When it comes to health, many of us look into what science says. Though modern science reveals health facts every other day, all of them have been given in the Quran many years later.
Therefore, if we try to comprehend the Quran, we can extract an ideal way of maintaining physical health. For instance, the benefits of eating dates, consuming figs, and adding honey to a routine diet are present in our Holy Book. Similarly, Quran mentions a list of animals that are Halal and can give us maximum strength.
Let us look into these details and find out how Quran and hadith guide us about physical health:
The Quran
Allah says in the Holy Quran: “eat what is lawful and good in the Earth” (2:168)
With this verse, we can understand that not everything on Earth is beneficial for us. There must be a list of healthy food. So, let us move further in finding these things.
They include:
- Honey
- Corn and herbs
- Grapes, olives, pomegranates, dates, bananas
While highlighting the Halal animals and their milk, Allah says:
“For you, there is in the cattle a lesson; We give you to drink what is in their bellies from betwixt the chime and the blood pure milk, easy and palatable for those who drink it” (16:66).
The above verse highlights the significance of pure milk extracted from the animals. This is the milk that we drink directly without any form of pasteurization. If there was a need for sterilization, Allah would have mentioned it in the Quran. Today, animals are kept only in the villages and farms. Therefore, their milk goes through multiple processes for keeping it fresh. This milk loses its natural nutrients, giving us only minimized health benefits.
At another point, Allah says:
“He it is Who made the sea of service that you might eat fresh (fish) meat from it” (16:14, 35:12).
From the above saying, we can understand the significance of fresh fish. Therefore, we should try to avoid frozen fish that is easily available in the market. When Allah mentions that the benefits are present in the fresh meat of fish, we are not one to say that the same benefits are present in frozen fish.
Though Allah has mentioned the food that is great for our health, He also said:
“Eat and drink and do not commit excesses; indeed, He does not love those who are excessive” (7:31).
Therefore, maintaining a balance is mandatory. Anything done or consumed in excess can have negative impacts on our health. Besides highlighting healthy food, Allah has also made fasting an obligation for Muslims.
The act of fasting gives us the feeling of those who are deprived of all such gifts of the Creator. Apart from it, fasting comes with multiple health benefits for obese and overweight individuals. Additionally, people suffering from cardiovascular diseases, high blood sugar, and elevated cholesterol levels can bring a significant health change from fasting regularly for the whole month.
For reaping these health benefits, Allah has given us the month of Ramadan. Furthermore, He has made it obligatory so that every Muslim can reap the benefits of fasting.
Apart from consuming healthy food and fasting, Allah has also ordered Muslims to offer Salah. Since five times Salah is mandatory for every Muslim, we regularly indulge in exercise automatically. The positions of bowing, prostration, and sitting are all included in the exercise, which is great for health. Furthermore, the process of cleaning and washing our face, hands, legs, and head, which is called Wa’du, also helps us stay fit.
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Thus, if we consume halal food and offer Salah according to prayer timings, maintaining good health will not be a problem.
Let us now see what hadith says about physical health:
The Hadith
Our Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H) once said,
“No human ever filled a vessel worse than the stomach. Sufficient for any son of Adam are some morsels to keep his back straight. But if it must be, then one third for his food, one third for his drink, and one third for his breath.”
Source – [Ahmad, At-Tirmidhee, An-Nasaa’ee, Ibn Maajah – hadeeth Saheeh.]
At another point, the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H) said, “A believer eats in one intestine (is satisfied with a little food), and a kafir (unbeliever) or a hypocrite eats in seven intestines (eats too much).” (Bukhaari 5394)
So, we can see how our beloved Prophet (P.B.U.H) has guided us to eat moderately. Filling out the stomach with a lot of food will give us negative health impacts. Our Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H) did not only say these things, but he also implemented all these things practically. If we follow in his footsteps and eat reasonably, we can never face problems like obesity, high cholesterol, elevated blood sugar, etc.
Apart from it, Hazrat Ali once said, “Don’t let your stomach be a graveyard for animals” “Tibb al-Aima – Islamic Medical Wisdom.”
From this, we can see that Allah has given health benefits in everything. Be it a vegetable or fresh meat, everyone, irrespective of their financial status, can stay healthy. These health benefits are also present in grains and lentils.
Quran has also given us the proportion of vegetables and fruits to meat. This proportion is 3:1. It means consuming plenty of fruits and vegetables is great for our health.
Wrapping It Up
Quran and hadith have taught us a comprehensive lesson for maintaining physical health. If we understand the sayings of the Quran and look into the life of our Holy Prophet, we can learn about solutions for every health problem. Things like fish, cows, goats, and camels are halal for us. Similarly, grains, lentils, fruits, and vegetables provide us with plenty of nutrients.
Furthermore, we should follow a balanced diet by following the proportion mentioned in the Quran. The proportion of 3:1 is the proportion of fruits/vegetables to meat. Similarly, exercise is mandatory for staying fit. Islam gives us the gift of Salah, which lets us exercise and maintain a regular cleaning habit five times a day.
So, an amalgamation of all these things can let us lead a healthy lifestyle. Thankfully, Allah has mentioned everything in His Holy Book. Being Muslims, we should follow the clear instructions of Islam. If we follow the teachings of Islam, none of us will need to look into any other thing.
