Saturday, August 22, 2026

The Dangers of Overeating, Fast Food and Obesity in Islam

Definition of youth

According to dictionaries, a person remains young from maturity until 30 to 40 years. From 30 to 50 years is the period of middle age while old age starts after 50 years. It is better to take precaution in feeding even a new-born baby. When the child reaches puberty, he should be advised and encouraged to avoid harmful things and excessive eating. If a person eats whatever he desires despite reaching the age of 30 years, he will soon experience its harmful effects on his health. As his age increases, diseases will attack him. If a person eats whatever comes into his hand despite reaching the age of 50 years, it is as if he is inviting diseases. It becomes difficult for such people to remain safe from sugar and cholesterol problems.

After 30 years, blood becomes infected with various sicknesses. Therefore, it is advisable to have different blood tests done every six months. If the test indicates any disease, one should have this test done every 1 ½ month besides taking the proper medication. It is a blunder to avoid the test for fear that if the test-report reveals any disease, it would cause stress. Keep in mind that ignoring a disease is not its cure. This carelessness can result in severe problems in the future. There are many people whose hearts suddenly fail. Paralysis has also become very common. May Allah protect us from all type of diseases and save us from this trial!

آمِيْن بِجَاهِ النَّبِيِّ الْاَمِيْن ﷺ

Dangers of pizza

Pizza and other oily fast foods sold in the marketplace quickly cause fatness and obesity. These items are very dangerous to health. In fast foods, inferior quality ingredients and, at times, very stale ingredients are used. In summer, these cooked stale foods develop fungus and germs, which gives rise to the danger of severe food poisoning or even death. In the United Arab Emirates where the quality of hotel food is considered to be very high, a critical article was published in the newspaper 'Khaleej Times' on 14th August 2004 which severely criticised fast food, especially pizza and other oily foods served in the hotels of the capital Abu Dhabi. According to the article, almost three or four such patients who have food poisoning as a result of eating pizza etc. are being admitted in most of the hospitals and clinics of Abu Dhabi every week. These patients have vomiting, diarrhoea, indigestion, fever, weakness and extreme fatigue. One doctor reports that three such patients who ate pizza visited him last week. One of the patients had to be hospitalised for two days. There are also other doctors who had presented their reports in this specific article and all concluded that, 'Consuming pizzas and other market fast foods is tantamount to inviting diseases.'

Dear Islamic brothers! Use of fast foods, pizzas and other fried foods increases the cholesterol level in blood. High cholesterol levels harden and narrow blood vessels, increasing the risk of heart problems. If a patient is in the habit of smoking and has diabetes, there is a high risk of him suffering from stroke or a heart attack. If one wants to have a healthy body, it is very important to consume fresh and simple food and to maintain a proper body weight as this assists in reducing cholesterol levels and obesity.

Story of consumer of pizza

An Islamic brother has given the following statement: 'I was a very thin and slim person. Before joining Dawat-e-Islami I had some modern friends. We used to compete for eating the most food and, in most cases, I used to win the competition. Despite excessive eating, my body was still thin. Then, due to my friendship with a keen consumer of pizza, I got into the habit of eating pizza and drinking pepsi. When I ate pizza for the first time, my weight was around 60 kg. Initially, I would eat pizza just once a month or once every two months but I gradually became so fond of it that I started eating pizza even twice a week. I would also drink either pepsi or coca-cola and enjoyed eating mayonnaise. Slowly my weight began to increase and I was under the false impression that at last 'Now I am getting healthy.' Little did I realise that I was actually heading for my doom. I did not know that pizza was increasing cholesterol in my blood and slowly affecting my heart. My weight steadily increased till I was about 95 kg. I became obese and my stomach expanded outwards like a drum. The cholesterol level increased in my blood, making me suffer from some diseases permanently.

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰه عَزَّوَجَلَّ! Fortunately, by the blessings of the Sunnaĥ-Inspiring Madanī environment of Dawat-e-Islami, I heard about the excellence of applying the Madanī guard to the stomach in an Ijtimā' and made up my mind to decrease my daily food intake. اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰه! By the blessing of eating less, I lost almost 5 kg of weight within a few days, and I now feel active and trim. As I often have to go on journeys, travelling has also become easy for me due to this reduction in my weight. As the Madanī guard on the stomach improves the stomach and eradicates constipation etc., I have now been able to act upon the Madanī In'ām of remaining in the state of Wuḍū all the time.

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰه! Barley bread is now prepared at my home. Please make Du'ā for me to attain steadfastness and for every Muslim to realize the importance of Madanī guard of the stomach.

As for pizza and other such foods, I am now of the opinion that getting someone into the habit of eating pizza or consuming drinks such as pepsi cola or coca-cola is, in actual fact, enmity in the disguise of friendship.'

Cure for obesity

Developing the habit of eating less by means of the Madanī guard on the stomach for the pleasure of Allah can protect you against obesity and many illnesses. How nice it would be if we could just give up excessive eating, following the advice of the Noble Prophet before it comes to going to hospitals and avoiding excessive eating on the advice of doctors! In this regard, the Noble Prophet has stated, 'Man does not fill any container worse than his stomach. A few morsels of food are sufficient to keep his back straight. If he cannot do so, then he should keep one third of his stomach for food, one third for water and one third for air.'

(Sunan Ibn Mājaĥ, vol. 4, pp. 48, Ḥadīš 3349)

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