Why Being Vegetarian is Not Haram in Islam with 3 Proofs
C J. Ahmed-09.03.2023
Being a vegetarian is not forbidden in Islam .Vegetarianism is the practice of not consuming meat due to various reasons. There is another austere form of vegetarianism called veganism and there are fundamental differences between vegetarianism and veganism. A vegetarian will consume animal based products such as eggs, milk or dairy but a vegan will completely abstain from eating any animal based products whatsoever. This article will focus on the question of vegetarianism in Islam with three proofs from the authentic sources in Islam namely the Quran and the authentic hadiths.
1. Vegetarian/Vegan Due to Upbringing
There are some Muslims who are vegetarian because of the upbringing they had while been children. There is nothing wrong in being a vegetarian due to personal reasons such as these.
Abdullah bin Abbas reported that Khalid bin Walid who is called the Sword of Allah had informed him that he visited Maimuna, the wife of Allah's Apostle (Sal), in the company of Allah's Messenger (Sal), and she was the sister of his mother (that of Khalid) and that of 'Ibn Abbas, and he found with her a roasted lizard which her sister Hufaida the daughter of al-Harith had brought from Najd, and she presented that lizard to Allah's Messenger (Sal). It was rare that some food was presented to the Prophet (Sal) and it was not mentioned or named. While Allah's Messenger (Sal) was about to stretch forth his hand towards the lizard, a woman from amongst the women present there informed the Messenger of Allah (Sal) what they had presented to him. They said:
"Messenger of Allah, it is a lizard. Allah's Messenger (Sal) withdrew his hand, whereupon Khalid bin Walid said: Messenger of Allah is a lizard forbidden? There upon he said: No, but it is not found in the land of my people, and I feel that I have no liking for it. Khalid said: I then chewed and ate it, and Allah's Messenger (Sal) was looking at me and he did not forbid (me to eat it).
(Sahih Muslim)
And in another hadith 'Umar (Rali) reported:
A person asked Allah's Messenger (Sal) about the eating of the lizard, whereupon he said. "I neither eat it, nor do I prohibit it.
(Sahih Muslim)
In these hadiths it clear explains the fact that the prophet (sal) did not want to eat lizard meat because of his personal dislike but never forbade it. Similarly there is nothing wrong in not liking to eat meat due to personal reasons without thinking that it is haram.
2. Quran and Sahih Hadith on Vegetarianism
According to the Quran and the authentic hadiths been a vegetarian is not haram as long as you do not transgress by prohibiting meat eating or go against the teachings of Islam. Allah (swt) says,
"O you who believe! Make not unlawful the tayyibaat (all that is good) which Allaah has made lawful to you, and transgress not. Verily, Allaah does not like the transgressors"
(Al Quran-5:87)
"Say: who has forbidden the adornment with clothes given by Allaah, which He has produced for His slaves, and al-tayyibaat (all kinds of things that are good) of food? Say: they are, in the life of this world, for those who believe, (and) exclusively for them (believers) on the Day of Resurrection (the disbelievers will not share them). Thus we explain the aayat (Islamic laws) in detail for people who have knowledge."
(Al Quran-7:32)
"Say: Tell me, what provision has Allaah sent down to you! And you have made of it lawful and unlawful. Say: Has Allaah permitted you (to do so), or do you invent a lie against Allaah? "
(Al Quran-10:59)
The Quran allows eating meat and one example is the below verse of eating beef.
"And He created the cattle for you; you have in them warm clothing and (many) advantages, and of them do you eat."
(Al Quran-16:5)
It is forbidden to forbid for yourselves and others what Allah has made lawful but refraining from eating something due to personal tastes is not haram because you are not prohibiting it. Anas (Rali) reported that some of the Companions of Allah's Apostle (Sal) asked his (the Prophet's) wives about the acts that he performed in private. Someone among them (among his Companions) said:
"I will not marry women; someone among them said: I will not eat meat; and someone among them said: I will not lie down in bed. He (the Holy Prophet) praised Allah and glorified Him, and said: What has happened to these people that they say so and so, whereas I observe prayer and sleep too; I observe fast and suspend observing them; I marry women also? And he who turns away from my Sunnah, he has no relation with me"
(Sahih Muslim)
In this hadith a group of companions wanted to forbid eating meat to be more austere in worship and this was prohibited.
