Home | Women | Food | Non- Muslims | Violence | Miscellaneous | Links | Contact

In this page you will find the answers about 4 questions concerning food in Islam. EATING NON-VEGETARIAN FOOD DOES ISLAMIC METHOD OF SLAUGHTERING ANIMALS APPEAR RUTHLESS ? PORK IS FORBIDDEN PROHIBITION OF ALCOHOL 6. EATING NON-VEGETARIAN FOOD Question: Killing an animal is a ruthless act. Why then do Muslims consume non-vegetarian food? Answer: 'Vegetarianism' is now a movement the world over. Many even associate it with animal rights. Indeed, a large number of people consider the consumption of meat and other non-vegetarian products to be a violation of animal rights. Islam enjoins mercy and compassion for all living creatures. At the same time Islam maintains that Allah has created the earth and its wondrous flora and fauna for the benefit of mankind. It is up to mankind to use every resource in this world judiciously as ni'mat (Divine blessing) and amanat (trust) from Allah. Let us look at various other aspects of this argument. 1. A Muslim can be a pure vegetarian. A Muslim can be a very good Muslim despite being a pure vegetarian. It is not compulsory for a Muslim to have non- vegetarian food. 2. The Qur'an, however permits a Muslim to have non-vegetarian food. The following Qur'anic verses are proof of this fact: "0 ye who believe! Fulfil (all) obligations. Lawful unto you (for food) are all four footed animals with the exceptions named." [Al-Maidah5:l] "And cattle He lias created for you (men): from them ye derive warmth, and numerous benefits, and of their (meat) ye eat." [An-Nahl 16:5] "And in cattle (too) ye have an instructive example: From within their bodies We produce (milk) for you to drink; there are, in them, (besides), numerous (other) benefits for you; and of their (meat) ye eat." [An-Mu'minin 23:21] 3. Meat is nutritious and rich in complete protein. Non-vegetarian food is a good source of excellent protein. It contains biologically complete protein i.e. all the 8 essential amino acid that are not synthesized by the body and should be supplied in the diet. Meat also contains iron, vitamin Bl and niacin. 4. Humans have omnivorous set of teeth. If you observe the teeth of herbivorous animals like the cow, goat and sheep, you will find something strikingly similar in all of them. All these animals have a set of flat teeth i.e. suited for herbivorous diet. If you observe the set of teeth of the carnivorous animals like the lion, tiger or leopard, they all have a set of teeth of humans, you find that they have flat teeth as well as pointed teeth. Thus they have teeth suited for both herbivorous as well as carnivorous food i.e. they are omnivorous.  One may ask, if Almighty God wanted humans to have only vegetables, why did He provide us also with pointed teeth? It is logical that He expected us to need and to have both vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian food. 5. Human beings can digest both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. The digestive system of herbivorous animals can digest only plants. The digestive system of carnivorous animals can digest only meat. But the digestive system of humans can digest both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. If Almighty God wanted us to have only vegetables then why did He give us a digestive system that can digest both vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian food? 6. Hindu scriptures give permission to have non-vegetarian food. a. There are many Hindus who are strictly vegetarian. They think it is against their religion to consume non-vegetarian food. But the true fact is that the Hindu scriptures permit a person to have meat. The scriptures mention Hindu sages and saints consuming non-vegetarian food. b. It is mentioned in Manu Smruti, the law book of Hindus, in Chapter 5 verse 30: "The eater who eats the flesh of those to be eaten does nothing bad, even if he does it day after day, for Cod himself created some to be eaten and some to be the eater." c. Again next verse of Manu Smruti, that is, chapter 5 verse 31 says: "Eating meat is right for the sacrifice, this is traditionally known as a rule of the gods." d. Further in Manu Smruti chapter 5 verse 39 and 40 says: "God himself created sacrificial animals for sacrifice..., therefore killing in a sacrifice is not killing." e. Mahabharata Anushashan Parva chapter 88 narrates the discussion between Dharmaraj Yudhishthira and Pitamah Bhishma about what food one should offer to Pitris (ancestors) during the Shraddha (ceremony of death) to keep them satisfied. Paragraph reads as follows: "Yudhisthira said, "0 thou of great puissance, tell me what that object is which, if dedicated to the Pitiris (dead ancestors), become inexhaustible! What Havi, again, (if offered) lasts for all time? What, indeed, is that which (if presented) becomes eternal?" "Bhishma said, "Listen to me, 0 Yudhisthira, what those Havis are which persons conversant with the rituals of the Shraddha and what the fruits are that attach to each. With sesame seeds and rice and barley and Masha and water and roots and fruits, if