In the Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Especially Merciful.

A question was asked regarding the spiritual path: "Does asceticism (zuhd) in eating for the sake of Allah weaken the body?"

The path to Allah is one of balance, not of extremes that harm the vessel He has given us. Asceticism in eating serves a specific purpose: it lessens the power of base desire (shahwa). However, this must be understood with wisdom. The great Shaykh al-Hassan, may Allah sanctify his secret, used to say, with a laugh, "Remember Allah abundantly and eat abundantly!"

The ultimate guide is our Master, the Chosen One (al-Muṣṭafā), peace and blessings be upon him, who said: "Ṣūmū taṣiḥḥū"—"Fast, and you will be healthy." The outcome of your fast depends on your intention. If you fast seeking physical health, you will attain health. If you fast as an act of worship, it will become a source of spiritual light. And if you fast purely for Allah, then Allah Himself is your reward. The Prophet ﷺ said that the fasting person has two joys (farḥatān): the joy when breaking the fast and the joy when meeting their Lord. When you fast for Allah, you gain everything.

As for our daily eating habits, the rule is simple and clear: "We do not eat until we are hungry, and when we eat, we do not eat until we are full." You must always leave a space, a small emptiness. The Prophet ﷺ gave us the perfect division of the stomach: one-third for your food, one-third for your water, and one-third for your air. This is the foundation for a healthy body and a clear spirit.

Now, what should we eat? The Qurʾān gives us the ideal menu, saying the inhabitants of Paradise will have, "Fruit of what they select, And the meat of fowl, from whatever they desire" (56:20-21). Notice the divine order: first fruit (fākihah), which is light, then meat (laḥm ṭayr), which is heavier. Our mistake in modern times is that we treat fruit as a dessert or an extra indulgence, not as a primary food. We must return to this principle and eat fruit as a substantial part of our meal. From the fruits available, one should choose what is mentioned in the Qurʾān and the Sunnah, and what is suitable for one's own body.

After the fruit comes the meat. If you desire an increase in strength and vigor (al-quwwa wa-al-bāha), you can increase your intake of meat. Specifically, the meat of fowl is known to strengthen desire, so a person who is not married might wish to reduce its consumption. The best of meats is what was most beloved to the Prophet ﷺ: the shoulder of a ewe that had not given birth, which he preferred to eat grilled. Here, we are speaking of what is most excellent (afḍaliyya). This does not mean it is forbidden (ḥarām) to eat other parts of the sheep or other animals that Allah has made lawful.

So, when we apply the rule of thirds, we can understand it this way: the one-third portion for food can be composed of both fruit and meat. Then, you fill the second third with water. And the final third you leave empty for air, for ease of breath. You should eat first, and then drink, just as the Qurʾān states: "Kulū wa-shrabū"—"Eat and drink." A sincere seeker should research the foods that the Prophet ﷺ loved and used in his daily life and try to incorporate them into their own.

While these are the guidelines for daily eating, the best of all practices for the total benefit of the body and the soul is fasting (ṣiyām). Its entire value is contained within the intention (niyya). True fast can grant you experiential knowledge of Allah's attribute of al-Ṣamadāniyya—His reality as al-Ṣamad, the Self-Sufficient upon whom all depend. This is especially true when fasting is combined with wakefulness in the night. 

The basic meaning of fasting is to hold back from the outward desires of food, drink, and intimacy. However, there is a higher level of fasting, the fast of the elect (al-khawāṣṣ). This is to hold back even from speaking, following the example of our lady Maryam, peace be upon her, who took a vow of silence. You can make your entire day a complete fast: a fast from food, drink, physical desire, and from all speech, while occupying your tongue and heart with abundant remembrance of Allah. This state reflects the attribute of al-Ṣamadāniyya and serves as an entry point into it through the lights of the Lord, for the seeker whom Allah has unveiled His light, as in our path, the Karkariya.

It is in such a state that when one makes supplication, Allah responds immediately without delay. We see this in the story of Prophet Zakariyyā, peace be upon him, who received his miracle while in such a state. This brings us back to the two joys of the fasting person: the joy of breaking the fast and the joy of meeting their Lord—the luminous disclosure that is followed by the answered supplication arising from that pure, luminous state of complete fasting, accompanied by witnessing.