Children’s Rights on Parents 3

2023-01-28

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Contents

Oral and Dental Hygiene Orderliness and Hygiene in Food The Harms of Overeating An Educational Story

In continuation of the topic titled “Children’s Rights on Parents”, we shall focus on some other rights of the children on their parents in this part.

Oral and Dental Hygiene

Oral and dental hygiene are the most important issues to be considered. Professionals say that the health of many parts of our body especially our sensitive digestive system depends on oral and dental hygiene. The teeth that Almighty Allah Has granted us are very important blessings and are really important in maintaining our health.

We chew food with them. If done properly, chewing will guarantee the proper and natural functioning of our digestive system, which will in turn help maintain our health. The bad smell from the mouth is very annoying.

This bad odour is usually a result of a lack of attention to oral and dental hygiene and food left in between the teeth and under the gum. “Pyorrhea” is the name of a dangerous disease which destroys the teeth and the gum and is the source of many other diseases including heart disease.

This disease is a result of inattentiveness to oral and dental hygiene. If after every meal you spend a few minutes to wash your mouth and brush your beautiful teeth and wash your mouth with some salt water, you will not only help the health of your mouth and throat but will also save a lot of money preventing dental decay and future dental work.

Then you can use your teeth for many years, even up until death. Although Islam first appeared in a desert-like area among illiterate people, it presented some important decrees regarding oral and dental hygiene.

This shows how majestic and important this school is. It also proves that the Prophet of Islam (PBUH&HP) who brought this religion to guide the people was appointed by Almighty Allah.

It also shows that the twelve Immaculate Imams were chosen by Almighty Allah. Consider a part of the recommendations of our religious leaders regarding oral and dental hygiene. The Prophet (PBUH&HP) said: If it was not a burden on my nation, I would have decreed that they should brush their teeth before each prayer. (1)

The sixth Imam (PBUH) said: Brushing the teeth and oral hygiene is the attributes of divine Prophets. (2) Imam Baqir (PBUH) said: If the people only knew how beneficial a toothbrush is, they would take it to bed with them. (3) Imam Sadiq (PBUH) was asked: Are all the people human? He answered: Yes, except for those who do not brush their teeth. (4)

The Prophet (PBUH&HP) said: Gabriel recommended me to brush my teeth so much that I feared I would lose all my teeth if I do not brush. (5) In another statement, he said: Gabriel continuously recommended me to brush my teeth, so much so that I thought He wants to make brushing my teeth obligatory. (6)

Imam Sadiq (PBUH) said: “There are twelve benefits in brushing your teeth. It is religious. It cleans your mouth. It improves your sight. It pleases Almighty Allah. It brightens your teeth and prevents tooth decay. It strengthens your gum and improves your appetite. It removes mucus from the digestive system and improves your memory and adds to the goods and it pleases the angels. (7)

Professional doctors and specialists in the field of mouth and teeth today state that we must brush our teeth slowly from its width for a few minutes. There is a very important tradition from the Prophet (PBUH&HP) which considers the time of his Prophethood as one of his scientific miracles. Brush your teeth vertically, and do not do it horizontally (brush the width of your teeth, not their length). (8)

The Prophet (PBUH&HP) used to brush his teeth three times each night: once before going to bed, once when he got up to recite the Holy Quran and once before going to the mosque for the morning prayer. He used to brush with wood from Arak since Gabriel had instructed so. (9)

Orderliness and Hygiene in Food

Our bodies’ amazing digestive system, our mouths and teeth, and our desire to eat food and drink are of the great favours of Almighty Allah bestowed upon us. There are many important decrees in the Holy Quran and sources of Islamic traditions that are issued regarding how to obtain food legitimately and how to use it to guarantee our physical and mental health.

This will also result in the family’s and society’s health. It seems that some of these are religiously obligatory, some are morally obligatory, and some are strongly recommended. Disobeying those decrees which are religiously obligatory is forbidden and shall cause retribution in the Hereafter.

Disobeying those decrees which are strongly recommended will cause losses and harm to the body and its predisposition to ailment. Among the most important religiously obligatory decrees in the Holy Quran, we can mention obtaining clothing, food, and housing through legitimate means.

O ye who believe! Eat of the good things that We have provided for you, and be grateful to Almighty Allah, if it is Him ye worship. (10) O’ ye people! Eat of what is on the Earth, lawful and good and do not follow the footsteps of the Evil One, for he is to you an avowed enemy. (11) Eat and drink: But waste not by excess, for Almighty Allah loves not the wasters. (12)

The issues stressed here are to be clean; to have acquired goods legitimately and to avoid wastefulness. It is religiously obligatory to acquire clean food through legitimate means. It is religiously forbidden to waste. It is the oppression of oneself and others and against Almighty Allah and certainly, a cause for divine retribution to be careless about acquiring property by legitimate means; to eat of what has been forbidden or is dirty or to be wasteful.

It is necessary for the head of the household to become familiar with related Islamic teachings and to transfer his knowledge to the house. In this way, the house will be clean and the members of the family can grow up and develop to be a source of goodness for themselves and others.

