Several vegan Muslim PETA India supporters celebrated Eid by having goats for dawat – not as the main course but as the guests of honour. They prepared a beautiful spread of fresh fruits and vegetables for the rescued animals while sharing the message that Islam, like all religions, teaches compassion and mercy and urging others to sacrifice cruel habits – not animals – by going vegan.
Islam Teaches Kindness to Animals
“Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said, ‘Whoever is kind to the creatures of God is kind to himself.’ This is true. Eating vegan protects us against heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. And by leaving meat and dairy off our plates, we can reduce our carbon footprint from food as individuals by a whopping 73%,” explains PETA India Senior Advocacy Officer Farhat Ul Ain in the video. “Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, also said, ‘There is a reward (ajr) for helping any living creature.’ For me, the reward is feeling good! I feel good when I see animals feeling happy and safe.”
Farhat was joined by PETA India Youth Outreach Coordinator Nazifa Anwar, co-founder of Bhopal-based animal welfare non-profit Animals With Humanity Ayaan Ali Siddiqui, and vegan activist, wildlife rescuer, and member of Andhra Pradesh Animal Welfare Board Mohammad Idris Khan.
Celebrating Eid al-Adha With Compassion
Vegetarian and vegan Muslims – and many others – celebrate Eid al-Adha by distributing vegan food or helping those in need in ways that do not involve animals, over concerns about animal welfare, human health, and the environment. That’s because, in defiance of animal-transport laws, many animals slated for sacrifice and other methods of slaughter are crammed into severely crowded trucks, which routinely causes suffocation and broken bones. During sacrifice and when they are killed in slaughterhouses, animals’ throats are typically cut open in full view of other terrified animals.
The Health Benefits of Eating Vegan
The consumption of meat and other animal-derived foods hurts human health and has been conclusively linked to heart disease, strokes, diabetes, cancer, and obesity. A United Nations report concluded that a global shift towards vegan eating is necessary to combat the worst effects of the climate catastrophe.
Promoting Respect for All
Siddiqui states, “I’ve sacrificed all harmful practices in my life. This isn’t a huge sacrifice – I just stopped eating meat, which is the best thing I could do for my body, the animals, and the planet. When you cook biryani, kheer, and kebabs for Eid, they can easily be made vegan. Let’s understand the rights of animals and show kindness to all creations of Allah.”
By celebrating Eid al-Adha without harming others, you’ll be embracing the kindness to animals promoted by Islam. Instead of taking lives, show animals love by distributing vegan food to those in need, donating to charities, volunteering at animal shelters, or providing water and food for community animals.
Eid Mubarak, friends!
