This weekend we had a family braai. It was a delightful, bonding and memorable afternoon spent in delicious weather with laughter, games and, of course, food. An aunt of mine, known for her culinary prowess, had made a quiche and she had specially made it vegetarian in lieu of the fact that my brother and I didn’t eat meat. I was touched. To me, it has been a symbolic shifting of our family’s perception of us as vegetarians. When we announced our vegetarianism (so to speak), it was met with indignation, disbelief and sometimes patronising throwaway comments about it “being a phase.” While I don’t deny we could change our minds later in life, it is frustrating being constantly told your life decisions are as a result of your “naivete” and lack of experience in the “real world” (whatever that means).
Being a vegetarian as a Muslim is often met with surprise. Especially in the cultural contexts we find ourselves, there is somewhat of a fixation with food. At weddings, there isn’t (usually) any dancing so it becomes a celebration of food/through food/by food. Meat features heavily in these events and something isn’t “of substance” if meat doesn’t, in some way, play a starring role. Somehow, people have deemed it their right to equate my “Muslimness” with how much I consume meat. Which is, frankly, ridiculous.
A friend of mine sent me a couple of questions from a friend of hers who was busy writing an article on the experiences of Muslim vegetarians especially in relation to Eid ul Adha. I hadn’t really thought of it as an ethical quandary before and found it slightly bemusing that she would ask if a vegetarian is okay with personally slaughtering an animal. There is no scholarly consensus as to the “obligatory” nature of the act of slaughter for Eid ul Adha. Hence, there hasn’t been a conflict for me as I tend to prefer to give additional charity to the poor on this occasion rather than slaughter. Upon the birth of my children one day (if I want to have children, God willing) I won’t perform the ritual Aqeeqah and rather give equivalent amounts to charities doing sterling social upliftment work.
However, I have memories of watching slaughter as a child. My grandfather, being a prominent Imam in the community, personally slaughtered many animals. He was exceptionally gentle with slaughter though and I remember him soothing the animals before slaughter. Whether this is an objective recollection or one tinged with nostalgia is also debatable. To be fair though, his compassion and understanding in everything he did would lead me to believe that he would never have been cruel or unfeeling in the process of slaughter. It has recently come to light though, that Eid has become an excuse for inhumane mass slaughters where the animals are petrified and basic conditions are repetitively violated.
The origins of the animal sacrifice stem from Abrahamic times, whereby it is believed that the Prophet Ibrahim was commanded to sacrifice his son (Ismail) and an animal miraculously took its place. The re-enactment of the sacrifice is meant to epitomise, amongst other things: the concept of ultimate submission to a greater power than ourselves, altruism to the extent of actual self-sacrifice and (in the act of the replacement of Ismail with the animal) the mercy and compassion of a God who understands our humanity. Those are the lessons I take from it anyway.
In light of this being the backdrop, I am surprised that the mass slaughter and the terror which some animals experience as well as the environmental impact of increased demand for meat during this religious festival (which also marks the end of the pilgrimage) can be reconciled with religious responsibility and living with integrity.
There is a particularly apt verse from the Quran which magnifies this:
“It is not their meat nor their blood that reaches Allah; it is your piety that reaches Him.” (Qur’an 22:37)
If the idea behind the ritual is sacrifice and submission to God, how is giving in to base desires of consuming meat on a large scale consonant with this? How much of a sacrifice is it when we pay butchers to do it? How much of this act affirms our humility and submission?
Religious rules (like the abolishment of alcohol) are often explained as being aimed to the “lowest common denominator”, i.e. in the example of alcohol not all people are “intoxicated” by a glass of wine, yet there is consensus that alcohol is banned on the basis that subjective levels of alcohol tolerance are difficult to formulate into easy rules (and religion is all about the easy blue print to a morally righteous and socially cohesive lifestyle right? Eh.) In this case, when there is a flagrant abuse of the halal standards, when technology has evolved, when there are other means of offering sacrifice and giving to the poor, what is the “lowest common denominator” approach here? Is slaughter on Eid relevant any more?
Right on! I’ve been vegetarian for 13 years and Muslim for only 6. Here in the northeast US, I’m surrounded by people of all kinds, including a few vegetarians, a few Muslims (never met anyone else who was both), and lots and lots of people who eat meat including pork. Usually I don’t have to explain my pork prohibition because the vegetarianism encompasses it and more. My Christian/secular family accepted the vegetarianism in a mixed bag of disappointment, dismissal, and apathy. My husband and in-laws have been actually more accepting of it, though I suspect this has more to do with their acceptance of me than concern over my food choices. My husband’s Muslim friends joke around about it and tell me I’m crazy, just as many immature Americans have done. I feel slightly awkward at Eid al-Adha just as I do at Thanksgiving and any other meat-centered meal, and I feel sadness for the animals but especially for the sheep, for some reason. Thank you for your perspective and for taking part in this more sustainable and compassionate lifestyle. I wish you success in dealing with the pro-meat attitude that crosses continents and cultures, and wish you a blessed Eid!
