What our religion expects from us is to take moderation as our garb and virtue.

As far as moderation is concerned, the following Hadith is worth-contemplating:

Always adopt a middle, moderate, regular course, whereby you will reach your target (of paradise).1

Good way, dignified good bearing and Moderation are the twenty-fifth part of Prophecy.2

On one hand, the Holy Quran speaks collectively of moderation by the phrase Ummatan Wasatan. Most interpreters of the Holy Quran define the meaning of Ummatan Wasatan as a moderate Muslim community that takes the middle path or say a Balanced community.

Thus, have We made of you an Ummat justly balanced3, that ye might be witnesses over the nations, and the Messenger a witness over yourselves For Allah is to all people Most surely full of kindness, Most Merciful.4

Khaled Diab, Why Muslims don't pig out, ADMAXNETWORK: Southeast Asias Leading Ad Network, available from http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jul/02/islam.religion, retrieved May 6, 2011 http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1072544

On the authority of Al-Numan bin Basheer, who said : I heared the messenger of Allah say :
1 2

Al-Hadith, Bukhari: Vol. 8, No. 470 Al-Hadith, Abu Daud: Book 41, No. 4758 3 Ummatan Wasatan 4 Al-Quran, 2.143

"That which is lawful is plain and that which is unlawful is plain and between the two of them are doubtful matters about which not many people know. Thus he who avoids doubtful matters clears himself in regard to his religion and his honor, but he who falls into doubtful matters falls into that which is unlawful, like the shepherd who pastures around a sanctuary, all but grazing therein. Truly every king has a sanctuary, and truly Allah's sanctuary is His prohibitions. Truly in the body there is a morsel of flesh which, if it be whole, all the body is whole and which, if it be diseased, all of it is diseased. Truly it is the heart."
narrated by Bukhari and Muslim
He hath forbidden you only carrion, and blood, and swineflesh, and that which hath been immolated to (the name of) any other than Allah. But he who is driven by necessity, neither craving nor transgressing, it is no sin for him. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful (2:173). -In an incident narrated by Rafi' bin Khadij, the Prophet told Muslims who wanted to slaughter some animals using reeds, Use whatever causes blood to flow, and eat the animals if the Name of Allah has been mentioned on slaughtering them... (Bukhari).

Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 65, Number 298: Narrated Anas: To the best of my knowledge, the Prophet did not take his meals in a big tray at all, nor did he ever eat well-baked thin bread, nor did he ever eat at a dining table. Volume 7, Book 65, Number 304: Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "The food for two persons is sufficient for three, and the food of three persons is sufficient for four persons." Volume 7, Book 65, Number 306:

Narrated Ibn 'Umar: Allah's Apostle said, "A believer eats in one intestine (is satisfied with a little food), and a kafir (unbeliever) or a hypocrite eats in seven intestines (eats too much)." Volume 7, Book 65, Number 309: Narrated Abu Huraira: A man used to eat much, but when he embraced Islam, he started eating less. That was mentioned to the Prophet who then said, "A believer eats in one intestine (is satisfied with a little food) and a Kafir eats in seven intestines (eats much). " 6 Zuhr said, There is no harm in (eating) an animal slaughtered by a Christian of Arabia; if thou hearest him invoking another name than that of Allh, do not eat it, and if thou dost not hear him, Allh has made it lawful, and He knew their unbelief. (B. 72:22.) 7 ''ishah said, Some people said to the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allh be on him, People5 bring to us meat about which we do not know whether the name of Allh was mentioned over it or not. He said, "Mention the name of Allh over it and eat it." She said, and they had just emerged from unbelief. (B. 72:21) 13 Jbir said, The Messenger of Allh, peace and blessings of Allh be on him, said: "Of whatever thing a large quantity intoxicates, even a small quantity is prohibited."(AD. 25:5.)

On the authority of Al-Hasan bin Ali, the grandson of the messenger of Allah, who said : I memorized from the messenger of Allah his saying : "Leave that which

makes you doubt for that which does not make you doubt."
narrated by Termithi and Nasaee, and Tirmithi said it is true and fine hadith. On the authority of Abdullah bin Abbas, who said : One day I was behind the prophet and he said to me:

"Young man, I shall teach you some words [of advice] : Be mindful of Allah, and Allah will protect you. Be mindful of Allah, and you will find Him in front of you. If you ask, ask of Allah; if you seek help, seek help of Allah. Know that if the Nation were to gather together to benefit you with anything, it would benefit you only with something that Allah had already

prescribed for you, and that if they gather together to harm you with anything, they would harm you only with something Allah had already prescribed for you. The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried."
narrated by Termithi, who said it is true and fine hadith In a version other than that of Tirmithi it reads:

"..Be mindful of Allah, you will find Him before you. Get to know Allah in prosperity and He will know you in adversity. Know that what has passed you by was not going to befall you; and that what has befallen you was not going to pass you by. And know that victory comes with patience, relief with affliction, and ease with hardship."

