In Islam, there are things that are considered lawful to do and there are things that are forbidden from doing. What is considered lawful and unlawful to do are all stated in the two main sources of for the Muslims which are the Al-Quran and the Hadith. The contents that are in the Al-Quran and Hadith applies to every aspect of a Muslim’s life; from day-to-day conversations, to day-to-day activities, and even everyday consumptions. Consumptions in the context of lawful and forbidden commonly relates to the food that the individuals consume. Food in Islam, as it is widely known, it is important that the individuals consume only food that are halal while the non-halal food are forbidden. Islam reminds Muslims that food and drink are the provision of Allah provided to them for their survival and for maintaining good health. Many research has been done on halal food consumption, particularly on the diet and nutritional perspectives. However, as for food consumption in Islamic context, it is not only important that the food is halal and nutritional. But there are eating etiquettes that should be followed and practiced, and there are also bad habits of eating that should be avoided by every Muslim individual. These eating etiquettes in Islam can be divided into three categories which are the etiquettes before eating, etiquettes whilst eating and the etiquettes after eating.
In Islam, the most important thing to practice is hygiene. Personal hygiene and cleanliness is an integral part of Islam. Muslims must always purify oneself and be in a clean state not only before praying to God, but at all times. Therefore, the first etiquette is that one must always wash their hands before eating. Not only this is done to ensure the cleanliness of the person eating, but as well as to prevent any harm that may be caused by the dirt on them. Next is to recite a du’a or supplication before each meal. Muslims have been taught since early childhood the du’as for before and after eating. Muslims begin every task or action by mentioning the name of God, and eating is no exception. Eating, like any other act of a Muslim, is a matter of worship. Any act of worship should begin with the name of Allah. Contrary to the customary practice of praying after meal, praying before meal indicates how thankful the Muslims are for being provided food to eat.
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The religion of Islam encourages its followers to eat less. Though the reason why Muslims are taught to eat less is significantly related to the dietary of the Muslims’ consumption, however, it is considered to be a social etiquette in Islam. Eating too much is considered to be unlawful and that it should be avoided at all cost as not to be hated by God. Prophetic narrations have also stressed the disadvantages of eating too much. For Muslims, they are advised to eat not more than two thirds of their normal capacity full as to sustain life and maintain good health. But if the individual has to eat, he should put one-third [of his stomach] for his food, one-third of it for his drink, and the remaining one-third for breathing (Jabbari, 2018). Another reason why Muslims are advised to eat less is that gluttony not only cause diseases and illness of the body, but it will also make the individual feel sluggish and lazy in doing prayers and worships as he or she feels too full to do so. Apart from that, by eating less, it also teaches Muslims to enjoy the pleasures of life in a moderate way, and to always be thankful and grateful for the blessings granted upon them. It is also a way to avoid in becoming a slave to one’s desires and in turn, become more focused in his or her ultimate spiritual goal.
Another etiquette of eating encouraged by Islam is to eat together. In Islam, it is always taught to be mindful of others and to maintain good relationship with each other. A way to do so is to eat and share meals together, be it with friends, families or even with strangers. And eating together helps strengthens the relationship that is already there, for example, relationships between families. Moreover, it is also encouraged to eat before others and to finish after others have finished eating. In some societies, eating first may seem to be a rude act of behavior. Of course, this should be done in a polite manner. The reason for this is to make people feel comfortable and not shy to eat. This act of behavior is even more encouraged when the individual the host of the event when eating together. Furthermore, people tend to feel relax when eating in company. When eating together, people are better in communicating with one another as they feel relaxed and unpressured. Thus, it is recommended that meetings or business deals to be brought upon during this time as it is likely to be successful. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) also brought the attention of Muslims to the importance of eating together. He (PBUH) said: “Eat together and not separately, for the blessing is associated with the company” (Ibn Majah). Then again, it is important to remember not to overeat in this occasions.
The same as before eating the meal, it is a Sunnah for Muslims to once again recite du’a once they finish eating as to praise and thank Allah for the blessings that He bestowed upon them. The act of not being thankful for the food consumed is sinful in the eyes of Islam, as the food is seen to be a blessing given by God to His humble servants.
To conclude, paying attention to the etiquette of eating allows the believers to gather blessings and rewards with ease. There are more habits that should be followed by every Muslims that were not listed. The habits that are listed are applicable to every individual of all age and every habits that are encouraged by Islam has its benefits. What is important in practicing these habits is to always remember to be thankful to The Almighty and to always stay humble. More often than not, these habits are correlated with the dietary of the Muslims’ food consumption. But, it is not only that. By eating less and by sharing food together with everyone, Islam also teaches to avoid waste. Anything that is of waste is considered to be unlawful. Also, these habits are not done only to avoid physical diseases but also mental illnesses as well, such as stress and depression. In a simpler way of saying, Islam’s ways of teaching revolve around the whole aspects of a Muslim’s life, and that it should always be followed and practiced not only to be granted happiness in the Hereafter but in life as well.
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