Food for Thought

Bismillah al Rahman al Rahim al hamdu Lillahi Rabbil alameen

wa sallahu wa Sallim wa ala ashrafi lamea evil mursaleen Nabina. Habib in our karate ioannina Muhammad Ali Abdullah

Allahu Allah Allah He was happy he of Belo salatu wa automata slim Amma bad for the fall Allahu Baraka Watada Fiona Hill Aziz, the other who do Billahi min ash shaytani r Rajim

yeah Benny hosszu Xena Kumar

Jain de workqueue no i schrom boom 12341234

in your hay barn was reefy in

unshadowed even outside your loved one who and also realize that a lot while he was selling McCall in aloha kettlebell SNL Aquila Shea, for either

way the bathroom for acting was dead. How will you hit the home chef auto failure Debbie?

Bravo Lima Muslim Rahim Allah.

All Praise will Thanks be to Almighty Allah subhanho wa Taala. We asked him the Lord of all words, the Exalted to shower his choices of blessings and salutations. Upon the final messenger, our beloved prophet muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa early he was seldom his family members, his companions and all those who tread upon his path with utmost sincerity until the day of

many respected elders and brothers in Islam. First and foremost, I remind myself I tell myself and then all of you all present here, to adopt a life of taqwa to bring in the consciousness of Allah subhanho wa Taala. If you wish to attain victory and success in this world as well as the hereafter. May Allah subhanho wa Taala make us all from the people of taqwa. And may He make us from the victorious and successful ones, I mean,

some of the brothers in the crowd, some of you might be aware that with the help of Allah, I was able to do a YouTube series. The series is on YouTube. It's called Suna revival. It's a collection of episodes of videos I think, maybe around 15 videos, perhaps each video discussing different elements of the Sunnah of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and as the title goes, sooner revival, the entire the intention or the the objective behind this series is to revive the Sunnah of the Prophet salallahu alayhi wasallam different types of sunon sunon is the plural of Sona. So different types of sinda soon as of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam

today inshallah Allah the title for today's sermon is food for thought, food for thought. And I want to in the few minutes that I have with you all, try and touch on food from an Islamic perspective and most importantly, a few sulan. A few Sooners related to food that have been taught to us by the prophet sallallahu alayhi wa alayhi wa sallam. Interestingly, when you look at the teachings of Islam, when you look at the Koran when you look at the teachings of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam.

If you go to the first story, the story of our father, Adam, it is salatu salam,

the first mistake to be committed.

Allah says in the Quran, well, I saw

the Miley Cyrus was when he disobeyed Allah Subhana Medina. And then Allah goes on to say that he forgave him he has forgiven Adam and he said to him, but if you look at the first mistake,

it is in regards to the consumption of the forbidden fruit. Now when you go into the ayah, dealing with the forbidden fruit, the biblical version of the story, the narration that has been recorded in the Bible, is that the forbidden fruit was an apple, that Adam la salette was around he consumed an apple. Now the books of tafsir differ because in the Koran you don't have any explicit mention or direct mentioned to state that the fruit was an apple, you have some scholars of Tafseer who interpret the fruit as being wheat, some who interpret it as being grapes, some who interpret it as being even dates and SubhanAllah. There is even another interpretation that the forbidden fruit

instead of taking it literally there is a metaphorical understanding that it refers in a subtle way to the indulging of sexual desires. Now obviously, this is a discussion for another day, but if we are to go with the interpretation of

Have wheat or a type of a foot? this mistake is connected to foot. This mistake is connected to the consumption of foot. And that is why Allah Subhana horns Allah in the Noble Quran he says, Yeah, you have levena Amano kulu Minato Jeeva but I mean there are enough and more commands given to us by Allah subhanho wa Taala in regards to eating and consuming, pure and good food, food that has been made halal for us by Allah subhanho wa Taala.

