Twenty-one-year-old Egyptian Fatma Awad took a decision to alter her lifestyle and become a vegetarian. In Denmark, where she lives, such a lifestyle is culturally accepted and has gradually become normal conduct in society. But a trip back to Egypt left her feeling ridiculed and judged. Awad is not the only vegetarian to have suffered for not being in alignment with Egyptian society. With Eid Al-Adha recently coming to an end, vegetarians and animal activists are objecting to the tradition of making a sacrifice during the Islamic celebration. This time last year, Nada Helal, a student of Middle East studies at the American University in Cairo took the decision to stop eating meat. Islamic Sharia (law) in slaughtering prescribes using a well-sharpened knife to make a swift, deep incision that cuts the front of the throat, the carotid artery, windpipe, and jugular veins to cause the least amount of suffering to the animal. Animals are not to be subjected to others being slaughtered. Butchers in Egypt often do not follow such rules. Instead, animals are often able to view others being killed, may have their leg tendons slashed or eyes poked. Some animals…
