The Importance of Maintaining Health in Islam

Mirza Abrar Baig
4 min readApr 9, 2022

Health is not only a great gift by Allah but also a valuable trust from the almighty. Please do not take it for granted. Instead, take every care to safeguard it. It is an essential factor in the development of the mind, necessary for sublime acts of morality and the discharge of religious obligations. They must have a robust physique, sturdy intellect, sound mind, firm will, high morale, and a life full of spirit, enthusiasm, and sublime passion.

  1. One should always be cheerful, glad, alert, and active. Make life well-ordered, elegant, and healthy through right living, pleasant manners, joyful smiles, and lively disposition.

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) once saw an older man walking with his sons’ support and inquired about him, to which Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) got to know that the older man has vowed to travel to the mosque by his foot. After learning this, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) Observed: “It is not the will of Allah that this man should torment himself” and asked the old man to take a ride towards his destination.

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) taught the following Prayer, which should be recited frequently:

2. Never take a burden more than your body can bear, don’t waste your physical energy on useless things.

You must save your physical energy and spend it in moderation according to your capacity.

Hazrat “Aisha (R.A.A) reports that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) Observed:

“Act as much as is within your strength, for the Lord will not feel wearied but you will get weary” — (Bukhari)

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) Forbade that a person should stand in a position where a part of his body is under the shade and the other parts in the sun.

2. One should always be dynamic, energetic, hard-working, and meticulous in daily life routine.

A person should be chronic in facing hardships and in tackling the difficult situations in life.

Don’t be a careless, timid, and simple materialist.

Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) life was never a simple one; he (PBUH) took care of himself to preserve the physical energy and strive to enhance it.

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) liked to swim as a sport and believed it to be the best physical exercise.

Hazrat’ Abdullah Bin’ Umar (R.A.A) reports that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) Stated:

“He who guards the soldier of Islam against danger in the night passes a night better than Shab Qadr.”

Hazrat Abu Huraira (R.A.A.) reports that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) observed:

“He who holds reins of his horse firmly and rides to serve the cause of Islam, live the best life. From whichever spot the news of a threat to the cause of Islam reaches him, he mounts his steed and rushes thither. He is so fearless of death as if he is after it.”

3. Women should also lead a hard and strenuous life; they need to perform all household chores with their own hands.

They should prepare themselves to be active and train themselves to bear the hardships.

Women should prevent themselves from being work-shy or lazy.

Women have to raise their children to be sturdy, energetic, and tough from early life stages.

4. One should wake up early in the morning, do not keep yourself sleep off the limited hours, but at the same time, do not sleep too short to keep your daily routine balanced.

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) forbade to remain awake and engage in conversation after ‘Isha’ and observed:

“Only that person is permitted to remain awake after ‘Isha’ who are either engaged in a talk concerning religion or have to discuss some important matter with the members of the household.”

5. One should learn self-control and keep their passion, fancies, desires, and lust under control.

Keep yourself and your ideas from getting distracted by wrongdoings, and keep your eyes going astray.

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has stated:

“To cast a lustful eye is the adultery of eyes, and shameless talk is the adultery of tongue. Your lust presses a demand on you, and your genitals affirm or contradict this demand.”

  1. Stay away from the things that cause tripping and damage to your brains, like liquor, drugs, and other intoxicants.
  2. Perform the daily activities most simply and calmly, follow a middle course, and regard it as the primary virtue and well-being source.

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has said:

“How wonderful it is to be moderate amid plenty! And what a fine thing it is to follow a middle course in deprivation and what a better course it is to be moderate in offering prayers.”

6. Follow three main rules when it comes to food consumption:

  • Always eat at the proper time
  • Always try to eat simple
  • Eat with the perfect peace of mind and a relaxed mood

The Prophet Muhammad Stated:

“The stomach serves as a cistern. The veins receive their life-blood from the reservoir. Hence if the stomach is healthy, the veins will be rinsed with the juices of health, and in case the stomach is ill, the veins will only suck the juice of sickness”.

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