# Can Sikh Eat  Meat?



## sikh Engineer (Apr 3, 2015)

waheguru ji ka khalsa
waheguru ji ki fateh

I want comments whether a Sikh can eat meat ????? 
1. what is the difference between halal meat and Jatka meat
2.what is science behind halal and Jatka meat and which is good as per science


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## Original (Apr 3, 2015)

sikh Engineer said:


> waheguru ji ka khalsa
> waheguru ji ki fateh
> 
> I want comments whether a Sikh can eat meat ?????
> ...



Sikh Engineer

May I suggest you surf on another thread within SPN about eating meat. Quite an interesting debate n discussion followed. For your perusal, I'll copy paste my own take on the subject-matter below:

Accepting Charles Darwin "theory of evolution" [TOE] one can most certainly understand the nature of human beings. We are told that once upon a time we were apes who were/are very closely related to the present day chimpanzees. And, over time we evolved so much so, that we, from being a mere leaf n fruit eating primates became hunter-gathers of flesh. The evolutionary evidenced advanced to support this view, inter alia, is our K9 teeth. Taking that evidence at face value, simply to move on spiritually, we can infer, okay, we are primates - what next ?

From a spiritual perspective the question for the human soul [atman] is one of morality, that is, right n wrong of taking a life ? Should non-humans be killed ? I think here, given our evolutionary past, one must rely upon rational analysis rather than a gut-ache response. For example, do non-humans have the ordinary consciousness ? If affirmative, then from a moralistic stance it'd be wrong to kill an animal for food when there is abundance of vegetation available [going back on our true nature, survival on vegetation and other natural resources].

Science tells us that non-humans do have "neurological substrates" [mechanicism which generates consciousness] conscious states and that they are aware of their environment and attune to it naturally. If that is so, then it is morally wrong to kill.

This is where Sikhism [system of belief] comes in, that is to say, one accepts all there is in this beautiful creation and doesn't argue with anyone, but for personal development reflects upon the "self within" [atman]. Guru Nanak places lot of emphasis on the betterment of the human condition in pauri 38 of Jap Ji Sahib. And, is further supported by Guru Amardas on page 344 SGGSJ in advising the human soul [spiritual] to look within itself to discover true food "Amrit" [Eternal food]. Bearing in mind to what I've said above, it follows then, one's clear conscience [Killing is immoral] is a necessity rather than a choice to connect permanently to Nanak's way of life.

*OPINION* 

Eating meat, drinking alcohol, smoking of tobacco and drugs are socially and evolutionary induced habits or addictions and should not act as hinderence or deterrence from being a believer in God. If anything, humans should be encouraged to find meaning and purpose in life albeit non-Sikh to make society better and harmonious.

Guru Nanak's God - Ek On Kar is so powerful and beautiful that it does not discriminate between its creation and accepts all souls impartially to miraclesously change them to better [subjective] human beings. This occurs as the soul journeys on through trials and tribulations of her everyday dictates and then she begins to conform to her belief [in this case Sikhi] and value - by the grace of Waheguru.

In short, atman is time [body] bound and will slowly and surely free itself from the shackles of bodily pleasures and return to Waheguru. 

At the end of the day, it boils down to choices and provided you could morally justify in eating meat then why stop. But in view of what I said above and given science is correct then morally it is wrong to take life for consumption as food.

I rest my case and don't really fancy night of the long-knives on this topic.

As for you NALP - draw your own conclusion, love n live - the Khalsa way, kirit kar, wand shak and nam jap.


Speak soon
CIAO


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## ActsOfGod (Apr 3, 2015)

sikh Engineer said:


> waheguru ji ka khalsa
> waheguru ji ki fateh
> 
> I want comments whether a Sikh can eat meat ?????
> ...


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## Inderjeet Kaur (Apr 4, 2015)

Can a Sikh eat meat? Yes, of course, unless s/he chokes on it and can't get it down. (Me.)

Is eating meat consistent with Sikh beliefs and philosophy? That's an interesting question and I suggest you go to the thread suggested by Original and feel free to join in.