3. The Diet of the Prophet (sal)
From the authentic hadith we can see that the prophet (sal) ate various types of meat.
Narrated Umm Salamah(rali),
That she brought a side of roasted meat to the Messenger of Allah (sal), so he ate it from it and stood for Salat, and did not perform Wudu'"
(Tirmidhi graded Hasan Sahih by imam Tirmidhi)
Abu Hurayrah (rali)narrated,
"Meat was brought to the Prophet. The shoulder was handed over to him, as he liked it. He had a bite of it.”
(Bukhari, Muslim and others)
Narrated Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari (rali) who said,
"I saw the Prophet (sal) eating chicken."
(Bukhari)
Jabir bin ‘Abdullah (rali) reported:
"When the ditch was dug, I saw Allah's Messenger (may peace he upon him) feeling very hungry. I came to my wife and said to her: Is there anything with you? I have seen Allah's Messenger (sal) feeling extremely hungry. She brought out a bag of provisions which contained a sa', of barley. We had also with us a lamb. I slaughtered it. She ground the flour. She finished (this work) along with me. I cut it into pieces and put it in the earthen pot and then returned to Allah's Apostle (sal) (for inviting him). She said: Do not humiliate me in the presence of Allah's Messenger (sal) and those who are with him. When I came to him I whispered to him saying: Allah's Messenger, we have slaughtered a lamb for you and she has ground a sa' of barley which we had with us. So you come along with a group of people with you. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (sal) said loudly: O people of the ditch, Jabir has arranged a feast for you, so (come along). Allah's Messenger (sal) said: Do not remove your earthen pot from the hearth and do not bake the bread from the kneaded flour until I come. So I came and Allah's Messenger (sal) came and he was ahead of the people; and I came to my wife and she said (to me): You will be humbled. I said: I did what you had asked me to do. She (his wife) said: I brought out the kneaded flour and Allah's Messenger (sal) put some saliva of his in that and blessed it. He then put saliva in the earthen pot and blessed it and then said. Call another baker who can bake with you. And bring out the soup from it, but do not remove it from the hearth, and the guests were one thousand. (Jabir said): I take an oath by Allah that all of them ate (the food to their fill) until they left it and went away and our earthen pot was brimming over as before, and so was the case with our flour, or as Dahhak (another narrator) said: It (the flour) was in the same condition and loaves had been prepared from that."
(Muslim)
Jabir bin 'Abdullah (rali) narrated,
Allah's Messenger (sal) bought a camel from me for two 'uqiyas and a dirham or two dirhams. As he reached Sirar (a village near Medina), he commanded a cow to be slaughtered and it was slaughtered, and they ate of that, and as he (the Holy Prophet) reached Medina he ordered me to go to the mosque and offer two rak'ahs of prayer, and he measured for me the price of the camel and even made an excess payment to me."
(Sahih Muslim-Book 10-Hadith number-3893)
Narrated Muharib bin Dithar (rali):
Jabir bin `Abdullah said, "When Allah's Messenger (sal) arrived at Medina, he slaughtered a camel or a cow." Jabir added, "The Prophet (sal) bought a camel from me for two Uqiyas (of gold) and one or two Dirhams. When he reached Sirar, he ordered that a cow be slaughtered and they ate its meat. When he arrived at Medina, he ordered me to go to the Mosque and offer two rak`at, and weighed (and gave) me the price of the camel."
(Sahih al Bukhari-hadith number- 3089)
Some foolish Muslims try to argue that the prophet did not eat beef but the above hadiths in sahih Muslim and Bukhari proves that he ate beef.
Ibn 'Abbas (rali) said:
"The Prophet (sal) ate a little meat from a (goat's) shoulder. He then offered prayer and did not perform ablution."
(Abu Dawud-graded sahih by Albani)
Muhammad bin al-Munkadir said:
"I heard Jabir bin 'Abd Allah say: I presented bread and meat to the Prophet (sal). He ate them and called for ablution water. He performed ablution and offered the noon (Luhar) prayer. He then called for the remaining food and ate it. He then got up and prayed and did not perform ablution."
