Healthy Eating According to Sharia of Islam:

"...Eat and drink, but do not be excessive. Indeed, He does not like those who commit excess."

Qur'an 7:31

“We sent down to you [the] Manna and [the] Salwa, "Eat from (the) good things that We have provided you." And not they wronged Us, but they were (to) themselves doing wrong.”

Qur’an 2:57

"O you who believe! Eat of the good things that We have provided for you and be grateful to Allah..."

Qur'an 2:172

The theory was then put into practice through the way of last prophet and messenger of Allah/God, prophet Muhmmad Ibn Abdullah may all peace and blessings be upon him (Ameen):

Miqdam bin Madikarib said:

“I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: ‘A human being fills no worse vessel than his stomach. It is sufficient for a human being to eat a few mouthfuls to keep his spine straight. But if he must (fill it), then one third of food, one third for drink and one third for air.’”

Sunan Ibn Majah 3349, Book 29, Hadith 99

Al-Miqdam ibn Ma’dikarib reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The son of Adam cannot fill a vessel worse than his stomach, as it is enough for him to take a few bites to straighten his back. If he cannot do it, then he may fill it with a third of his food, a third of his drink, and a third of his breath.”

Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2380

Narrated Abu Huraira: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Food for two is sufficient for three, and food for three is sufficient for four.” In another narration by Jabir: “And food for four is sufficient for eight.”

Sahih al-Bukhari (5392), Sahih Muslim (2058, 2059).

The Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid when one is eating, they “should not wipe his hand with towel until he has licked his fingers, for he does not know in what portion of the food the blessing lies”

Sahih Muslim 2033b, Book 36, Hadith 175

The practices of the prophet Muhammad PBUH was a guide and an illustration of how to live according to the Qur’an and its teachings (including health practices), ultimately living according to what earns you the pleasure of Allah/God.

The teachings and sayings of the prophet PBUH is studied and explained through Islamic Sciences of Hadith which is a broad study of how to apply these teachings for worship, religious rulings or simply recommendations for general life.

So next time you hear a Muslim say, this is the sunnah, what they are trying to say is that this is the way the Prophet.

Of course, being a Sunni Muslim, it would mean that you do your best to live according to the way of the Prophet, following his guidance and recommendations, which he left behind for his companions to spread and continue teaching. May Allah be pleased with them all. Ameen

Now, an important point that must be drawn out is that not everything that the Prophet Muhammad PBUH recommended or did is for religious legislation; rather, it could also be from human habits. To make this simple to understand, Ibn Taymiyyah RA (1263 – 1328) explains it very precisely in his book, The Necessity of Following the Straight Path, where he mentions the different types of Sunnah to understand this context better:

Sunnah of guidance (sunnah huda) acts of worship, legislated to draw one closer to Allah.

Sunnah of habit (sunnah Aadah) practices the Prophet PBUH as part of his human needs, culture, or health.

Ibn Taymiyyah used the following as his evidence:

"The Prophet PBUH used to wear certain clothes, eat certain foods, ride certain animals — not because these were acts of worship, but because they were customary in his time. These are considered from the Sunnah of habit (Aadah), not Sunnah of guidance (huda)."

Iqtiḍaa Aṣ-Ṣiraat al-Mustaqīm (The Necessity of Following the Straight Path), Ibn Taymiyyah

To simplify things further, not everything the Prophet PBUH did was meant to be followed as an act of worship — some of it is merely habitual or customary.

