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Chapter 9 - Recommended Eating and Dietary Practices in Islam

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2025

By
Nada Benajiba ,
MoezAlIslam E. Faris ,
Lana Faiz Mahrous ,
Hasnae Benkirane ,
Amina Bouziani ,
Yasmine Guennoun  and
Basil H. Aboul-Enein
Edited by
Basil H. Aboul-Enein ,
G. Hussein Rassool ,
Nada Benajiba ,
Joshua Bernstein  and
MoezAlIslam E. Faris
Basil H. Aboul-Enein
Affiliation:
University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
G. Hussein Rassool
Affiliation:
Charles Sturt University
Nada Benajiba
Affiliation:
Ibn Tofail University
Joshua Bernstein
Affiliation:
A. T. Still University of Health Sciences
MoezAlIslam E. Faris
Affiliation:
Applied Science Private University
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Summary

In Islam, the act of eating is considered a form of worship and adoration when performed as prescribed by Allah and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). This chapter explores the recommendations related to eating and dietary practices as indicated in the Holy Qu’ran and Prophetic guidance. These recommendations emphasize promoting balanced, clean, nutritious, varied, and diverse food choices in addition to appropriate eating etiquettes. Comparing these Islamic recommendations with contemporary scientific findings from peer-reviewed studies lends itself towards how these recommendations could contribute to the overall quality of eating and well-being of Muslim communities. This chapter highlights how these conducts are valuable and could be congruently applied through faith-based health education programs to promote public health within the Islamic context.

Keywords

Dietary practiceseating etiquettesnutritionIslam
Type
Chapter
Information
Contemporary Islamic Perspectives in Public Health , pp. 54 - 58
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2025

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