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Summary of Question:	Meat
Category:	General Sikhism
Date Posted:	Monday, 11/26/2001 8:52 AM MST

Sat Sri Akal jee,

I know this issue has been raised many times before, but i wanted to ask a question about this.

I know that we, as Sikhs or any person for that matter, should not eat meat.
I have been taught that it is ok to eat meat when all other sources of food are not available, i.e. as a last resort. When it is a matter of life and death then it is ok to eat meat.

If this is true, are you allowed to eat halal meat when it is a matter of life and death? Should we rather die than eat halal meat?

Also, me friend says to me that if you meat, what difference does it make if it is halal or not? He says that you are not suppose to eat meat anyway.

I, myself, want to become a vegetarian. At the moment, I do eat meat, but i am trying to cut down by eating more vegetarian foods. I do not eat halal meat.

Another thing, not exactly related to Sikhi but i though i ask you anyway....I have been also told that you should not drink milk after you have eaten meat. Is this bad for the body?

Last question: One of my cousins refuses to go to the Gurdwara if he has eaten meat that day. I sort of understand his reasoning because the meat would be in your stomach and, in a sense, you would be taking meat into the Gurdwara. But, doesn't that protiens and various vitemans go into your bloodstream and stay in your blood for a long time, if not all your life?

Thank you for your time.

Sat Sri Akal.

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REPLY
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Sat Sri Akal,

You are correct that a Sikh should not eat meat, and for more references, you can do a search. Even if there is nothing else left to eat, I would say that you should still not eat meat. I think we can easily infer this from the Guru's own actions. When Guru Tegh Bahadur went to meet the Moghul Emperor Aurangzeb, Aurangzeb gave Guruji a choice, convert or die. Guru Ji would rather have died, then utter the words "I am a muslim" or to have his hair cut. The Guruji had his principles, he knew what was right and what was wrong. In the same way, just because the only thing you have to eat meat does NOT mean that you can break your principles, or more importantly, break what he Guruji has said.

Halal meat is no different than any other meat. Meat is meat. For example, take two murderers. Murderer A says that I killed a man instantly, with one bullet to the head, no pain. Murderer B says that I killed a man slowly, draining him of his blood until he died, very painful. In the end, will murderer A get a reduced court sentence because he killed a man with no pain? Of course not, the end result is still that he murdered someone. So no matter from what angle you look at it, meat is meat is meat is meat. and is wrong to eat.

I lived my whole life in the U.S., a very much meat eating and meat loving country, and I have never heard anything about not drinking milk after eating meat. Maybe you can ask a doctor.

About your last question, let me ask you this: cow dung is regularly used as a fertilizer in the growth of vegetables. The nutrients from the cow manure are abosorbed by the vegetables and then you eat the vegetables. Does that mean that you are eating cow manure/dung?

I think instead of thinking of such petty issues as will molecules of meat be in my body and thus offend Waheguru, you should instead focus on more meditation and paath. After you have been doing paath for some time you will realize yourself that asking such questions is of no consequence.

I admire your strong attitude in being a True Sikh. I know that you will do well.

WaheGuru Ji Ka Khalsa,
WaheGuru Ji Ki Fateh.

HSD