Order and Discipline in Consumption According to Islam
A look at the verses of the Quran that allow human beings to benefit from divine substance and blessings shows that there are conditions attached to this permission.
For example, the verses beginning with "Kulu (eat)" are of two types, with some mentioning Ijabi (affirmative) conditions and others including Salbi (privative) conditions.
Among the Ijabi conditions are Taqwa (piety, God-fearing), thankfulness, giving to the poor, and doing good deeds:
“Eat of the lawful and good things with which Allah has provided you. Have fear of Allah in whom you believe.” (Verse 88 of Surah Al-Ma’idah)
“Eat of the lawful and good things with which Allah has provided you and be thankful for the favors of Allah if it is He you worship.” (Verse 114 of Surah An-Nahl)
“…Eat thereof, and feed the wretched poor.” (Verse 28 of Surah Hajj)
“Eat of that which is good and do good deeds; I have knowledge of the things you do.” (Verse 51 of Surah Muminoon)
As for Salbi conditions, they include avoiding corruption, rebellion, following of Satan, and wastefulness. The Quran, after referring to the blessing of trees and fruits, stresses two conditions: giving alms to the poor and avoiding wastefulness.
“He brings forth gardens, trellised and untrellised, palmtrees and crops, different to eat, and the olive and pomegranates alike and unlike. When it bears fruit eat of it and pay what is due (the zakat) of it upon the harvest day. But do not be wasteful; He does not love the wasteful.” (Verse 141 of Surah Al-Anaam)
In the next verse in this Surah, the Quran highlights the benefit of the cattle and then orders us to avoid following satan: “And of the cattle, some are for carrying burdens, and others for slaughter. Eat of that which Allah has provided you with and do not follow in satan's footsteps; he is your open enemy.” (Verse 142 of Surah Al-Anaam)
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In another example, after the people of Moses (AS) are saved from pharaoh, they are ordered to avoid transgression: “Eat of the good things with which We have provided you and do not transgress therein” (Verse 81 of Surah Taha)
And when Moses (AS), struck a rock with his staff and twelve springs gushed from it, the Bani Isra’il are ordered to avoid corruption on earth: “(Remember) when Moses prayed for water for his nation, We said to him: ‘Strike the Rock with your staff.’ Thereupon twelve springs gushed from it, and each tribe knew their drinking place. ‘Eat and drink of that which Allah has provided and do not act evilly in the land, corrupting.’” (Verse 60 of Surah Al-Baqarah)
So it is important that every Muslim should stay away from extremes and adopt a moderate approach.
Translated by Seyed Hossein Beheshti Shakib
