بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Good health is one of the most magnificent graces of Allah to His slaves.
The Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, said, “There are two blessings that many people are cheated out of: health and free time. (Bukhari)
Ibn Al-Jawzi said, “A person might be healthy but not have free time due to being busy with his livelihood, and might be well off but not healthy; so when these two are combined and the person is overcome by laziness from performing acts of obedience, he is truly cheated.”
The Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, also said: "The one who is physically healthy, safe in his community and is sufficiently nurtured will possess the whole world." [Tirmidhi]
Narrated Abu Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: "The first question asked to a believer at the Day of Resurrection concerning the delights of this world is: Have not we preserved your body and quenched your thirst with cold water?" [Tirmidhi]
The one who is healthy must be thankful and use his health to serve the Lord and not use it to disobey the Lord, or waste this great blessing of health.
1. The rules of eating and drinking are based on the following principles:
(1) Gratitude
The food we eat is of the most manifest blessings to us for which gratitude is incumbent on us. This is shown by venerating the food before us, sitting before it as slaves sitting before a treasure, not letting any of it go to waste, expressing heartfelt gratitude after eating, and utilizing its energy in pleasing the One who provided it to
us.
(2) Living for the next life
A Muslim eats to live; not vice versa. Heedlessly indulging in blessings, in complete oblivion to the purpose of one’s life and the wisdom in being given these blessings, turns blessings into a curse, and a door to Allah into a barrier from Him. Moderation is essential.
Modern science have showed us again and again that excessive eating causes a number of illnesses within our bodies, including:
1. Brain Diseases
2. Eye Diseases
3. E.N.T Diseases. (Ear, Nose, Throat)
4. Chest and Lung Diseases
5. Heart and Volves Diseases
6. Liver and Gall Bladder Diseases
7. Diabetes
8. High Blood Pressure
9. Destruction Of Brain Veins
10. Psychological Diseases
11. Depression
12. Stroke
If you ponder over the list again you will more or less judge it as a death list rather than a list giving details about the problems caused from excessive eating.
2. Eating and drinking come under the following categories1:
(1) Obligatory
This is the amount needed to ward off death and to enable one to offer the prayers standing [and fulfill one’s other obligations].
(2) Recommended: This is the amount that enables one to undertake recommended acts of worship, and teaching and studying sacred knowledge.
(3) Permissible: This is the eating up to one’s fill to increase one’s strength.
(4) Disliked: This is eating above the fill slightly to a degree that does not harm one.
(5) Forbidden: This is eating above one’s fill unless it is for the intention of strengthening oneself for a fast or so that one’s guest is not ashamed to eat or the like.
3. Manners of Eating
(1) To intend to strengthen oneself for worship, and not to merely savor the flavor and satisfy desire. The sign of this is that one does not reach out for food except when hungry and raises the hand before satiety. Whoever does this has no need for a doctor.
(2) To wash both hands up to the wrists. To eat on a cloth spread out on the ground, as this is closer to humility, and not on a table.
Anas relates, “[The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace)] never ate on a table...they would eat on mats on the floor (sufar)”
(3) To draw near to the food and not to demand that it be brought closer to one as that entails pride and belittling the blessing.
(4) To sit in a humble posture; not reclining, lying or resting on something. The sunnah is to sit, leaning towards the food, on one’s left leg with the right leg raised before one. This way of eating is proven to be the best and safest, because all the organs are left in their natural condition which Allah created.
It is reported that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “I eat as a slave eats. I sit as a slave sits. I am but a slave.”
It is narrated in a hadith that the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) prohibited the man to eat while lying with his face downward.
The concept of reclining has been explained in various ways:
1. To sit cross-legged.
2. To lean on an object.
3. To lean upon a flank (side).
Leaning upon a flank is the most harmful way of sitting because when you lean upon a flank it alters the natural way of food. Sitting cross-legged or leaning on an object are the ways the powerful people sit, not slaves.
Abu Nu'aim related that the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) prohibited sleeping immediately after dinner as he said that this fact hardens the heart. Thus, the doctors have advised us to walk after dinner about one hundred steps and prohibit sleeping immediately after as this is very harmful. The Muslim doctors say that one should pray after supper so that the aliments settle at the bottom of the stomach in order to make the digestion easier and better.
(5) To increase the number of hands at the meal, even if with children and family members, for the best food is that at which the hands are many.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Verily, the most beloved food to Allah is that has many hands over it.”
The companions said to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), “O Messenger of Allah; we eat and we are never satisfied.” He replied, “Perhaps you eat separately?” to which they replied, “Yes.” He said, “Gather together
over your food and mention the name of Allah, you will be blessed in it.”
