We commonly complain about the youth of today; their behaviour, dressing, indifference to Deen, disobedience of parents and elders, etc.; but did we ever consider what the cause or causes could be, is it only the education they are getting, environment they find themselves in, peer pressure, etc.; 

One major cause is the food they eat as well. A mother is just too happy to give her child a packet of crisp and a can of coca cola or any other fizzy drink for lunch, the child also enjoys it very greatly, but there is no nutritional value in it, it only fills the stomach, but no vitamins are derived from it! 

On one occasion our host in Nampula explained that they lived on the main land of Africa and travelled to Madrasah and school to the island across the sea; there were mostly sail boats and a few motor boats; they could not afford the motor boats; but when there was no wind they had to wait. He says on many occasions they saw an old, pious local black man walking gracefully from the jungles and boarding the boat. 

No sooner that he steps on the boat and the winds start blowing, they sail across! He also said that many times they saw the train use to stop suddenly in the middle of nowhere, no signal to stop it, nor any other apparent cause! The Portuguese were ruling Mozambique at that time, and they provided good services, but the train just stood there. Then they would see the same buzurg coming out of the jungles and boarding the train. No sooner did he board, the train would start moving. 

He narrated another incident as well. He said when he was five or six years old he had contracted polio. He had to be carried to the toilet as well! This buzurg was a good friend of his father. His mother took him to this buzurg for duas. He said that today i am now 55 years old. 

From that day up to this day, I haven’t used any no medication, nor have I undergone any operation, absolutely nothing, just the duas of that buzurg and see I am fit and walking properly! 

But then he added, this buzurg was very particular of the food that he ate! The place where he resided was not even a village, it was a jungle! There was no question of MacDonald’s, KFC, etc., but whatever food was served he would establish as to from where it came, who sent it, etc! 

The result of being cautious in his food was that he was blessed with great karaamats. Today when the khatam of Quraan Sharif is made in Taraweeh in Ramadaan, what beautiful, heart rendering duas are not made in the Harams, millions of people saying Aameen on the duas from the bottom of their hearts. Throughout the world khatams are made, duas are made, aameens are being said, but the condition of the Ummat is just where it is, our sufferings carry on unabated! 

Our problems are not coming to an end! We should very consciously check what food we are eating! A recent report in the Arab News of Saudi Arabia (Shawwal 1433 - October 2012) states that 95 percent of the food labelled ‘halaal’ in the UAE and Saudi Arabia is actually haraam! This report is not from orthodox or conservative Ulama; but, rather by modernists, liberals! 

When Hajjaaj bin Yusuf became the ruler, the first thing he did was that he had given Dawat (invited) a group of 40 very pious people; who, whenever a tyrant ruler was placed over them, made dua and Allah Ta'ala removed that ruler from them! Hajjaaj bin Yusuf fed them haraam food and said now their dua will have no effect on me! In the hadith we are informed that a person is distressed in a journey, on safr duas are more readily accepted, he stretches his hands out in distress, crying to Allah Ta'ala for his duas to be accepted! 

Nabi (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) says where can his duas be accepted? His food is haraam, his clothing is haram! Food, language, education and dressing have a great and direct effect on our way of thinking, speech, body language and actions! ‘You are what you eat’ is a famous maxim. 

From this Aayat it is deduced that if our food is correct, we will be blessed with righteous deeds. We commonly complain about the youth of today; their behaviour, dressing, indifference to Deen, disobedience of parents and elders, etc.; but did we ever consider what the cause or causes could be, is it only the education they are getting, environment they find themselves in, peer pressure, etc.; one major cause is the food they eat as well. 

Kitaabut Ta'aam - Hazrat Moulana Abdul Hamid Ishaq Saab (Daamat Barakaatuh)