Today, though, many of us, the Muslim nation, we don't at times understand the value of these commandments, the value of the teachings of the Prophet sallallahu Sallam in regards to clean, pure and halal food. Before I go any further, I have to put forth a disclaimer. And the disclaimer is that even myself this entire sermon is firstly for myself and then all of you all, I am striving just as you are to try and adopt as many of the teachings of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam in this regard, so therefore, what I'm sharing right now are not my teachings, they are not what I am doing in my life, but rather the teachings of the prophets are alone while he was selling the

teachings of Islam, something that I am striving to emulate and I hope you too, will inshallah strive to emulate the teachings that are being shared in Sharla. Moving on, the prophets are a long way earlier, he was seldom in terms of narrations. He teaches us because when you look at the culture of the prophets that allamani when he was sort of he was not an individual who would eat excessively, he was not an individual who would eat excessively and if you look at the ayah that I read at the beginning, you have any Adam, all children of Adam, who lose the netta coma in the Colima state Allah subhanho wa Taala states take your adornment at every Masjid In other words, when

you go to the masjid go dressed well, especially on Fridays. You need to dress well when you come to the masjid to stand in front of Allah subhanho wa Taala the Friday is a day of read for us Muslims, so we need to come dressed appropriately. And then Allah goes on to say what kulu wash Rabu these are commands eat and drink

1234 but not in excess, no make as rough. As in don't waste food, don't waste water, and also not in excess. Don't eat in excess in a hula, your hip bull moose Rypien. Indeed, Allah subhanho wa Taala does not like those who commit excess in this regard.

Let's take meat, for example, meat,

it is helpful. If the meat is slaughtered accordingly, it is halal.

But look at the culture look at what's trending around us.

We as a nation, we cannot do without meat almost every single day, every single day. Now, we're not trying to say that the prophets of Allah Wiley when he was selling was vegetarian, no, he did consume meat, we have ample reports to state that. But when you study the reports, when you study history, you come to a swift conclusion that they were not a nation that consumed the meat every single day. On the contrary, they were a nation that would consume meat perhaps once a week, and that would be on a Friday. So Friday, they would have a special meal, they would consume meat, the rich, the rich of them would consume meat maybe once a week, and the poor of them would consume meat

only for the to retain a dull aha and are able to

eat without her. And so you don't fit.

But today, look at us look at how much of meat we tend to consume on a daily basis. We can't do without meat for a meal. We need meat. So have we are happy not to become greedy? Do we need that much of meat, look at what's happening around you, I need you to look around in a very conscious way. And this is part of a spiritual exercise Subhanallah the scholars of the past the scholars of the past. There are some scholars who state that in terms of spiritual exercise, our spiritual exercise is based on four pillars and you might be wondering what is spiritual exercise? There are some of us who are very very health conscious today. You tend to go to the gym, you tend to walk you

tend to run, you tend to you know, keep I don't know maybe it's the ketogenic diet. It's the Paleo diet, you keep you know, trying out different types of diets. you eliminate carbs, you rely on an entirely meat based diet. We're trying all of these things because perhaps the doctor told you that you

maybe in the future are going to have a heart problem. Maybe you have good cholesterol issues. Maybe your pressure is this that the minute the doctor

To highlight this and when you have this threat towards your physical health, you are willing to take very drastic measures to try and rectify the problem. And there are those who ignore it as well and go on with the way they're going on.

But my point being we give importance to our physical health. What about our spiritual health? When the doctor tells you that you need to undergo and an open heart surgery or bypass or there's a tumor that needs to be removed? We go ahead. We go ahead with the operation, we go ahead with the surgery with whatever it takes to get out the problematic element. But what about spiritual sicknesses? What about the pride in your heart? What about your ego? What about your arrogance? What about the fact that you think high and mighty of yourself and you look down upon others? What about the habit that you have in terms of talking bad about others? What about backbiting? What about slander? What about

all these things? Don't you think that you have to eradicate them from your spiritual body from your spiritual heart these spiritual sicknesses. Now this is why it's so important that we have spiritual exercises. So coming back the scholars of the past would base their spiritual exercise upon four pillars, four important pillars What are they?

