|
Allah has permitted us to enjoy food and the bounties of this life while at the same time, He has forbidden waste and extravagance.
It is the right of all Muslims to enjoy the bounty of food and drink provided by Allah. However, they must avoid extravagance and excess as it may lead to bloating. Numerous statements have been recorded in both the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet that encourage moderation in food and drink. The meaning and explanation of some of them are:
- “And eat and drink and waste not. Truly, Allah loves not the wasteful” (7:31)
This statement from the Qur’an, although brief, is comprehensive in its Islamic guidance about sustenance. In the verse, Allah has permitted us to enjoy food and the bounties of this life while at the same time He has forbidden waste and extravagance. This includes waste in quantity as well as in kind.
Al-Miqdad ibn Ma’ad Yakrib narrated that he heard the Messenger of Allah , say: “no human ever filled a container more evil than his belly. The few morsels needed to support his being shall suffice the son of Adam. But if there is no recourse then one third for his food, one third for his drink and one third for his breath.” (Ahmad and Tirmidhi).
* Filling one’s stomach is evil and harmful to mankind.
* A human can subsist on limited sustenance; however, they have become accustomed to eating and drinking to excess and beyond their actual needs. It is the desire to enjoy food that drives them to excess and to eat and drink until they become bloated.
* When a person desires to eat, due consideration should be given to the remainder of the body’s organs. Thus, people should not eat to their own detriment, for when the stomach is filled it presses against the diaphragm leading to shortness of breath.
* Aisha narrated: “The family of Muhammad never ate their fill three days in a row till he passed away.” (Bukhari).
Regretfully, many present day societies have great imbalance in their food intake. Physicians lament the chaotic eating habits, in both kind and quantity, which many people have adopted. Indeed, excess and eating to the point of becoming bloated has become a pleasure sought by many. Fast foods with high fat contents are a common sight in this day and age. Ultimately, this is another by-product of the Western way of life.
Over-eating can be injurious to health for the following reasons:
1) Excessive consumption of fats and carbohydrates can result in an increase in cholesterol - itself a type of fat - in the blood. The cholesterol coats the inner walls of the blood vessels resulting in an increased occurrence of heart disease. This is supported by dozens of scientific studies related to this topic and has led to a common consensus among physicians today.
2) Excessive consumption of food leads to obesity, itself a dangerous disease Obesity includes increased blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, asthma, and heart disease.
3) Overeating is also a major cause of dyspepsia, indigestion, heartburn and gastro-esophageal reflux.
4) In some cases, overeating can lead to diabetes. Recent studies conducted in China and elsewhere have shown that moderation in dietary habits can reduce the risk of diabetes in those with a genetic predisposition to the disease.
5) Every individual has a personal need for food. If this threshold is exceeded then the excess fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals become a burden upon the body. It will usually respond by either expelling this excess from the body through the kidneys, lungs or skin, or by storing it in the body in the form of fat.
Avoid Gorging Sessions
Overeating also has behavioral and social effects, such as reducing productivity and efficiency at work. This is especially noticeable in the period immediately after a gorging session.
(www.islam-whatisislam.org)
|
|
