Veganism and Islam

First, the Qur'an mentions things that Israel abstained from, which refers to choice. However, Israel (propht Jacob) abstained from camel meat, since pork was already forbidden. On the other hand, in Islam sacrificing animals for the sake of Allah is type of worship, and since a vegan won't sacrifice an animal, he/she forfeits this worship. Therefore, refusing a type of Allah's worship has dire consequences. Then, the question arises, is sacrificing an animal required or not? Yes, it required. For example, in the Hajj times and at the child birth and or the Eid Al-Udha. The conclusion is: a Muslim can abstain from meat as long as he/she wants to, but must eat at some point as for not following the veganism religion. And must slaughter and sacrifice animals. If you can't or won't sacrifice an animal for Allah, how will you fight for the sake of Allah at the time of jihad. Showing mercy to animals is required, slaughter however is not cruelty, is part of nature. Brothers and sisters stop being cowards. Allah knows it all.

Would you also forbid for yourself the foods of the Heaven? Refusing to accept the kindness of Allah? Oh no please. Let explain it a bit: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تُحَرِّ‌مُوا طَيِّبَاتِ مَا أَحَلَّ اللَّـهُ لَكُمْ وَلَا تَعْتَدُوا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُعْتَدِينَ / وَكُلُوا مِمَّا رَ‌زَقَكُمُ اللَّـهُ حَلَالًا طَيِّبًا ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ الَّذِي أَنتُم بِهِ مُؤْمِنُونَ O ye who believe! make not unlawful the good things which Allah hath made lawful for you, but commit no excess: for Allah loveth not those given to excess. / Eat of the things which Allah hath provided for you, lawful and good; but fear Allah, in Whom ye believe. [Al-Ma`idah, 87,88] قَدْ خَسِرَ‌ الَّذِينَ قَتَلُوا أَوْلَادَهُمْ سَفَهًا بِغَيْرِ‌ عِلْمٍ وَحَرَّ‌مُوا مَا رَ‌زَقَهُمُ اللَّـهُ افْتِرَ‌اءً عَلَى اللَّـهِ ۚ قَدْ ضَلُّوا وَمَا كَانُوا مُهْتَدِينَ Lost are those who slay their children, from folly, without knowledge, and forbid food which Allah hath provided for them, inventing (lies) against Allah. They have indeed gone astray and heeded no guidance. [Al-An'am, 140] which verses clearly say those who forbid for themselves what Allah has allowed for them have gone astray and so will be subjected to punishment. Also remember the story of Moses peace be upon him about his tribe: وَظَلَّلْنَا عَلَيْكُمُ الْغَمَامَ وَ*أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَنَّ وَالسَّلْوَىٰ* ۖ كُلُوا مِن طَيِّبَاتِ مَا رَ‌زَقْنَاكُمْ ۖ وَمَا ظَلَمُونَا وَلَـٰكِن كَانُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ /... كُلُوا وَاشْرَ‌بُوا مِن رِّ‌زْقِ اللَّـهِ وَلَا تَعْثَوْا فِي الْأَرْ‌ضِ مُفْسِدِينَ / وَإِذْ قُلْتُمْ يَا مُوسَىٰ لَن نَّصْبِرَ‌ عَلَىٰ طَعَامٍ وَاحِدٍ فَادْعُ لَنَا رَ‌بَّكَ يُخْرِ‌جْ لَنَا مِمَّا تُنبِتُ الْأَرْ‌ضُ مِن بَقْلِهَا وَقِثَّائِهَا وَفُومِهَا وَعَدَسِهَا وَبَصَلِهَا ۖ قَالَ أَتَسْتَبْدِلُونَ الَّذِي هُوَ أَدْنَىٰ بِالَّذِي هُوَ خَيْرٌ‌ ۚ اهْبِطُوا مِصْرً‌ا فَإِنَّ لَكُم مَّا سَأَلْتُمْ ۗ وَ*ضُرِ‌بَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الذِّلَّةُ وَالْمَسْكَنَةُ وَبَاءُوا بِغَضَبٍ مِّنَ اللَّـهِ* ۗ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يَكْفُرُ‌ونَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّـهِ وَيَقْتُلُونَ النَّبِيِّينَ بِغَيْرِ‌ الْحَقِّ ۗ ذَٰلِكَ بِمَا عَصَوا وَّكَانُوا يَعْتَدُونَ And We gave you the shade of clouds and sent down to you Manna and quails, saying: "Eat of the good things We have provided for you:" (But they rebelled); to us they did no harm, but they harmed their own souls. / ... So eat and drink of the sustenance provided by Allah, and do no evil nor mischief on the (face of the) earth. / And remember ye said: "O Moses! we cannot endure one kind of food (always); so beseech thy Lord for us to produce for us of what the earth groweth, -its pot-herbs, and cucumbers, Its garlic, lentils, and onions." He said: "Will ye exchange the better for the worse? Go ye down to any town, and ye shall find what ye want!" They were covered with humiliation and misery; they drew on themselves the wrath of Allah. This because they went on rejecting the Signs of Allah and slaying His Messengers without just cause. This because they rebelled and went on transgressing. [Al-Baqarah, 57,60,61] And Also remind the foods in the Heaven: وَلَحْمِ طَيْرٍ‌ مِّمَّا يَشْتَهُونَ And the flesh of fowls, any that they may desire. [Al-Waqi'a, 21] Also note that milk and honey are among the very special foods Allah has prepared in Dunya for the human being which are simultaneously both food and cure. Slaughtering special (not all) animals is also a part of Islam, as Hadjatul-Islam is Wajib for every Muslim slaughtering is also obligatory at least once in a life time for every Muslim, too. If one thinks by avoiding slaughtering such specific animals only up to an acceptable need is like being cruel then that's like he claims Oh I am kinder than Allah to His created species: أَوَلَمْ يَرَ‌وْا أَنَّا خَلَقْنَا لَهُم مِّمَّا عَمِلَتْ أَيْدِينَا أَنْعَامًا فَهُمْ لَهَا مَالِكُونَ See they not that it is We Who have created for them - among the things which Our hands have fashioned - cattle, which are under their dominion?- [Ya-Sin, 71] Don't you see many animals eat many other animals, are they cruel? Just kill all the savages and see if the Earth is ever like a place that is livable. But we are not allowed to kill any savage animal or animals out of the bond Allah has determined as our food bond. One question you can probably ask your vegetarian friends is that "don't you see the two sharp teeth in your mouth?", or "don't you think plants are also living species?" (just place your camera at a corner and capture for some hours or days to see their tries to remain alive like any other animal, they grow, they breath, they eat, they are multiplied). Obviously all these stories have other roots, different than simply loving nature. For example see how many documentary is produced about saving the life of animals (which is important, really) but then neglecting many human beings being gradually dies out of povetry, out of hunger, being oppressed and suffer in Palestine, in Syria, in Iraq, in Afghanistan, in Pakistan, in Myanmar, in Bahrain, in Yeman, newly in Africa and elsewhere by countries like United States and its Allies, who have the longest claims for caring for the life of animals and etc. Anyway, the direct answer to your question after all these statements is straightforward as Quran is clear about the issue: If you intend to announce some foods bad for you or eating it for nature while Allah has allowed it, or if you make a decision to stop eating any Halal things intentionally with no necessity for such a decision (like prescribed by a physician) or not any temporarily, or if you intent to promote being vegetarian all would be Haram and declaring it in public would be a sign of trying to make people go astray. That someone likes a taste and hate another has nothing to do with this issue of course, it is not like banning a Halal thing for yourself, time passes and one day you will see your taste has been changed, as minerals and other things that body requires can change (although there are many other discussions following it) At the end, remind that I am not an scholar, Godspeed :)