The Harms of Overeating

The Commander of the Faithful (PBUH) said: Man’s soul is spoiled by overeating and oversleeping which brings losses to him/her. (13) He also said: One who overeats is not healthy, and he/she has to pay a high price. (14) He also said: Overeating is due to abnormal appetite which is a form of the disease. (15)

The sixth Imam (PBUH) said: Nothing is more harmful to a believer’s heart than overeating. Overeating results in cruelty and sexual arousal. (16) Almighty Allah, the Almighty told the Israelites: Do not overeat. One who overeats will oversleep. One who oversleeps will pray less and one who reduces his prayers are included among the Ignorant. (17)

The Prophet (PBUH&HP) said: Abstain from overeating since it will spoil your body and cause illness and sluggishness in prayers. (18) He also said: Nothing is despised by Almighty Allah more than a full stomach. (19) Imam Musa Kadhim (PBUH) said: If all people eat moderately, their bodies will be moderate. (20)

Regarding the issue of eating and drinking, the Prophet (PBUH&HP) said the following which is the key to health: Eat when you have an appetite and stop eating when you still have an appetite to eat. Certainly, overeating is very harmful to the digestive system and is a great threat to our health. The best way to maintain health and vigour, be thin and agile and live a long life is to eat only when you are hungry and to stop eating before you get full. (21)

An Educational Story

It is narrated that one of the great commanders dispatched an expert physician to Medina to treat the patients for free. The physician stayed in Medina for a while, but either no one or only a very few people came for a visit. He was really surprised and complained to the Prophet. The Prophet (PBUH&HP) told him that this is the way in this town since I have asked the people to eat only when they are hungry and to stop eating before they get full.

The physician told the Prophet(PBUH&HP): You have in one decree summarized all the rules of medicine and health. That is why people do not get sick easily here. Imam Ali (PBUH) has said the following regarding how to start a meal: Start your meal with some salt.

If the people only knew of its benefits, they would have preferred it to established medications. (22) The Prophet (PBUH&HP) has admonished us not to eat hot meals. He has said that Almighty Allah has put blessings in meals that have cooled down a bit, and has ordered not to blow at the food to cool it down. (23)

It has strictly been forbidden to eat food and ignore living creatures present. Najih said that he saw Imam Hassan Mujtaba (PBUH) eating food and a dog was near him. He would eat a bit and give the dog a bite. I asked him why he did not shoo away the dog. He answered that he was ashamed before Almighty Allah to eat while being watched by a living creature, and not pay any attention to it. (24)

Yes, we must eat and feed, since this eating is necessary for our body, and feeding is a sign of morality and nobility; a means of helping the needy; a cause of Almighty Allah’s Mercy, favour, reward and forgiveness. Strictness in this issue to your wife and children, relatives and the people is unjust and is similar to a partnership with Satan.

Imam Mujtaba (PBUH) has said that there are twelve things that each Muslim must know about food and eating: recognizing the blessings and their Provider; being content with our share of daily bread bestowed by Almighty Allah; starting our meals in the name of Almighty Allah; thanking Almighty Allah at the end of our meal; making ablutions before eating; sitting on the left-hand side; using three fingers; licking the fingers; eating what is nearby; eating in small bites; chewing well, and looking less at the people who are eating around the tablecloth. (25)

Imam Reza(PBUH) has recommended we eat a light meal at night since it helps your merits and also helps you to stay thin. (26) The Prophet (PBUH&HP) said: Whoever spends more time praising and worshipping Almighty Allah and spends less time eating, drinking and sleeping is more eagerly welcomed by the divine angels. (27)

He also said: Be just to your body regarding eating, drinking and clothing. Such consideration is a part of Prophethood. (28)

Imam Ali (PBUH) said: Eating light meals, and nobility are more lasting for our health.(29) He also said: When Almighty Allah the Glorious wishes the well-being of His servant, He shall inspire him/her to talk less, to eat less and to sleep less. (30)

Other important issues to be considered by the family and more importantly by the head of the family are to abstain from smoking cigarettes, and using Hubble bubbles and narcotics.

Smoking of any kind is religiously forbidden according to some Shiite jurisprudents since it endangers our health and sometimes causes moral and social corruption. Islam has also forbidden the joint use of personal things such as a comb, a towel or a toothbrush. It is hoped that these issues are considered by all the families, and especially by the heads of each family.

This will aid in maintaining the physical and mental health of everyone. Since these are religious decrees, abiding by them is considered to be worshipping Almighty Allah and disobeying them is a sin and a cause of Almighty Allah’s punishment and retribution.

Continued on the next article: http://Children’s Rights on Parents 4

NOTES:

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1. Mizan al-Hikmat, v.4, p.596.

2. Bihar al-Anwar, v.76, p.131.

3. Mizan al-Hikmat, v.4, p.597.

4. Ibid

5. Ibid

6. Ibid

7. Bihar al-Anwar, v.76, p.129

8. Mizan al-Hikmat, v.4, p.599

9. Ibid