From my own research, I have also come across three hadiths which I believe put things into perspective and In sha ALLAH (by will of ALLAH) open some minds:

It was narrated from Müsâ bin Talhah that his father said: “The Messenger of Allah and I passed by some people who were at the top of their date palms. He said: ‘What are these people doing?’ They said: ‘They are pollinating them, putting the male with the female so that it will be pollinated.’ The Messenger of Allah said: ‘I do not think that it is of any use.’ They were told about that, so they stopped doing it. The Messenger of Allah was told about that and he said: ‘If it benefits them, let them do it. I only expressed what I thought. Do not blame me for what I say based on my own thoughts, but if I narrate something to you from Allah, then follow it, for I will never tell lies about Allah, may He Glorified and Exalted is He.” (Sahih Muslim, The Book of Virtues: 6126)

âfi’ bin KhadIj said: “The Messenger of Allah came to Al-Madinah, and they (the farmers) were pollinating the date palms. They said, they are pollinating the date. He said: ‘What are you doing?’ They said: ‘We used to do that.’ He said: “Perhaps if you do not do it, it may be better.” So they stopped doing it, and the crop (that year) failed, or the yield was reduced. They mentioned that to him and he said: ‘I am only human. If I tell you to do some in religious matter, then follow it, but if I tell you to do something based on my opinion, then I am only human.”

It was narrated from 'Aisha that the Prophet (ﷺ) heard some sounds and said:

“What is this noise?” They said: “Palm trees that are being pollinated.” He said: “If they did not do that it would be better.” So they did not pollinate them that year, and the dates did not mature properly. they mentioned that to the Prophet (ﷺ) and he said: “If it is one of the matters of your religion, then refer to me.” (Sunan Ibn Majah 2471)

It was narrated from Anas that the Prophet passed by some people who were pollinating (palm trees) and said: “If you do not do it, it may be better.” The trees produced bad dates, then he passed by them and said: “What is the matter with your palm trees?” They said: “You said such-and-such.” He said: “You know better about your worldly affairs.” (Sahih Muslim: 6128)

At this point, it should be evident that, prophet Muhammad PBUH, he himself, recommends that we should strive to seek best solutions when it comes to our worldly affairs, including health, especially medicine, since it’s such a universal matter. For those not aware, I did establish this point in the previous blog by demonstrating that, Medicine, should be free from being associated with religion and superstitious believes at most…

The Prophet PBUH clarified that his guidance in religion is binding, but in worldly, technical matters (like agriculture or medicine), people should rely on expertise, observation, and experience which is very closely related to the approach to medicine by Hippocrates and Ibn Sina…

A side point to give you readers is also a summary of what the previous blog promoted:

“O servants of Allah, seek treatment, for Allah has not made a disease without also making a cure for it…❞

Sunan Abi Dawood, 3855 | Sahih, per Al-Albani. RA

The Prophet PBUH used cupping, honey, ruqyah, and herbs, but did not require others to follow his exact regimen. Scholars like Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn Qayyim emphasise that medical treatment falls under ‘customs’ (adaat) and should be guided by benefit, not imitation alone.

Ibn Khaldun (in Muqaddimah) says Prophetic medicine belongs to the knowledge of his time and place, and later discoveries are valid.

Ibn Taymiyyah (in Majmu‘ al-Fatawa) and Ibn al-Qayyim (in Zad al-Ma’ad) emphasise that treatment should follow what is effective, not merely what the Prophet did as a man in his context.

This shows he PBUH promoted medical treatment and recognised it as a means, not something contradictory to tawakkul (trust in Allah).

Ok, I want to bring you back. So, the principles promoted in the Sharia and Sunnah of Muhammad PBUH as a man, following customs while fulfilling his blessed duties as a prophet/messenger of God.

The principles: Being balanced, moderate, and health-conscious when adopting eating habits are amongst the core principles encouraged in the Quran and demonstrated by the prophet PBUH.

I hope I do justice when attempting to explain how and possible reason as why prophet Muhammad PBUH favoured this way of life when considering eating habits. To further strengthen this, I will also use current science and literature to back up the points made.

Being balanced and moderate, yes, it is the same thing but has different nuances so let’s understand how to differentiate in the context of diet:

Balance – try to include appropriate amount of ALL macro (carbs, fats and protein) in your diet

Moderate – avoid over consumption of a particular macro for example, carbs/sugars

So, what does sharia say and how to utilise the information thus far?

