ISLAMIC ISSUES (pg. 3)

 

  

   
  • What are some of the food-related teachings of the Sunna?
  • The Prophet (peace and blessing upon him) said do not turn your stomach into graveyards for animals.
  • "The human being has never filled a container worse than his stomach. Hence, it will be sufficient for the son of Adam to satisfy his hunger with few bites to strengthen his backbone. If he must eat his fill, then he should allow for one third food, one third water, and one third air."
  • "The stomach is the house of every disease, and abstinence is the head of every remedy, so make this your custom."
  • What is the "food of the People of the Book"?
  • The People of the Book are those of the jewish and Christian faiths. The Quran has made it permissible to eat from the food of the people of the faiths although it is not permissible to eat from them food that is already prohibited such as pork and alcohol products
  • We are in the process of asking Islamic Scholars about the extent of this allowance-does it exempt the food from being lawful and wholesome?
  • In addition, America is by its own definition a secular nation and not a Christian nation because of separation of religion and state, even though its majority population is Christian
  • Corporate food producers cannot necessarily be classified as "People of the Book" per se, even if they have majority Christian or Jewish owners or workers
  • What about the Islamic injunction not to probe into what cannot be seen?
  • Although there is little awareness as of yet in the community, many recent publications have brought cmmon food industry practices out into the open
  • What about mentioning God Most High's name upon eating meat of which the orgin is unknown?
  • Both the above question and this one commonly refer to eating as a guest and respecting the host by not questioning them
  • What does Islam teach about the environment?
 
   
       
  • 22:18 Have you not seen that it is God to whom all the beings in the heavens and all the beings in the earth bow themselves down-and so too the sun and the moon and the stars and the mountains and the trees and the beasts?
  
   
  • The Earth and all on it, including the winds and the atmosphere is a creation of God Most High and all worships God in its own way. Humans have been entrusted with the use and care of the earth and all on it
  • Agriculture is a profession of the prophets (peace be upon them), all of them having been shepherds. It is an intimate relationship between mankind and earth compared to the intimate relationship between husband and wife. The way a husband should treat his wife, caring for her in a loving and nurturing relationship is the way a farmer should care for the earth
  • What does Islam teach about care of animals?
       
  • 6:38 And there is not a single beast on the earth, nor a bird flying with its two wings, but that they are communitites like you.
  
   
  • The rights of animals are that man:
  • Spends on them what they require-even if they are aged or sick such that no benefit will come from them
  • Does not over burden an animal or put them in harmful situations
  • Makes their resting-places comfortable and puts the males and females together in mating season.
  • The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) told us of two stories: a woman who entered Hell for imprisoning and starving a cat; and a man who entered Heaven for relieving the thirst of a stray dog by climbing down a well and filling his shoe with water
  • What does islam teach about business practices?
  • Islam supports private property and competition but remains firm on the goal of achieving an equitable distribution of the wealth
  • It seeks to promote equitable distribution by urging the rich to help the needy. Wealth is believed to belong to God, Who has entrusted the individual only with spreading its positive effects
  • Islam stresses the sharing of wealth and fairness in such matters as management-labor relations.
  • The accumulation of idle wealth is purified through the obligatory giving of a predetermined part of one's wealth in charity (zakah) and by encouraging rapid reinvestment, especially in projects designed to increase employment
  • Wasteful consumption (israf) is discouraged, while avoiding waste and saving wealthfor the purpose of direct investment (isstithamar) is encouraged.
  • Islamic doctrine includes and elaborate mechanism for secruing minority rights, for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) always recognized the need for pluralism and tolerance
  • Islam even call on its followers to nationalize the use of natural resources and to protect the environment
               
  • Professor Felix Pomeranz- florida International University