During the ninth month of the Islamic Calendar, Muslims worldwide celebrate the major holy day of their religion; Ramadan. Occurring around January, Ramadan marks the period when the religion's founder, the Prophet Mohammad, received the holy words from Allah (God) and put them down into the Koran in the 7th Century AD.

During this period, adult Muslims must fast from dawn until dusk for 29-30 days to stir universal compassion and spiritual renewal for all.

According to scholars the Prophet Mohammed, although not a vegetarian, did prefer to eat vegetarian foods and had a great love and compassion for animals. His favourite foods consisted of yogurt with butter or nuts, cucumbers with dates, pomegranates, grapes and figs. He was known to have quoted: "Where there is an abundance of vegetables, a host of angels will descend on that place."

While not based on strictly vegetarian principles, the macrobiotic way of eating is followed by many vegetarians and vegans.