When it was time to give a meal to some visitors from Iraq, Umar, the second caliph brought them a bowl of food- some coarse bread and olive oil- and requested them to eat. Slowly, reluctantly- they complied. Seeing what tiny morsels the were taking, Umar said to them, "You know, if I wished, I could also prepare for myself fine, rich food of the kind to which you are accustomed. But it is our practice here to be sparing of things in this world so that we may receive them in the next. Have you not seen how Almighty God has chastised a people for having received good things in their worldly life?" By another account, Umar asked them what they wanted: "Things which are sweet and spicy, hot and cold? Whatever you eat will go to waste in your stomachs".
Source: Pg 118, An Islamic treasury of virtues by Maulana Wahiduddin Khan, Hilyat Al-Auliya by Abu Nu’aym
Showing posts with label Zuhd (Ascetism). Show all posts
Showing posts with label Zuhd (Ascetism). Show all posts
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Thursday, December 14, 2006
A Muslim must suppress his desires
Hasan ibn Ali recounts how, once, when Umar entered his son's house, he found some meat there and asked how it came to be there. His son, Abdullah said that he had felt an urge to eat some meat that day. "So, everything tht you have an urge for, you eat, do you?" asked Umar. then admonishing his son, he said, "A man has to do no more than partake of everything he desires to be counted among the extravagant."
Source: Kanz Al Ummal, Pg 246, An Islamic treasury of virtues by Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
Jabir ibn Abdullah had just bought one dirham's worth of meat and was taking it home, when he met Umar bin Khattab. The latter asked him what he was carrying and Jabir told him, "Something that my family want very badly; I have bought them a dirham's worth of meat". Umar went on repeating the words, "something that my family wanted very badly", so often that Jabir wished he had lost the dirham before buying the meat, or else that he had not met Umar. According to another tradition, Umar said: "What, whever they want something, do you buy it for them? Have you forgotten this worse: 'You squandered away your precious things in your earthly life and took your fill of pleasure.'" (46:20)
Source: Al Bayhaqi, Pg 246, An Islamic treasury of virtues by Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
Source: Kanz Al Ummal, Pg 246, An Islamic treasury of virtues by Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
Jabir ibn Abdullah had just bought one dirham's worth of meat and was taking it home, when he met Umar bin Khattab. The latter asked him what he was carrying and Jabir told him, "Something that my family want very badly; I have bought them a dirham's worth of meat". Umar went on repeating the words, "something that my family wanted very badly", so often that Jabir wished he had lost the dirham before buying the meat, or else that he had not met Umar. According to another tradition, Umar said: "What, whever they want something, do you buy it for them? Have you forgotten this worse: 'You squandered away your precious things in your earthly life and took your fill of pleasure.'" (46:20)
Source: Al Bayhaqi, Pg 246, An Islamic treasury of virtues by Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
Sunday, October 29, 2006
On over-eating
Umar (ra) would encourage exercise, and was against obesity. He said:
'O people, beware of over-eating. Because it makes you lazy in your salah. And it makes your body weak. And it makes you unhealthy. And Allah dislikes the obese man. And you should be modest in your food. Because it is closer to righteousness, and further from excess; and makes you stronger in worshipping Allah. And you will perish when your desires become more likeable to you than Allah (or religion).'
Note: Obesity here refers to obesity caused by over-eating.
Source: Umar ibn AlKhattab His Life & Times, Imam Anwar Al-Awlaki
'O people, beware of over-eating. Because it makes you lazy in your salah. And it makes your body weak. And it makes you unhealthy. And Allah dislikes the obese man. And you should be modest in your food. Because it is closer to righteousness, and further from excess; and makes you stronger in worshipping Allah. And you will perish when your desires become more likeable to you than Allah (or religion).'
Note: Obesity here refers to obesity caused by over-eating.
Source: Umar ibn AlKhattab His Life & Times, Imam Anwar Al-Awlaki
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