#RamadanTaughtMe that we eat to worship. 

"...˹You may˺ eat and drink until you see the light of dawn breaking the darkness of night, then complete the fast until nightfall..."

I have learnt many lessons over the years from Ramadan, but one lesson that stood out to me this year was the purpose of food. Ramadan was structured in a perfect way to aid worship. We begin our first meal of the day at Suhur, and that provides nourishment for the entire day while we focus on worship. Then we break our fast with the second meal of the day that replenishes our energy to sustain us during the nightly worship. But the trick is to eat in moderation. Overconsumption does not fulfil the purpose of food, which is worship, leading to laziness and indigestion, to say the least. Underconsumption, on the other hand, doesn't provide one with adequate energy, causing one to be fatigued. Either way, the purpose remains unfulfilled. 

Now, imagine if we adopted this mentality outside Ramadan as well. We wouldn't care if we ate the same food 3 days in a row because our purpose of eating is not to enjoy the food but to worship Allah. It wouldn't matter if it were fine dining or prison food, because, again, our purpose is worship. The most repeated question in our house every day, 'What shall we cook today?', wouldn't be repeated anymore, because we would cook whatever is available (and hopefully no one complains). 

Perhaps this is the mentality that Bani Israel lacked when they showed displeasure with eating manna and salwa every single day; perhaps we can be different and show gratitude instead. 

It seems easier said than done, but I believe it is these small steps that build character and eventually a strong Muslim civilisation. May Allah make us from the grateful. Ameen 

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh. 

"This line in the ayah, 'ٱلَّذِى هُوَ أَدْنَىٰ بِٱلَّذِى هُوَ خَيْرٌ,' really struck a chord with me. It highlights how we often prioritize the immediate, fleeting benefits over what's truly better in the long run. We might choose a lucrative job over pursuing Quranic studies.
ٱلَّذِى هُوَ أَدْنَىٰ بِٱلَّذِى هُوَ خَيْرٌ or opt for extravagant weddings instead of simple, Sunnah-compliant celebrations. Peer pressure and worldly pursuits can lead us to settle for less, exchanging what's truly beneficial for something inferior
'ٱلَّذِى هُوَ أَدْنَىٰ بِٱلَّذِى هُوَ خَيْرٌ      We put off reading the Quran, thinking we'll get to it 'later,' not realizing that 'later' might never come. It's amazing how this ayah can resonate with people across different walks of life.... 

When you start letting go of faith. Even the food from Heaven loses its taste and pleasure. Prophet Musa (A.S) feels frustration when he sees his people asking for earthly vegetables over man-o-salwa...

Bani Israel is complaining for not having variety in food - foods that came from the heavens. They were ungrateful in so many ways, The verses prior to this Allah is listing out the favours he gave them. but inspite of so many favours - big and small, they were truly ungrateful.

While I was reading these verses, I wondered how many times have we sat down to look at all the favours Allah has given us, yet most times we choose to look at what we do not have, and can be so ungrateful.

The other reflection from this verse is on food itself. The kind of food industry we have thanks to globalization, there's a lot to reflect on our consumption habits on a daily basis.

This reflection is a profound reminder of how easy it is for us to overlook the countless blessings Allah has given us, just as Bani Israel did. It calls us to pause and reflect on our own attitudes—how often we focus on what we lack rather than being grateful for the abundance we already have. Your reflection on the food industry and our consumption habits is also very timely; it encourages mindfulness in what we consume and gratitude for the sustenance Allah provides. May Allah grant us hearts that are constantly grateful and aware of His unceasing favors, both big and small.

Life of this world is insignificant but still, you prefer it over the significant, permanent life of Aakhirah. 

Let's not forget you laughed at your forefathers when they have preferred garlic, onion, lentils over the heavenly food. 

وَإِذْ قُلْتُمْ يَـٰمُوسَىٰ لَن نَّصْبِرَ عَلَىٰ طَعَامٍ وَٰحِدٍ فَٱدْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُخْرِجْ لَنَا مِمَّا تُنۢبِتُ ٱلْأَرْضُ مِنۢ بَقْلِهَا وَقِثَّآئِهَا وَفُومِهَا وَعَدَسِهَا وَبَصَلِهَا ۖ قَالَ أَتَسْتَبْدِلُونَ ٱلَّذِى هُوَ أَدْنَىٰ بِٱلَّذِى هُوَ خَيْرٌ ۚ ٱهْبِطُوا۟ مِصْرًا فَإِنَّ لَكُم مَّا سَأَلْتُمْ ۗ وَضُرِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلذِّلَّةُ وَٱلْمَسْكَنَةُ وَبَآءُو بِغَضَبٍ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ۗ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ يَكْفُرُونَ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ وَيَقْتُلُونَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ بِغَيْرِ ٱلْحَقِّ ۗ ذَٰلِكَ بِمَا عَصَوا۟ وَّكَانُوا۟ يَعْتَدُونَ

