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Food: Islamic Rules
and Teachings
By
Hassan El-Najjar
10 Dhul Qa’ada, 1424, 1/2/2004
The basic Islamic rule
concerning food is that God has recommended that we eat the good food that
benefits us. He also prohibited us from eating bad and harmful food. (Al-Araf,
Ch. 7, Verse 157).
Main
rules from the Holy
Qur’an:
Note: The following is
a summary, not a translation of the verses or Hadith.
- Allah (God) made
all food allowed (halal) for the children of Israel, except what Israel
(Jacob) prohibited himself from (Al-Omran, Chapter. 3, Verse 93).
- For those who were
guided before (Jews), God prohibited eating animals with claws. They were
also prohibited to eat fats of cows and sheep (Al-An’am, Ch. 6, Verse
146).
- Muslims are allowed
to eat food of the people of the Book (Christians and Jews) and provide
them with the Muslim food, which is allowed to them (Al-Maeda, Ch. 5,
Verse 5).
- The difference
between humans and angels is that angels don’t eat food (Al-Anbiya,
Ch. 21, Verse 8).
- All messengers of
God were humans (not angels), who ate food (Al-Furqan, Ch. 25, Verse 20).
- Muslims are allowed
to eat all what they catch from the sea (Al-Maeda, Ch. 5, Verse 96).
- Muslims are allowed
to eat meat of all animals, except what has been prohibited somewhere
else in the Qur’an (Al-Maeda, Ch. 5, Verse 1).
- Muslims are not
allowed to eat dead animal corpses, blood, pig meat (pork products), and
meat from animals sacrificed in cults where the name of other deities than
God was mentioned (Al-Baqara, Ch. 1, Verse 173; An Nahl, Ch. 16, Verse
115).
- Muslims should not
prohibit themselves from eating what God has allowed them to eat
(Al-Maeda, Ch. 5, Verse 87).
- Drinking alcoholic
beverages, in all forms, is not allowed because they harm the human body,
they are abomination from the devil, and they cause hostility and hatred
among people when they get drunk (Al-Baqara, Ch. 1, Verse 219; Al-Maeda,
Ch. 5, Verse 90-91).
Main
teachings of the Prophet (pbuh), Hadith, about food,
from the book of
“Riyadh Assaliheen,” by Imam Nawawi, (Pp. 213-222):
- Muslims should
mention the name of Allah (God) before they start eating or drinking and
thank Him when they finish.
- If you forget to
mention the name of Allah (God) at the beginning, mention it whenever you
remember, even at the end.
- Mentioning the name
of God on food repels the devil from getting into it.
- Mentioning the name
of God on food blesses it, making it healthier and better in sufficiency
and effect.
- Muslims are not
arrogant in all aspects of life, including food. There is no superior or
inferior food. If you like food, eat it. If you don’t like it, don’t eat
it.
- It’s an Islamic
courtesy to accept invitations on food, if you are hungry or if you like
the food. If you are fasting, thank the inviter and pray while people are
eating.
- If somebody invites
you for food, in a party or a banquet, and you want to bring a friend with
you, you have to ask the host’s permission first before you bring anybody
with you.
- Use your right hand
while eating, and eat from what has been assigned to you or from which is
directly in front of you. Don’t eat from what has been assigned to others
or from which is direct to them.
- Eating with a
group, a family or friends, is more blessed than eating alone.
- Eat and drink
while you are sitting down in an upright position. Don’t eat or drink
while you are lying down or leaning toward one side or another, in a
resting position.
- Don’t eat or drink
while standing or walking, unless you have to, like in a place where there
is no space for sitting down or when traveling.
- Don’t be wasteful
in food. Don’t throw food away if it is good. Keep it for another time,
give it to somebody else, or give it to birds or animals.
- It is recommended
that you drink in several sips, not in a one-time and a long drink.
- The host should
serve guests with food or drinks starting from his/her right if guests are
close in age. Otherwise, the elderly should be served first, even if they
are sitting on the left.
- The host eats or
drinks last, after serving all guests.
- Muslims are
humble. They should avoid showing off their wealth by using utilities
(jugs, cups, plates, etc.) made of gold or silver. Gold, though, can be
used by women as ornaments.
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