Sins of the Stomach
Introduction
If we can gain control of the desires of our stomach the rest is easy, as eating excessively causes an increase in all our desires and tiredness in the body.
Summary of Sins to Avoid
- Excessive lawful eating & drinking
- Unlawful eating & drinking
- Taking drugs
- Consumption of foods with the following E-Numbers: E120, E160a, E471, E472 (a-e), E473, E474, E475, E476, E477, E478, E570, E572, E631, E635, E640, 920
Explanation of the Sins
1. Excessive lawful eating & drinking
Allah ﷻ says in the Quran “And eat and drink but waste not by extravagance, certainly He (Allah ﷻ) likes not Al – Musrifun (Those who waste by extravagance)”.
Allah ﷻ has mentioned this matter in the Quran and has commanded us not to overeat, in other words not to eat excessively.
One must leave one third of his stomach for food, one third for drink, and one third for air.
Additionally, we should not take advantage of the fact that we have food, rather we should remember the less fortunate who do not have food. We should be grateful for each grain of rice we eat, each crumb of bread we eat and each sip of water we drink.
On the other hand, it is not obligatory to eat everything that is on the plate. Rather, one should eat little to keep healthy. The Prophet ﷺ said: “The child of Adam has not filled any receptacle worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the child of Adam to eat small bits of food that keep him healthy. Now if he wants to eat much anyway, he should give a third to the food, a third to drink and a third of his stomach to let him breathe comfortably.” Ahmad.
Anas (May Allah ﷻ be pleased with him) said: “The Prophet ﷺ ordered us not to leave anything on the plate and he said: “You do not know in which portion of your food Allah ﷻ has put the Barakah “(Blessing). Muslim.
2. Unlawful eating & drinking
The punishment for one who consumes alcohol and the one who eats unlawful is forty lashes. This also applies for the one who consumes even a sip of alcohol. The punishment of the one who eats or drinks unlawful foods such as pork, bacon, etc is that their Salah, their worship will not be accepted for forty days. Imagine if one dies in that state. This is two hundred Salah’s unacceptable!
There are severe punishments for those who:
- Consume the money of interest (riba)
- Consume the money of taxes
- Consume the money which is taken of others by force
- Consume the money of the orphan
- Consume everything taken through a deal unlawful by the Islamic law
The person who buys food with such wealth and feeds their stomach is committing a greater sin and will be dealt with great harshness.
3. Taking drugs and consuming alcohol
The punishment for those who take drugs is forty to eighty lashes. Everything that takes away one’s senses is haram, even if it does not result in drunkenness or intoxication. If it takes away the senses then it is haram according to the consensus of the Muslims.
Al-Bukhaari and Muslim narrated that Ibn Umar (may Allah ﷻ be pleased with him) said: I heard Umar (may Allah ﷻ be pleased with him) say from the minbar of the Prophet ﷺ of Allah ﷻ (peace and blessings of Allah ﷻ be upon him): “O people, the prohibition of khamr (wine) was revealed when khamr (wine) was made from five things: grapes, dates, honey, wheat and barley. Khamr (wine) is whatever befogs the mind.”
4. Consumption of foods with the following E-Numbers:
E120, E160a, E471, E472 (a-e), E473, E474, E475, E476, E477
E478, E570, E572, E631, E635, E640, 920
The one who eats food containing the above E-Numbers, be it in chocolate, biscuits, sweets etc is actually eating haram. Because these E-Numbers contain insects, pigs and animal enzymes that are not slaughtered in the halal way.
Abu Hurairah (Radiallahu Anhu) narrates that Rasulullah (Salalahu Alayhi wa Salam) said, “Verily, Allah ﷻ is Pure and He only accepts pure, and indeed Allah ﷻ commanded the Believers what He commanded the Prophet ﷺ. He said: “O Messengers, eat of the pure things and perform righteous acts. Verily, I am Well-Aware of what you do.” And He said “O you who believe! Eat of the good things that we have provided you with, and give thanks to Allah ﷻ if Him it is that you serve.”
