Tariq Mehanna
In Surat al-Baqarah, v.172, Allah said: {"… Eat of the good things We have provided you, and be thankful to Allah if it is indeed He Whom you worship."}
Three points regarding food are contained in this verse that remind us of Tawhid.
The first is that Allah didn't say to eat anything, but specified to eat what is 'tayyib' – good, wholesome, healthy, beneficial to the body and not just the tastebuds. This is because our bodies are not truly 'ours.' They are a trust given to us as a means to an end, which is to worship. This is why Allah dedicated space in the Qur'an to instructing us as to what to put in our bodies. By choosing the tayyibat, we are directly influencing our preservation of this trust, and the best foods for the body are those that look the same going into it as they did coming out of the ground, that have no food labels. The phytochemicals and micronutrients in fruits and vegetables support the natural rejuvenating processes of the body. These processes become compromised in accordance with weight gain, and this results in high blood sugar, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure that damages the lining of the arteries. Eating five servings a day of fruits and vegetables results in a much lower incidence of heart disease and strokes than eating less than two servings, and tomatoes, broccoli, and other cruciferous vegetables have been shown to have protective effects against certain kinds of cancer.
Secondly, the verse mentions that Allah is the Provider of these foods. Each time we lift a bit of food to our mouths using our fingers, a fork, or a spoon, it is a confirmation of our status in the Universe. It is a confirmation that no matter how wealthy or poor, how famous or unknown, how powerful or weak, every human on the face of the planet is in need of sustenance by something higher than his or herself. Food reminds us of who we are, and who we are not. It reminds us that no matter how much authority one is fooled into thinking he commands among other creatures, he is just that: a creature at the mercy of a Creator. Because most of those reading this can expect food on the table during the day, we often are distracted by matters of taste, variety, preparation, and so forth and miss exactly what our sitting down to eat with our family and friends represents: our weakness in relation to Allah, and His strength in relation to us. The providing of food is a characteristic specific to Allah such that He made it a distinguishing factor between the Creator and the Created in Surat adh-Dhariyat, v.57: {"… nor do I ask that they should feed Me…"} And indeed, in this prison, when meals are delayed just 30min. past their scheduled times, you should see the panicked reaction of hungry inmates who begin shouting and banging on their doors – an expression of need, of dependence of what the human being cannot provide on his own. So, the next time you are about to enjoy a meal or a snack, do so while aware of the underlying significance of it all.
Lastly, the realization of the aforementioned reality leads you to thank. In 'Sahih Muslim,' the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: "Indeed, Allah is Pleased that a worshipper eats some food and praises Him for it…" This is both a manifestation of Tawhid and an acknowledgement that this bit of food is, for millions of fellow humans who you will probably never even see in your life, a mere fantasy that they can only dream of – one needs only to look at the horrific starvation rampant in Somalia, or Haiti. These inmates around me began panicking and thrashing when food that they KNEW was eventually coming was merely delayed. Imagine for a minute that you simply have no food anywhere in sight. You have no guarantee that you will be able to put anything in your mouth for the entire day, or the entire week. What will you do short of running around like a madman to remedy this nightmare that we living even in the poorest conditions in the West can never fathom? Imagine now that in addition to your own hunger, you have a spouse and a handful of children who you must feed before yourself?! Fortunately for you, this is limited to a temporary scenario in the inner recesses of your mind. But for untold millions around the world, this is reality. This is life, one that cannot be escaped from by simply changing the train of thought. So, one who eats to his heart's content without appreciating both the source of his food (Allah) and the value of it (priceless) in reality does not deserve to be eating that food.
There's a story related where al-Imam al-Awza'i traveled from Damascus on his way to the coast of Sham. So, he stopped by a friend in his hometown on the way, and the man prepared supper for them both. When they were ready to eat, the man said: "Eat, O Aba 'Amr. Forgive me, as you have visited at a time of hardship." So, al-Awza'i held his hand back and refused to eat. The man kept insisting that he eat, and al-Awza'i kept refusing until the man finally removed the spread and they went to sleep for the night. When they awoke the following morning, the man asked: "What made you refuse the food yesterday?" al-Awza'i replied: "I didn't want to touch food that Allah was not thanked over, or His blessings were denied in the presence of."
So, food is all about Tawhid.