On the authority of Muadh bin Jabal, who said:

I said: "O Messenger of Allah, tell me of an act which will take me into Paradise and will keep me away from Hell fire." He said: "You have asked me about a major matter, yet it is easy for him for whom Allah Almighty makes it easy. You should worship Allah, associating nothing with Him, you should perform the prayers, you should pay the zakat, you should fast in Ramadan, and you should make the pilgrimage to the House." Then he said:" Shall I not show you the gates of goodness ? Fasting [which] is a shield, charity [which] extigueshes sin as water extebgueshes fire; and the praying of a man in the deapth of night." Then he recited :

"Who forsake their beds to cry unto their Lord in fear and hope, and spend of that We have bestowed on them. No soul knoweth what is kept hid for them of joy, as a reward for what they used to do". (quran, verse) Then he said: " Shall I not tell you of the peak of the matter, its pillar, and its topmost part?" I said: "Yes, O Messenger of Allah." He said: "The peak of the matter is Islam; the pillar is prayer; and its topmost part is jihad." Then he said: "Shall I not tell you of the controling of all that ?" I said:"Yes, O Messenger of Allah", and he took hold of his tongue and said: "Restrain this." I said: "O Prophet of Allah, will what we say be held against us ?" He said: "May your mother be bereaved of you, Muadh ! Is there anything that topples people on their faces - or he said on their noses into Hell-fire other than the jests of their tongues ?"
related by Al-Tirmithi, who said it was a fine and true hadlth.

On the authority of Abdullah bin Omar, who said: The messenger of Allah took me by the shoulder and said:

"Be in the world as though you were a stranger or a wayfarer."

The son of Omar used to say: "At evening do not expect [to live till] morning, and at morning do not expect [to live till] evening. Take from your health for your illness and from your life for your death." related by Bukhari

Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam replied: "0 Anas, keep your earnings Halaal and pure and your duas will be accepted because if a man places one morsel of Haraam food in his mouth, his duas will not be accepted for a period of forty days."

REMEMBER YOUR IMAAN IS NOT CHEAP. DO NOT RISK IT FOR A PIECE OF DISEASED CARRION.

Mohammed,

HARAAM CHICKENS, Facebook,

http://eo-eo.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=38212974981&topic=9287

f you abstain from these chickens you wont die. But, if you eat it and it is haraam you will cry (on the day of Qiyamah) so why take a try? yoh i want my duaas to get accepted. so friends just abstain we wont loose anything by just sacrificing a little bit but we will be rewarded certainly... IS OUR IMAAN SO CHEAP THAT WE CAN RISK IT FOR A PIECE OF CHICKEN? WHEN THERE IS DOUBT, LEAVE IT OUT. Let it not be that we destroy our Ibaadaat buy eating a few morsels of Haraam.

Muhammad, HARAAM FOOD AND SHAITAAN, Facebook, available from http://eoeo.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=38212974981&topic=9287

People were highly praising a young aabid (worshipper) who was engrossed in rigorous spiritual exercises and experiences. Hadhrat Ibraahim Bin Adham (rahmatullah alayh) asked to be taken to the aabid. On arrival at the home of the aabid he invited Ibraahim Bin Adham to be his guest for three days. Initially, Hadhrat Ibraahim was highly impressed by the young aabids apparent lofty spiritual stage. He was constantly experiencing some spiritual state of ecstasy. However, something about the aabid was disconcerting to Hadhrat Ibraahim Bin Adham. He closely watched the aabid and discovered that the food he was consuming was not halaal. He then exclaimed: "Allaahu Akbar! This is the influence and manip ulation of shaitaan." He invited the aabid to be his guest for three days. At the home of Hadhrat Ibraahim, the young man partook of the food. Immediately thereafter he experienced that he was undergoing a transformation. His earlier state of spiritual ecstasy had disappeared. In consternation, he cried: "What have you done to me?" Ibraahim said: "Relax! Your food was not halaal. Along with the ingestion of haraam food, Shaitaan would enter your body. He freely entered and left your body as he chose. Now that halaal food has entered your body, Shaitaan has been thwarted. He cannot gain entry into your body. The basis of taqwa is halaal food." When haraam and mushtabah food is consumed, Shaitaan manipulates the thinking, actions and the body of man. It is therefore of utmost importance to ensure that what goes into the body is halaal and tayyib.

