Moderation in Eating

The stomach is the worst pot to fill. And we fill it, three sometimes four times a day and maybe at times even more. Food is so important to us, our kitchens have a special cupboard just for recipe books. Their crumpled pages bear testimony to how often they’re consulted.

Food is a gift from Allah ﷻ and there’s no doubt that it is beautiful, both in taste and appearance. It is a means of energy, vitality, nutrition, of bringing people together and a form of charity. But food is also another means of getting lost in this world taking us away from our purpose of worshipping Allah ﷻ.

Islam teaches moderation in eating. Yet, it is not incorrect to say our dining tables are more often than not spread with lavish and copious amounts of foods. Time consuming foods that are beyond excess. Not only is money wasted indulging in this manner but valuable time is lost in slaving over the fleeting necessity of eating. The Mashaikh have said that the stomach is the home of all sickness.

A paradigm shift in our eating habits

Narrated Abu Huraira RA: Once while I was in a state of fatigue (because of severe hunger), I met ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab, so I asked him to recite a verse from Allah’s Book to me. He entered his house and interpreted it to me. (Then I went out and) after walking for a short distance, I fell on my face because of fatigue and severe hunger. Suddenly I saw Allah’s Apostle standing by my head. He said, “O Abu Huraira!” I replied, “Labbaik, O Allah’s Apostle, and Sadaik!” Then he held me by the hand, and made me get up. Then he came to know what I was suffering from. He took me to his house, and ordered a big bowl of milk for me. I drank thereof and he said, “Drink more, O Abu Hirr!” So I drank again, whereupon he again said, “Drink more.” So I drank more till my belly became full and looked like a bowl. Afterwards I met ‘Umar and mentioned to him what had happened to me, and said to him, “Somebody, who had more right than you, O ‘Umar, took over the case. By Allah, I asked you to recite a Verse to me while I knew it better than you.” On that Umar said to me, “By Allah, if I admitted and entertained you, it would have been dearer to me than having nice red camels. (Bukhari)

What an astounding hadith this is when we compare our modern lives to the scenes it is describing. The Prophet ﷺ and the Companions RA lived in a paradigm where calories and food were scarce and people would genuinely starve and feel hunger. Compare that to our times and we have to blush. Food is so plentiful for the first time in human history that the biggest threat to us is not a lack of calories and malnutrition but an excess of calories. This means that we must all reassess our relationship with food and shift from the “eat up and finish your plate” mentality which was designed to tackle malnutrition, to a “eat wholesome food in a controlled manner” mentality.

Narrated Anas RA: The Prophet ﷺ halted to consummate his marriage with Safiyya RA. I invited the Muslims to his wedding banquet. He ordered that leather dining sheets be spread. Then dates, dried yoghurt and butter were put on those sheets. Anas RA added: The Prophet ﷺ consummated his marriage with Safiyya RA (during a journey) whereupon Hais (sweet dish) was served on a leather dining sheet. (Bukhari)

A wedding banquet usually conjures up visions of a lavish, rich, opulent, and incredibly unhealthy meal. It does not conjure up images of dates, dried yoghurt, butter, and Hais. That is the equivalent to half a starter in our current mindset – and not a very good one at that. You can imagine the complaints if that was served at a wedding.

And yet the Prophet ﷺ, a religious and political leader, found it perfectly acceptable to serve this to his guests. Who do we think we are?

Narrated Nafi’: Ibn ‘Umar RA never used to take his meal unless a poor man was called to eat with him. One day I brought a poor man to eat with him, the man ate too much, whereupon Ibn ‘Umar RA said, “O Nafi’! Don’t let this man enter my house, for I heard the Prophet ﷺ saying, “A believer eats in one intestine (is satisfied with a little food), and a kafir (unbeliever) eats in seven intestines (eats much food).” (Bukhari)

This is a beautiful hadith that teaches us two things. Firstly, that our eating is inextricably tied up with the eating and survival of those around us, as we have duties to them as their neighbours, relatives, and brothers in faith. When we eat, this should provoke the thought of others who we have duties to who may not have food or have had the time or skill to cook. Secondly, it teaches us the incredible importance of portion control and eating well within our limit. Ibn ‘Umar RA thought this man’s behaviour so reprehensible that he banned the man from ever returning to his house. If we did that we would end up banning everyone – including ourselves!