Salaam Alikom, kind-hearted viewers, and welcome to Our Noble Lineage. From the island of Java in Indonesia, a message of loving kindness spreads its wings, hopeful for a new era of peace and harmony. Imam Al-Fakir Kyai Haji Muhammad Asnawi from Wonosobo, Central Java, promotes a compassionate lifestyle that begins in every home, at the dining table.

KMA(m): May the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you. To the traditional Muslim students whom I love and to all Muslims, I convey messages regarding the food that we eat.

HOST: Imam Al-Fakir Asnawi is one of the administrators and caretakers here at Daarussolihin Boarding School, which houses a mosque with the same name. The school currently teaches and trains 250 Muslim students who aspire to be imams. Imam Al-Fakir Asnawi, a vegetarian himself, believes that eating a meat-free diet is actually an act of devotion to Allah.

KMA(m): It is a worship. As Ibnu Ruslan said, if you have intention and balance it with strong reasoning due to obedience to Allah, then your wish will be granted. Whenever we eat with the intention of devotion, then that intention becomes a devotion as well.

It means that eating has a big value before Allah: there will be merit if our intention in eating is for the sake of the intensity of devotion.

So, on the basis that our ideal is for the sake of devotion, food should be avoided and observed except for food that is tayyib (good and pure) and halal (permissible). Meat is a disease, beef is a disease. It is proven and stated by nutrition experts that the beef available nowadays contain various kinds of diseases.

Therefore, I emphasize again now: it is better to eat vegetarian food - meaning consume food that is produced from vegetables, including those made from soybeans.

The Prophet, May Allah's Blessings and Peace Be With Him, had affirmed that 70% of the prophets in ancient times consumed soybean - some because there are special things and goodness because plants are blessed by Allah, Glory and Exalted He is. It will have benefits for our body.

Moreover, this food acts as a strong foundation for worship. Worshipping with halal (permissible) food, tayyib (good and pure) food will be accepted by Allah, Glory and Exalted He is. As in a Hadith, the Prophet, May Allah's Blessing and Peace Be With Him, said, “How can your prayer be granted if your treasure comes from something that's haram, your food from food that is forbidden?” and “Cleanse yourself of haram goods.”