Reviewed by: Shakira Ahmed
Fact Checked by: Shahina Islam
Is vegan halal? Many health conscious muslim millennials ask this question. Halal means items that are considered as permissible in Islam. Vegan items should be halal, because there is no animal extract or animal products in it. But, there might be some items which are impermissible.
The Quran is the guideline for most of the questions that are there in people’s mind. Vegan being a term, as used in the current times, does Quran have the reference of the same? In this article, we will put light on these details.
Is Vegan Halal?
Yes, Vegan is halal in Islam. But there might be a few vegan ingredients like alcohol which is vegan, but is prohibited to consume in Islam and considered haram. Many people these days are turning vegans looking into the health benefits that they can fetch. Some people also have compassion in their heart and thus, they want to stay away from animal products and animal extracts.
A person who is purely a vegan will not depend on eggs, milk, honey and all the items that are based on animals and animal extracts. If someone makes a choice to be a vegan, then it is the person’s personal choice. It’s good to be a vegan. But, if in the name of veganism, a person consumes alcohol then it is haram.
Any drink that has alcohol will have an intoxicating effect on the body. Thus, Islamic laws say that alcohol or any drinks that have even a little content of alcohol is impermissible. Alcohol is permissible in Islam only under special exceptional cases where alcohol is being used for medical purposes to deal with someone’s poor health.
Why is Vegan Considered as Halal?
Vegan food means that it is free from animal products and animal extracts. So, mainly, the vegan foods are free from pork and other animal extracts. Eating pork is prohibited in Islam. That’s the main reason why vegan foods are considered as halal. It is true that non-vegetarian food is consumed in Islam.
But, there is a certain specific way to slaughter the animals. Islam also says that animals should not be ill-treated. Looking into these points, it is seen that being a vegan is halal in Islam. But, the alcohol part should be taken care of.
Alcohol should not be consumed as it is vegan, yet an intoxicating drink which is prohibited. It is important to note that Islam doesn’t abstain from animal slaughter. But they allow only a few animals to be slaughtered and hence only a few items are allowed in Islam.
Vegetarian Vs Vegan: What is the Difference?
Oftentimes, people consider vegetarians as vegan. But there’s a difference. The vegetarians do not eat meat, fish, poultry etc. On the other hand vegans go one more step further. They do not eat anything that involves animal products or animal by-products. Thus, the vegans do not even consume dairy, honey etc.
List of Haram Vegan Foods
Vegan foods do not include animal products and animal by-products and hence they always superficially look halal. But, there are some haram vegan foods as well. You must know the details of the same. Here’s the list of haram vegan foods:
- Alcohol: In Islam, alcohol is haram. Even though it is not made out of animal products or by-products, it has an intoxicating effect and hence, it is prohibited in Islam.
- Vanilla extracts: It is seen that vanilla extracts have 0.01 % of alcohol content and hence it is considered as haram.
- Soy sauce: Soy sauce has 2 % alcohol content for the fermentation process and hence it is haram food.
- Sausages: Some sausages are made out of wine. In that case, it becomes haram food. If sausages are made out of vinegar then it can be considered as halal.
Islamic Laws And Interpretation For Veganism
I see nothing wrong in consuming or using vegan products. Vegan products are free from animal products and animals and hence they are permissible in Islam.
Source: Shaikh Ahmed Kutty
As per the above words which the Scholar Shaikh Ahmed Kutty said at the Islamic Institute of Toronto means that veganism is preferred in Islam. However, it is not a compulsion.
Veganism doesn’t go against the Islamic beliefs. In fact, the Quran also says that the animals and birds have feelings and emotions just like humans. Islam says that it is good to harm these living creatures to the minimum. But, while being vegan, it is essential to check that any alcohol extracts are used in the items or not.
Source: Vegan Review
The above words promote veganism. In fact, Islam encourages veganism and believes that its good to not hurt the animals and live a life that is free from any kind of violent acts.
Read More:
The Final Thoughts On Being a Vegan in Islam
Although it is allowed to eat meat from some animals in Islam, there is no problem, if a person wants to become Islam or follow it with the mindset of being a vegan. But there’s an important thing that a person must keep in mind and that is, use of alcohol.
Even though alcohol and drugs promise to be vegan items, they are strictly prohibited in Islam. It is therefore crucial to understand that these items will not be included in your vegan life. You can also check the above list of haram vegan foods and you will know what you must follow.
FAQs
- What items are included in the vegan lifestyle?
When it comes to veganism and vegan lifestyle, the plant based items are covered. This philosophy refrains from animal based products and animals.
- Are all muslim vegans?
No all muslims are not vegans because they may be eating meat. But, if a muslim wants to adopt the vegan lifestyle and the food patterns that are free from animals and animal products then it’s halal and they can easily follow the same.
- Is being a vegan halal in Islam?
Yes, being a vegan is halal in Islam. It is just that, one should avoid intoxicating drinks like alcohol and drug abuse. These two items are free from animal extracts and are purely chemical or plant based. But you should refrain from using these items.
- Do vegans eat honey and milk?
The vegans do not eat honey as it comes from the animal source. Vegans do not drink milk that comes from animals. Rather, they drink milk that comes from plant based products like almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk etc.
- Does vegan include alcohol?
Since alcohol is not an animal based drink, it is considered vegan. But, drinking alcohol is prohibited in Islam.
