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Pint-Sized Vegetarians

Last year my then 16-year-old cousin came home from school and announced to the family that he was becoming a vegetarian (never mind that he had just started working at a pizza parlor famous for their meat-lovers pie). My aunt was a bit taken aback by his declaration, but together they designed a menu with options that worked for both of them (she cooks all the meals for their family of eight). Personally, I was shocked by the announcement. After all, this was a kid who inhaled hot dogs for the first half of his life—now he was trading it … Continue reading →

Can Muslims be Vegetarians?

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When I first told my husband that I had decided to become a vegetarian, his reaction was a strong one. “No!” he said. “Allah gave us animals to eat, so we must eat them.” When I discussed it with other Muslims, I heard similar answers: “Haram!” “We cannot make haram (forbidden) what Allah has made halal (lawful).” “We cannot imitate non-Muslims.” Being a stubborn sort, I researched the issue myself. I find many surahs and hadiths related to food. All of the rulings were focused on what we cannot eat: food that was not slaughtered in a halal way, alcohol, … Continue reading →

The Complete Middle East Cookbook

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The Complete Middle East Cookbook Okay, so technically food isn’t an Islamic subject. However, our families have to eat and our tastes in food are often deeply ingrained in us. Many American Muslim women are married to men from far away lands. Whether they mention it or not, most desperately miss the foods they grew up with. Even if your husband would never dream of asking you to learn a whole new style of cooking, trust me when I tell you he would be eternally grateful! If your spouse is from the Middle East, you must get The Complete Middle … Continue reading →