Abul-‘Ala’ al-Ma‘arri: A Pioneer of Compassion and Vegan Philosophy

Abū’l-‘Alā’ al-Ma‘arrī (973–1057), the celebrated Syrian philosopher and poet, stood as one of the earliest and most influential advocates for animal rights in recorded history. A staunch vegan, he expressed profound pity for animals, urging humanity to treat them with kindness and to abstain from their exploitation. His ideology resonated strongly through his writings, including his famous couplet: "People catch the flea and kill it; with the other hand they give alms to the poor. Better it is to free the flea (and not to kill it) than to give alms to the poor."