The Four Poisons of the Heart - Part 3.

ISSUE NO. 003 of 2007
ISSUE DATE. Friday 19th January, 2007
Corresponding Islamic Date: 29th Zul Hijjah, 1427

Assalaamu ‘Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakaatuh
Peace Be Unto You and the Mercy of Allah and His Blessings.

The Four Poisons of the Heart - Part 3.
Ibn Qayyim al Jawziyyah

“The Purification of the Soul”

Too Much Food

The consumption of small amounts of food guarantees tenderness of the heart, strength of the intellect, humility of the self, weakness of desires, and gentleness of temperament. Immoderate eating brings about the opposite of these praiseworthy qualities.

Al-Miqdam ibn Ma’d Yakrib (ra) said:
“I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) say:
“The son of Adam fills no vessel more displeasing to Allah than his stomach. A few morsels should be enough for him to preserve his strength. If he must fill it, then he should allow a third for his food, a third for his drink and leave a third empty for easy breathing.”

Excessive eating induces many kinds of harm. It makes the body incline towards disobedience to Allah (swt) and makes worship and obedience seem laborious - such evils are bad enough in themselves. A full stomach and excessive eating have caused many a wrong action and inhibited much worship. Whoever safeguards against the evils of overfilling his stomach has prevented great evil. It is easier for shaytan to control a person who has filled his stomach with food and drink, which is why it has often been said:
“Restrict the pathways of shaytan by fasting.”

It has been reported that when a group of young men from the Tribe of Israel were worshipping, and it was time for them to break their fast, a man stood up and said:

“Do not eat too much, otherwise you will drink too much, and then you will end up sleeping too much, and then you will lose too much.”

The Prophet (saw) and his companions (ra) used to go hungry quite frequently. Although this was often due to a shortage of food, Allah decreed the best and most favourable conditions for His Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.

This is why Ibn Umar (ra) and his father before him - in spite of the abundance of food available to them - modelled their eating habits on those of the Prophet .

It has been reported that Aisha (ra), said:

“From the time of their arrival in Madina up until his death , the family of Muhammad never ate their fill of bread made from wheat three nights in a row.”

Ibrahim ibn Adham (ra) said:

“Any one who controls his stomach is in control of his deen, and anyone who controls his hunger is in control of good behaviour. Disobedience towards Allah is nearest to a person who is satiated with a full stomach, and furthest away from a person who is hungry.”

A basic characteristic of Islam is this: that it never forgets for an instant, at any time or place, the nature of man and the limits of his capacities, nor does it neglect the material realities of his existence. Yet, at the same time, it causes him to attain - as has happened at various periods in the past and can always happen, if the necessary efforts are made - a higher point than that reached by any man-made system whatsoever. This is accomplished with ease, comfort, security and moderation.

All error arises from misunderstanding or neglecting the nature of this faith, from expecting the occurrence of miracles of hidden origin, miracles which will transform the nature of man, pay no attention to his limited capacities, and have no regard for the material realities of his environment.

Is Islam not revealed by God? And is not God omnipotent? Why, then, does this faith operate only within the boundaries of restricted human abilities? Why should the results of its operation be affected by human weakness? Why is it not always triumphant, why are its adherents not always victorious? Why should its purity, its elan, on occasion be overcome by weakness, by the passions, by material realities? Why do the wrong sometimes triumph over the righteous, the adherents of this faith?

All these represent questions and doubts, and all arise in the first place from misunderstanding or neglect of the primary nature of this faith and its mode of operation.

Naturally Allah is capable of transforming human nature, by means of the religion of Islam or any other method. But - may He be exalted! - He has chosen to create man with his present nature in accordance with His own wisdom. He has chosen to make divine guidance the fruit of exertion and desire for it:

“Those who strive on our account, them will We guide to our paths.”

He chose too to make human nature operate constantly, without being effaced or put out of action.

“The soul and that which regulates it. He inspired it with knowledge of its corruption and its piety. He who purifies it, prospers; and he who corrupts it, loses thereby”.

He chose that His divinely ordained path for human life should be realized through human exertions, within the limits of human capacities:

“Truly Allah does not change the state of a people until they change that which is within themselves”.

“Were Allah not to repel some people by means of others, truly the earth would be corrupted”.

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