Assam, Assam

and Ella Rosella. Now what are these four things are some

Silence.

Silence

as they say silence is golden. But today there's so much of chaos. So much of

the times it's difficult it's stressful. The brothers that allow it when he was cinemas reporter said man, can I you know, be lucky when you're Mila here, familia Paul hieron. Alia smoked, some. Leah Smith, the one who believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him speak goodness or remain silent. If you don't have something good to say then keep quiet. If you know that you're going to spew toxicity outside negative things outside then keep quiet contain it within you. And this media brothers because we are a modern generation we are millennials right. This is applicable in the offline world as well as the online world. This is applicable inside WhatsApp groups. This is

applicable across the forums. And this is not just using your tongue but even your fingers to type into comment. If you have something good to say then go ahead and say it. But if it's not good, then keep quiet if you have believed in Allah and the Last Day, and this the scholars of the past have made it a spiritual exercise because you need to train yourself. You need to discipline yourself to be able to do a five kilometer walk or a five kilometer run for someone who is not used to doing it. It's a challenge 10 kilometres to be able to run a great distance you can't just get up overnight and do it. You have to train yourself you have to discipline yourself. Likewise to train your tongue

to look after what comes out from your mouth you need to train yourself you need to discipline yourself it takes time it's an exercise, but it's something that we have to do

a sour sour means what? Not not the sufferer during Ramadan know, a Sahara is to

stay up in the night. not staying up the night watching Netflix. Now. Allah says in the Quran Yeah, are you hell Muslim mil? homie, Laila Illa, Allah Allah.

The one wrapped up in garments get up in the night except for a little. So yes, you should sleep because your body needs sleep. It's a heart that you should not deprive your body of it, but you shouldn't sleep in excess. You should try and wake up early, you should try to wake up at the hedgehog. And this varies from individual to individual For some it's easy for some it's challenging for some they're undergoing insomnia, may Allah is their problems. But regardless if you follow I mean if you eat we will come to that connection. Yeah, you already know. hamanako Luminato. salejaw eat pure good and halal food. Why am I loose, oily hmm and do good deeds there is a strong

connection between what you put into your body and the deeds that come out of your body. what you put into your body and the deeds that come out of your body. If you're putting the wrong things into your body. If you're putting impure matter haram into your body, then you can't expect good to come out from that body as they say you are what you eat. There are some doctors who state that you I can tell you what you are or who you are based on what you eat, depending on what you eat. If you're eating junk,

then you are I don't want to say it. You can connect the dots yourself. If you're eating junk food. Then you are basically that if you're eating clean, pure and halal food

and you are that you eat with the intention to be in the audience.

of Allah subhanho wa Taala. Okay, anyway, coming back to the pillar

to try and stay up in the 19 eriba.

In seeking knowledge in in productive and beneficial things in reading the Koran and making the

Sabbath. It's a spiritual exercise, you can't do it overnight. You need to train yourself that you need to discipline yourself to do that. You look at successful people of the past, they have certain common factors that they all share. They all used to be voracious readers they would read, they all used to be early risers as they say the early bird gets the worm. They used to be early risers across any nation, any nation, you look at successful people, successful leaders, you look at their interviews, you look at their books, the biographies, these are common factors, they would all be early risers. Moving on the next pillar as your hunger.

Hunger is hunger is a spiritual spiritual exercise. You know, there are actually benefits to hunger. in Ramadan, you're putting your body through hunger, and there are numerous benefits, spiritual as well as physical benefits. Today, dietitians will tell you that you need to go through a detoxification period you need to only perhaps spend this week on liquids to detox your body to cleanse your body of all toxic elements. Putting your body through hunger is a good thing. And certain scholars of the past they are spiritual exercise, the main hub of their spiritual exercise used to be based on algae or based on hunger. You know, interestingly, there was once an individual

who asked a scholar, what do you say about eating one meal per day? Bear with me, bear with me. Listen to me attentively. What do you say about eating one meal per day? This scholar says he responds saying had a clue.