(Abu Dawud-graded sahih by Albani)
Narrated `Abdullah bin Abi Qatadah (rali),
(from his father) Abu Qatadah went out (on a journey) with Allah's Messenger (sal) but he was left behind with some of his companions who were in the state of Ihram. He himself was not in the state of Ihram. They saw an opener before he could see it. When they saw the opener, they did not speak anything till Abu Qatadah saw it. So, he rode over his horse called Al-Jarada and requested them to give him his lash, but they refused. So, he himself took it and then attacked the opener and slaughtered it. He ate of its meat and his companions ate, too, but they regretted their eating. When they met the Prophet (they asked him about it) and he asked, "Have you some of its meat (left) with you?" Abu Qatadah replied, "Yes, we have its leg with us." So, the Prophet (sal) took and ate it."
(Bukhari)
Jabir (rali) narrated in a long hadith and in it he mentioned the prophet (sal) eating camel meat. He mentioned,
"I saw how we extracted pitcher after pitcher full of fat from the cavity of its eye, and sliced from it compact piece of meat equal to a bull or like a bull. Abu 'Ubaida called forth thirteen men from us and he made them sit in the cavity of its eye, and he took hold of one of the ribs of its chest and made it stand and then saddled the biggest of the camels we had with us and it passed under it (the arched rib), and we provided ourselves with pieces of boiled meat (especially for use in our journey). When we came back to Medina, we went to Allah's Messenger (sal) and made a mention of that to him, whereupon he said: That was a provision which Allah had brought forth for you. Is there any piece of meat (left) with you, so that you give to us that? He (Jabir) said: We sent to Allah's Messenger (dal) tome of that (a piece of meat) and he ate it."
(Sahih Muslim)
Islam has not made meat eating an obligation for a Muslim but Allah azza wa jal has made the human being to be omnivorous. A Muslim can be a vegetarian without thinking that eating meat is forbidden. The prophet (sal) and his companions ate meat and the best diet is the diet given in the Quran and the authentic Sunnah and that is that you can eat both meat and vegetarian food.
Being a vegetarian is not forbidden in Islam .Vegetarianism is the practice of not consuming meat due to various reasons. There is another austere form of vegetarianism called veganism and there are fundamental differences between vegetarianism and veganism. A vegetarian will consume animal based products such as eggs, milk or dairy but a vegan will completely abstain from eating any animal based products whatsoever. This article will focus on the question of vegetarianism in Islam with three proofs from the authentic sources in Islam namely the Quran and the authentic hadiths.
1. Vegetarian/Vegan Due to Upbringing
There are some Muslims who are vegetarian because of the upbringing they had while been children. There is nothing wrong in being a vegetarian due to personal reasons such as these.
Abdullah bin Abbas reported that Khalid bin Walid who is called the Sword of Allah had informed him that he visited Maimuna, the wife of Allah's Apostle (Sal), in the company of Allah's Messenger (Sal), and she was the sister of his mother (that of Khalid) and that of 'Ibn Abbas, and he found with her a roasted lizard which her sister Hufaida the daughter of al-Harith had brought from Najd, and she presented that lizard to Allah's Messenger (Sal). It was rare that some food was presented to the Prophet (Sal) and it was not mentioned or named. While Allah's Messenger (Sal) was about to stretch forth his hand towards the lizard, a woman from amongst the women present there informed the Messenger of Allah (Sal) what they had presented to him. They said:
"Messenger of Allah, it is a lizard. Allah's Messenger (Sal) withdrew his hand, whereupon Khalid bin Walid said: Messenger of Allah is a lizard forbidden? There upon he said: No, but it is not found in the land of my people, and I feel that I have no liking for it. Khalid said: I then chewed and ate it, and Allah's Messenger (Sal) was looking at me and he did not forbid (me to eat it).
(Sahih Muslim)
And in another hadith 'Umar (Rali) reported:
A person asked Allah's Messenger (Sal) about the eating of the lizard, whereupon he said. "I neither eat it, nor do I prohibit it.
