Invitation to Understanding Islam

Eating in Islam
"Eat of the pure things and do good deeds." [The Qur'an 23:51] The Prophet (pbuh) was reported to have said: "I am a slave of Allah. I eat as a slave eats." In Islam, one does not eat to meet a physical need or for pleasure. All acts of a Believer, including the act of eating, are acts of worship [ibadah], In Islam, the aim of eating is to support the body to worship Allah The Most Sufficient/ "Who feeds and is never fed." [Bukhari] Eating becomes ibadah when undertaken with the right intention, in conformity to Islamic law, by following the Prophet's (pbuh) example and with a deep understanding of the act itself. In Islam, food is a blessing, a gift and sustenance from Allah The Most Exalted. When we eat with the consciousness that it is an act of worship, we are more likely to be less wasteful in our eating, eat less and think of others who are in need of food. When consumed with consciousness of Allah The Most Exalted, food becomes a source of divine grace and blessing [barakah]. ISLAMIC OUTREACH-ABIM 3402 Jalan Ampang Hilir 2 55000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Teh+603-4256 9822 Fax: +603-4257 4500 www.islamicoutreach.com.my

Razumjeti Islam
JELO U ISLAMU
"Jedi iste stvari i ini dobra djela." [Kuran 23:51] Izvijeteno je da je Poslanik (s.a.w.s.) rekao: "Ja sam rob Allaha. Ja jedem onako kako rob jede." U Islamu, ovjek ne jede da bi zadovoljio tjelesne potrebe ili iz zadovoljstva. Sve to ini Vjernik, ubrojivi i in jedenja, djela su tovanja [ibadah]. U Islamu, svrha jedenja je podrka tijelu da slavi Allaha Najdovoljnijeg/ "Koji hrani i nikad nije hranjen." [Bukhari] Jedenje postaje ibadah kad se ini sa ispravnom namjerom, u suglasnosti sa islamskim zakonom, slijedei Poslanikov (s.a.w.s.) primjer i sa dubokim razumijevanjem samog ina. U Islamu, hrana je milost, dar i podrka od Allaha Najuzvienijeg. Kad jedemo svjesni da je to in tovanja, biti emo manje rasipni u jelu jedi manje i misli na druge kojima treba hrana. Kad se uzima uz svjesnost o Allahu Najuzvienijem, hrana postaje izvor boanska milost i blagoslov [barakah].

ISLAMIC OUTREACH-ABIM 3402 Jalan Ampang Hilir 2 55000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Tel:+603-4256 9822 Fax: +603-4257 4500 www.islamicoutreach.com.my

In Islam, food consumed must be clean, pure and safe [halal]. The halal food requirement applies not only to the content, preparation and serving but also to the lawful acquisition of food. Food obtained through theft or purchased from corrupt income is forbidden [haram], Most discussions today about halal food are actually about a non-halal food: pork. Pork is amongst the prohibited food mentioned in The Qur'an [5:3]. Though experts have described the medical dangers from its consumption, the reason why Muslims don't eat this meat is to obey the command of Allah The All-Knowing. The health aspects are secondary. In Islam, all prohibited food can be accepted as lawful when a Muslim is forced by famine or starvation to eat them to save his life. Muslims are encouraged to eat with at least another sharing his/her food as there is blessing [barakah] in eating in company. Muslims are discouraged from being in the company of others who are consuming prohibited food [for example, intoxicants] as it may give the impression to others that he/she is approving their act of sin. [Tirmizi] Islam does not encourage vegetarianism or make the eating of meat obligatory. The rule is that the halal food consumed must be 'wholesome' [2:168] or balanced. The benefits of eating fruits, vegetables, animal and sea food are mentioned in The Noble Qur'an and the sunnah. Before beginning to eat,-a Muslim must invoke the Name of Allah [Bismillah] to acknowledge Him as The Provider and seek His blessings over the food.

Invoking Allah's name is also meant to remind oneself of the divine guidelines relating to food, and affirm that one's eating is an act of ibadah and not for pleasure. Invoking Allah's name also repels Satan from partaking of the food. Moderation in eating is emphasized in Islam. The Qur'an warns against exceeding the limits when eating the good things provided for our sustenance by Allah The Most Exalted. The consequence is incurring the anger of Allah The Most Exalted and those who incur Allah's anger are "bound to perish," [20:81] The Prophet's (pbuh) advise: "A few mouthfuls that would keep one's back upright is enough. But if he must eat more, then he should fill one third [of his stomach] with food, one third with drink and leave one third for easy breathing". [Ahmad] One who is unable to rein in his desire for food may also fail in restraining himself from other prohibited acts. The Prophet (pbuh) described moderation in eating as a characteristic of the Believer: "The Believer eats in one stomach whilst the disbeliever eats in seven." [Bukhari & Muslim] The Qur'an also warns against wasting of food: "And eat and drink, but waste not. Truly Allah dislikes AI-Musrifun [those who waste by extravagance]." [7:31]
With compliments; BAITULMAL (Majlis Agama Islam Wilayah Persekutuan)

