Question:
Is it wrong for Muslims to become vegetarian?
Answer:
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
According to 4th Edition of Kamus Dewan, vegetarian means: “a person who does not eat meat, fish and others, but only consume vegetables for personal, religious or other reasons.”
According to the above statement, we divided vegetarians into two groups:
- Vegetarian due to personal reasons;
- Vegetarian due to religious beliefs.
If a person becomes a vegetarian due to personal reasons or because his intention is to protect the ecosystem or to reduce his meat intake, then it is permissible. The reason is, in terms of permissible food, it is permissible for us to choose. From Ibn Umar R.Anhuma, the Prophet PBUH said:
الضَّبُّ لَسْتُ آكُلُهُ وَلاَ أُحَرِّمُهُ
"I do not eat mastigure, but I do not prohibit its eating."
Sahih al-Bukhari (5216)
This hadith proves that it is permissible for someone to choose to not to eat permissible food due to personal reasons such as if he does not feel like eating it and others, without believing that it is prohibited for matters of permissibility or prohibition can only be decided by Allah SWT.
In the book al-Muwatta’, written by Imam Malik Rahimahullah, he states a narration from Yahya bin Said, where Umar al-Khattab RA said:
إِيَّاكُمْ وَاللَّحْمَ فَإِنَّ لَهُ ضَرَاوَةً كَضَرَاوَةِ الْخَمْر
“Beware when you consume meat, for there is addiction from it, the same as there is addiction of drinking wine,”
Narrated by Malik (36)
Which means in excess and addiction is bad in any matters.
Whereas, if a person choose to become a vegetarian because of religious beliefs such as the belief in other religion that prohibit eating the meat of cows, or absolute prohibition on the consumption of meat, or denying the sanctioning of qurban (sacrifice) in Eidulaldha and the sunnah ruling of eating the meat of animal of sacrifice, then it is prohibited in Islam.
In our opinion, choosing a good and nutritional food is commanded in Islam. Allah SWT state:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُلُوا مِن طَيِّبَاتِ مَا رَزَقْنَاكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لِلَّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ إِيَّاهُ تَعْبُدُونَ
“O you who have believed, eat from the good things which We have provided for you and be grateful to Allah if it is [indeed] Him that you worship.”
Surah al-Baqarah (172)
From Abu Hurairah RA, the Prophet PBUH said before mentioning the above verse:
أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، إِنَّ اللهَ طَيِّبٌ لَا يَقْبَلُ إِلَّا طَيِّبًا، وَإِنَّ اللهَ أَمَرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِمَا أَمَرَ بِهِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ
“Allah the Almighty is Good and accepts only that which is good. And verily Allah has commanded the believers to do that which He has commanded the Messengers.”
Sahih Muslim (1015)
This shows that Islam commanded us to take care of our bodies by eating good and beneficial food for our well-being, so that we can fulfil our responsibilities as His slaves. If by being a vegetarian does not affect our health due to nutrient deficiency and is not harmful to us, then it is permissible. This is also on the condition of not prohibiting what Allah SWT has ruled as permissible or for bidaah belief that does not originate from Islam. Indeed, every action is based on the intention.
Wallahua’lam.