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 upto
mankind to use every resource in this world judiciously, as a niyamat
(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 and a pure vegetarian. It is not
compulsory for a Muslim to have meat.
2. Qur’an
permits Muslims to have non-vegetarian food
The
Qur’an, however permits a Muslim to
have non-vegetarian food. The following
Qur’anic verses are proof of this fact:
"O ye
who believe!
Fulfil (all)
obligations. Lawful unto you (for food) are all four-footed animals
with the exceptions named."
[Al-Qur’an
5:1]
"And
cattle He has created for you (men): from them Ye derive warmth, and numerous
benefits, And of their (meat) ye eat."
[Al-Qur’an
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."
[Al-Qur’an
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 B1 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 pointed teeth i.e. suited for
a carnivorous diet. If you analyze the 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 vegetables. 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.
Even plants have life
Certain
religions have adopted pure vegetarianism as a dietary law because they
are totally against the killing of living creatures. In 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 fulfilled even by being a pure vegetarian.
7.
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 tells 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
plants can even feel happy and sad. It can also cry.
8. 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:
"O ye
people! Eat of what is on earth, lawful and good"
[Al-Qur’an
2:168]
11. Over
population of cattle
If
every human being was 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.