This is the final part of the three-part series on working out our innerselves. I will finish up with the importance of watching what we digest (physically as well as spiritually)...
Finally, we must keep a healthy diet. Our food must be balanced in order to provide us the proper sources of energy. When constructing a balanced diet, we must ensure that the proper ratio of proteins, carbohydrates and fats are existent in every meal. This ratio actually differs depending on what the individual's specific goals may be – for example, someone wanting to gain muscle will increase the carbohydrate and protein intake while someone trying to burn fat will carefully decrease the carbs and fat.
Similarly, the scholars say that we must maintain a regular diet of ‘Ilm. And as the physical diet must be balanced with the three components of protein, carbs, and fat, this diet of knowledge must also be balanced with three different types of knowledge – knowledge of purifying the nafs, knowledge of fulfilling the fiqhi requirements, and worldly knowledge.
The mainstay of the diet is the protein which equates to knowledge of the nafs. We must strengthen this knowledge so as to be able to understand our carnal desires, our weaknesses, and our attachments. Without protein in the diet, the person will fail to maintain and increase his muscle structure. Without the intimate knowledge of our own nafs, we become weak and susceptible to the ploys of shaytaan.
Then there is the knowledge of the halal and the haram. We must have a clear understanding of what Allah is asking from us. Like the first type, this knowledge is also compulsory. Every diet must have its healthy share of this knowledge. And like a diet without carbs (Atkins) may lead to high cholesterol and gastrointestinal problems, a diet without this knowledge will lead to complications (e.g. extreme Sufis who don’t pray, those who reject the Sunnah).
Conversely, you must not have a diet relying solely on this type of knowledge. The result is evident all around us – over 1 billion Muslims and we are as the foam on the ocean water. We have lost our protein, our strength, our core, our ability to transcend the physical and enter into the divine – our aspiration to worship Allah as if we see Him.
Finally, the fat component of the diet can not be completely discarded. The fact is: we all need fats. Fats helps nutrient absorption, nerve transmission, maintaining cell membrane integrity, etc. However, when consumed in excess amount, fats contribute to weight gain, heart disease and certain types of cancer. Similarly, worldly knowledge is essential for survival, but not to the extent that it overwhelms us and takes over our lives.
Additionally, there are good fats and bad fats. The good fats like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are like the worldly knowledge that one needs in order to sustain oneself. The bad fats such as saturated fats and hydrogenated fats (trans-fats) should be avoided. This is akin to the worldly knowledge that is of no benefit and thus should be avoided – I’m not referring to haram knowledge for that would be akin to consuming poison. This ‘bad’ knowledge would be any information that is not essential to your survival and it takes away from your pursuit of the first two types of knowledge.
One last point on the issue of the diet and knowledge. They both must be practiced regularly and consistently. We can not do it once a week or every once in a while. That’s not how diets work nor is that how gaining knowledge works. We cannot eat junk food all week long and then expect one day of dieting to undo all the harm of the week. Similarly, we cannot expose our minds to junk in the form of TV, movies, sports, vain talk, and so on and then expect one halaqa session in the masjid to undo all the harm of the week. Our diet of ‘Ilm must be regular.
My friends, in this day and age where we constantly ask each other, ‘How do I look?’ while many others are obsessing over their weight and body-fat percentage, let us have an even greater concern for the health of our inner selves.
Part 1 - Cardiovascular
Part 2 - Weightlifting
WAW
2 days ago
10 comments:
I noticed that you hardly had any comments on this three part blog. Either we have become so fat with laziness that we can't dedicate the time or people have been overcome with such emotion and shame at their laxity they find it difficult to respond. Let's hope it's the latter! I enjoyed them very much and thank you.
I will give the blog audience their deserved 70 excuses and will say that it's more due to them spending their time in more beneficial activities such as learning their fiqh, or they are keeping their tongues with dhikr, or they are refraining from using the internet as they are fasting...
(I obviously am doing none of the above)...
No offense! I like the content of the posts but I think the analogy is hard to pull off for three consecutive entries.
Sahra, Mrespy: thanks for your input. Talking about others, I actually forgot to mention the importance of seeking forgivness for the rest of the Ummah. Not only should we ask Allah to forgive us, but we should regularly include the entire Ummah in our dua'as.
Sophister: None taken. So are you suggesting that I compile the three into one post? Would that make it easier to swallow? ;-)
Similarly, worldly knowledge is essential for survival, but not to the extent that it overwhelms us and takes over our lives.
