Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. O Allah! I seek refuge in You from knowingly associating partners with You in any way, and I seek Your forgiveness for that which I do not know. Ameen.
We thank you for subscribing to our mailing list and following our development thus far. We hope this email reaches you and your family in the best state of health and Iman, Ameen. We also hope that our newsletters and updates have been regularly been the food for your soul in becoming better Muslim and Muslimah, Ameen.
We are still in the midst of fighting the war of Corona Virus. Here are some health guidelines from the Al-Quran and the Sunnah you could actually take note and practise as a Muslim:
1. Nutrition:
Allah loves His creations so much that He is concerned even with what we eat and put in our body.
Our muscles, bones, lungs, liver, brain and secretions are made from the raw product we feed it. If we provide the factory with junk raw products, the factory will not produce tough bones, strong muscles, good pump (heart) and clean pipes (vessels).
"O mankind: Eat of what is lawful and good on earth" (Quran 2: 168).
Forbidden to us are dead meat, blood and flesh of swine (see Quran 5:3) and intoxicants (Quran 5:91, 92, and 2:219).
Science so far has not confirmed any beneficial effects to the prohibitions.
The blood and meat of the dead could be full of germs and other harmful elements like antibodies. Pork meat is high in cholesterol, salt and may have worms, and alcohol and other intoxicants that cloud our mentation, our inhibition and interfere with our normal capacity of judging good and bad.
The second component in nutrition (after permission of the lawful and probation of the unlawful) is the moderation in the lawful.
Obesity, a form of malnutrition, affecting million of people, of all age. Ninety-nine percent of obesity is due to overeating. Allah advises as to be moderate in quantity.
"But waste not by excess for God loves not the wasters" (Quran 7:31).
"Eat of the good things we have provided for your sustenance, but commit no excess therein, lest my wrath should justly descend on you, and those on whom descends my wrath do perish indeed" (Quran 20:81).
According to one Hadith of Prophet Mohammed we are advised to leave one third of our stomach empty after finishing the meal.
Certain types of food i.e. fruits are especially emphasized in Quran (36:57, 43:73, 16:67)
"And from the fruits of date palm and grapes you get wholesome drink and nutrition: Behold in this is a sign for those who are wise" (Quran 16:67).
Fruits are low in calorie, high in vitamins and minerals, and fiber and sugar is fructose and not sucrose. In a recent study by Dr. Anderson fructose has been shown to cause no rise in blood sugar and even lowers the high blood sugar of diabetics. Honey is fructose.
2. Cleanliness:
Allah is pure and likes purity. He is clean and likes cleanliness.
Therefore, cleanliness of body and mind is stressed in Quran (4:43). Miswak (brushing teeth) is not a new invention of last 200 years. This was stressed as part of our daily routine by Prophet Mohammed.
He also advised us on flossing (Khilal) as is now being advised by all the dentist. In fact, he is known to have said that if it was not a hardship for Muslims, he would have advised using Miswak before each prayer i.e. five times a day.
Cleanliness of our mind is prerequisite for total cleanliness (body and mind).
3. The Value of exercise in maintaining health
Though we do not find much in Quran about specific exercise, recommendation, the Prophet's Fife was full of recommendations.
He advised all Muslims to teach their children swimming, archery and horse riding. He, himself used to walk at a fast pace even race with his wife, Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her).
It is a pity that Muslim men and women have become sedentary and, because of the excessive consumption of starches, obesity has crept into them. We should keep ourselves fit to go for Jihad and feel healthy in peacetime.