Pretty simple, enjoy all macros/foods, regardless of the form, yes, all and doesn’t matter whether it is processed or ultra-processed, the fact that you can balance this out by making most of your food/ingredients minimal, organic, whole food etc. to counteract this, achieving an overall balance.

The crucial point is that you do not just spoil yourself rather earn how to not to demonise food categories and learn how to enjoy food and use it to optimise health meanwhile, working towards not only prevention of metabolic conditions but also, eating disorders such as orthorexia. If you don’t know orthorexia, just google it…

So, let’s clear some common misconceptions and demonised food types or ingredients:

Ultra‑processed foods are fine in small doses but must be balanced—not consumed in isolation and mix it up by some throwing organic, wholefoods etc in your diet.

The main goal is not overindulgence—my point: “The crucial point is that you do not just spoil yourself”—is strongly supported by the Quran and science. "...Eat and drink, but do not be excessive.” Quran 7:31.

Dietary diversity and making the bulk of your nutrition mostly organic and whole foods and minimally processed, especially ultra-processed foods.

Science and literature:

Hall et al. (2019) – “Limiting consumption of ultra-processed foods may be an effective strategy for obesity prevention and treatment.”

Hall, K.D., Ayuketah, A., Brychta, R. et al. (2019) Ultra-Processed Diets Cause Excess Calorie Intake and Weight Gain: An Inpatient Randomized Controlled Trial of Ad Libitum Food Intake. Cell Metabolism, 30(1), pp.67–77.e3.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2019.05.008

The importance of food quality over calorie quantity and demonstrates how ultra-processed diets, even when nutrient-matched, lead to increased energy intake—highlighting the importance of balance.

Lane et al. (2023)

Lane, M.M., Davis, J.A., Bechara, T.P. et al. (2023) Ultra-Processed Food and Chronic Inflammation: A Review of the Current Evidence. Nutrients, 15(3), p.652.

https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15030652

Emphasising the point that ultra-processed intake is associated with inflammation, the risks are significantly influenced by total diet quality and lifestyle.

Pagliai et al. (2021)

Pagliai, G., Dinu, M., Madarena, M. et al. (2021) Consumption of ultra-processed foods and health status: a systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Nutrition, 125(3), pp.308–318.

https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114520002688

This meta-analysis supports the idea that UPFs can negatively impact health markers when consumed in excess, but occasional inclusion—within a high-quality diet—is not damaging.

World Health Organisation (WHO) & Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) (2003)

WHO/FAO. (2003) Diet, Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases: Report of a Joint WHO/FAO Expert Consultation. WHO Technical Report Series 916. Geneva: World Health Organisation.

https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/924120916X

Provides foundational principles on dietary balance, moderation, and diversity, stating that no food group should be entirely excluded but overconsumption of processed items should be limited.

Estruch et al. (2013) – PREDIMED Trial

Estruch, R., Ros, E., Salas-Salvadó, J. et al. (2013) Primary prevention of cardiovascular disease with a Mediterranean diet. New England Journal of Medicine, 368(14), pp.1279–1290.

https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1200303

Shows that balanced, whole-food-rich dietary patterns—even with occasional indulgences—can significantly reduce disease risk.

Being health-conscious when adopting eating habits. These include, but are not limited to, the following:

· Fasting/Intermittent fasting,

· Sharing food as a form of charity (Sadaqa),

· Calorie deficit, enjoying nutrition-dense foods,

· Favouring natural sugars and carbohydrates,

· Food sequencing while focusing on gratitude towards food, for example, starting with Basmala (bismillah),

· Slow eating

· Eating with senses, including touching food

Suppose one were to study Cephalic Digestion. This would support the rationale behind adopting healthy eating habits in accordance to the Sharia. In addition to emphasising the importance of encouraging good practices, enhancing better digestion to manage common gut issues such as IBS, IBD, flatulence and more.

That's all for now, we will revisit this and make a more in-depth analysis...