Flat Belly

The vast majority of diseases are related to our diet and the Islamic lifestyle as prescribed by Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is an ideal course of prevention for many diseases, including those of the heart. The Prophet disliked excessive eating. He lived with a flat belly and he died with a flat belly. He is reported to have said:

"No man fills a vessel worse than his stomach. A few morsels are enough for the son of Adam (human being) to keep his back upright. But if he must eat more, then he should fill one-third of his stomach with food, one-third with drink and leave one third-empty for the air (for easy breathing)." [Al-Tirmidhi] It is important to exercise moderation in our eating habits. Limiting the consumption of food results in a tender heart, a strong intellect, a humble self and it weakens desires. Excessive eating brings about the opposite of these praiseworthy qualities. Two of the most important aspects of Islam are Salah and Dhikr and these are equally important as part of a healthy lifestyle as the Prophet advised: "Dissolve and digest your food through the process of remembrance of Allah and offering of prayers." [Abu Nuaym] It is for this reason that the five obligatory prayers are arranged as they are. Traditionally, the Dhuhr and Isha prayers are offered after a meal and these are longer, allowing us to gently exercise the body and prevent us from sleeping immediately after meals. The wisdom behind this was explained by the Prophet: "Do not go to bed immediately after the meals; it will harden your heart. Avoid any hard or large quantum of exercise immediately after meals; it will also cause damage." [Abu Nuaym] The quality of the food we eat affects both our physical and spiritual health. It is important to eat pure food that has been obtained using Halal income. Part of the reason that the hearts of Muslims are destroyed is because we are no longer careful about choosing food that is pure. Instead of eating homemade food filled with barakah, we prefer fast food, which in the words of Sheikh Hamza Yusuf, is "made with haste and waste, two attributes of the devil." It is important for us to be conscious of the purity of the food we are eating for the sake of the physical and spiritual health of our hearts. Compiled From: "The Intelligent Heart, the Pure Heart" - Gohar Mushtaq, pp. 40-42 Source: Friday Nasiha