Muslimaat.Info Learning is for life...Rabi'ul Awal1428 -March'07 Are you eating too much?
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Moderation in eating leads to tenderness of the heart, strength of the intellect, weakness of desires and gentleness of temper. On the other hand, excessive eating leads the body towards laziness and disobedience to Allaah, and makes worship seem laborious. No doubt, we all know how much more difficult it is to get ready for prayer after eating too much! This is why we find great benefit in being moderate in our eating . We also experience part of the wisdom behind Allaah's obligation upon us to fast. Ibn ul-Qayyim said: "From the Mercy of the Mighty and the Most Merciful is that He has prescribed for them fasting, which will cut off the excesses of eating and drinking, and empties the heart of its desires that divert it in its journey towards Allaah the Most High. He prescribed it in due proportion as will be apropriate and will benefit teh servant with regard to this world and the Hereafter, and does not harm him, nor damage what is beneficial for him." (167) If we eat the right amount, we can keep ourselves strong and healthy; indeed the Prophet (sallahu alahyi wa sallam) said: [The strong Believer is better then the weak Believer...] 168 Therefore, one of the things we should intend from eating, is increasing and maintaining the strength necessary to do acts of obedience to Allaah, so that we do not lose the reward if we eat for pleasure alone. 169 Islaam calls for balance in all of our affairs, including our eating and drinking. Thus Allaah has warned us againest glutony, since this deadens the heart and is harmful to both the body and soul. yet at the same time, He has forbidden us to fast evey day since this too is harmful. That is why, when the Prophet het heard of a man who had vowed to fast every single day, he said; [Listen! I fear Allaah more then all of you and am more conscious of my duty to Him than all of you. I fast, but I eat as well...One who turns away from my Sunnah is not from me.] 170 From the book Authentic Etiquette of Eating and Hosting from the Qur'aan and Sunnah with 150 Recipes from Around the World 167 Zaadul Ma'aad vol.2 pp.86-7 168 Muslim 169 See Minhaaj-ul-Qaasideen 170 Al-Bukhaari and Muslim |
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