Brilliantly put...
Assalaamu alaikum
That was a rather profound analogy. I was waiting until I could read them all together rather than in stages but maybe it would've been better the other way. So now I can comment (you know, whenever I make "religious" posts people tend not to comment too.)
So the cardio is tawba, the strength training is heavy acts of worship, and the diet is knowledge? One thing which pricks me is your strength training analogy, and this might very well be a struggle with Shaytaan. I always hear that it's better to do something consistently than to just do it in spurts. Adopt a practice, and stick to it. So then, we don't start doing anything extra fearing we can't maintain it (is that Shaytaan?) Just regular salaat is quite a commitment, a lifetime commitment. I remember last Ramadan my roommate explaining "30 days is a commitment!" meaning 30 days of fasting - it was my first Ramadan by the way. But then I recall beginning salaat... for months and months after saying Shahadah I was reluctant to begin this practice. I had tons of revert issues anyway, but I never even learned how to pray. One thought in the back of my mind though was, what if I can't keep it up?
Subhanallah... the very day I learned how to pray, I began, and haven't stopped. (Probably not so impressive to most of your readers since I'm sure you guys have been praying waaay longer than I have.) But it matters to me anyway how easy it was to maintain that practice once I started. Within days I was looking forward to the opportunity to pray, to approach Allah while bowing and prostrating. I know a lot of reverts who struggled with that, they'd start with 1-2 prayers a day and add on, but alhamdulillah I took all 5, and at that time without any second thoughts about "can I keep this up?"
So I haven't added regular fasting (3 days a month) or even a regular practice of extra salaat yet, though I keep asking myself why. Then I answer myself (yes i talk to myself) with, what if I can't keep it up? Silly me, then. The trick is to not go into it half-a'd (excuse me!) but start off very strong and it becomes regular for you. And of course the more you do, the more people will criticize you... because they don't want to add on as well and you make them feel guilty. I'm talking about adding weights.
I can't remember which scholar it was who said he was deprived of praying Qiyam ul-Layl for some weeks... when we stop lifting weights the strength we've built up very quickly fades away. But that's not a reason to not start lifting... just a reason to keep it up.
Baarak allahu feek for these posts. Now I think of it, I could post this comment for your second post instead of third... but all your advice seems good, mashallah. May Allah join us with His repentant, pious, knowledgeable servants.
AA- Amy,
Hey thanks for your personal experiences...that was very insightful!
"I always hear that it's better to do something consistently than to just do it in spurts."
Absolutely correct...a core teaching of our beloved prophet (saw).
"And of course the more you do, the more people will criticize you... because they don't want to add on as well and you make them feel guilty. I'm talking about adding weights."
Interesting point. This depends if you have a good 'workout partner'. The good ones will constantly push you to add extra weight and they'll be sure to spot you as you struggle with that weight.
I guess its all about surrounding ourselves with the Saliheen (righteous) and Sadiqeen (truthful) who will constantly apply the positive peer pressure.
"May Allah join us with His repentant, pious, knowledgeable servants."
Ameen.
"Interesting point. This depends if you have a good 'workout partner'. The good ones will constantly push you to add extra weight and they'll be sure to spot you as you struggle with that weight.
I guess its all about surrounding ourselves with the Saliheen (righteous) and Sadiqeen (truthful) who will constantly apply the positive peer pressure."
Now that is an interesting point!! I actually asked an imam here not too long ago about acquiring knowledge. He gave me three basic points of advice, namely sincerity, consistency, and good company. He advised me (as a revert) to surround myself with pious sisters to encourage me - and I can't begin to tell you the difference between having practicing muslimahs around vs only my non-muslim friends - and to find a good husband basically.
So yeah... work-out buddy. My roommate last year dragged me to taraweeh some nights when I was too tired to go, and she dragged me to iftars with her with people I didn't know (but now I know them, alhamdulillah!) and she got me up for suhoor and for qiyyam several days when I was oversleeping my alarm. This year I'm really looking forward to it, and having someone there to push you when you need it helps a lot. So alhamdulillah. :-)
AA- Amy,
Sounds like you've found a real good 'workout partner'. :-)
Thanks for your thoughts on this issue, I think I'm gonna revise my post and include the importance of good company.
WA-
Thank you so much! These analogies are awesome and they are really helpful for me. Keep up the great work. Your thoughts are beautiful - may Allah reward you greatly.
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