(6) Eating in a large plate shared by people is more beloved to Allah and more effective in bringing hearts together than eating in small individual plates.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) had a large plate called algharra that would be carried by four people.
(7) To not stand from the food except after satisfying one’s need.
(8) To not find fault in what is presented of food and drink; rather, if one likes it one eats it and if not, one leaves it.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) “never criticized food; if he liked it he ate it and if he didn’t like it he left it.”
(9) To wash the hands before and after eating, and to not dry the hands before eating, to retain the traces of washing and to dry them after eating to remove traces of eating.
(10) To say before eating, “O Allah, bless us in it and feed us better than it.”
(11) To begin eating with, “With the name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful,” (Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Rahim). If one forgets then one should say, when one remembers, “With the name of Allah, in its beginning and its end,” (Bismillah awwalahu wa aakhirahu).
(12) To say, “All praise is for Allah,” (Alhamdulillah) at the end.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Whoever eats food and says, “All praise is for Allah who fed me this and provided it to me without any ability of mine or power,” his previous sins are forgiven.”
(13) To truly feel that one is eating of Allah’s blessings, with His permission and for his sake, lest the meal be the means to a dreadful questioning on Judgment Day.
It is reported that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, after being given meat, dates and water, “By the One in whose hands is my soul, this is the blessing that you will be asked about,” and he recited
the verse “You will be asked on that day about blessings.”(Qur’an, 102:8) He then said, “When you come across the likes of this and you outstretch your hands, say, “In the name of Allah,” and when you are satiated, say,
“All praise is for Allah Who filled us, blessed us and gave of His bounty.” This will suffice for that.”
(14) To eat from the edges of the plate and not its center. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Blessing is in the center of the plate, so eat from its sides and don’t eat from its head.”
(15) To eat with the right hand; although there is no harm in using the left hand in breaking up the food.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “When one of you eats, let him eat with his right hand, and when he drinks, let him drink with his right hand, for the Devil eats with his left and drinks with his
left.”
(16) To eat with three fingers; the thumb, forefinger and middle finger. It is best to eat with the fingers and not a spoon to observe the sunnah.
It has been mentioned in the interpretation of “We have surely honored the children of Adam,” (17:70) that it means, “We gave them fingers to eat with.”
(17) Bread should be shown as much respect as a person can show.
It is reported that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Honor bread, for verily Allah has honored it; whoever honors bread, Allah honors him.”
Honoring bread includes:
a. Not waiting for sauce to eat with the bread.
b. Not to serve more bread than needed.
c. To pick up bread pieces that fall, no matter how small, and eat them out of venerating the blessing of Allah.
d. To not place bread pieces on a road unless it is to feed ants [or other creatures].
e. To remove it from a disrespectful place [for example under peoples feet] and place it in a respectful place.
f. To not place the salt shaker and plate on the bread
g. To not wipe the hand and knife with bread, unless one subsequently eats thatbread, and some say even then it is disliked.
h. To not eat the centre of the bread and leave the edges, or to just eat what rose of the bread, unless others will eat the rest; or unless one’s teeth cannot handle some parts of the bread.
i. To not choose some pieces of bread over others.
j. To not throw bread on the earth.
k. To not eat new bread pieces if a broken piece remains. Nahlawi comments, “This matter has been tested: whoever venerates Allah by venerating His blessings, Allah is kind to him and honors him, and if an affliction befalls people, He makes for him a relief and a way out.”
(18) It is permissible to eat more than one kind of food at a single meal, and as for what has been transmitted from the early community regarding the dislike of this, it is to be understood as meaning being accustomed to luxuries without any religious benefit being intended; for indeed the limbs all speak, willingly, with gratitude when eating what they find delicious of lawful foods.
(19) The hungrier one is, the more manners one should show when eating: one should be slow and dignified, not avid and rushed.
(20) To prefer others in one’s food. This is by leaving some of one’s food to give in charity to orphans, the poor and the like.
(21) To eat before praying if the food is present and one has a desire for it. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “If dinner is placed and the prayer commences then start with dinner.”
(22) To eat moderately.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “There is no container that the son of Adam fills worse than the stomach. Morsels that keep his back upright are sufficient for the son of Adam. If he must do more, then a third for his food, a third for his drink and a third for his breath.”
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) was once informed of a man who would eat a lot when he was a non Muslim and ate only a little after he converted, and he said, “The believer eats from one intestine and the disbeliever eats from seven intestines.”
