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THE EATING HABITS OF THE NOBLE PROPHET (S.A.W.A.S.)
Eating is necessary to live and
human beings are created for
prayer (Ibadah) in the broader
sense as mentioned in the Glorious
Qur’an Surah al-Zariyat Ayah 56:
“Wa Ma Khalaqtu Jinne wal Inse
Illah Le’yabudoon.”Consequently,
man has to eat so that he may
fulfill his purpose of creation.
The famous proverb says: “Eat
to live not live to eat” The
human body works as a vehicle
for soul; hence the quality of
food influences the soul. In
al-Kafi of Yaqub-e-Kulayni
volume 5, the Noble Prophet
(s.a.w.a.s.) said: “O’ Allah!
Grant us abundance of bread, and
do not let us be separated from
it, for without it we will not
be able to perform ritual
prayers, fast, and perform our
Divine obligations.
The Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.)
chose food that was permissible
(Halal), simple, and beneficial. He
used to eat with his family,
servants, and the poor. He
always emphasized on eating with
others. He would start with the
name of Allah and praised Him
when the meal was finished. He
will only eat permissible food
and was guided divinely if
impermissible food was presented
to him. Once, it so happened
that after he put a morsel of
cooked meat in his mouth, chewed
it but did not swallow and took
out from his mouth and said that
the mutton was supplied
unfairly! The host confirmed
that as they could not get a
sheep in the market hence they
procured a sheep from the
neighbor without his permission
but expected to pay later.
He never insisted on any
particular type of food, he ate
whatever was presented to him
within the permissible limits.
In most cases he ate barley
bread made from whole grain
flour. According
to Infallible Imam Reza (a.s.),
barley was the food of the
Prophets and the Righteous
People.
He (s.a.w.a.s.) recommended not
to eat very hot food but to
allow it to cool down as it then
becomes blessed. Imam
Jafar al-Sadiq (a.s.) said that
He (s.a.w.a.s) would broke fast
with sweets if available,
otherwise with lukewarm water as
it cleansed the liver and
stomach, strengthens teeth and
sharpens eyesight, stimulates
blood vessels.
He further said “In the eyes of
Allah, nothing is more
unfavorable and hated than a
full stomach.” It causes
disease, hard-heartedness and
sluggishness in worship and
prayers .Food should be eaten in
moderation.
The Infallible Imams had
recommended to eat 2 meals a day
and a small portion at night and
advised not to miss the dinner
even if it were 3 morsels,
otherwise a vessel dies in the
body which will never be
revived.
The Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.)
said:
“Eat when you have appetite for
eating, and stop eating while
you still have an appetite.”
“Eat dinner even if it is low
quality dates because avoiding
dinner will bring about old
age.”
“Eating food with people
brings about abundance. One
person’s food portion is enough
for two the people, and two
people’s food portion is enough
for four.”
He (s.a.w.a.s.) used to drink
water in three gulps, praising
Allah at the beginning and at
the end. He (s.a.w.a.s.) said:
“Drink water by sipping and do
no drink it all at once, because
it causes pain in the liver.”
When He (s.a.w.a.s.) drank
water, he would remove the
container from his mouth. He
(s.a.w.a.s.) would use his right
for all and every work including
eating and drinking. He
(s.a.w.a.s.) used to start
eating first and finish after
every one present. It was to
make the guests comfortable and
finishing at the end was to
accommodate others who will stop
eating as a mark of respect. He
(s.a.w.a.s.) would wash his
hands before and after the
meals, as it increases
sustenance, keeping away
insanity, accuracy of eye-sight
etc. He would finish the food
completely without wasting the
food at the end.
Sources used:
Bihar-al-Anwar by Allama
Muhammad Baqir Majlisi (r.a.)
Al-Kafi by Allama Yaqub-e-Kulayni
(r.a.)
Makaram - al - Akhlaq by Al-Tabrisi
(r.a.)
Tazkirah –Al-Fuqaha by Allama
Al-Hilli (r.a.) |
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