You are What You Eat

(Mu‘aazah bintu ‘Abdillah Al-‘Adawiyyah [rahimahallah] #3)

Ummul Aswad Al-‘Adawiyyah (rahimahallah) was a woman who had been breastfed by Mu‘aazah Al-‘Adawiyyah (rahimahallah).

Mu‘aazah  (rahimahallah) once said to Ummul Aswad (rahimahallah), “Do not spoil the pains that I took in breastfeeding you by eating haraam, for I did all that was possible to ensure that I ate only halaal when feeding you. Therefore, strive to consume only halaal so that you will perhaps be blessed to serve Allah Ta‘ala and be pleased with His decree.”

Ummul Aswad (rahimahallah) would thereafter mention, “If I ever partook of food that was even doubtful in nature, the result would be that I would either be deprived of fulfilling a fardh action or some other ‘ibaadah that I would normally carry out with punctuality on a daily basis.”

(Sifatus Safwah vol. 2, pg. 246)

Lessons:

1. The saying ‘You are what you eat’ applies to a person’s spiritual self as well as physical self. If one is particular and consumes only halaal, the pure, wholesome food will assist him in carrying out righteous works. Conversely, consuming haraam contaminates a person’s system so that he loses the motivation to perform ‘ibaadah and refrain from sin.

2. The child that is in the womb of the mother and even the child that is breastfed by the mother are both receiving their nutrition directly through their mother. Hence, the food that is consumed by the mother will have a direct effect on the piety and righteousness of the child. If the child is nourished with haraam from the very beginning of his life, it will be very easy for him to go astray and falter in his Deen.