Muhammad, IBN MUBAARAK AND THE BARKAT OF HALAAL FOOD

Most Muslims must have heard the name of the illustrious Saint, Hadhrat Abdullah Ibn Mubaarak (rahmatullah alayh). His father, Mubaarak, was the slave of the Qaadhi of the City of Ray. The piety of his slave had made an indelible impression o n the Qaadhi who was a very wealthy and prominent member of the community. Inspite of high-ranking and elite members of the community proposing marriage for his daughter, the Qaadhi married his daughter to his slave, Mubaarak. The Qaadhi Saheb too was a pious man, hence he made the decision to have his daughter married to his slave. Taqwa was the criterion for his decision. After the bride was delivered to her husband Mubaarak, the now freed slave, he did not consummate the marriage for forty days. Both he and his wife remained in Ibaadat for this period. Meanwhile Mubaarak ensured that he fed his wife with halaal tayyib food for forty days. After three days had passed without consummation, his wife complained to her husband. Mubaarak replied: "Undoubtedly, your father is a pious man. However, he is a Qaadhi. I have doubts o n the absolute purity of his wealth and what he had fed you. I desire that before consummation of the marriage, any mushtabah food which you may have consumed at your fathers home be worked out of your system so that Allah Taala blesses us with pious offspring." When the pious lady heard this explanation she understood, was overjoyed and she joined her husband in the 40 day Itikaaf. Thereafter the illustrious Abdullah Ibn Mubaarak, the Imaam of the Ummah of the time was conceived. This is the effect of halaal tayyib food. It is precisely for this reason that Allah Taala emphasizes to His Ambiya the importance of consuming halaal tayyib food. In such food there is Noor which brightens the Rooh of the Mumin. o n the other hand, in haraam and mushtabah food there is nothing but zulmat (spiritual darkness) which utterly ruins the spiritual fibre of the Mumin. Taufeeq for Amaal-e-Saalihah is negated despite the realization of the importance of such deeds and despite the intellectual perception of the necessity of righteous deeds. But, the weakened Imaan tarnished and damaged by haraam and mushtabah food cannot generate sufficient energy to fight and thwart the commands of the nafs to be spiritually lethargic and perpetually incline towards evil. Muslims should realize that consumption of haraam and mushtabah is not a trivial issue. It is a fatal poison for Imaan.

Observe moderation in eating and drinking in order to avoid stimulating your desire. Read more: http://fatwa.islamonline.net/livefatwa/english/Browse.asp?hGuestID=ZYo85f#ixzz1LSIeKtQe

Ahmad Ibn Idris wrote In any case, he may follow this procedure or he may simply reduce his food as much as he can. What is desirable is moderation in reducing ones food, in accordance with the words of the Prophet, God bless him and grant him peace, The best of things are those in the middle. And decreasing the amount one drinks is more certain than decreasing ones food. Some have said, Eat whatever you wish, but do not drink. And the secret of that is that to leave drinking will cause a decrease in food. This is why Abu Yazid al-Bistami said to his nafs one night when it felt too lazy to do his wird: By God I will not give you water for a year [if you do not do the wird], which will cause you to eat less, and you will have less energy for worship.- Riyada, http://riyada.hadithuna.com/593/ Two Sufi Treatises of Ahmad ibn Idris by Bernde Ratdke, R. Sean OFahey, and John OKane. Oriens, vol 35, (1996), pg 143-178. Observing moderation in eating and drinking in order to avoid stimulating your desire.

Ibrahim ibn Adham said: "Anyone who controls his stomach is in control of his deen, and anyone who controls his hunger is in control of good behavior.. Disobedience towards Allah is nearest to a person who is satiated with a full stomach, and furthest away from a person who is hungry.

Asma bint Shameem, " Eating Less - The Solution To Many Problems, Farhat Hashmi: Quran for All, In Every Hand, In Every Heart, available from http://www.farhathashmi.com/dn/EatingLess/tabid/610/Default.aspx, retrieved May 6, 2011

Ibrahim ibn Adham ibn Mansour ibn Yazeed ibn Jabir Al-Ajly Al-Tamimi [d.164H/782CE] 'alayhi alrahmah wa'l-ridwan

Ibrahim ibn Adham [d.164H/782CE], is known as [Abu Ishaq] Ibrahim ibn Adham ibn Mansour ibn Yazeed ibn Jabir Al-Ajly Al-Tamimi. His origin is from Balkh, a country located in central Asia, and his nickname is Abu Ishaq. His grandfather was the ruler of Khurasan and his father was one of its kings. Naturally, Ibrahim was going to inherit the kingdom. He is also a well-known Follower (Tabi'i, the second generation after the Companions). He met some of the Beloved Prophets (SAW) Companions and narrated hadiths after them. He was fluent in speaking classical Arabic. He inherited a fortune and lived as a negligent king until one day an old man told him: "Ibrahim, you were not created for leisure, *{Did ye then think that We had created you in jest, and that ye would not be brought back to Us [for judgment] ? }* (Qur'an; Al-Mu'minun 23:115) Fear Allah, and prepare yourself for death." From this moment Ibrahim repented and became a sincere muslim, following the path of tasawwuf. He deserted

his status as a ruler and moved to live in Jerusalem. He did not miss a cause for the sake of Allah and fought for His cause devotedly, especially in the Roman lands. This was even in the moments of poverty. He wore coarse clothes and ate modest food. He died in Sur in Lebanon in H 161/778 CE. Some accounts state that he was killed on a naval expedition against Byzantium.

Imam Junayd al Baghdadi Radi Allahu anhu said of him, "Ibrahim is the key to the sciences" and he is held in great respect, by all who have knowledge, for his exemplary life and his incisive wisdom with respect to the states of man. Ibrahim ibn Adham also associated with Sufyan ath-Thawri Radi Allahu anhu.