I HAVE been practicing a vegetarian diet my entire life (and recently adopted a vegan diet – which excludes all animal derivatives including dairy, honey, fur, and leather products).
My parents made the radical choice to be vegetarians (and raise their family as one too), not as a signal of religiosity or concern for their health but with the strongest conviction that animals are our kindreds and their lives are equally as sacred as human beings.
This was in the 90s when the concept of “vegetarianism” or animal rights has yet to enter the mainstream, wider Malaysian consciousness.
Even though a vegetarian or plant-based diet is not a foreign concept in Hinduism, (it could be argued it is a central tenet of the religion in many ways), but for reasons I have yet to understand, my parents’ decision to be vegetarians evoked strong opposition from their families.
While we have progressed significantly since the 1990s on the position of animal welfare, the individual choice to opt-out of meat, rather than being accepted as a step towards progress, more often than not, would be met with incredulity and subsequently a flurry of questions raising cause for concern.
Through conversations and debates on the subject within my social circle, the predominant view or assumption remains that animals are put on this planet for the benefit of humans; a belief rooted in an anthropocentric worldview and reading of religious texts.
However, the threat of climate change has forced us to reconsider our relationship with nature and animals given how inextricably linked our ecosystems are. There is reason to be optimistic, as Malaysia continues to be one of the most vegetarian-friendly countries in the world.
According to statistics by Global Vegetarian Index in 2017, there are a total recorded 1,185 vegetarian restaurants in Malaysia, and recent studies estimate the market for vegetarian food and beverage outlets is set to increase.
While a majority of the plant-based population in Malaysia consists of Hindus and Buddhists, there is a growing number of voices within the Muslim community attempting to create awareness.
Fauzi Hussein, owner of Sala Kuala Lumpur
“I have been a vegan for almost nine years. I started looking into veganism when I wanted to lead a healthier lifestyle. After a medical check-up, I was prescribed cholesterol medication by my physician. I was not happy taking regular medication at that age, so I went online looking for answers. I came across articles on a plant-based diet that could help reverse the effect. With nothing to lose, I gave it a go.
"A year later, I went for my check-up and the results were all positive. The physician recommended I continue the medication, but I revealed that I had stopped taking them and was following a strict vegan diet instead. He was shocked and did not believe me.
"He followed up with blood work every three months to check on the progress. He encouraged me to keep it going, and I have been doing so ever since. I wished I had done so 20 years earlier.”
“I was familiar with vegetarian diet but not vegan – I loved cheese and it was hard to let that go as some of my favorite foods had cheese in them. Explaining to family and friends about drastic changes I was making to my lifestyle was not an easy task.
"My mother thought at first that I was becoming a Buddhist and felt it was a huge burden to have to prepare special meals just for me during family gatherings. Finding vegan options in the grocery store was difficult back then.
"You ended up making most of your food at home. Going to events and parties can be a hassle too but I ate ahead before anything. Back then, parties were all about the food but now I get to enjoy the company of people I am with.”
“As a Muslim, we were never told or educated about veganism or vegetarianism. All religious festivals and celebrations involve the slaughtering of animals. For me, it was easy because I was told by my mother that according to Islamic text, if you feel compassion towards the animal that is being slaughtered then you cannot consume it.
"I see Raya Korban as conducting charitable deeds and there are a lot of different ways that that can be done. Why not choose the path of compassion and peace? We are all God's children and creation.”
“I went to school with non-Muslim students, and I am sure there were many that were vegetarians, but we all went on with our lives not knowing anything about it. Imagine all the parties and events we had and not preparing any vegetarian foods – I do feel bad that they were ignored and made invisible.
"Veganism has come a long way since – just look at the options and plant-based alternatives available in the grocery store now.”
Aisya Jabaruddin, co-owner of Mushroom Lah
“This year marks seven years since I have been a vegan. I made the decision to go vegan because I did not want to support the process in which meat is produced and arrives on our tables. Especially now where everything is done on a much larger scale.
"It was just overwhelming for me. I have known about vegetarianism since high school, but I learnt I could contribute more by going vegan. The earliest challenge I faced was adapting to the diet itself, especially if you are surrounded by non-vegans.
"My family was a bit skeptical in the beginning, but they supported my decision anyway. Of course, I still sometimes get questions, but I make sure I have learnt enough to make it easier to explain and educate others. I have made so many vegan friends in Malaysia, which has made it easier.
"The overarching theme of Hari Raya Korban is in the word 'Korban' itself which translates to sacrifice. The gesture of slaughtering animals for meat has become synonymous with the practice of sacrificing our wealth and sharing them with the less fortunate.
"We can apply that in distributing plant-based foods. There is no compulsion for Muslims to sacrifice an animal. It is not obligatory. The essence of the celebration can still be practiced.
"Mushroom Lah started with a need for vegan rendang during Hari Raya. I could not find a vegan rendang recipe that tasted similar to what my mother usually makes so I decided to make it on my own.
"During the lockdown in 2020, I started to post recipes online and make food for my friends. It grew from there, and the demand started to get bigger over time. I did not expect our customers to be overwhelmingly non-vegans.
"Some of them even tricked their family members into thinking they were beef rendang, too. My hope is to make vegan food more accessible to the public and launch more products besides our mushroom rendang.”
Diyana Rahim, runs her own blog writing about her journey as a vegan Muslim
“I became a vegan in October 2015, so it’s been nearly seven years. I watched a documentary called “Cowspiracy” about how animal agriculture massively contributes to greenhouse gas emissions.
"That started to change my perspective but pushed me towards veganism, realising how animals on factory farms are treated. I just didn’t want to contribute to that anymore. I think veganism is not more popular among Muslims because of the tradition and culture of eating meat.
"Meat used to be a luxury and only served during festivities. That is until the advent of industrialisation. Malaysian food culture in general has somehow evolved to be heavily meat-based.
"As a Muslim, I learned that slaughtering an animal isn’t mandatory for Hari Raya Korban. Korban or Sacrifice doesn’t necessarily mean slaughtering an animal. It can be sacrificing your time, money, or other valuable resources that you have.
"I also found a hadith narrated by Imam Al-Bayhaqi from Abu Sarihah Al-Ghaffari saying, “I knew Abu Bakr, or I saw Abu Bakr and Umar and they did not sacrifice, fearing that people would follow them (thinking it is obligatory)”.
"Apparently, the companions of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) did not perform the slaughter every year so people will not think it was compulsory. Furthermore, there are also accounts of the Prophet (pbuh) being semi-vegetarian in his time, and many Sufi Muslims still maintain a vegetarian diet.
"I think knowledge and incentives would be key to encouraging people to adopt a vegan diet. We need to understand why it is important not only for our planet but also for our health and the well-being of animals.
"With incentives to reduce meat consumption like subsidising the prices of fruits and vegetables as well as other vegan products on the market, that would make it easier for people to choose plant-based food.” – The Vibes, July 10, 2022
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