time for protein food such as meat to expel from our system . This allows the meat to be lodged for a very long time in our intestine which is the cause for cancer and other diseases in humans ,besides, it is responsible for quick ageing and age related diseases.

7. The habitat of animals are always smelling foul and obnoxious and one cannot stand at that place for a long time , also the raw meat of the animals have obnoxious odour ,which sends an alarm to our brain that these are unclean and should not be consumed. Even after this we consume it camouflaging the bad odour with spices and aromatics. The ultimate result is Mad cow disease, Foot and mouth disease, Swine flue and bird flue, to name a few. 

8. Bury a handful of beans in the ground it will give you small plants to eat. Bury a handful of meat it will give you foul smell of carcass and maggots(worms). Then should we muslims eat of such unclean foods?

9. When you slaughter the animal,bacteria immediately start multiplying within it. Even when you freeze the meat the bacteria is alive and when you eat it you eat the bacteria too.

10. "O Believers! Eat of the good and pure (lawful) that We have provided you with and be grateful to Allah, if you truly worshipHim."[surah al-Baqarah; 2:172] Muslims are exhorted to eat good, pure, and wholesome food.

11.Meat eating is not a criteria to be a Muslim, a pure veg. eating person also can be a good muslim. For any person to be a good muslim he/she must have strong faith on Allah and follow the commandments of Allah. There are 6 Pillars of iman (faith) to be a good Muslim:
1) believing in Allah, the creator of this universe.
2) believing in his Angels
3) believe in his books The Torah, Bible and the Holy Quran,
4) Believe in his messengers, Jesus, Abraham, Moses, And the last and final messenger Mohammed, peace be upon them all,
5) Believing in destiny.
6) believe in the here-after, (day of judgment, Heaven Hell etc,)

Eid -Ul -Adha is an happy occasion for all muslims around the world to celebrate and rejoice. We would rejoice more if we spend that much time with our family and friends rather than in procuring the animals for sacrifice and spending days in cutting and distributing its flesh and donating its skin. When you spare the lives of animals you show your mercy towards them and Allah is happy with your action . The money that would otherwise have gone to buy the animals may be given to charity for the deserving poor muslim brothers and sisters,this action too will make Allah happy . This way you earn two points to make Allah happy. You will also feel happy when you spare the lives of helpless living beings. Better still, the huge amount of money that is collected worldwide in not buying and slaughtering any animal could go into making large factories and business houses employing muslim brothers and sisters across the world. Finance the study of deserving muslim scholars. Build international quality schools,colleges and professional educational centres around the world. Build hospitals and free state of the art medical centres for the community and free for the aged. 

Those of us who would like to flaunt their wealth within the community will have their names written in big letters towards the amount of contribution for the noble cause. This way the name of that person will remain on the board forever. 

Muslims should in any case avoid the eating of flesh. Meat, like wine, is habit forming and dangerous for health. The after effect in old age is pathetic. Most of us blame it on ageing process. This is not so, meat causes arthritis, uric acid accumulation in the joints, cancer, kidney liver, heart and other terminal illnesses are caused due to consuming meat in any form. Allah has made our body to remain young for at least a 100 year. We can live up to 150 year if we do not get angry all for nothing, eat in moderation, consume pure, clean and wholesome food, refrain from meat, wine and other vices. Think pure, eat pure and be of service to mankind.

NAMES OF FEW FAMOUS VEGETARIANS .

Jesus Christ- Charles Darwin, author and scientist-Leonardo da Vinci, artist-Thomas Edison, inventor-Albert Einstein, physicist-Mahatma Gandhi,- Sir Isaac Newton, physicist-Plato, physicist and writer-Pythagoras, Greek philosopher-George Bernard Shaw,- Socrates, Greek philosopher-Leo Tolstoy, author-Carl Lewis, Olympic runner-Bill Pearl, four-time Mr Universe,bodybuilder-Dave Scott (6-time Ironman(strongman-Triathlon winner)-Dr.Abdul Kalam, Past president of India-Abharam Lincoln, ex-president of USA-These are only few out of the thousands of great vegetarian names.