Allah the Almighty, created the heavens and the earth, the night and the day, the land and the sea, the clouds, the winds, the rain that gives life to the dead earth, and the whole world of existence, and placed it at the service of humankind. Human beings are able to sustain their lives with the blessings bestowed upon them within this very delicate order. Allah the Almighty gives the opportunity to benefit from these blessings not only to the believers but also to the disbelievers who ignore the verses on earth and equate other beings with Him (Baqarah, 2:164-167). The Creator, Who wants to make Himself known to human beings by creating these blessings, also wants them to obey Him through the rules He has established to benefit from them.
The basic rules regarding the food that people obtain to meet their nutritional needs are expressed in the verse as follows: “O humanity! Eat from what is lawful and good on the earth and do not follow Satan’s footsteps. He is truly your sworn enemy.” (Baqarah, 2:168) The basic rule for enjoying the blessings that Allah has bestowed upon human beings is to consume halal food. Some foods in the world have been declared haram. For instance, pork is inherently haram, while others, even if initially halal, become haram if obtained through illicit means, such as theft. The foods deemed halal by Allah are devoid of both these negative attributes. The second rule for enjoying these blessings is that they should be clean (tayyib). There are two views about the meaning of the word “tayyib” in this verse. According to the first meaning, ‘tayyib’ serves as a synonym for ‘halal’. In this context, something described as ‘halal’ is also considered ‘tayyib’. According to the second view, the word ‘tayyib’ refers to food that is inherently delicious, pure, and free from any doubt, ensuring it does not harm the mental, spiritual, or physical health of the consumer. Therefore, Allah commands us to consume ‘halal’ food but also to prioritize consuming ‘tayyib’ food from the halal option as much as we can afford. This is because food increases in value and worth to the extent that it is pure, flavorful, and enjoyable. Thus, the servants, as recipients of these blessings, want to be grateful to the bestower of these blessings and praise Him (swt).
Another aspect to consider in enjoying these blessings is avoiding extremes in nutrition. Accordingly, it is not right to declare foods that Allah has not forbidden as ‘haram’. Before Islam, certain tribes used to sacrifice animals in the name of various idols and considered it forbidden to consume their meat (Ma’idah, 5:103; An‘am, 6:138-139). The ruling of these verses applies to anyone who prohibits for themselves what Allah has not prohibited. It is nothing but irrationality for people to fabricate harams in order to cause themselves hardship and forbid themselves good blessings. Another extreme in nutrition is to abstain entirely from eating and drinking. The command to “eat!” implies that consuming halal food is permissible. Therefore, eating enough to sustain the body is considered wajib.
It is noteworthy that this verse begins with a general address to all people. The fact that it is addressed to all humankind is an expression of Allah’s mercy. This form of address indicates that Allah the Almighty has created everything on earth for the benefit of all humankind.
There is one significant obstacle that hinders people from eating halal and pure food, and that is Satan. Allah commands us to partake in halal and pure substances and forbids us from following in the footsteps of Satan. This is because Satan, when people follow him, lures them into doubtful areas and invites them to go to extremes (Ma’idah, 5:87; Bukhari, Iman, 39). This is why Satan is portrayed as an enemy who seeks the evil of humanity. Understanding this dynamic empowers individuals to resist Satan’s influence, enabling them to discern between genuine virtues and deceptive impulses when confronted with unsettling emotions.
According to the Qur’anic verse, Allah the Almighty, commands His servants to eat food that is halal, pure, free from doubt, and not harmful to the well-being of the mind, soul, and body. In our era, unlike previous centuries, technological advancements have facilitated interference with food production. The widespread distribution of food via international trade, coupled with increased economic prosperity and evolving consumption patterns influenced by the advertising industry, presents additional challenges. If food is corrupted as a result of all these developments, it will not only prevent people from leading healthy and peaceful lives but will also disrupt the order established by the Creator on earth. Therefore, a principled approach to halal and pure food has become very important, especially today. Our Lord’s warning against those who follow the path of Satan, indicating their propensity to wreak havoc for their own ambitions and greed, is profoundly significant: “And when they leave (you), they strive throughout the land to spread mischief in it and destroy crops and cattle. Allah does not like mischief.” (Baqarah, 2:205)
