I Am Confused Whether Allowed To Eat Non-Veg

Satshri Akal Sat Sangat Ji,

I might be stupid to ask this but kindly guide me on this.

Its been long i am under a confusion whether to eat non veg or not.Firstly a great confusion

Sikhs- No fish no sea food no smoke as mention in guru Granth Sahib Ji else do most often eat chicken & drink

Hindus-No cow no Buffallo no else people take their own choice

Muslims- No pig no drink but else do

Why our religion is different, i am from a hindu-sikh family, dont know what to do what not to.
But i some times leave non veg for months & feel frustated,then again starts.

I feel guilty sometimes & again leave it.

I am physically very weak & underweight doctor suggest to have eggs & non veg once a week if possible.

What to Do?

re: I am confused whether allowed to eat non veg

Sikhs- No fish no sea food no smoke as mention in guru Granth Sahib Ji else do most often eat chicken & drink

Click to expand...

Mukul singh ji

Guru Granth Sahib Ji is silent on this issue. Sikhs were also known as non veg community infact it is Hindu's that are vegetarians

Please read the following threads and then make up your mind

http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/sikh-sikhi-sikhism/8828-fools-who-wrangle-over-flesh.html

http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/sikh-sikhi-sikhism/29533-jhatka.html

re: I am confused whether allowed to eat non veg

source: http://www.sikhs.org/meat.htm

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Misconceptions About Eating Meat[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]by Sandeep Singh Brar[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The view of Sikhism is that eating meat or abstaining from it is the individuals choice. A Sikh is considered no lesser or greater a Sikh if they eat meat or are a vegetarian.[/FONT]


[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Final Ruling from Akal Takht[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Akal Takht represents the final authority on controversial issues concerning the Sikh Panth, in this regard the issue of meat eating has been settled. Hukamnama issued by Akal Takht Jathedar Sandhu Singh Bhaura dated February 15th 1980 that Amritdhari Sikhs can eat meat as long as it is jhatka meat and that eating meat does not go against the code of conduct, Kurehit, of the Sikhs. Thus a Sikh cannot be excommunicated for eating meat.[/FONT]


[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The Sikh Reht Maryada (The Official Code of Conduct)[/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]An Amritdhari Khalsa Sikh is not allowed to eat the meat of an animal slaughtered the Muslim way.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]In Punjabi the word "Kuttha" specifically means meat prepared according to the Muslim ritual slaughter.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Punjabi-English Dictionary, Punjabi University, Dept. of Punjabi Lexicography, Published Dec. 1994. "Kuttha: meat of animal or fowl slaughtered slowly as prescribed by Islamic law."[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Punjabi English Dictionary, Singh Bros., Amritsar "Kuttha: Tortured, killed according to Mohammedan law."[/FONT]


[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]What is Jhatka Meat and Why?[/FONT] [FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Jhatka meat is meat in which the animal has been killed quickly without suffering or religious ritual. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Sikhism, A Complete Introduction, Dr. H.S.Singha & Satwant Kaur, Hemkunt Press[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]We must give the rationale behind prescribing jhatka meat as the approved food for the Sikhs. According to the ancient Aryan Hindu tradition, only such meat as is obtained from an animal which is killed with one stroke of the weapon causing instantaneous death is fit for human consumption.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]However, with the coming of Islam into India and the Muslim political hegemony, it became a state policy not to permit slaughter of animals for food, in any other manner, except as laid down in the Quran - the kosher meat prepared by slowly severing the main blood artery of the throat of the animal while reciting verses from the Quran. It is done to make slaughter a sacrifice to God and to expiate the sins of the slaughter. Guru Gobind Singh took a rather serious view of this aspect of the whole matter. He, therefore, while permitting flesh to be taken as food repudiated the whole theory of this expiatory sacrifice and the right of ruling Muslims to impose iton the non-Muslims. Accordingly, he made jhatka meat obligatory for those Sikhs who may be interested in taking meat as a part of their food.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Sikhs and Sikhism, Dr. I.J.Singh, Manohar Publishers.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]And one semitic practice clearly rejected in the Sikh code of conduct is eating flesh of an animal cooked in ritualistic manner; this would mean kosher and halal meat. The reason again does not lie in religious tenet but in the view that killing an animal with a prayer is not going to enoble the flesh. No ritual, whoever conducts it, is going to do any good either to the animal or to the diner. Let man do what he must to assuage his hunger. If what he gets, he puts to good use and shares with the needy, then it is well used and well spent, otherwise not.[/FONT]


