The Eating Habits of a Wayfarer
Sheikh Azhar Nasser
يَا بَنِي آدَمَ خُذُوا زِينَتَكُمْ عِندَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ وَكُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا وَلَا تُسْرِفُوا إِنَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الْمُسْرِفِين
O children of Adam, take your adornment at every masjid, and eat and drink, but be not excessive. Indeed, He likes not those who commit excess.
[Surah Al-A’raf 7: Verse 31]
Unwan Al-Basri, who was an elderly student of Malik Ibn Anas, was someone who was always eager to increase himself in knowledge, so he strived to learn as much as he could and from whomever he could. One day, he met with Imam Jafar Al-Sadiq (as) and beseeched the Imam to share some of his knowledge with him.
Imam Al-Sadiq (as) began by describing the philosophy required for the acquisition of knowledge. The Imam mentioned that knowledge is not solely acquired through learning, but rather it is a Divinely inspired light instilled by Allah (swt) to those that genuinely seek it for the pleasure of Allah (swt). Therefore, one must first seek out true servitude to Allah (swt) so that Allah may bless them with true knowledge.
After elaborating on the actions necessary in achieving servitude to Allah (swt), Unwan requested the Imam to give him some practical advice. So the Imam advised him of 9 instructions, informing him that these instructions are especially for those that seek out the path to Allah (swt) and should not be taken lightly. Three of these instructions relate to self-discipline, three with forbearance and the final three relating to knowledge.
The three instructions relating to self-discipline are:
1) Do not eat that which you don’t have an appetite for, for this brings about idiocy and stupidity. (Interestingly, a recent study conducted by Harvard explored the relationship between overeating and brain function. They concluded that eating too many calories not only expands the midsection, but it also increases the odds of developing memory loss and mild cognitive impairment later in life).
2) Do not eat unless you are hungry
3) When you eat, ensure that which you eat is Halal, and begin in the name of Allah (swt)–reciting Bismillah–and remember the tradition of the Prophet (saww): "There is no vessel that man fills worse than his own stomach, so if you must fill it, allow a third of it for food, another third for drink, and the final third for air.”
What is remarkable about the instructions of Imam Al-Sadiq (as) surrounding the concept of self-discipline, is that they ALL relate directly to food and our eating habits. This goes to show that food habits may have a far broader impact on our lives than we may think. Equally, the man being advised by the Imam was an elderly life-long student of religion, so it is not as though he was deficient in his capacity to comprehend more advanced concepts. So, one cannot say that the Imam’s instructions were tailored to suite a basic intellectual capacity, but rather, it must stand to reason that they are fundamental principles too often neglected. Ultimately, if we manage to gain self-control over our eating habits, which in itself a difficult task, then we will develop the capacity to exercise control over many other areas of our lives.
“The human has not filled a container worse than the stomach.” - RasoolAllah (s)
“Get up from your food while you still have a desire for more.” - Imam Ali (as)
In another example, we could learn a lesson from story of the People of the Cave (Ashab Al-Kahf). Sometimes, Allah (swt) imparts stories and lessons within the Quran in a very broad manner, however in other instances, He deliberately divulges very intricate details in order to teach specific lessons. One of these specific examples is the conversation between the people of the cave upon waking up from their slumber.
“…So send one of you with this silver coin of yours to the city, and let him see which is the purest food, and let him bring to you provision from it…” (18:19)
As we can see, Allah (swt) recounts the actual conversation that occurred between these men, and one of the themes that is communicated between them relates to food.
Imam Al-Sadiq (as):
“There is nothing more harmful to the believer’s heart than excessive eating, for it brings about two things; hardness of heart and arousal of [sexual] desire.”
the noble Messenger (s) said:
“Prayers of the one who eats a single morsel of haram are not accepted for forty nights nor are his invocations accepted for forty days.”
We know that eating haram food has consequences, but we should also be aware of and grateful for the fact that merely eating food which is ‘halal’ carries with it blessings. In narration by the Prophet (s):
“Whoever eats what is permissible, an angel will situate themselves above their head, seeking forgiveness for them until they finish eating.”
In a narration, a group of people came to the Prophet (s), claiming that they never feel satiated after they finish eating their food. The Prophet (s) replied, “Perhaps you eat separately. Gather together at the time of eating and recite the name of God (Bismillah) so that you may have abundance.”
In a hadith by the Prophet (s):
A meal that combines the following four characteristics is complete in the eyes of Allah (swt):
The food is permissible (halal)
There are many hands partaking in eating
God is invoked in its beginning (Bismillah)
God is praised at the end (Alhamdulillah)
Prophet Ibrahim (as) was known for always inviting others to join him in his meals. One day he invited an elderly passerby to his home to eat with him. Before commencing eating, Ibrahim recited Bismillah, but the guest did not. So Ibrahim prompted the man to recite Bismillah but he refused, claiming he rejected God. This agitated Ibrahim so much so that he turned the man away from his home. As soon as the old man left, angel Jibrail was sent by Allah (swt) to Ibrahim. Jibrail told Ibrahim that Allah (swt) had been feeding this unbeliever person for seventy years. Could Ibrahim not tolerate him for even one meal?
In a hadith by Imam Al-Hassan (as):
There are twelve mannerisms that should be observed at the table when eating, and all Muslims should familiarize themselves with these mannerisms. Four of them are necessary, four are sunnah (prophetic customs) and the last four are etiquette.
The necessary:
Knowledge – being aware that the food is a sustenance from God
Satisfaction – being content with what you have
Tasmiya – starting with Bismillah
Gratitude – ending with Alhamdulillah
The customary:
Performing ablution before eating
Sitting on the left side (usually done when sitting on the floor)
Eating with three fingers
Licking the fingers (to ensure that no food is wasted)
The etiquette:
Eating from what is closest to you
Reducing the bite size
Chewing well
Not looking at other people's faces