Was Aurengazeb vegetarian?

[Guest guest]

It would be more interesting if someone actually looked at the

biographies of Aurangzeb to see if he was vegetarian. However, I'm not

volunteering to do so. However, I did ask some of my colleagues

covering Islamic countries whether there was anything in Islam that

would oblige one to eat meat even though one might prefer a vegetarian

diet for reasons of taste or health. The agreement was that there was

not. One has to sacrifice a goat at Id (if they are available), and

there is a requirement that its meat not be wasted. But unlike in the

Jewish Passover, there is no requirement that one eat one's goat. It

would be sufficient to give the meat to someone else.

 

I wonder how much a vegetarian diet inclines to peaceableness,

considering the Brahmin warriors from the time of the Mahabharata to the

Bengal Army of the East India Company.

 

Allen Thrasher

 

 

Allen W. Thrasher, Ph.D.

Senior Reference Librarian

Southern Asia Section

Asian Division

Library of Congress

Jefferson Building 150

101 Independence Ave., S.E.

Washington, DC 20540-4810

tel. 202-707-3732

fax 202-707-1724

athr

The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the Library

of Congress.

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

INDOLOGY, "Allen W Thrasher" <athr@l...> wrote:

> One has to sacrifice a goat at Id (if they are available), and

> there is a requirement that its meat not be wasted.

 

'Not being wasted' is different than one having to necessarily

consume at least symbolically what one has slaughtered, something

akin to 'prasadam'. Which concept I am not sure is there in Islam.

 

> I wonder how much a vegetarian diet inclines to peaceableness,

> considering the Brahmin warriors from the time of the Mahabharata

>to the Bengal Army of the East India Company.

>

> Allen Thrasher

>

Brahmins are known to have eaten meat. If I am not mistaken, even the

priests. I personally know very aggressive, quick-tempered and

quarrelsome vegetarians, as well as calm, quiet and passive non-

vegetarians. Among Indians we get to meet enough vegetarians and non-

vegetarians and I dont see any patterns with respect to their

behaviour.

 

Sugrutha