(Sahih Muslim)
In these hadiths it clear explains the fact that the prophet (sal) did not want to eat lizard meat because of his personal dislike but never forbade it. Similarly there is nothing wrong in not liking to eat meat due to personal reasons without thinking that it is haram.
2. Quran and Sahih Hadith on Vegetarianism
According to the Quran and the authentic hadiths been a vegetarian is not haram as long as you do not transgress by prohibiting meat eating or go against the teachings of Islam. Allah (swt) says,
"O you who believe! Make not unlawful the tayyibaat (all that is good) which Allaah has made lawful to you, and transgress not. Verily, Allaah does not like the transgressors"
(Al Quran-5:87)
"Say: who has forbidden the adornment with clothes given by Allaah, which He has produced for His slaves, and al-tayyibaat (all kinds of things that are good) of food? Say: they are, in the life of this world, for those who believe, (and) exclusively for them (believers) on the Day of Resurrection (the disbelievers will not share them). Thus we explain the aayat (Islamic laws) in detail for people who have knowledge."
(Al Quran-7:32)
"Say: Tell me, what provision has Allaah sent down to you! And you have made of it lawful and unlawful. Say: Has Allaah permitted you (to do so), or do you invent a lie against Allaah? "
(Al Quran-10:59)
The Quran allows eating meat and one example is the below verse of eating beef.
"And He created the cattle for you; you have in them warm clothing and (many) advantages, and of them do you eat."
(Al Quran-16:5)
It is forbidden to forbid for yourselves and others what Allah has made lawful but refraining from eating something due to personal tastes is not haram because you are not prohibiting it. Anas (Rali) reported that some of the Companions of Allah's Apostle (Sal) asked his (the Prophet's) wives about the acts that he performed in private. Someone among them (among his Companions) said:
"I will not marry women; someone among them said: I will not eat meat; and someone among them said: I will not lie down in bed. He (the Holy Prophet) praised Allah and glorified Him, and said: What has happened to these people that they say so and so, whereas I observe prayer and sleep too; I observe fast and suspend observing them; I marry women also? And he who turns away from my Sunnah, he has no relation with me"
(Sahih Muslim)
In this hadith a group of companions wanted to forbid eating meat to be more austere in worship and this was prohibited.
3. The Diet of the Prophet (sal)
From the authentic hadith we can see that the prophet (sal) ate various types of meat.
Narrated Umm Salamah(rali),
That she brought a side of roasted meat to the Messenger of Allah (sal), so he ate it from it and stood for Salat, and did not perform Wudu'"
(Tirmidhi graded Hasan Sahih by imam Tirmidhi)
Abu Hurayrah (rali)narrated,
"Meat was brought to the Prophet. The shoulder was handed over to him, as he liked it. He had a bite of it.”
(Bukhari, Muslim and others)
Narrated Abu Musa Al-Ash`ari (rali) who said,
"I saw the Prophet (sal) eating chicken."
(Bukhari)
Jabir bin ‘Abdullah (rali) reported:
"When the ditch was dug, I saw Allah's Messenger (may peace he upon him) feeling very hungry. I came to my wife and said to her: Is there anything with you? I have seen Allah's Messenger (sal) feeling extremely hungry. She brought out a bag of provisions which contained a sa', of barley. We had also with us a lamb. I slaughtered it. She ground the flour. She finished (this work) along with me. I cut it into pieces and put it in the earthen pot and then returned to Allah's Apostle (sal) (for inviting him). She said: Do not humiliate me in the presence of Allah's Messenger (sal) and those who are with him. When I came to him I whispered to him saying: Allah's Messenger, we have slaughtered a lamb for you and she has ground a sa' of barley which we had with us. So you come along with a group of people with you. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (sal) said loudly: O people of the ditch, Jabir has arranged a feast for you, so (come along). Allah's Messenger (sal) said: Do not remove your earthen pot from the hearth and do not bake the bread from the kneaded flour until I come. So I came and Allah's Messenger (sal) came and he was ahead of the people; and I came to my wife and she said (to me): You will be humbled. I said: I did what you had asked me to do. She (his wife) said: I brought out the kneaded flour and Allah's Messenger (sal) put some saliva of his in that and blessed it. He then put saliva in the earthen pot and blessed it and then said. Call another baker who can bake with you. And bring out the soup from it, but do not remove it from the hearth, and the guests were one thousand. (Jabir said): I take an oath by Allah that all of them ate (the food to their fill) until they left it and went away and our earthen pot was brimming over as before, and so was the case with our flour, or as Dahhak (another narrator) said: It (the flour) was in the same condition and loaves had been prepared from that."