That is the diet of the profits, one meal per day, that is the diet of the profits, that is the eating style of the profits. Then this man goes on to say Okay, so what do you think of eating two meals per day?

Then the scholar responds, the occlusal cream. This is the eating style of the righteous people of the pious people. Then the man goes on to ask him so what do you say about eating twice a day, three meals a day. scholar goes on to say, well, for that individual, you need to build a feeding container. A trough you know where you put food for the cows to eat. You need to build one of that. It is like the grazing of the cow Subhanallah we have all gotten used to three meals a day. And today interestingly, you have health quote unquote health specialists who say that you have to constantly keep eating three meals per day you know, that's not enough. If you're gyming if you're

doing this, you're doing that you need seven meals per day. You need eight meals per day break down your meals into little little bits and you need to be constantly munching and chewing throughout the day snacking throughout the day. Which animal is that?

Which animal goes to the meadow and grazers and marches and choose the entire day.

So as the scholars say it is against our natural disposition it is against our fitrah to do that, when you feel hunger you eat. This used to be the style of the product for a long while you are yourself. Now today we have fixed meals in place regardless of whether we are hungry or not. We tend to eat and that too We eat or not we eat in excess. We eat in excess Professor alone while you are yourself. We have many Heidi's is reporter upset the son of Adam does not feel any vessel does not feel any utensil worse than his own stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Adam to eat a few mouthfuls to keep him going. If he must fill his stomach if he must eat to his fill the let him fill

one third with food, one third with solids, one third with liquids and one third with air. Now you may be wondering how do I divide my stomach like that. In other words, you need to have some space for air inside. But most of us we eat in general, until we almost feel that food is uphill here. You can't get food until here because your intestines end over here. But we feel as if you have eaten until this match because we have no room to breathe, we feel bloated.

You see in terms of food, there are many types of food.

There were scholars of the past who used to be very, very careful. They have the sense of what are what are in the sense they would be very careful, very stringent, so much to the extent that they would ensure that the butcher who slaughtering the meat is a person who prays that he should be a person who they see in the masjid for salado Juma because him slaughtering the meat. The person who cooks the food, there is a spiritual

impact on the food. You might not relate to me but let me give you an easy example. I'm sure all of you relate to this. Compare

the biryani and I might be making you hungry. The biryani of a five star hotel or maybe even a seven star hotel if we have seven star hotels in the country with

your mother's home cooked food.

I'm sure all of us in the gathering will say my mom's food is better than a five star hotels cooking. Why?

They have these fancy names fancy ingredients. But then doll and bread Dorothy at home tastes so much better.

Because your mother she cooks with purity. Your mother she cooks remembering Allah, mentioning the name of Allah, your mother, she cooks with love for you thinking of you, all of these positive things have vibrations and impact on the food. What do you know about the person who's cooking your food in a restaurant another I'm saying that you shouldn't be going to restaurants and that I don't eat at restaurants. Now one day tomorrow you might see me at a restaurant, you might come to me and Chef, say chef, what happened to your microplus Hotel. Here you are in a restaurant. So that's why I started off with a disclaimer saying that I am striving to emulate it as well. But today's culture

is such that we are getting swept away so much to the extent that we are tending to forget the principles. This is something that we need to try and come back to.

Yes, if you do have to, but some of us have made it a habit, a constant habit to eat out. Now you have things like Uber Eats you have all of this instant gratification methods, where when you want it you have it.

The people of the past it used to be one of their spiritual exercises that they wouldn't give into their desires immediately. But today, today's world is moving towards an instant gratification culture. You look at Amazon, when you want the product you place the order you want to have it immediately so much to the extent that even if it were to come in two days is not enough. You need amazon prime to get it the same day. We wanted so much. We're so impatient in terms of indulging in our desires when a desire crops up we want to gratify ourselves, we want to indulge in that desire.

Same with food.

We don't deprive ourselves of anything. We are constantly giving into all the desires so much to the extent that then even impermissible desires crop up haram desires crop up we give in to those desires of law.