[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Why is Meat not served in Langar?[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The reason why meat is not served at langar in the Gurdwaras is because langar is supposed to be a symbol of equality of mankind where all people no matter what race, religion or caste can eat toghether in the atmosphere of brotherhood. Hindu, Sikh, Muslim, it does not matter who they are. Different religions have different dietary restrictions. Hindus cannot eat cow, muslims cannot eat pork and will only eat halal meat. Jews will only eat kosher meat, others cannot eat fish or eggs. But in a gurdwara langar, it does not matter what their dietary taboos or religious beliefs are, the food is designed so that all can eat together and no one will be offended or not be able to partake of the meal.[/FONT]

re: I am confused whether allowed to eat non veg

I feel like eating medium rare 16 oz. nice and juicy Kobe steak which is not that expensive in Las Vegas.

re: I am confused whether allowed to eat non veg

I feel like eating tender malai kofta in a perfectly seasoned tomato cream sauce with bhindi masala on the side, extra hot. But the latter is always a risk because not many make it that well. That is the perfect meal, IMHO, with onion stuffed kulcha. LOL

After that the food of southern India makes me very content.

Having said that -- why do we fret on this point? This is a serious question on my part. The subject of "meat" consumes more emotion than most other topics in Sikhism.

re: I am confused whether allowed to eat non veg

Mukul ji,

As a Sikh and Amritdhari you can eat whatever you like so long as it is not "Kuttha" (Kosher or Halal meat).

I eat whatever I like, and on purpose, I try and control the stuff i like the taste of the most. In my case Channay!

When it comes to your health, do not injure that. I have met too many ill Sikh people who have been advised by idiotic, Sants and Baba's not to eat eggs meat (when doctors have told them), and they have got very ill.

Eat with a clear conscience my friend, the Guru's did. Some were meat eaters and some were vegetarian. It was not an issue for them and it should not be an issue for you.

Here you will find meat eating Sikhs and vegetarian Sikhs and some vegetarian Sikhs who will eat eggs, some who will eat only fish etc etc.

re: I am confused whether allowed to eat non veg

Thank you all, this was one of the first question by me on joiining SPN, which fell to deaf ears...

but i am very content on the answers provided here. Very well explained and without any offense.


My only concern was a line by Kanwardeep Singh ji "Guru Granth Sahib Ji is silent on this issue.".

Rest all well said.

Thanks jeeo

re: I am confused whether allowed to eat non veg

I will answer a bit more. Take care of your body, ji.


Actually, I wrote this elsewhere on SPN, but perhaps it bears repeating (Or maybe not):

I am a lifelong vegetarian (except for a short period of time when I was unable to prepare my own food and had to eat what was offered or starve.) I grew up thinking this was just the way it was for Sikhs. Certainly meat was eaten in my French Canadian mother's family's home, but I was always able to find something to eat when I was there. For a long time, I believed that only a lactovegetarian (or vegan) could be a good Sikh. For those who may not know, lactovegetarians do not eat meat or eggs, but do eat dairy, while vegans do not eat any animal products, including dairy and honey.


Something bothered me, though. If meat were totally forbidden, why did the SRM make a point of the taboo on Khalsa eating "meat killed in the Muslim way." If all meat was forbidden, wouldn't it just say that?

I am still a lactovegetarian for some very good reasons involving health of my body and the ecological balance of the earth. If one were to make an argument of Sikhi as a vegetarian religion, I think that would be the place to start, the care of our bodies, and the respectful and careful use of our natural resources on the planet, with the raising of animals for food being wasteful. This would also, of course, include dairy animals. So then would we also eschew paneer and gulab jaman, not to mention anything containing butter ghee, such as parshad? Perhaps we have reached a stage where we wish to avoid meat, rather than killing an innocent animal for our sensuous pleasure. This would be a good thing, I think, but not a part of Sikhi. On a personal level, the idea of consuming a corpse nauseates me.

As an adult, I have known several omnivorous Amritdhari Sikhs whom I highly admire. Far be it from me to criticise these Khalsa who are much farther on this journey than am I.

As for langar, that really should remain vegetarian for several reasons. The langar should be inclusive. Anybody should be welcome and able to eat there. Many Sikhs are vegetarian and we most certainly should be able to eat without violating our own principles.

I believe the SGGS ji advises us that we have more important things to concern ourselves with than eating meat or not. (Someone more knowledgeable than I can provide the reverence.) I believe this whole issue is a diversion from the really important principles of the Sikh way of life. Much more dangerous than chomping on a Big Mac is the possibility of Sikhi degenerating into a legalistic religion. YECH!! We are facing serious divisions in the Panth about really important matters that threaten a schism in the Panth. Our time and energy would be better spent uniting us as one people than arguing about diet.

