Don’t Eat Your Fill

Aisha (radi Allahu anha) said: “From the time of their arrival in Madina up until his death, the family of Muhammad (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) never ate their fill of bread made from wheat three nights in a row.” [Bukhari]

The Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) and his Companions (radi Allahu anhum) used to go hungry quite frequently. Although this was often due to a shortage of food, Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) decreed the best and most favourable conditions for His Messenger (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam).

This is why Ibn Umar and his father before him (radi Allahu anhuma) – in spite of the abundance of food available to them – modeled their eating habits on those of the Prophet (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam).

Ibraheem ibn Adham said: “Any one who controls his stomach is in control of his Deen, and anyone who controls his hunger is in control of good behaviour. Disobedience towards Allah is nearest to a person who is satiated with a full stomach, and furthest away from a person who is hungry.” [The Purification of the Soul]