And you know, the Hadith of the Prophet Allah Islam as a reporter described a man crying out Allah Allah but his door is not answered. Why Madame Ohara Mashallah boo boo Hara Malibu Haram. Haram, his food is hot on his clothing is hot on his drink is haram. He's basically been nourished by a harem. The flesh on his body is haram the bones are haram the blood that runs in his veins are haram and he cries out yeah Allah Allah Why are you not answering my door is because you are entirely on Haram. There is one narration a companion of the Prophet Allah Islam, I think it's morally bingeable.

He goes to the prophets that along earlier it was lm it says Yasuda make dua for me that I become a person who's de aza, answered by Allah Mr. Javid try to answer me that I become a person when I raised my hands midwives need to be answered but Allah subhanho wa Taala. You know what the prophet said?

Mata hammock. Ensure that your food is good, ensure that your food is halal. Ensure that your food is pure, if what goes into you is good, pure and clean.

Then what comes out of you will be similar. You will be able to do good deeds and you will automatically become Mr. Java, your device will be answered by Allah subhanho wa Taala. On the other hand, what if what goes into you is haram, unclean not pure, then what is going to emanate and come out of your body is also going to be the same.

Today you need to look around because of the industrialization, because of our greed. Look at how animals are being slaughtered. There is no kindness there is no compassion. And I started off with a hadith saying that Allah has written excellence upon everything and right after the Prophet goes to slaughter, even if one of you wants to slaughter an animal, make sure that you sharpen your instrument and do it swiftly to lessen the pain of the animal. But today because of our greed, because of our greed, look at the industrial industrialization around you. You know at times when you go into a chicken shop, you feel disgusted. You don't want to buy the meat, because of the state

of the animals the way they're all cooped up.

And when you read about it, some hannula they snap the necks of the animals, they cook them all up together, they inject them with all kinds of hormones today

have free range eggs. Don't be fooled by

free range eggs mean that for a part of the day, the chickens are allowed to run around a little bit. But the key word is for a part of the day, the rest of the time, they're similar to the normal eggs. If you look at the egg industry, the meat industry, if they were to stick to ethical standards, they're finding it difficult to make money. So today is all about making money. So who cares about ethics? Who cares about being caring and loving to animals, just kill the animals, however, put them into a blender and blend them all while they are alive. And give the meat to the people. So think about it many brothers and sisters when you consume that kind of food, where

animals have been treated cruelly and harshly, how can you expect that food to have a positive impact in your life and in the generations after? How can you expect to draw closer to Allah by supporting such cruel treatment to animals?

If each so you might be thinking but then share, it's a culture, how we can come out of it. Each and every one of us make a conscious decision, we can change things. We as a country, if we decide, you know what we want to make our country clean. And if each and every one of us decide, you know what, I'm not going to litter the streets. I'm not going to just chuck things out of my car.

If all of us decide to do that, in each person sticks to it, our country will become so much more cleaner.

So much more cleaner. So things like this, you know at times you need to sit down think introspect, ponder. And always remember, as a believer, as a Muslim, you need to strive for a very high standard of excellence. Everything that you do everything. we as believers, we need to be the role models we need to be the nation leading the other nations forward. So think of it food for thought. May Allah subhanho wa Taala help us to achieve that highest standard of exam May Allah make us all mostly known. I mean, likewise, may Allah subhanho wa Taala forgive all of our sins, may he accept our good deeds, and may He help us to inculcate the teachings of the Quran and the Prophet sallallahu alayhi

wa sallam into our lives. May he help us to read our hearts of toxic elements like jealousy, anger, hatred, envy and arrogance. May Allah subhanho wa Taala fill our hearts with positive things. May Allah subhana wa Taala help us to control our tongues. May Allah help us to only speak good words. May Allah subhanho wa Taala just as how he unites us in this beautiful message may unite us in the beautiful and lofty gardens of Paradise. And may He bless us all to drink and house, the sweet waters at the house from the hands of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. I mean I mean walk away and 100 leggero behind me