And [recall] when you said, 'O Moses, we can never endure one [kind of] food. So call upon your Lord to bring forth for us from the earth its green herbs and its cucumbers and its garlic and its lentils and its onions.' [Moses] said, 'Would you exchange what is better for what is less? Go into [any] settlement and indeed, you will have what you have asked.' And they were covered with humiliation and poverty and returned with anger from Allah [upon them].  (Qur'aan 2:61)

'A sense of entitlement is based on a person's belief that they deserve privileges or recognition for things that they did not earn. In simple terms, people with a sense of entitlement believe that the world owes them something in exchange for nothing.'

When I read the ayah noted below, the word 'entitlement' came to mind. It almost sounds like someone asking another person to place a take-out order for them at restaurant. As though the friend is obligated to place the order for them, and the restaurant is obligated to provide: 

'So ˹just˺ call upon your Lord on our behalf, He will bring forth for us some of what the earth produces of herbs, cucumbers, garlic, lentils, and onions' 

Some reflections on this ayah:

1) We shouldn't approach Allah as though He owes us something. We should strive to be grateful and humble (advice to myself first and foremost).

2) Don't approach people with a sense of entitlement either. One example that comes to mind is that we sometimes start to think certain Muslims, for example Masjid volunteers or volunteers at Islamic organizations, automatically owe us favors or special treatment. Another example is children who expect parents to automatically provide everything they want. The way I read this ayah (as a non-Arabic speaker) makes it seem that they approached Musa (a) as though he owes it to them and it's easy for him. (I'd love to learn more about the way their words come across in the Arabic.)

3) Reflect on this ayah next time you eat 'herbs, cucumbers, garlic, lentils, and onions'! Allah didn't have to provide these foods for us, and there were (and still are) many people who are desperate for eating these foods. Just something to think about in order to help us make the shift from entitlement to gratitude, insha'Allah.

4) I wonder if they also made dua themselves, in addition to asking Musa (a). This reminded me of people who feel they are not worthy of approaching Allah directly and feel that they need to ask someone more religious to pray for them. It's great to have people who are close to Allah make dua for us, but why not also work on the issues that are making you feel distant from Him? 

May Allah protect us from feeling entitled and forgive us for our ingratitude.

Do you have any reflections on this ayah?

It is very common to ask others to make dua for us. Most of the time it's because we think we ourselves aren't worthy enough to ask Allah directly. A beneficial reminder Masha Allah. 

We live in  a world where food is abused as  drugs. 

Yesterday my mother was telling me that diabetic people can't eat many things such as rice,potatoes,juices, desserts etc.

I'm struggling these days on my irregular eating habit. I'm a food lover. It seems like putting a stone on my heart..


Eating beyond our need leads us to laziness in general and in salah. Furthermore, it is a poison for heart.

Urwah' reported :Aisha (May Allah be Pleased with her) said:-

'Verily, the first trial to occur in this nation after the passing of its Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was people eating to their fill. For when people fill their stomachs, their bodies are fattened, their hearts are hardened, and their desires are uncontrollable.'

Source: al-Jū’ li-Ibn Abī Dunyā 22


'Their bodies are fattened,their hearts are hardened  and their desires are uncontrollable.' It is to be note that iff we have a desire to stay away from haram then we will also have to stay away from excessive eating as it makes us transgress the limits of Allah.


Salman reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:-
إِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ شِبَعًا فِي الدُّنْيَا أَطْوَلُهُمْ جُوعًا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ

Verily, the people who ate to their fill the most in this world will be the hungriest on the Day of Resurrection.

Source: Sunan Ibn Mājah 3351, Grade:  Sahih.


The Almighty wants to purify us  from all the impurities. Connecting it to the diabetic part of the talk,what we should understand is that Almighty wants us to enjoy His blessings in a balanced manner. The people who suffer from various diseases because of irregular eating habits are unable to eat their favourite things.

Allah wants us to have hasana in Dunya and Akhirah.

Do you have any reflections on this? How did you altered your certain habits when you got to know that they are not liked by Allah? 
Would love to connect. :)

#excessiveeating #food #AllahLovesUs
#reflections

Maa Shaa Allah! This is so very interesting! JazakaAllahu for the reflection and for mentioning that study brother Yousef!


Compare his attitude with the companions of Rasool Allah saw who would travel in the desert heat for battles , eating leaves of trees when they run out of food, and would sometimes chew the date seed all die to satisfy their hunger and with that never complained or asked the Prophet SAW to ask Allah swt to send down blessings from the sky.