Narjis. Thank you so much for your kind words. I wish you a blessed, happy Eid as well. May I ask why there was disappointment from your Christian/Secular family? I have found that the disappointment has mainly come from my Muslim family where it is disguised under “religiosity”. Christian/secular encounters are more, “wow you have restraint” type attitude.
Feel sadness for the sheep
You sound like a wonderful person.
The disappointment is mostly from my mother, who bemoaned the fact that I would not be eating certain dishes she cooked, and that she might have to go out of her way to accommodate me. She’s good-hearted but can’t understand how someone could be not like her, and restrain themselves from certain things, like wine (Islam), meat (the poor animals!) or seafood (I just don’t like it, never have.) People can be strangely defensive of other people’s preferences, no matter how “liberal” they may be.
Your compliment made my day! I never ate lamb because they’re so cute and fuzzy and make wool for us. I was especially sad to hear how in my hubby’s home country they buy a live lamb, feed it and keep it for a week, then kill it and eat it for Eid. OMG my heart is breaking at the thought. As much as I am humanitarian and love the idea of sharing with the poor, I can’t help but love animals even more. Sorry, humans
Strangely defensive of other people’s preferences. 100 percent agree with that from experience.
Awww, you sound like such a sweet soul. Lucky animals there are humanitarians like you
There is a growing consensus among Muslims (who reflect) that what we do to animals, especially during this time, is indicative of our own character. That the compassion and mercy we show to the most innocent of creation is a reflection of how we perceive our own relationship to the Divine. There are many, many of us who are looking for an alternative to the way things have been done.
Thank you for this post. Hope you don’t mind, I have shared it with other like minded folks on my fb page (True Eid Sacrifice).
I am touched you thought to repost. It is something very close to my heart. I think our relationship with every being is a reflection of the relationship with the divine, an agree with you wholeheartedly.
This might interest you: http://www.facebook.com/notes/rainer-ebert/an-open-letter-concerning-eid-al-adha-to-our-muslim-brothers-and-sisters/10150352676128051
Really well put. I agree with the the sentiments completely.
I think that at certain times in history for certain cultures, the animals play the role that money plays today. I don’t think our Creator wants animals sacrificed, as in the verse you quoted, what He wants is our piety, our putting our steps into His Steps, changing our hearts.
salam aleikum! mashAllah we are not alone! alhamdulillah <3
Thank you
It is nice to know there are other muslims who are in this together.
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Slaughtering sheep definitely plays a spiritual role in enhancing piety, for the reasons you mentioned. Is there an alternative to slaughtering sheep, keeping this symbolism? I don’t like the idea of throwing away a tradition completely.
Is there an alternative to slaughtering the sheep? As in slaughtering something? I think a day of sacrifice, of time of money is something worth implementing. e.g inviting people to our homes for lunch. Volunteering out services in the week up to eid. Like the Nelson mandela 60 minutes thing perhaps? I dont have a problem with people slaughtering sheep themselves as well perhaps. If they don’t subscribe to vegetarianism, I think there is something extremely sombre and humbling if one raises a sheep, loves the sheep and then has to slaughter. Mass slaughter is no sacrifice however.
Erm. This is all said at 3am so might be garbled and utter nonsense. *disclaimer*
Hare Krishna. I belong to the Hare Krishna movement where vegetarianism is very close to our hearts. We promote love and care to all of God’s creatures. It is so sad to see how poorly animals are treated and it warms my heart to know that there are people like you who are in support of caring for God’s creatures. You are truly inspiring and i believe that you are pleasing the Almighty Allah very much.
Your servant
Candrasekhara das
Hare Krsna
Thank you. What a heartwarming message. I am so touched.
I’m Muslim and vegetarian too, and animal rights are very close to my heart. I was in Egypt when it was Eid al Adha, and I saw more than one sheep being killed on the street. I also saw some boys repeatedly beating a group of sheep with a stick just for the fun of it. All this made me very angry. I didn’t celebrate and just tried to ignore the day. I know this is not how it’s supposed to be, but I really feel for those millions of sheep who are being killed, and not always mercifully.
I also read that you have to slaughter an animal when you are on Hajj! I could never do this, nor do I want to pay for a sheep to be slaughtered. I believe there are other ways of giving charity. Other Muslims have even said to me that it’s not allowed to be a vegetarian because God allowed the slaughtering of animals, and it made me feel rather resentful. It’s an issue that continues to bug me greatly.