Sheik Islam Mossaad Imam
North Austin Muslim Community Center |
What is Islam? |
Q. Do humans and animals have the same value and protection in your religion?
A. Yes, everything was created by Allah (God). We are the trustees of Allah and he expects us to care for animals. Q. Are there any sacred animals in Islam? A. There aren’t any defined sacred animals, but the horse is noble to Arabs. Q. What are your religion’s thoughts regarding animals as food? A. Halal is similar to kosher. We do not eat pork products or the flesh of land predators. When animals are slaughtered, they do it in the most painless way and they say a prayer in the name of Allah. If they slaughter the animal in the name of another god, the meat is haram or forbidden. Q. Where do the rules about halal and haram come from? A. They come from two sources: the Qur’an (the holy text of Islam), the Hadith (sayings of the prophet Muhammad). Q. What if you were starving and have to eat an animal that is haram? A. People will do this only if their life depends on it. |
People who practice Islam are called Muslims. Muslims have similar rules to Jews about what foods they can eat. In Arabic, halal means correct. These rules, given in the Qur'an, say that Muslims can eat any fruit or vegetable as long as it is not prepared with alcohol. They cannot eat pork and pig products like bacon, ham and other pork. They also cannot eat carnivorous animals such as lions, bears, etc. Birds of prey such as eagles, hawks and vultures are also haram, or forbidden to eat. Muslims cannot eat animals without external ears like birds and reptiles. All animals must be slaughtered in a way to be as painless as possible, and a prayer to Allah must be said for each animal for it to be halal.
Muslims believe that humans have dominion over animals, so we are responsible for the welfare of animals. Muslims do not have sacred animals but horses are noble to Arabs. If you want to learn more about Islam visit the North Austin Muslim Community Center at www.namcc.org/
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