Benefits of Tayyib Food
Bi Ismihi Ta’ala
Points taken from the ladies classes of Hadhrat Moulana Dawood Seedat saheb (daamat barakatuhum)
Pure /tayyib food is much higher than just halaal food. In a Muslim takeaway situation -the food is halaal and everything could be above board as far as halaal is concerned -but the staff /people employed there could be non Muslims. They are probably scantily clad and music could be blaring from televisions in the restaurant. This food would be halaal but would not fall in the ambit of Tayyib.
Chickens commercially slaughtered in approved abattoirs would be halaal but not tayyib. There are too many malpractices taking place. On the other hand, our forgotten backyard slaughtering would be halaal and tayyib. We’ve become lazy, but doing it ourselves is the proper way to go.
The tawfeeq (after bringing imaan) to do good deeds,depends on what we consume (the food that we eat). Our intake will determine our output.
One incident -Imaam Shaafi’i (rahmatullahi alaih) who was from the Aimma, was invited by Imaam Malik (rahmatullahi alaih) for a meal and to spend the night as his guest. When Imaam Maliks daughters, who were very pious and knowledgeable young women, heard of the invitation, they hastened to prepare the meal,arrange the bedding and musalla and place sufficient water for the honourable guest. That night Imaam Shafi’i ate to his fill, and the next morning left with Imaam Malik for fajr.
On their return Imaam Malik told Imaam Shafi’i that his daughters had some doubts about their esteemed guest. “They thought you were a pious man but now they have some doubts. You had eaten up all the food by yourself. The musalla placed for your night salaah was unused as was the water to make wudhu.” Imaam Shafi’i explained :”Your food contained so much noor that I consumed all as I was not sure if I would get food like this again. When I went to rest, I realised that the food had given me the spiritual strength to remain awake and I passed the night pondering over Ahadith, and as I remained in the state of wudhu, there was no need to renew my wudhu.” This was the benefit of Tayyib Food.
In the old days of Darul Uloom Deoband, there were only ulema employed for all types of work in the Uloom. The cook saheb there did not earn a lot, but every month he would put away a few paisas, and when he had enough, he would prepare a meal for all the asaatizahs. The effect of the food would give those ulema such noor and benefit that it was indescribable.
Food affects the physical body but also has spiritual benefits for us.
Durood, zikr, salaah is making our food tayyib and full of noor and is packed with roohani nutrition. When this food will go into the body, it will push the person to do good deeds. This is the connection between tayyib food and us.
