New Year Resolution – Choose Rizqun Tayyibun
Saira Zafir
Gold River, CA
Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar, is finally here. Most of us make resolutions for the upcoming year at the end of the Islamic year in Dhul Hijjah. Some Muslims may focus on new jobs or investments or other changes that will bring success and comforts in this life.
The real question is: What should be the resolution for a Muslim for commencing the new Islamic year?
One common message that the first and last month of the Islamic calendar reflect is the message of sacrifice. The celebration of Eid-ul-Adha and the ritual of Hajj in the month of Dhul Hijjah signify the sacrifices made by our beloved Prophet Ibrahim (as) and his family as commanded by Allah. The month of Muharram reminds us of the sacrifices of the grandson of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saw), Hussain (ra), and his family for Islam. By looking back in Islamic history, and in the lives of our beloved Prophet and his companions, we have learned that they had sacrificed their time, wealth, comforts, luxuries, families, and lives for Islam and faced countless challenges.
Any success - whether it is for this world or for the hereafter - needs sacrifice. Likewise, for the successful life in the hereafter, a Muslim needs to develop faith in Allah and set his or her priorities right. It requires an aggressive change in our thoughts and lifestyle and a strong commitment to prepare ourselves for a truly successful life in this world and in the hereafter.
Many of us know and understand the importance of acts of worships in achieving the successes of this world and hereafter. However, I am going to talk about something which is very important for following religion but is overlooked quite often. For a successful Muslim, good health plays a crucial role in practicing Islam, and a healthy lifestyle requires sacrifice.
This year, let’s make a resolution to do sacrifices for a healthy lifestyle. This means that firstly, Muslims should educate themselves about healthy halal food. It will definitely change and improve the quality of life almost instantly. As Muslims, we should make proper choices of halal food to maintain our health, but should not forget to continue reading masnoon duas (Du’aas for everyday activities) daily to bring more barakah (blessings) in our lives.
Sacrifice for the taste buds is a major step, and it will result in a healthier lifestyle inshaallah. This will make it easier to fulfill the worldly responsibilities as well as to practice Islam compared to those Muslims having various health issues due to which they are not able to practice Islam to its full potential. For the past two decades, Western lifestyle of eating has introduced and propagated the tastes and attractions of processed junk food globally at the cost of our health. The junk food is cheap, readily available, and tasty.
As Muslims, we should understand the difference between “beneficial” halal food and “harmful” halal food. Try to make the right choices for yourself and for your family, educate them and be a role model for them.
Beneficial halal food means clean, natural, and non-processed food which keeps your body strong and healthy, and keeps your organs clean and detoxified. Some foods such as olives, dates, and honey are mentioned in the Qur’an , and fall under the category of Rizq un Tayyibun (Pure Sustenance).
Our Prophet has mentioned various kinds of foods and their benefits to mankind. But only a few Muslims have followed the right choices of halal food. So why are so many people addicted to processed food? Because it’s easy to get and it tastes good too!! For a healthy mind and an active body, we do not only need to focus on our spirituality, but we must also have an active lifestyle (exercise) and consume foods which are Sunnah, beneficial, and natural, instead of consuming processed junk food.
Sunnah foods have nutritional values, and are also beneficial for the brain, body, and soul. Allah likes strong Muslims, who practice deen with punctuality, devotion, and dedication.
Remember, many junk foods are halal, but usually they are processed and high in sugar, sodium, filled with food coloring, additives and may have no or very low nutritional value. They cause laziness, various types of sicknesses, inflammation, constipation, infections, affect the brain functions, weakenthe immunity and play a major role in obesity.
Don’t take your health for granted. Sacrifice your taste buds and avoid processed food, carbonated drinks (all kind of soda) and fruit juices which cause major health problems internally and externally to our bodies. So let’s make a resolve at the start of our new year to reform our lives starting today.
The Sahabah followed the choices and actions of the Prophet (saw) in everything, including food, and as a result, they were able to practice Islam comprehensively.
Certainly, our daily life and spiritual practices will be improved in quality and quantity by making healthy choices in life. As a healthy Muslim, we will fulfill both the Rights of Allah (Huqooq ul Allah) and the Rights of People (Huqooq ul Ibad) properly.
So let’s resolve to consume and serve healthy foods which are Sunnah of the Prophet (saw) and are considered Rizq un Tayyibun (Pure Sustenance) such as vinegar, honey, olive oil, yogurt, nuts, dates, figs, milk, grains, legumes, fish, meat, and a variety of fruits and vegetables for a balanced diet and a well maintained physical, social, and spiritual life.
May Allah help us and our families in making the right choice and eating “beneficial” halal food for being a healthier, stronger, and better Muslim.
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