Since I posted this question I should respond too =) Hmm, let?s see... I have been thinking about becoming a vegetarian for some years now. I first started seriously thinking about it my first year in college, which was 6 years ago. I just didn?t feel comfortable with the idea of eating meat... like if I were to really internalize what I was eating when I was actually chewing on a chicken leg, it would absolutely gross me out. I guess some of my reasons are very basic. The fact that I wasn?t very fond of meat anyways and the fact that I have always adhered to strict zabiha for myself helped me in experimenting with vegetarian foods in college. I?d go weeks w/o any meat in college, and I was fine with it. I still have not gotten to the point where I?m a strict vegetarian, but it?s always at the back of my mind and something I am working toward. Recently, just like Jen, I have also been having thoughts of the ?automatic? halal/zabiha aspect being convenient. Almost ALL of my friends have in the last few years become non-zabiha eaters after research, and what concerns me is the Muslim dinner parties of the future. Since I know I would always be a strict zabiha-eater, it would really irk me to go to a Muslim?s home in the future and find out the meat being served wasn?t zabiha. Therefore, to prevent headache in the future, the best thing for me might be to just go all out vegetarian.

I am a "vegan" because my sheikh put me on a spiritual detox and I have felt so good that I vowed to remain on it forever. I do not beleive that the consumption of animal products is wrong, I simply believe that there are so many injustices and cruelties committed on factory farms that avoiding it all together is a good idea. From hormones and chemicals to animal abuse, to stunning, to even misleading the public about if an animal was slaughtered Islamically or not (we have even caught one guy); I choose the safe route. By eating a vegetarian/vegan diet, I know that everything is 100% halal, that I am putting healthy things into my body, that I am eliminating many causes of cancer and heart disease, and that I am contributing to the betterment of the planet. I am not trying to be nasfy or anything like that, I just think that it is a good choice to make.

Assalamu Alaikum! I've been a vegan for ~ 6 years. I've recently reverted and found the "automatic Halal" aspect really convenient. I thought of it as just one of the ways Allah (SWT) had made the transition easier for me :) I've recently been trying to "get things straight" in my mind about my intentions in veganism after reverting. I was an ethical/health/environmentally motivated vegan before, but always viewed ethical reasons as the most valid for excluding ALL animal products under ALL circimstances to the best of my knowledge. For example, if my motivation is "just" health and/or the environment, would it really be a big deal to eat a bite of something to avoid offending someone else? At first I was concerned that ethical veganism may in effect be making the halal haram. However, after hearing the opinions of others on this and doing a lot of thinking, I've re-convinced myself that it's the best way of life for me as it puts concern and compassion as paramount when choosing the food I eat. In principle, if I knew an animal was treated well in life and slaughtered Islamically, without torture or fear, I COULD eat it, but the thought of eating meat turns my stomach now, so I'd still prefer not to. I feel more comfortable with food I know was produced with kindness (yes I try and eat as much organic as I can, and really should make more of an effort to eat locally) and is healthy for me and those I cook for :) Jazzak Allahu Khairan!