U Islamu, konzumirana hrana mora biti ista, nepatvorena i sigurna [halal]. Halal hrana se ne odnosi samo na sadraj, pripremu i posluivanje nego i na zakonito pribavljanje hrane. Hrana pribavljena kraom ili kupljena iz nepotenih izvora je zabranjena [haram], Veina dananjih diskusija o halal hrani vodi se o ne-halal hrani: svinjetini. Svinjetina spada u zabranjenu hranu koju spominje Kur'an [5:3]. Iako su strunjaci opisali zdravstvene opasnosti od njenog uzimanja, razlog zato Muslimani ne jedu to meso je da se povinuju zapovjedi Allaha Sve-Znajueg. Zdravstveni razlozi su manje vani. U Islamu, sva zabranjena hrana moe biti prihvaena kao zakonita kad je Musliman prisiljen zbog nestaice ili skapavanja da ju jede da spasi svoj ivot. Muslimanima se preporuuje da jedu sa barem jo nekim dijelei njegovu/njezinu hranu jer ima milosti [barakah] u objedovanju u drutvu. Muslimanima se ne preporua da budu u drutvu onih koji konzumiraju zabranjenu hranu [na primjer, alkoholna pia] jer to drugima moe dati utisak da on/ona odobrava njihov in grijeha [Tirmizi] Islam ne preporua vegetarijanstvo niti ini jedenje mesa obaveznim. Pravilo je da konzumirana halal hrana mora biti 'cjelovita' [2:168] to jest izbalansirana. Dobrobit jedenja voa, povra, ivotinjske i morske hrane spominje se u Plemenitom Kur'anu i u sunnah. Prije poetka jela, Musliman mora zazvati Ime Allaha [Bismillah] da prizna Njega kao Opskrbnika i trai Njegove milosti preko hrane.

Zazivanje Allahovog Imena takoer treba podsjetiti ljude na boanske naputke koji se odnose na hranu, i potvrditi da je jelo in ibadah a ne za zadovoljstvo Zazivanje Imena Allaha takoer odvraa eitana da ima udjela u hrani. Umjerenost u hrani je naglaena u Islamu. Kur'an opominje da ne prelazimo granice jedui dobre stvari koje nam je pribavio Allah Najuzvieniji. Posljedica je pojava gnjeva Allaha Najuzvienijeg a oni koji izazovu bijes Allaha su "osueni na propast," [20:81] Poslanikov (s.a.w.s.) savjet je: "Nekoliko zalogaja koji e drati neija lea uspravno je dovoljno. Ali ako mora jesti vie, tada treba ispuniti jednu treinu [svojeg eluca] hranom, jednu treinu piem i ostaviti jednu treinu za lako disanje". [Ahmad] Tko je nesposoban obuzdati svoju elju za hranom moe takoer propustiti da se obuzda od drugih zabranjenih inova. Poslanik (s.a.w.s.) je opisao umjerenost u jelu kao znaajku Vjernika: "Vjernik jede u jedan eludac, a nevjernik jede u sedam." [Bukhari & Muslim] Kuran takoer opominje protiv rasipanja hrane: "Jedite i pijte, ali ne rasipajte. Istiniti Allah ne voli Al-Musrifun [one koji rasipaju u raskonosti]." [7:31]
With compliments; BAITULMAL (Majlis Agama Islam Wilayah Persekutuan)

The Prophet (pbuh) advised against leaving food on a plate [to be thrown away] as one does not know which portion is blessed. Therefore, one should not put more food on one's plate than one is likely to eat. Muslims should avoid criticizing food as it is sustenance from Allah The Merciful. The Prophet (pbuh) never expressed his dislike of a food. If he liked it, he ate it. If he disliked it, he set it aside. Muslims are prohibited from using cups, plates and cutlery made of gold or silver. Such displays of one's wealth are contrary to the spirit of humility encouraged in Islam and a clear disobedience of the sunnah: "Do not drink in golden or silver cups nor eat in such plates." [Bukhari] Eating with one's right hand, sitting in a posture of humility (and not sit reclining) and not standing while eating or drinking are amongst other sunnah relating to eating. Muslims end their eating by praising Allah [Alhamdulillah^ for the sustenance. Many recite the prayer of the Prophet (pbuh) that praises Allah "Who fed us, provided us drink, and made us Muslims". [Muslim]. Something as basic as eating becomes worship when approached the Islamic way. There is certainly a lot of meat in describing Islam as the way of good and healthy life!
Dr Y Mansoor Marican, Ph. D. www.islamalways.com

Poslanik (s.a.w.s.) je savjetovao da se hrana ne ostavlja na tanjuru [da se baci] jer se nezna koji dio je blagoslovljen. Zato, na tanjur ne treba staviti vie hrane nego to e netko pojesti. Muslimani trebaju izbjegavati kritiziranje hrane jer to je hrana Allaha Milostivog. Poslanik (s.a.w.s.) nikad nije izrazio svoje nezadovoljstvo hranom. Ako ju je volio, on ju je pojeo. Ako ju nije volio, on ju je odloio. Muslimanima je zabranjeno da rabe ae, tanjure i jedai pribor napravljen od zlata ili srebra. Takvo pokazivanje neijeg bogatstva protivno je duhu skromnosti na koji potie Islam i jasan je neposluh sunnah: "Ne pijte iz zlatnih i srebrnih aa niti jedite iz takvih tanjura." [Bukhari] Jesti desnom rukom, sjediti u stavu poniznosti (i ne sjediti naslonjen) i ne stajati za vrijeme jela i pia jo su neke od sunnah koje se odnose na jelo. Muslimani zavravaju jelo zahvalom Allahu [Alhamdulillah^ za hranu. Mnogi izgovaraju molitvu Poslanika (s.a.w.s.) koja zahvaljuje Allahu "Koji nas je nahranio, dao nam pie, i uinio nas Muslimanima". [Muslim]. Neto tako osnovno poput jela postaje bogotovljem kad mu se pristupi na islamski nain. Sigurno je da ima mnogo toga kad se Islam opisuje kao nain voenja dobrog i zdravog ivota!
Dr Y Mansoor Marican, Ph. D. www.islamalways.com