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## Harry Haller (Apr 4, 2015)

A Sikh can do whatever a Sikh wishes to do, the consequences are the connection, a brain can be a really useful thing..........

if it smells like dogma, looks like dogma, then it probably is dogma


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## Scarlet Pimpernel (Apr 4, 2015)

The Stomach is maintained,
Spirituality is Self-Contained.


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## Ajeet Singh (May 1, 2015)

As a beloved of GURU/GOD , it is not correct to eat meat nor take liquor etc..
Since eating this will reduce your powers of LOVE of NAAM which nobody 
desires. Any action in the society which is against the philosophy of LOVE
of NAAM is not acceptable. Sikhs who favor eating meat ( HALAL/JHATKA)
are doing so under ignorance of knowledge of LOVE of NAAM. Gurbani 
always highlights ,'' NANAK KAI GHAR KEWAL NAAM...........................'' .


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## Harry Haller (May 1, 2015)

Ajeet Singh said:


> As a beloved of GURU/GOD , it is not correct to eat meat nor take liquor etc..



Depends which Rehat you follow, I guess, which do you follow Ajeetji?



Ajeet Singh said:


> Since eating this will reduce your powers of LOVE of NAAM which nobody
> desires.



Can you please explain your definition of Naam?



Ajeet Singh said:


> Sikhs who favor eating meat ( HALAL/JHATKA)
> are doing so under ignorance of knowledge of LOVE of NAAM



but the current Sikh Rehat Maryada says nothing of the sort, so by what authority do you make this statement?


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## Original (May 1, 2015)

Ajeet Singh said:


> As a beloved of GURU/GOD , it is not correct to eat meat nor take liquor etc..
> Since eating this will reduce your powers of LOVE of NAAM which nobody
> desires. Any action in the society which is against the philosophy of LOVE
> of NAAM is not acceptable. Sikhs who favor eating meat ( HALAL/JHATKA)
> ...



Ajeet Singh

Akal Purakh has set no conditions. You could be a thief, a murderer or all the wrongs [perceived] put together, you still have access, like everyone else to the house of Nanak. Yes of course, for moral and social engineering it is a recommendation, but not a condition per se.

Clear conscience is what matters !


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## JourneyOflife (May 2, 2015)

Ajeet Singh said:


> As a beloved of GURU/GOD , it is not correct to eat meat nor take liquor etc..
> Since eating this will reduce your powers of LOVE of NAAM which nobody
> desires. Any action in the society which is against the philosophy of LOVE
> of NAAM is not acceptable. Sikhs who favor eating meat ( HALAL/JHATKA)
> ...



Believe it or not, but meat eating has historically been a very big hit within the Sikh community. It's only pretty recently, especially with the rise of Bhindranwale who was a staunch vegetarian, that meat-eating has been looked upon unfavourably by a large portion of Sikhs.

I can post primary sources if you want, but the Khalsa used to eat a lot of meat, especially pork, noted by British and Persian historians. The Nihangs even used to feed pork to Muslim converts to test their loyalties to Sikhi. Bhai Gurdas mentions the wide-spread usage of Goat meat among the Sikhs in his Vaars, and the Dabistan E Mazabhi talks about hunting/meat eating of Guru HarGobind Sahib specifically. How do you think Guru Gobind Singh ji converted Madho Das to Banda Singh Bahadur? He had goat cooked in his dera and shared it with the Khalsa. Likewise, the biggest historical split in the Khalsa came just after the deaths of Guru Gobind Singh and Banda Singh Bahadur. The Bandai thought that Banda Singh was the last Guru, while the Tat Khalsa (led by Mata Sundri) remained true to Guru Gobind Singh ji's instruction of the Guru Granth Sahib being the eternal leader of the Sikhs. One of the biggest differences between the two groups was that the Bandai were strict vegetarians, while the Tat Khalsa ate meat. The Bandai disbanded after a while and were re-initiated into the Tat Khalsa by eating meat.

So yeaaaaah. Meat eating? There is no hard rule in Sikhi either way. It is up to the individual to choose for themselves. I think if you want to argue against meat consumption, it would be much easier to show how Sikhs should not be supporting the unethical farming of animals for corporate greed that happens in the 21st century, and I'd be inclined to agree with you.


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