given at Shraddha, the pitris, 0 king, remain gratified for the period of a month. With fishes offered at Shraddhas, the pitris remain gratified for a period of two months. With the mutton they remain gratified for three months and with the hare for four months, with the flesh of the goat for five months, with the bacon (meat of pig) for six months, and with the flesh of birds for seven. With venison obtained from those deer that are called Prishata, they remain gratified for eight months, and with that obtained from the Rum for nine months, and with the meat of Gavaya for ten months. With the meat of the buffalo, their gratification lasts for eleven months. With beef presented at the Shraddha, their gratification, it is said to last for a full year. Payasa mixed with ghee is as much acceptable to the pitris as beef. With the meat ofVadhrinasa (a large bull), the gratification of pitris lasts for twelve years. The flesh of rhinoceros, offered to the pitris on anniversaries of the lunar days on which they died, becomes inexhaustible. The potherb called Kalaska, the petals ofkanchana flower, and meat of (red) goat also, thus offered, prove inexhaustible. So if you want to keep your ancestors satisfied forever, you should serve them the meat of red goat." 7. Hinduism was influenced by other religions. Though Hindu Scriptures permit its followers to have non-vegetarian food, many Hindus adopted the vegetarian system because they were influenced by other religions like Jainism. 8. Even plants have life. Certain religions have adopted pure vegetarianism as a dietary law because they are totally against the killing of living creatures. If a person can survive without killing any living creature, I would be the first person to adopt such a way of life. I the past people thought plants were lifeless. Today it is a universal fact that even plants have life. Thus their logic of not killing living creatures is not fulfiled even by being a pure vegetarian. 9. Even plants can feel pain. They further argue that plants cannot feel pain, therefore killing a plant is a lesser crime as compared to killing an animal. Today science tell us that even plants can feel pain. But the cry of the plant cannot be heard by the human being. This is due to the inability of the human ear to, hear sounds that are not in the audible range i.e. 20 Hertz to 20,000 Hertz. Anything below and above this range cannot be heard by a human being. A dog can hear up to 40,000 Hertz. Thus there are silent dog whistles that have a frequency of more than 20,000 Hertz and less than 40,000 Hertz. These whistles are only heard by dogs and not by human beings. The dog recognizes the masters whistle and comes to the master. There was research done by a farmer in U.S.A. who invented an instrument which converted the cry of the plant so that it could be heard by human beings. He was able to realize immediately when the plant itself cried for water. Latest researches show that the plant can even feel happy and sad. It can also cry. 10. Killing a living creature with two senses less is not a lesser crime. Once a vegetarian argued his case by saying that plants only have two or three senses while the animals have five senses. Therefore killing a plant is a lesser crime than killing an animal. Suppose your brother is born deaf and dumb and has two senses less as compared to other human beings. He becomes mature and someone murders him. Would you ask the judge to give the murderer a lesser punishment because your brother has two senses less? In fact you would say that he has killed a masoom, an innocent person, and the judge should give the murderer a greater punishment. In fact the Qur'an says: "0 ye people! Eat of what is on earth, lawful and good" [Al-Baqarah 2:168] 11. Over population of cattle. If every human being is a vegetarian, it would lead to overpopulation of cattle in the world, since their reproduction and multiplication is very swift. Allah (swt) in His Divine Wisdom knows how to maintain the balance of His creation appropriately No wonder He has permitted us to have the meat of the cattle. 12. The cost of meat is reasonable since not all are non-vegetarian. I do not mind if some people are pure vegetarians. However they should not condemn non-vegetarians as ruthless. In fact if all Indians become non-vegetarians then the present non-vegetarians would be losers since the prices of meat would rise.     