Veganism is a system that governs consumption, and does not involve beliefs that are contrary to Islam. So from that angle there's nothing in veganism that is haram. In fact, being kind to animals is an act that is rewarded by Allah. There is the famous story of the man who went to paradise for going out of his way to bring water to a thirsty dog, and the story of the woman who went to hell for starving a cat to death. However, you should still scrutinize vegan products to see if they are halal. While you will of course not run into issues with zabiha meat and pork products, there is still the matter of alcohol which is vegetable based. That is one example I can think of a vegan friendly product that is not halal.

Lets examine veganism. Veganism is a form of commercial protest and propaganda. First, it oppresses the meat, dairy, poultry, and leather markets. Secondly, it promotes vegetables, fruits, and grain markets. This makes veganism a market rigging method concocted by farming societies think tank. Literally, this constitutes a form of riba by boycotting the halal means of food and effects the livelihood of millions. On the other hand, animals are here on earth for us - humans- to enjoy their companion and beauty, eat, wear they leather, and use them as a tool or ride their backs. A proper handling, caring and slaughtering is required at all times. If animals are not utilized properly and left unslaughterd, they will outnumber people and compete for resources. This unbalances the nature and the ecosystem. Therefore, slaughtering them is really doing good for them. Then, there is the animal sacrifice warship of Allah. I am not surprised with a Muslim in the western world to become a vegan, cuz there's hardly any halal meat. You never know where that meat in the grocery store came from? But, who are you to judge? The beauty of Islam is: things are halal as long as they are not explicitly forbidden and you can't prove them haram otherwise. Therefore, in my opinion and humble reasoning the veganism is highly likely and almost haram. Please let me if there is anything that makes it halal or permissible. Allah knows it all.

I have found some relevant verses and a couple of possible issues. I am sure there must be others. A good deed done to an animal is as meritorious as a good deed done to a human being, while an act of cruelty to an animal is as bad as an act of cruelty to a human being. (Hadith Mishkat, Book 6, Ch. 7, 8:178) He who takes pity even on a sparrow and spares its life, Allah will be merciful on him on the Day of Judgement. (Abu Huraira Volume 3, Book 40, Number 551) Allah will not give mercy to anyone, except those who give mercy to other creatures. (Hadith Abdullah b. Amr: Abu Daud & Tirmidhi) Islam explicitly forbids pork, but vegans abstain from other meat, too. If other meats were meant to be avoided, perhaps this would have been mentioned. Or perhaps other meat is also forbidden, but this is either not mentioned or it is not discussed. Is slitting the throat of an animal in such a way that it remains alive and pumps its life's blood out humane? Does this question have any relevance, since a vegan wouldn't kill an animal for meat?