Eat From The Good Things Which We Have Provided
Jummah Mubarak, sis! The Quran is not only our guide to faith and righteousness but also a profound source of healing and divine wisdom, including guidance on how we nourish our bodies. Within its verses and the Prophetic traditions (Sunnah), we find timeless instruction on the blessings and healing power of the foods Allah has provided for us.
Too often, we overlook or forget the natural remedies and wholesome foods mentioned in the Quran and Hadith, even though they hold immense spiritual and physical benefits. Our bodies are an amānah, a sacred trust from Allah, and the way we choose to care for them through what we consume reflects our gratitude and obedience to Him.
May Allah guide us to eat with mindfulness, gratitude, and balance, reviving the Prophetic way of nourishment and honoring the trust of this body He has blessed us with. Ameen.
Surah Al-Baqarah (2:172):
"O you who have believed, eat from the good things which We have provided for you and be grateful to Allah if it is [indeed] Him that you worship."
This ayah is a profound reminder that the act of eating is not merely physical—it is spiritual. Allah commands the believers to eat from what is ṭayyib, meaning pure, wholesome, and beneficial. This encompasses not only what is lawful (halal) but also what nourishes the body, uplifts the spirit, and brings one closer to Allah through gratitude and mindfulness.
To eat from what is good is an act of obedience. It requires discernment—choosing foods that are clean, ethical, and sustaining. It also calls us to avoid that which harms or leads to neglect of our health and our faith. Through this simple yet powerful instruction, Allah reminds us that our diet is part of our devotion.
The second part of the ayah ties consumption directly to worship: “and be grateful to Allah if it is Him that you worship.” Gratitude here is more than words; it is a way of living. It is seen in how we treat our bodies as trusts, how we recognize Allah’s bounty in every morsel, and how we maintain moderation in what we consume.
When we eat with intention, remembering Allah, we transform a basic human need into an act of ‘ibadah (worship). Every bite becomes a means of drawing closer to Him. As the Prophet (peace be upon him) taught, the believer eats with mindfulness—beginning in the name of Allah, eating with moderation, and ending with praise and gratitude.
Thus, this ayah teaches that true gratitude is shown not only in our words but in our choices—in consuming what is pure, in avoiding wastefulness, and in acknowledging that every blessing on our plate is a gift from the Most Merciful.