DOES ISLAMIC METHOD OF SLAUGHTERING ANIMALS APPEAR RUTHLESS ? Question: Why do Muslims slaughter the animal in a ruthless manner by torturing it and slowly and painfully killing it? Answer: The Islamic method of slaughtering animals, known as Zahiba has been the object of much criticism from a large number of people. Before I reply to the question, let me relate an incidence about a discussion between a Sikh and a Muslim regarding animal slaughter. Once a Sikh asked a Muslim, "Why do you slaughter the animal painfully by cutting the throat instead of the way we do with one stroke i.e. jhatka?" The Muslim replied jokingly "We are brave and courageous and attack from the front, instead of from behind!" Jokes apart, one may consider the following point, which prove that the Zabiha method is not only humane but also scientifically the best: 1. The Islamic method of slaughtering. Zakkaytum is a verb derived from the root word Zakah (to purify). Its infinitive is Tazkiyah which means purification. The Islamic mode of slaughtering an animal requires the following conditions to be met: a. The Animal should be slaughtered with a sharp object (knife). The animal has to be slaughtered with a sharp object (knife) and in a fast way so that the pain of slaughtering is minimized. b. Cutting the wind pipe, throat and vessels of neck. Zahiba is an Arabic word which means 'slaughtered'. The 'slaughtering' is to be done by cutting the throat, windpipe and the blood vessels in the neck causing the animal's death without cutting the spinal cord. c. Blood should be drained. The blood has to be drained completely before the head is removed. The purpose is to drain out most of the blood which would serve as a culture medium for micro organisms. The spinal cord must not be cut because the nerve fibers to the heart could be damaged during the process causing cardiac arrest, stagnating the blood in the blood vessels. 2. Blood is a medium for germs and bacteria. Blood is a good media of germs, bacteria, toxins, etc. Therefore the Muslim way of slaughtering is more hygienic as the blood containing germs, bacteria, toxins, etc. that are the cause of several diseases is removed. 3. The Meat remains fresher for a longer time. Meat slaughtered by Islamic way remains fresh for a longer time due to a reduction of blood in the meat as compared to other methods of slaughtering. 4. The animal does not feel the pain of slaughtering. The swift cutting of vessels of the neck disconnects the flow of blood to the nerve of the brain responsible for pain. Thus the animal does not feel pain. While dying, the animal struggles, writhes, shakes and kicks, not due to pain, but due to the contraction and relaxation of the muscles deficient in blood and due to the flow of blood out of the body.

PORK IS FORBIDDEN Question: Why is the eating of pork forbidden in Islam? Answer: The fact that consumption of pork is prohibited in Islam is well known. The following points explain various aspects of this prohibition: 1. Pork prohibited in the Qur'an. The Qur'an prohibits the consumption of pork in no less than 4 different places. It is prohibited in 2:173, 5:3, 6:145 and 16:115. "Forbidden to you (for food) are: dead meat, Wood, the flesh of swine, and that on which hath been invoked the name of other than Allah." [Al-Maidah 5:3] The above verses of the Holy Qur'an are sufficient to satisfy a Muslim as to why pork is forbidden. 2. Pork prohibited in the Bible The Christian is like]y to be convinced by his religious scriptures. The Bible prohibits the consumption of pork, in the book of Leviticus: "And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be cloven footed, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you." "Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcass shall ye not touch, they are unclean to you." [Leviticus 11:7-8] Pork is also prohibited in the Bible in the book of Deuteronomy: "And the swine, because it divideth the hoof, yet cheweth not the cud, it is unclean unto you. Ye shoff not eot of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcass." [Deuteronomy 14:8] A similar prohibition is repeated in the Bible in the book of Isaiah chapter 65 verse 2-5.7 3. Consumption of pork causes several diseases. The other non-Muslims and atheists will agree only if convinced through reason, logic and science. Eating of pork can cause no less than seventy different types of diseases. A person can have various helminthes like roundworms, pinworm, hookworm, etc. One of the most dangerous is Taenia Solium, which is in lay man's terminology called tapeworm. It harbours in the intestine and is very long. Its ova i.e. eggs enter the blood stream and can reach almost all the organs of the body. If it enters the brain it can cause memory loss. If it enters the heart it can cause heart attack, if it enters the eye it can cause blindness, if it enters the liver it can cause liver damage. It can damage almost all the organs of the body. Another dangerous helminthes is Trichina Tichinosis. A common misconception about pork is that if it is cooked well, these ova die. In a research project undertaken in America, it is found that out of twenty four people suffering from Trichina Tichinosis, twenty two had cooked the pork well. This indicates that the ova present in the pork do not die under normal cooking temperature. 4. Pork has fat building material. Pork has very little muscle building material and contains excess of fat. This fat gets deposited in the vessels and can cause hypertension and heart attack. It is not surprising that over 50% of Americans suffer from hypertension. 