The Heart That Keeps Looking Elsewhere 
Reading Al-Baqarah (2:60–61) through the Hadith

In these verses, water emerges from stone.
وَإِذِ اسْتَسْقَىٰ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِ فَقُلْنَا اضْرِب بِّعَصَاكَ الْحَجَرَ ۖ فَانفَجَرَتْ مِنْهُ اثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ عَيْنًا
 “And [recall] when Musa prayed for water for his people, and We said: ‘Strike the stone with your staff,’ and twelve springs burst forth from it...”— 2:60

Even the image itself feels overwhelming: 
water flowing from something hard and lifeless.

And not randomly, but with order and care:
قَدْ عَلِمَ كُلُّ أُنَاسٍ مَّشْرَبَهُمْ 
“Every people knew their place of drinking.”- 2:60

To me, these verses feel less like a story about hunger and provision,
and more like a story about the strange restlessness of the human heart.

Because despite all this provision, the next verse says:
لَن نَّصْبِرَ عَلَىٰ طَعَامٍ وَاحِدٍ 
“We cannot endure one kind of food.”— 2:61

And somehow that feels painfully familiar.
Not because blessings are absent, 
but because the heart quietly begins looking elsewhere for fulfillment.

The Prophet ﷺ once said:
«لَيْسَ الْغِنَىٰ عَنْ كَثْرَةِ الْعَرَضِ، وَلَـٰكِنَّ الْغِنَىٰ غِنَى النَّفْسِ»
“Richness is not having many possessions. True richness is the richness of the soul.”
— Sahih al-Bukhari, 6446; Sahih  Muslim, 1051
The hadith was spoken in a community where some companions possessed very little,  while others lived with more comfort and wealth. 
Yet the Prophet ﷺ repeatedly returned the question of sufficiency back to the state of the heart itself.

And perhaps this is part of what these ayahs uncover.
A person can be surrounded by miracles and still feel deprived.

Water from stone. 
Food descending from the sky. 
Yet the soul continues imagining: 
perhaps what I need exists somewhere else.

There is another hadith that feels deeply connected to this passage:
«لَوْ أَنَّ لِابْنِ آدَمَ وَادِيًا مِنْ ذَهَبٍ، أَحَبَّ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُ وَادِيَانِ»
“If the son of Adam had a valley of gold, he would desire a second.”
— Sahih al-Bukhari,, 6436; Sahih  Muslim, 1048

Not because human beings are incapable of gratitude,
 but because the heart adapts so quickly.

What once felt extraordinary becomes familiar. 
What once felt sufficient begins to feel small. 
And longing quietly moves elsewhere.

Perhaps that is why these verses feel so personal to me.
Sometimes the deepest exhaustion is not physical hunger — 
but the inability of the soul to rest inside what it has already been given.

And eventually, the verses move beyond longing itself.
The restlessness deepens. 
The dissatisfaction hardens.
 And the heart that constantly searches elsewhere slowly loses its ease within itself.

And maybe that is why the Qur’an returns so often to noticing: 
water, shade, food, wind, gardens, rain, light.
Not because these things are small,
 but because a distracted heart stops experiencing them fully.

And perhaps closeness to Allah is not about escaping the world —
 but returning to it differently.

Returning  with enough stillness  to recognize mercy in ordinary moments
 before the heart begins searching elsewhere again.

And perhaps that is part of what these verses leave behind: 
the uneasy realization that abundance alone does not calm the heart.

Only a heart that learns where to rest.

 #SurahAlBaqarah   #SuratAlBaqarah   #AlBaqarah   #Baqarah   #Quran   #Hadith   #Tadabbur   #QuranAndHadith   #SpiritualReflectio  n #Contentment   #Gratitude   #InnerPeace   #Dhikr   #Faith   #Tafakkur   #Presence   #MercyOfAllah     #قرآن  #سورة_البقرة   #البقرة   #تدبر  #الصلاة   #ذكر   #الرضا   #رحمة_الله  

Myriam Parra SubhanAllah, this is such a beautiful connection. May Allah fill our hearts with contentment in what He chooses for us. Ya Rabb.

Ayat 59-73

Ayat 59-73 Allah reminds the Israelites how they were not just ungrateful at the same time extremely disrespectful, and they had the audacity to mock Allah is so many ways, that again in the presence of a Prophet. They ridiculed Allah's orders, tried to humiliate Allah's messenger. 

They received the blessings and rejected saying those were not good enough. Yet Allah granted what they wanted through His prophet. 

Amidst all these in Ayat- 62, Allah mentioned those among the nation who followed Allah's command and they have nothing to fear. 

This is the similar situation today. Non-believers and a portion of us who identify as believers, we fail to recognise Allah's blessings. We complain. Yet Allah continues our sustenance. And among us there are still people who are grateful servants of Allah. May Allah allow us to be from of the grateful ones.