Is it Haram to be Vegetarian?

Ok let’s all be honest, we’ve all wondered that at some points in our lives. After all, if Islam has an answer to everything, than what about this? Well, I don’t know the answer, but while listening to the tafseer of the Qur’an today, I had a sudden thought.

So, in Surat Al-Baqarah, ayah 168, it says, “O mankind! Eat of that which is lawful and good on the earth, and follow not the footsteps of Shaitân (Satan). Verily, he is to you an open enemy.”    

Usually, when talking about what is halal and haram, in terms of food, we tend to focus on what we are not allowed to eat- like pork, alcohol, gelatin, and non-zabiha food.

But in the Ayah, Allah (swt) seems to be telling us about the other side of the coin- TO EAT WHAT WE ARE ALLOWED! If we’re not forbidden from eating it, than why are we forcing ourselves?

So, should we vegetarian- my thoughts- no.

However, humanity to animals is still key. Animals shouldn’t be killed for fun or treated inhumanely (see earlier post). So when sacrificing an animal, make sure to kill it the right (zabiha) way to make sure it is halal, and that the animal hasn’t suffered.

Now, there are some people who become vegetarian because they can’t bear the thought of an animal dying, and that’s fine. But if you’re stopped eating meat because you think the religion forbids you, well, just know that I’ve never heard anything in the religion against eating (halal) meat. If you have, then please feel free to share below :)

Qur'anic Ayah found at: http://www.qurantoday.com/BaqSec21.htm