This article is dealing with the noble guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet (SAWS) in matters related to health and medicine. Appropriately, people of both ancient and modern times have called studies such as this, “prophetic medicine.”

It is well known that our Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) was not a physician by trade. Neither was his message one of a medical nature. However, because he was sent by the Lord of Creation and guided by authentic inspiration, and since the Islamic Shari’ah (jurisprudence) is both comprehensive and eternal, it was only befitting that its tenets would contain glimpses into areas of human health and well being.

Further, it is not befitting for the words of the Prophet (SAWS) to contain anything but truth; assuming that we understand them correctly, in the manner intended by him, without additions or unwarranted alterations.

In order that this series of articles meet these criteria, texts from the Quran and ahadeeth are compiled with necessary explanations, followed by appropriate modern scientific findings. It is hoped that this arrangement will provide a useful Islamic and scientific guide to you, the reader.

GUIDANCE:

It is the right of all Muslims to enjoy the bounty of food and drink provided by Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala. However, they must avoid extravagance and excess as it may lead to bloating. Striking a balance between extravagance self-depravation is the fundamental goal of the Islamic Shari’ah.

THE ISLAMIC TEXTS:

Numerous statements have been recorded in both the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet (SAWS) that encourage moderation in food and drink. The meaning and explanation of some of them are:

- “And eat and drink and waste not. Truly, Allah loves not the wasteful” (7:31)
This statement from the Noble Quran, although brief, is comprehensive in its Islamic guidance about sustenance. In the verse, Allah has permitted us to enjoy food and the bounties of this life while at the same time He has forbidden waste and extravagance. This includes waste in quantity as well as in kind.

- Al-Miqdad ibn Ma’ad Yakrib narrated that he heard the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhe wa sallam, say: “no human ever filled a container more evil than his belly. The few morsels needed to support his being shall suffice the son of Adam. But if there is no recourse then one third for his food, one third for his drink and one third for his breath.” (Ahmad and Tirmithi).

THIS HADEETH REVEALS THREE FACTS:

1) Filling one’s stomach is evil and harmful to mankind.

2) A human can subsist on limited sustenance; however, they have become accustomed to eating and drinking to excess and beyond their actual needs. It is the desire to enjoy food that drives them to excess and to eat and drink until they become bloated.

3) When a person desires to eat, due consideration should be given to the remainder of the body’s organs. Thus, people should not eat to their own detriment, for when the stomach is filled it presses against the diaphragm leading to shortness of breath.

4) Aisha narrated: “The family of Muhammad (SAWS) never ate their fill three days in a row till he passed away.” (Bukhari).

5) In addition to these narrations, numerous other texts and statements encourage zuhd, (moderation and indifference to this earthly life). It is well known that restraint in eating is a major aspect of zuhd.

- Abdullah ibn Umar narrated that the Messenger of Allah(SAWS)said: “The believer eats in one stomach, and the disbeliever eats in seven stomachs.” (Bukhari and Muslim). The story behind this hadeeth is that a man used to eat liberally, and then after he embraced Islam, began to eat in moderation. This was mentioned to the Prophet (SAWS) whereupon he made the preceding statement.

In discussing the meaning of this hadeeth, the scholars of Islam asked what could cause someone to change their dietary habits upon embracing Islam. Among the conclusions reached, is the theory that embracing Islam reduces the characteristics of gluttony and the desire to over-eat, with the result that believers can be satisfied with very little. In contrast, disbelievers may never be filled no matter how much they gorge themselves, due to their excessive gluttony and love of this life.

MEDICAL DISCOVERIES:

Regretfully, many present day societies have great imbalance in their food intake. Physicians lament the chaotic eating habits, in both kind and quantity, which many people have adopted. Indeed, excess and eating to the point of becoming bloated has become a pleasure sought by many. Fast foods with high fat contents are a common sight in this day and age. Ultimately, this is another by-product of the Western way of life.

As is now well known, over-eating can be injurious to health for the following reasons:

1) Excessive consumption of fats and carbohydrates can result in an increase in cholesterol - itself a type of fat - in the blood. The cholesterol coats the inner walls of the blood vessels resulting in an increased occurrence of heart disease. This is supported by dozens of scientific studies related to this topic and has led to a common consensus among physicians today.

2) Excessive consumption of food leads to obesity, itself a dangerous disease and worthy of its own discussion. For this article, suffice it to say that some of obesity includes increased blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, asthma, and heart disease.

3) Overeating is also a major cause of dyspepsia, indigestion, heartburn and gastro-esophageal reflux.

4) In some cases overeating can lead to diabetes. Recent studies conducted in China and elsewhere have shown that moderation in dietary habits can reduce the risk of diabetes in those with a genetic predisposition to the disease. For this reason. Numerous international health organizations have begun long-term programs to combat diabetes before it strikes, emphasizing among other things, moderation and organization of dietary habits.

5) Every individual has a personal need for food. If this threshold is exceeded then the excess fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals become a burden upon the body. It will usually respond by either expelling this excess from the body through the kidneys, lungs or skin, or by storing it in the body in the form of fat. In both cases, the individual will not have benefited from what was eaten.

The preceding sections dealt with the biological repercussions of overeating. However, overeating also has behavioral and social effects, such as reducing productivity and efficiency at work. This is especially noticeable in the period immediately after a gorging session. The reason for this lethargy and listlessness is interesting.

As many may already know, every organ in the body receives its basic blood flow constantly, and during increased activity extra flow is pumped and the small blood vessels (capillaries) are opened in response to this increased demand. This is exactly what happens after overeating; while extra blood is pumped to the gastro-intestinal system, other organs in the body make do with just their basic flow.

Finally, there are religious repercussions to overeating. In light of the verses and hadeeth quoted above, we can see that overeating may lead to a spiritual hardening of the heart that lessens our responsiveness to the Quran, its teachings, and the desire to obey its commands. This is clear and not surprising, for food is one of mankind’s loves, and if someone is unable to reign in their desire for food despite the conviction that it is indeed harmful, it then stands to reason that such a person may also lack willpower when it comes to other prohibited desires.