(23) To lick one’s fingers before wiping with a cloth.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “When one of you eats, let him not wipe his hand until he licks it.”
And in another hadith, “When one of you eats, let him lick his fingers for he does not know in which of his food is the blessing.”
(24) To completely finish all food in one’s plate.
In a hadith, “Whoever eats in a plate and then licks it clean, the plate seeks forgiveness for him.” Some explain this as meaning whoever eats in a plate then licks it clean out of humility and lowliness, and venerating the
blessing of Allah in his provision, and protecting it from wastage, he is forgiven, and since this forgiveness is by virtue of the plate it is as if it prays for his forgiveness. Others maintain that it literally prays for
forgiveness. The life of inanimate objects is discussed later in this work.
4 The following measures are avoided while eating.
(1) To eat reclining.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “I do not eat reclining.”
The angel Jibril (upon whom be peace) once came to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) with another angel who said, “Allah gives you a choice between being a slave prophet or being a king.” The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) turned to Jibril (upon whom be peace) as if to seek his counsel, and he gestured that he should be humble, so he said, “Rather I will be a slave prophet.” He never ate food reclining after that.
(2) To eat food that is overly hot.
(3) To be extravagant. If someone eats a variety of foods at a single meal it should be with the intention to strengthen himself for the worship of Allah: if he gets bored with one flavor he eats another until he completes what he needs for strength, or intends inviting guests group after group.
(4) To not waste a morsel that falls to the ground.
(5) To eat in the marketplace in front of people, as opposed to eating from behind a barrier where others cannot see.
(6) To eat in the street if one is someone of social significance whose honor is detracted by that.
(7) To eat in a graveyard. This shows disrespect to the graves of the believers, and vitiates the lesson for which graves are visited.
(8) To eat everything he desires. That is wastefulness.
(9) To eat purely to satisfy his lust: this will lead to being denied wisdom.30
(10) To eat in a state of major ritual impurity before washing one’s mouth.
(11) Eating to one’s fill.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Those who have the longest hunger on Judgment Day, are those who were the most satiated in this world.”
Abu Hurayra once walked by people eating a roast sheep and refused to eat with them when they invited him, saying, “The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) left this world and never ate his fill
of barley bread.”
Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her)said, “The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) never ate to his fill twice in a single day until he left this world.”
Moderate eating enables one to remember the plight of the needy.
(12) To overeat.
Overeating leads to forgetfulness, laziness, foul-naturedness, hard-heartedness, and increased need for food and drink.
It is narrated that Jundub ibn Samura, a companion of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), said to his son when he had overeaten until he vomited, “Had you died I wouldn’t have prayed over you.”
The benefits of eating in less are:
1. The heart remains pure. This leads to recognition of the bounties of Allah.
2. Love for Allah develops in the purified heart.
3. Mercy and tenderness become the attributes of the heart.
4. Pleasure is experienced in Du'a (supplication) and dhikr (remembrance of Allah)
5. Pride and rebellion of the Nafs are restraint and eliminated.
6. The difficulty of even a little hunger leads to abstention from sins. The inclination for sins decreases.
7. One stays healthy.
8. One feels less sleepy, and laziness in regard to tahajjud (night vigil prayer) and other acts of Ibaadah (worship) is uprooted.
If the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) detested food he would not eat so much to overburden his nature. This is a great basis of health preservation, for when a human being eats what nature abhors, then the human being would be damaged.
Eating less keeps one healthy, sharpens memory, reduces hours of sleep, helps smooth breathing and saves one from being sluggish.
(13) Blowing on the food.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) forbade blowing on food and drink. This has been explained by some scholars as being a practice that can put others off of the food or affect the flavor of the food.
(14) To find food disgusting; except that which is harmful, for example if burnt or gone rancid.
(15) Throwing food away. This is unlawful wastefulness.
(16) To use the energy of the food in disobeying Allah.
(17) To eat from the center of the plate. The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Blessings
descend on the center of the food, so eat from the edges.”
(18) To stand from the food before satisfying one’s need. It is from venerating food and observing proper manners with it that one not break up the eating.
5. Containers of food should be covered.
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “Cover your food and drink, even if by placing a stick over it.”
He also said, “Cover your containers and tighten your drinking flasks for there is a night in the year in which disease descends and does not pass any uncovered containers and drinking flasks except that the disease enters
it.”
6. Manners of Drinking
(1) To hold the cup in the right hand.
(2) To begin with the name of Allah (basmala).
