71: Nutrition and Physical Well-being
Physical well-being
To live wholesome and fulfilling lives, it's essential to tend to our personal infrastructure: the body, the mind, the heart and the soul. This is a trust/amaanah from Allah, for "surely, the hearing, the sight and the heart of each will be held accountable" [Qur'an 17:36]
Our healthy bodies are truly miraculous gifts and we have been given the responsibility to maximize our health by avoiding abusive conduct and practicing healthy behaviors. Remember, the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) warned us that no person would be excused on the Day of Judgment unless he answers ... how he used/abused his body. We know we should eat wisely, exercise regularly, avoid unnecessary or imprudent risks and stay away from drugs and intoxicants.
Physical well-being is probably the first component of health that comes to mind when thinking about well-being, and yet, it is often the
component most neglected in our contemporary culture. The American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that "being physically
active reduces the risk of coronary heart disease, colon cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure. (And yet) nowhere is the gap wider between
what we know and what we do than in the area of physical activity."
It is absolutely necessary to ensure that the physical body is kept healthy so that the soul and spirit may operate in a healthy sphere thus
aiding the believer in the service of both his spiritual and material attainment.
Eat Healthy
- "To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art." [French moralist, La Rochefoucauld]
- "He that takes medicine and neglects diet, wastes the skill of the physician." [Chinese Proverb]
- "Those who think they have no time for healthy eating will sooner or later have to find time for illness." [18th century Earl, Edward Stanley]
- "The wise man should consider that health is the greatest of human blessings. Let food be your medicine." [Hippocrates]
Allah in His infinite Wisdom and Mercy is concerned even with what we eat and put in our body. Our muscles, bones, lungs, liver, brain and secretions are replenished from the raw product we feed the body. If we provide the body with junk raw products, the body will not produce tough bones, strong muscles, good pump (heart) and clean pipes (vessels). Food is an essential prerequisite for sustaining life and as such the primary goal of eating and drinking is to enable the body to function normally. We should 'eat to live', and 'not live to eat'.
A highly important factor of health promotion is proper nutrition. Diet therefore, plays an important role in our life-style. Choosing wholesome food and
avoiding what is unwholesome are essential to health. For this reason Islam has prohibited certain foods due to their ill effects and permitted all pure,
good and clean food products. [Qur'an 5:3][Qur'an 2:168]
Certain types of food (eg. fruits) are especially emphasized in the Quran [Q 36:57, 43:73]. Analysis of various verses from the Holy
Qur'an clearly show that the foods mentioned will fulfill one's daily protein, carbohydrate, fat and vitamin requirements. Qur'anic verses speak about the
importance of, among other things ... milk (Q 16:66), meat (Q 6:118), fruits (Q 95:1-2)(Q 16:11)(Q 6:141),
fish (Q 16:14) water (Q 16:10) honey (Q 16:69).
Halaal -an- Tayyib
Muslims are directed in the Quran
- Halaal is defined as food that is permissible according to Islamic law.
- Tayyib means wholesome, pure, nutritious and safe. Forbidden to us are dead meat, blood and flesh of swine [Qur'an 5:3] and intoxicants [Qur'an 5:91-92][Qur'an 2:219].
Emphasis is placed by us on ensuring that animals slaughtered for consumption are done according to Islamic specifications... however; little attention is given to whether or not the animal itself is healthy, free of disease, hormones, antibiotics, and chemicals at the time of slaughter. Also, what kind of food it consumes is not taken into consideration. The recent outbreak of Mad Cow Disease has gripped much of the world in fear and there is an increased concern regarding what we eat. If herbivores are forced to become carnivorous by being force fed crushed animal remains, then both the permissibility of its consumption (halaal) and its being wholesome and nutritious (tayyib) is jeopardized.
There are numerous other matters that contribute to the wholesomeness of our nutrition. Among these are ...
- Cleanliness. Washing one's hands before eating is a basic principle. It ensures the cleanliness of the food we handle, so that it is not contaminated with what may be harmful, thus protecting from infections. The Prophet's wife mentions in a tradition that the Prophet always washed his hands before eating. Another health rule stresses the need to ensure the cleanliness of food and drink. Islam urges that food should be covered so that nothing falls in it. A hadith includes the instruction: "Cover your water container". And in another version: "Cover your food and drink".
- Preference for wholemeal food. An example is the Prophet's (pbuh) preference for wholewheat bread, as reported in a hadith' which mentions that The Prophet's companion, Umm Ayman; whom he considered as "my mother after my mother"; once refined some flour to bake bread for the Prophet (pbuh). He asked her what she was doing, and she replied: "This is a type of food which we used to make back home, and I thought of baking it for you". He said: "Put the bran back in then mix the dough".
- No Contamination. In several places in the Qur'an, Allah warns against corrupting the earth. To corrupt or pollute the environment is one aspect of such corruption. Indeed it is the first thing that comes to mind when we read God's directives, such as: Eat and drink of the sustenance God has provided and do not corrupt the earth with evil. [Qur'an 2:60]
Moderation
Another component of nutrition (after permission of the lawful and prohibition of the unlawful) is moderation in the lawful. Obesity is a major American
tragedy, a form of malnutrition, affecting million of people, of all ages. Obesity is a disease that affects nearly one-third of the adult American
population (approximately 60 million). Each year, obesity causes at least 300,000 excess deaths in the U.S., and healthcare costs of American adults with
obesity amount to approximately $100 billion. Obesity is the second leading cause of unnecessary deaths. Over ninety percent of obesity is due to overeating.
Allah advises as to be moderate in consumption and not to be of those who waste ...
"Waste not, nor be excessive for God loves not the wasters" [Qur'an 7:31].
The wise among our predecessors have said said:
Defining moderation in consumption, the Prophetic guidance on the best of common diets is: "one third food, one third water and one third air."
Sayyedna 'Ali said; Consuming more than needed is excessiveness.
Remember the Divine injunction; eat and drink, but be not excessive, for Allah loves not those who are excessive. [Qur'an 7:31]