What does Islam say about eating animals?
I know it restricts us from eating pork, but in general, does it say that it is preferable not to eat animals? Also if it say we can eat animals, isn't it mentioned in the Qu'ran that it is preferable not to eat animals?
The Qur'an clearly permits eating animals where it says,
O you who have believed, fulfill [all] contracts. Lawful for you are the animals of grazing livestock except for that which is recited to you [in this Qur'an] - hunting not being permitted while you are in the state of ihram. Indeed, Allah ordains what He intends.
In addition to pork, which is clearly condemned in the Qur'an, there are various opinions forbidding or discouraging the eating of particular animals like carnivores or certain seafood, but there's no reason to believe that eating animals in general is discouraged or prohibited.
There is no verse in the Quran saying its preferable not to eat meat but there are indications for that in the Sunnah of the Prophet.
If we look at the Muslims, traditionally, they wouldn't eat much meat:
“Meat is not a necessity in Shari’ah, and in the old days most Muslims used to eat meat, if they were wealthy, like middle class—once a week on Friday. If they were poor—on the Eids.”
- Hamza Yusuf (The Science of Shari’ah)
he continues mentioning that the Prophet was a semi-vegetarian:
So traditionally Muslims were semi-vegetarians. The Prophet was, I mean, technically, the Prophet (SAWS) was in that category. He was not a meat-eater. Most of his meals did not have meat in them.
In the Muwatta, it is mentioned that Umar Ibn Al-Khattab said about meat:
وَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، أَنَّ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ، قَالَ إِيَّاكُمْ وَاللَّحْمَ فَإِنَّ لَهُ ضَرَاوَةً كَضَرَاوَةِ الْخَمْرِ .
Beware of meat because it is addictive as khamr (wine)
Now, there is a hadith that indicates that eating too much meat isn't good.
Conclusion
While one cannot find any statements about that in the Quran, there are indications in the sunnah and history of Muslims that one shouldn't eat meat too often. There are certainly hadiths speaking about over eating and the humans eager to fill his ego.
