Some time back a person conducted a small experiment. He placed a bouquet of white roses in a vase of water. He then added some blue food colouring to the water. The result of this was that in just one or two days, tiny blue veins began to appear in the white petals. The reason was obvious – when the rose is sustained through the water, then it had to absorb and reflect the colouring in the water.

In the very same way, a person is affected by the food that he eats, not only through the food being nourishing or harmful to the body – but spiritually as well. If the food is halaal and is earned in a halaal manner, then the energy it will create in the body will motivate one towards righteousness and piety. Conversely, if the food is haraam or is earned in a haraam manner, then the disastrous outcome will be that it will contaminate and pollute one’s spiritual heart, causing one to be inclined and influenced towards haraam and evil.

In the Quraan Majeed Allah Ta‘ala commands the Messengers saying, “ *O Messengers! Eat from that which is pure (halaal and wholesome) and carry out good deeds.”* (Surah Mu-minoon v51)

In this verse Allah Ta‘ala first commands to consume halaal, and thereafter commands to carry out good deeds. The link between the two commands is clear – it is through consuming halaal that one will find the energy and motivation to engage in good deeds, and one’s heart will remain soft, receptive and inclined towards righteousness and piety.

It is mentioned that ‘Umar bin Saalih Tarasoosi (rahimahullah) once went to Imaam Ahmad bin Hambal (rahimahullah) and asked him, “Through which action will the hearts of people become soft (i.e. inclined towards piety and receptive to Deeni reminders and advice)?” Imaam Ahmad (rahimahullah) replied, *“Through eating halaal.”*

‘Umar bin Saalih (rahimahullah) then went to Bishr Haafi (rahimahullah) and posed the same question. Bishr (rahimahullah) replied by quoting the verse of the Quraan Majeed saying, *“Behold! It is through the zikr (remembrance) of Allah Ta‘ala that the hearts acquire tranquillity (and softness)* .” (Surah Ra’d v28)

‘Umar (rahimahullah) then mentioned to Bishr (rahimahullah) that he had just come from Imaam Ahmad (rahimahullah), (and he had asked him the very same question). Bishr (rahimahullah) asked, “What answer did Imaam Ahmad give to you?” ‘Umar responded by mentioning that Imaam Ahmad (rahimahullah) had told him that the hearts will become soft through eating halaal. Hearing this, Bishr (rahimahullah) said, “He gave you the actual answer.” (Hilyatul Awliyaa vol.7, pg. 320)

In other words, though zikr and the remembrance of Allah Ta‘ala softens the heart, however if one’s food and drink is haraam, then this will become an impediment and blockage that will prevent the zikr from having the desired effect. Thus, the journey to piety commences with consuming halaal.

Accordingly, when raising a child as well, it is imperative for the parents to ensure that the child is only fed halaal food, purchased with halaal wealth, earned in a halaal manner. If the child is fed haraam food, or food acquired through haraam wealth, then not only will the parents be sinful, but the ill-effects will be seen in the child.

At times the ill-effects are witnessed immediately, while at other times, the ill-effects surface after many years. It is thus the experience of certain ‘Ulama that in many cases where a child has become a drug addict, then often one of the contributing factors to this calamity is that the child was raised with haraam wealth.

The people of the past understood the effects of halaal and haraam well and were thus always concerned about their income being halaal. Imaam Ghazaali (rahimahullah) has mentioned that in the past it was a common habit that when the man would leave the home to go to work, then his wife and daughters would address him and give him an important reminder. They would say to him, *“Beware of earning haraam, as we can tolerate the pangs of hunger, but we cannot tolerate the fire (of Jahannam)* .” (Ihyaau ‘Uloomid Deen vol. 2, pg. 108)

The blessed seerah of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) is filled with examples of this caution. Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) mentions that at the time of the date harvest, various Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) would bring their zakaat dates to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and leave it with him (to distribute among the poor Muslims).

At times, the beloved grandsons of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) – Sayyiduna Hasan and Husain (radhiyallahu ‘anhuma) – who were young children at the time, would play with the dates. Once, Sayyiduna Hasan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) placed one of the dates in his mouth. On seeing this Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) immediately removed it from his mouth and corrected him saying, “ *Do you not know that the family of Muhammad (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) do not eat zakaat?”* (Saheeh Bukhaari #1485 & 1491)

In other words, since Sayyiduna Hasan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was a Sayyid (i.e. a descendant of Rasulullah [sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam]), it was not permissible for him to eat the zakaat dates. Hence, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) immediately removed it from his mouth, and also corrected the young child by informing him of that which is halaal and haraam and emphasizing to him the importance of eating halaal.

In this day and age, with the abundance of haraam food products, as well as the prevalence of impermissible sources of income (such as interest-based transactions), it is imperative for parents to safeguard their Deen and the Deen of their family by exercising caution and restraint. It should not be that for the sake of money, we destroy the Deen of our children.

From: https://uswatulmuslimah.co.za/
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The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said “ *Whoever guides someone to goodness will have a reward like one who did it.”*
(Sahih Muslim 1893)

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