5. The pig is one of the filthiest animals on earth. It lives and thrives on muck, faeces and dirt. It is the best scavenger that I know that God has produced. In the villages that don't have modern toilets and the villagers excrete in the open, very often excreta is cleared by pigs. Some may argue that in advance countries like Australia, pigs are bred in very clean and hygienic conditions. Even in these hygienic conditions the pigs are kept together in sites. No matter how hard you try to keep them clean they are filthy by nature. They eat and enjoy their own as well as their neighbour's excreta. 6. Pig is the most shameless animal. The pig is the most shameless animal on the face of the earth. It is the only animal that invites its friends to have sex with its mate. In America, most people consume pork. Many times after dance parties, they have swapping of wives; i.e. many say "you sleep with my wife and I will sleep with your wife." Could it be that pig eating promotes pig culture. We Indians look upon America to be very advanced and sophisticated. Whatever they do, we follow after a few years. According to an article in Island magazine, this practice of swapping wives has become common in the affluent circles of Bombay. PROHIBITION OF ALCOHOL Question: Why is the consumption of alcohol prohibited in Islam? Answer: Alcohol has been the scourge of human society since time immemorial. It continues to cost countless human lives, and causes terrible misery to millions throughout the world. Alcohol is (he root cause of several problems facing society. The statistics of soaring crime rates, increasing instances of menial illness and millions of broken homes throughout the world bear mute testimony to the destructive power of alcohol. 1. Prohibition of alcohol in the Qur'an. The Glorious Qur'an prohibits the consumption of alcohol in the following verse: "0 ye who believe'. intoxicants and Gambling, (dedication of) stones, and (divination by) arrows, are an Adorn million - of Satan's handiwork; eschew such (abomination), trial ye may prosper.' |Al-Maidah 5:90] 2. Prohibition of alcohol in the Bible. The Bible prohibits the consumption of alcohol in the following verses: a. "Wine Is a mocker, strong drink is raging; and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise." [Proverbs20:1] b. ''And be not drink with wine.” [Ephesians 5:18]   3.Alcohol inhibits the inhibitory centre. Human beings possess an inhibitory centre in their brains. This inhibitory centre prevents the person from doing things that he considers wrong For instance, a person does not normally use abusive language while addressing his parents or elders. If he has 10 answer the call of nature, his inhibitory centre will prevent him from doing so in public. Therefore, he uses the toilet-   When a person consumes alcohol, the inhibitory centre itself is inhibited. This is precisely the reason that an inebriated person is often found to be indulging in behaviour that is completely uncharacteristic of him. For instance the intoxicated person is found to use abusive and foul language and does not realize his mistake even if he is addressing his parents. Many even urinate in their clothes. Neither do they talk nor walk properly. They even misbehave. 4. Cases of adultery, rape, incest and AIDS are found more among alcoholics. According to National Crime Victimization Survey Bureau of Justice (U.S. Department of Justice) in the year 1996 alone everyday on an average 2,713 rapes took place. The statistics tell us that the majority of the rapist, were intoxicated while committing the crime. The same is true in cases of molestation. According to the statistics, 8% of Americans commit incest i.e. one in every twelve to thirteen persons in America is involved in incest. Almost all the cases of incest are due to intoxication of one or both the persons involved. One of the major factors associated with the spread of AIDS, the most dreaded disease, is alcoholism. 5. Every alcoholic was initially a social drinker. Many may argue in favour of liquor by calling themselves 'social drinkers'. They claim that they only have one or two drinks and they have self-control and so never get intoxicated. Investigations reveal that every alcoholic started as a social drinker. Not a single alcoholic or drunkard initially starts drinking with the intention of becoming an alcoholic or a drunkard. No social drinker can say that he has been having alcohol for several years and that he has so much self-control that he has never been intoxicated even once. 6. If a person is intoxicated just once and commits something shameful, it will remain with him for a lifetime. Suppose a 'social drinker' loses his self- control just once. In a state of intoxication he commits rape or incest. Even if the act is later regretted, a normal human being is likely to carry the guilt throughout his life. Both the perpetrator and the victim are irreparably and irreversibly damaged. 