Saturday, November 19, 2011

The 2 essential prerequisites of eating food:

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد


The 2 essential prerequisites of eating food are:

1. It should be Halaal (lawful).

2. It should be Tayyib (good).

Allaah تعالى says:

{O mankind! Eat of that which is lawful and good on the earth, and follow not the footsteps of Shaitaan. Verily, he is to you an open enemy.} [Surah al-Baqarah (2): 168]

{O you who believe! Eat of the good things that We have provided for you and be grateful to Allaah if it is Him you worship.} [Surah al-Baqarah (2): 172]

{So eat of the good and lawful things which Allaah has provided for you; and be grateful to Allaah for His favors, if you are sincere in His worship.} [Surah al-Nahl (16): 114]

Narrated Abu Hurairah: Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “O people, Allaah is Good and He, therefore, accepts only that which is good. And Allaah commanded the believers as He commanded the Messengers by saying: {O Messengers, eat of the good things, and do good deeds; verily I am aware of what you do} (xxiii.51) And He said: {O those who believe, eat of the good things that We gave you} (ii.172). He صلى الله عليه وسلم then made a mention of a person who travels widely, his hair disheveled and covered with dust. He lifts his hand towards the sky (and thus makes the supplication): "O Lord, O Lord," whereas his diet is unlawful, his drink is unlawful, and his clothes are unlawful and his nourishment is unlawful. How can then his supplication be accepted? [Saheeh Muslim (1692)]


A brief explanation:

Halaal: We all understand that by the word Halaal it is meant:

a. that the animal should be slaughtered properly as per the Sunnah and that Allaah’s name should be mentioned before slaughtering;
b. that which has not been made Haraam in Allaah’s Book and the Sunnah of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم like intoxicants, blood, pigs etc.
c. it should not be stolen or purchased through unlawful earnings, deception or deceit.

Tayyib: It can have the meaning that the food in itself is not harmful for the person who is consuming it. For example, oil, sugar and salt are Halaal in themselves. But for a person suffering from jaundice, oil is not good for him. Similarly, it is not good for a person suffering from diabetes to intake a lot of sweet stuff. The same goes with the person suffering from high blood pressure, salt is not good for them.

So what is Halaal, is sometimes, not good for someone under certain circumstances.

And Allaah تعالى also says:

{and make not your own hands contribute to your destruction but do good; for Allaah loves those who do good.} [Surah al-Baqarah (2):195]

Accordingly, chewing tobacco, smoking cigarettes, cigars and Shisha (hukka – waterpipes), intake  of drugs (by whatever means) also becomes Haraam as they are injurious to health and is like causing destruction to yourself.


Some of the Fataawaa of the Permanent Committee of Senior Scholars of Saudi Arabia on smoking:



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