:happykaur::happysingh:

re: I am confused whether allowed to eat non veg

My only concern was a line by Kanwardeep Singh ji "Guru Granth Sahib Ji is silent on this issue.".

Click to expand...

What I am trying to say is Guru granth sahib neither oppose meat eating,neither promote it.

re: I am confused whether allowed to eat non veg

Thanks Kanwardeep Singh ji for clarifying it.

Mai Harinder Kaur ji..very well said..we surely have more important tasks at our hand than to discuss about these things...Thanks a lot

Regards

re: I am confused whether allowed to eat non veg

Rupinder.Singh said:

Thank you all, this was one of the first question by me on joiining SPN, which fell to deaf ears...

but i am very content on the answers provided here. Very well explained and without any offense.


My only concern was a line by Kanwardeep Singh ji "Guru Granth Sahib Ji is silent on this issue.".

Rest all well said.

Thanks jeeo

Click to expand...

Mahraj tackles the issue in one place ONLY in Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji. Some people would have you believe it is tackled elsewhere, but it is NOT! Here is the Shabad from Bani:

Page 1289 Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

re: I am confused whether allowed to eat non veg

Mai Harinder Kaur said:

I will answer a bit more. Take care of your body, ji.


Actually, I wrote this elsewhere on SPN, but perhaps it bears repeating (Or maybe not):

I am a lifelong vegetarian (except for a short period of time when I was unable to prepare my own food and had to eat what was offered or starve.) I grew up thinking this was just the way it was for Sikhs. Certainly meat was eaten in my French Canadian mother's family's home, but I was always able to find something to eat when I was there. For a long time, I believed that only a lactovegetarian (or vegan) could be a good Sikh. For those who may not know, lactovegetarians do not eat meat or eggs, but do eat dairy, while vegans do not eat any animal products, including dairy and honey.


Something bothered me, though. If meat were totally forbidden, why did the SRM make a point of the taboo on Khalsa eating "meat killed in the Muslim way." If all meat was forbidden, wouldn't it just say that?

I am still a lactovegetarian for some very good reasons involving health of my body and the ecological balance of the earth. If one were to make an argument of Sikhi as a vegetarian religion, I think that would be the place to start, the care of our bodies, and the respectful and careful use of our natural resources on the planet, with the raising of animals for food being wasteful. This would also, of course, include dairy animals. So then would we also eschew paneer and gulab jaman, not to mention anything containing butter ghee, such as parshad? Perhaps we have reached a stage where we wish to avoid meat, rather than killing an innocent animal for our sensuous pleasure. This would be a good thing, I think, but not a part of Sikhi. On a personal level, the idea of consuming a corpse nauseates me.

As an adult, I have known several omnivorous Amritdhari Sikhs whom I highly admire. Far be it from me to criticise these Khalsa who are much farther on this journey than am I.

As for langar, that really should remain vegetarian for several reasons. The langar should be inclusive. Anybody should be welcome and able to eat there. Many Sikhs are vegetarian and we most certainly should be able to eat without violating our own principles.

I believe the SGGS ji advises us that we have more important things to concern ourselves with than eating meat or not. (Someone more knowledgeable than I can provide the reverence.) I believe this whole issue is a diversion from the really important principles of the Sikh way of life. Much more dangerous than chomping on a Big Mac is the possibility of Sikhi degenerating into a legalistic religion. YECH!! We are facing serious divisions in the Panth about really important matters that threaten a schism in the Panth. Our time and energy would be better spent uniting us as one people than arguing about diet.

:happykaur::happysingh:

Click to expand...

Some excellent points Mai ji. I think the biggest issue of our time is LObh (Greed) and over consumption, not meat!

re: I am confused whether allowed to eat non veg

Rupinder.Singh said:

Thanks Kanwardeep Singh ji for clarifying it.

Mai Harinder Kaur ji..very well said..we surely have more important tasks at our hand than to discuss about these things...Thanks a lot

Regards

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SatSangat Ji,

Thanks for all your replies, i got my answers.

I am feeling happy about my descision, whether to eat non-veg or not.

Take care of health,nothing should hinder principles of life, do not hurt anybodies sentiments, rest all is fine & if want to eat non-veg that should be Jhatka.

Meherbani SatSangat Ji
Mukul Singh

re: I am confused whether allowed to eat non veg

Randip Singh said:

Some excellent points Mai ji. I think the biggest issue of our time is LObh (Greed) and over consumption, not meat!

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Who took my last 2 huge slices of 8 cheese toppings of the pizza? I was waiting for my first 10 slices to go below my chest. Culprits will be punished by having to eat one whole soya bean cow and I know they are happily and anxiously waiting for their punishment.