7. Alcohol is prohibited in the Hadith. The Prophet of Islam Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: a. In Sunan Ibn-I-Majah Volume 3, Book of Intoxicants, Chapter 30 Hadith No.3371 "Alcohol is the mother of all evil and it is the most shameful of evils." b. In Sunan Ibn-I-Majah Volume 3, Book of Intoxicants, Chapter 30Hadith No. 3392 "Anything which intoxicates in a large quantity, is prohibited even in a small quantity" Thus there is no excuse for a nip or atot. c. Not only those who drink alcohol are cursed but also those who deal with them directly or indirectly are cursed by Allah. According to Sunan Ibn-I-Majah Volume 3, Book of Intoxicants, Chapter 30 Hadith No. 3380. It was reported by Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: "God'5 curse falls on ten groups of people who deal with alcohol. The one who distills it, the one whom it has been distilled for the one who drinks it, the one who transports it, the one to who it has been brought, the one whom serves it, the one who sells it, the one who utilizes money from it, the one who buys it and the one who buys it for someone else." 8. Disease associated with alcoholism. There are several scientific reasons for the prohibition of consumption of intoxicants i.e. alcohol. The maximum number of deaths in the world related to any one particular cause is due to the consumption of alcohol. I need not go into the details of all the ill-effects of alcohol since most of them are commonly known. Below is a simple list of a few of the alcohol related illnesses: i) Cirrhosis of Liver is the most well known alcohol associated disease. Others are Cancer of Oesophagus, Cancer of Head and Neck, Cancer of Liver (Hepatoma), Cancer of Bowel, etc. iii) Oesophagitis, Gastritis, Pancreatitis and Hepatitis are linked with alcohol consumption. iv) Cardiomyopathy, Hypertension, Coronary Artherosclerosis, Angina and Heart Attacks are linked with heavy alcohol intakes. v) Strokes, Apoplexy, Fits and different types of Paralysis are linked with alcohol intake. vi) Peripheral Neuropathy, Cortical Atrophy, Cerebeller Atrophy are well-known syndromes caused by alcohol consumption. vii) Wernicke - Korsakoff syndrome with amnesia of recent events, confabulations and retainment of memory to old events with different types of paralysis are mainly due to thiamine deficiency due to excessive alcohol intake. viii) Beriberi and other deficiencies are not uncommon among alcoholics. Even Pellagra occurs in alcoholics. ix) Delirium Tremens is a serious complication that may occur during recurrent infection of alcoholics or post operatively. It also occurs during abstention as a sign of withdrawal effect. It is quite serious and may cause death even if treated in well equipped centres. x) Numerous Endocrine Disorders have been associated with alcoholism ranging from Myxodema to Hyperthyroidism and Florid Gushing Syndrome. xi) Hematological ill effects are long and variable. Folic acid deficiency, however, is the most common manifestation of alcoholic abuse resulting in macrocytic Anemia. Zeive's syndrome is a triad of Hemolytic Anemia, Jaundice and Hyperlipaedemia that follows alcoholic binges. xii) Thrombocytopenia and other platelet abnormalities are not rare in alcoholics. xiii) The commonly used tablet metronidazole (flagyl) interacts badly with alcohol. xiv) Recurrent infection is very common among chronic alcoholics. The resistance to disease and the immunological defense system are compromised by alcohol intake. xv) Chest infections are notorious in alcoholics. Pneumonia, Lung Abcess, Emphysema and Pulmonary Tuberculosis are all common in alcoholics. xvi) During acute alcoholic intoxication, the drunk person usually vomits, the cough reflexes which are protective are paralysed. The vomits thus easily pass to the lung causing Pneumonia or Lung Abscess. Occasionally it may even cause suffocation and death. xvii) The ill effects of alcohol consumption on women deserves special mention. Females are more vulnerable to alcohol-related Cirrhosis than men. During pregnancy, alcohol consumption has a severe detrimental effect on the foetus. Foetal Alcohol Syndrome is being recognised more and more in the medical profession. xviii) Skin diseases are also related to alcohol indulgence. xix) Eczema, Alopecia, Nail Dystrophy, Paronychia (infection around the nails) and Angular Stomatitis (inflammation of the angle of the mount) are common diseases among alcoholics. 9. Alcoholism is a 'disease'. Medical doctors have now turned liberal towards alcoholics and call alcoholism a disease rather than an addiction. The Islamic Research Foundation has published a pamphlet that says: If alcohol is a disease, it is the only disease that: * Is sold in bottles * Is advertised in newspapers, magazines, on radio and television * Has licensed outlets to spread it * Produces revenue for the government * Brings violent deaths on the highways * Destroys family life and increases crime * Has no germs or viral cause Alcoholism is not a disease - It is Satan's handiwork. Allah (swt) in His Infinite Wisdom has warned us against this snare of Satan. Islam is called the "Deen-ul-Fitrah" or the natural religion of Man. All its injunctions are aimed at preserving the natural state, for the individual as well as for society. Alcohol degrades man to a level below that of the beasts he claims to be superior to. Hence, the consumption of alcohol is prohibited in Islam.