(3) To drink intending to obey the Divine command, “Eat and drink.” (Qur’an, 7:31)
(4) To drink in sips, not gulps.
(5) To drink in three breaths.
(6) To not breath over the cup; rather, one moves it to the side and says, “Alhamdulillah”, then returns it to drink more and says, “Bismilla.”
The Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) forbade breathing in a container or blowing in it.
(7) To say at the end, “All praise is for Allah who made it sweet and pleasant by His mercy and did not make it burning and salty by our sins.”
(8) If it is milk one says, “O Allah, bless us in it and increase us in it.” It is reported that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said, “There is nothing that takes the place of food and drink except milk.
(9) Cold drinks are more effective at satisfying thirst and more effective in drawing the heart
to gratitude. The most beloved drinks to the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) were cold, sweet drinks.
(10) To seek blessings in drinking the leftover water of one’s Muslim brother, especially of scholars and the righteous.
(11) To not refuse Zamzam water when offered.
(12) If the cup is passed around a group, it should be passed to the right.
(13) It is superior to drink sitting, although there is no harm in drinking standing, except for leftover wudu water and zamzam water which are drunk standing, facing the Qiblah.
(14) To avoid drinking while walking. This is disliked except for travelers.
(15) To avoid drinking in a way to resemble drinking alcohol. This is impermissible.
(16) To avoid drinking water used to lift ritual impurity. This is disliked.
(17) To avoid drinking the leftover water of a member of the opposite sex who is not one’s wife or unmarriageable kin. This is impermissible.
Lawful and Unlawful food.
Eating the lawful is of the most important of obligations. The following creatures are unlawful to eat:
(1) All predatory land animals, including lions, dogs, wolves and bears.
(2) All birds of prey, including eagles, falcons, hawks and vultures.
Predatory animals are forbidden because their nature is oppression and harm, and their nature transfers to the eater, so they are forbidden for the betterment of the eater. [The proof that traits transfer through food is the
saying of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace)] “Do not let your children feed from the breast of an ignoramus for the milk has an effect.”
(3) All rodents, including mice, rats, hedgehogs and weasels.
(4) All insects, including flies, hornets, spiders, ants and scorpions.
(5) All reptiles, including snakes and lizards.
(6) Pigs and elephants.
(7) Domesticated donkeys.
(8) All sea creatures except fish. Fish found dead and floated on their backs are also
impermissible.
All other land animals and all other birds may be eaten. It is impermissible to eat the meat of cows and camels and other animals that are fed carrion and other forms of filth, unless they are kept away from filthy food until the foul smell leaves them. If it is fed some filthy food and some normal food, and there is no bad smell in its meat then there is no harm in eating it.
5. The following are impermissible from any animal: flowing blood, external sexual organs, testicles, the bladder, and the gall bladder.
6. A worm inside of a fruit is permissible if eaten along with the fruit and one is not able to avoid eating it, otherwise it is impermissible.
7. All animals permissible to eat must be slaughtered by a Muslim, Christian or Jew, all of which must mention the name of God and cut the blood vessels, wind pipe and esophagus in the throat of the animal. Meat cannot be eaten if slaughtered by a member of another religious community or was slaughtered by someone who intentionally omitted
mentioning the name of Allah.
8. All parts of all animals may be used for any purpose once purified except for the pig whose body parts can never be purified.
9.All produce of the earth is lawful to eat.
10. Someone in a state of duress who is compelled to eat non-slaughtered meat, and who’s not doing so will result in his/her death, is obliged to eat the non-slaughtered meat to an extent that wards off death. Human meat, however, may never be eaten, no matter what the circumstances.
11. Someone in a state of duress may take food from another person to ward off death, even without their permission, although he must pay them back.
12. Someone forced by another person to eat or drink something unlawful, with a threat of imprisonment or physical beating from which serious damage is not feared, may not consume the unlawful. Someone forced to do so with a threat of losing his life or losing a limb may consume the unlawful, and to not do so would be sinful.48
13. It is impermissible to eat something that harms the body. These are of three types:
(1) Things whose harm is apparent and destructive. These include poison, glass, iron, mercury and the like. This is prohibited to consume.
(2) Things whose harm is apparent but not destructive. These include dirt, clay, rocks and the like. This is prohibitively disliked to consume.
(3) Things whose harm is not apparent. These are things that harm people whose bodies are ready to be harmed by them and do not harm others, for example someone with a food allergy. There is no prohibition or dislike in consuming such foods but they should be avoided lest they result in serious illness.
14. All intoxicating drinks are unlawful, even if taken in quantities that do not lead to intoxication.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
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