Tejwant Singh

re: I am confused whether allowed to eat non veg

SAT SHRI AKAAL JI
firstly i m very sorry about my bad english language.
now i would like to raise a point which has not been discussed here.....
as far i have heard about eating non-veg its one's choice ...but.

there can be two things :-
1) I eat non veg due to some medical reason(doctor's advice or whatever).
2) I eat non veg bcoz i like the taste , i eat for taste of my toungue.

in the above two cases if I eat for the taste , i kill the god's creation for my pleasure , taste etc than it will be termed as a sin.( AS FAR AS THE LUST OF TASTE IS CONSIDERED).
if i eat non veg in some extremely condition than it cannot be considered as sin.(NOT FOR THE TASTE BUT TO SERVE THE BODY TO STAY ALIVE).

u c there r two things , 1 is that u mentally wants to eat it ,n 2 is that u need to eat non veg bcoz u have to serve the body.
please comment whether the above stated is wright or wrong.
i have left eating non veg since last yer..... and i m very very happy for this..and hope the youth should also understand this.

re: I am confused whether allowed to eat non veg

Gurtejsinghji

You seem to be caught in an uncomfortable, maybe even painful dilemma. The decision to eat meat or not is a matter of individual choice and conscience. For some the choice is driven by family traditions and for others family and culture. There is no prohibition against eating meat within Sikhi. There are prohibitions against other things.

There are only 4 kurehits or transgressions for Sikhs who have taken Sikh baptism,

The under mentioned four transgressions (tabooed practices) must be avoided:
<dl><dd> (1) Dishonoring the hair;
(2) Eating the meat of an animal slaughtered the Muslim way;
(3) Cohabiting with a person other than one’s spouse;
(4) Using tobacco.
</dd></dl>Sikhism - Sikh Rehat Maryada

For all sikhs these are generally considered off-limits if one wishes consistency with the maryada.

It is not necessary for you to be consumed with guilt if you decide to eat meat or decide to avoid it. For more information about meat please see the thread Fools Who Wrangle over Flesh and Meat. There are other interesting threads on the subjects that you have asked about.

Re: I am confused whether allowed to eat non veg

thank you for replying.
my point is only to change the mentality about eating non veg.
if i kills the beautiful creations of god just for the "lust of taste" than its wrong.God has created much more things.why to kill a lovely creature for just of my toungue.

Re: I am confused whether allowed to eat non veg

Gurtejsingh said:

thank you for replying.
my point is only to change the mentality about eating non veg.
if i kills the beautiful creations of god just for the "lust of taste" than its wrong.God has created much more things.why to kill a lovely creature for just of my toungue.

Click to expand...

I understand and agree completely. I am a vegetarian for many reasons, that one among them. I am not a vegetarian because my religion demands that, however.

Re: I am confused whether allowed to eat non veg

Gurtejsingh said:

thank you for replying.
my point is only to change the mentality about eating non veg.
if i kills the beautiful creations of god just for the "lust of taste" than its wrong.God has created much more things.why to kill a lovely creature for just of my toungue.

Click to expand...

Ok please explain to me:

1) Does all vegetarian food taste bad? Do you not eat that for taste?
2) Do plants not live? Are they not innocent? They cannot even make a noise when they are killed for your taste pleasure?

Please explain this?

Re: I am confused whether allowed to eat non veg

Randip Singh said:

Ok please explain to me:

1) Does all vegetarian food taste bad? Do you not eat that for taste?
2) Do plants not live? Are they not innocent? They cannot even make a noise when they are killed for your taste pleasure?

Please explain this?

Click to expand...

Randip Singh ji, you sound exactly like my youngest brother! I'll answer you as I answer him. It is necessary for us to eat something in order to live. That being the case, it is best to eat as far down the food chain as is possible. That means eating plants. We know that animals possess some form of consciousness, have emotions, feel pain. As far as we know, plants have none of these properties.

Even with plants, though, it is best to do as little violence to them as possible. My best friend for nearly 50 years was a very gentle Jain lady. (Yes, the firebrand, hyperactive Sikh and and the quiet, passive Jain made a very odd couple, but that's a story for a different thread.) One day when we were both kids, we were walking past some shrubbery, me carelessly pulling off leaves as we walked. She touched my arm and said, "Mai, why are you doing that? Is there any reason you have to rip the plant's leaves off?" She was right, of course, but even my dear, gentle Lilly had to admit that we need to eat and plants are the best - indeed, the only - choice, if we don't eat meat.

Or perhaps we could all become like that yogi I read about elsewhere on SPN who hasn't eaten or drank for years. Not that I believe that story, though.