(Muslim)
Jabir bin 'Abdullah (rali) narrated,
Allah's Messenger (sal) bought a camel from me for two 'uqiyas and a dirham or two dirhams. As he reached Sirar (a village near Medina), he commanded a cow to be slaughtered and it was slaughtered, and they ate of that, and as he (the Holy Prophet) reached Medina he ordered me to go to the mosque and offer two rak'ahs of prayer, and he measured for me the price of the camel and even made an excess payment to me."
(Sahih Muslim-Book 10-Hadith number-3893)
Narrated Muharib bin Dithar (rali):
Jabir bin `Abdullah said, "When Allah's Messenger (sal) arrived at Medina, he slaughtered a camel or a cow." Jabir added, "The Prophet (sal) bought a camel from me for two Uqiyas (of gold) and one or two Dirhams. When he reached Sirar, he ordered that a cow be slaughtered and they ate its meat. When he arrived at Medina, he ordered me to go to the Mosque and offer two rak`at, and weighed (and gave) me the price of the camel."
(Sahih al Bukhari-hadith number- 3089)
Some foolish Muslims try to argue that the prophet did not eat beef but the above hadiths in sahih Muslim and Bukhari proves that he ate beef.
Ibn 'Abbas (rali) said:
"The Prophet (sal) ate a little meat from a (goat's) shoulder. He then offered prayer and did not perform ablution."
(Abu Dawud-graded sahih by Albani)
Muhammad bin al-Munkadir said:
"I heard Jabir bin 'Abd Allah say: I presented bread and meat to the Prophet (sal). He ate them and called for ablution water. He performed ablution and offered the noon (Luhar) prayer. He then called for the remaining food and ate it. He then got up and prayed and did not perform ablution."
(Abu Dawud-graded sahih by Albani)
Narrated `Abdullah bin Abi Qatadah (rali),
(from his father) Abu Qatadah went out (on a journey) with Allah's Messenger (sal) but he was left behind with some of his companions who were in the state of Ihram. He himself was not in the state of Ihram. They saw an opener before he could see it. When they saw the opener, they did not speak anything till Abu Qatadah saw it. So, he rode over his horse called Al-Jarada and requested them to give him his lash, but they refused. So, he himself took it and then attacked the opener and slaughtered it. He ate of its meat and his companions ate, too, but they regretted their eating. When they met the Prophet (they asked him about it) and he asked, "Have you some of its meat (left) with you?" Abu Qatadah replied, "Yes, we have its leg with us." So, the Prophet (sal) took and ate it."
(Bukhari)
Jabir (rali) narrated in a long hadith and in it he mentioned the prophet (sal) eating camel meat. He mentioned,
"I saw how we extracted pitcher after pitcher full of fat from the cavity of its eye, and sliced from it compact piece of meat equal to a bull or like a bull. Abu 'Ubaida called forth thirteen men from us and he made them sit in the cavity of its eye, and he took hold of one of the ribs of its chest and made it stand and then saddled the biggest of the camels we had with us and it passed under it (the arched rib), and we provided ourselves with pieces of boiled meat (especially for use in our journey). When we came back to Medina, we went to Allah's Messenger (sal) and made a mention of that to him, whereupon he said: That was a provision which Allah had brought forth for you. Is there any piece of meat (left) with you, so that you give to us that? He (Jabir) said: We sent to Allah's Messenger (dal) tome of that (a piece of meat) and he ate it."
(Sahih Muslim)
Islam has not made meat eating an obligation for a Muslim but Allah azza wa jal has made the human being to be omnivorous. A Muslim can be a vegetarian without thinking that eating meat is forbidden. The prophet (sal) and his companions ate meat and the best diet is the diet given in the Quran and the authentic Sunnah and that is that you can eat both meat and vegetarian food.