sarah’s Reviews > Al-Ghazali on the Manners Relating to Eating > Status Update

“Four things are part of worship: not taking a step without having made one's ablutions, making many prostrations, frequenting mosques and reciting the Qur'ān often.”

“Four things strengthen the mind: giving up talking about things that do not concern one, [using] a siwak [tooth-stick), sitting in the company of pious men and [sitting in the company] of scholars.”

“Sleep is of four kinds: sleeping while leaning on the back of the neck, like the prophets reflecting on the creation of the heavens and the earth; sleeping on one's right side, like scholars and worshippers; sleeping on the left side, like kings, to digest their food; and sleeping on one's front, like the devils.”

“Four things strengthen the sight: sitting in the direction of the gibla, wearing kohl when sleeping, looking at greenery and the cleansing of garments.”

“Four things weaken the body: to partake too frequently of the sexual act, too many worries, too much drinking of water on an empty stomach and too much eating of acid foods.”

“Four things strengthen the body: eating meat, inhaling per-fume, much washing though no sexual act [was committed] and the wearing of linen.”

“a person must not partake of the food of a transgressor. If he is compelled to do so, he must eat little and not seek out the best of the food.”

“it is desirable that food be taken to the family of a deceased person. When Ja'far in Abi Talib's death was announced, [the Emissary of God] said, 'The family of Ja far are too preoccupied with their dead to prepare their food, so take them something to eat. 24 And this is Sunna.”

“do not go out of your house until you have acquired your powers of discernment— that is, until you have had your day meal, which keeps discernment and removes rashness. It also lessens one's carnal appetite for whatever one sees in the market.”

“eat only the meat of what is in the prime of life; eat nothing cooked unless it is well done; drink medicine only for a malady; eat only ripe fruit; and do not eat food without chewing it well. Eat […] and do not drink on top of it. And if you drink do not eat anything on top of it. Do not withhold your excrement or urine. When you eat during the day go to sleep; when you eat at night walk before you sleep,”