The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam — Page 10
10 suffer a decline of meekness and humility. Those who adopt the middle course develop both types of moral qualities. That is why God Almighty has said in the Holy Quran: كُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوْا وَلَا تُسْرِفُوا 15 That is to say, eat meat and other foods but do not eat anything to excess, lest your moral state be adversely affected and your health might suffer. As the soul is affected by physical conduct, in the same way sometimes the soul affects the body. For instance, when a person experiences sorrow his eyes become wet, and a person who feels happy, smiles. All our natural actions like eating, drinking, sleeping, waking, moving about, resting, bathing etc. , affect our spiritual condition. Our physical structure is related intimately to our total humanity. If a certain part of the brain is injured, memory is immediately lost. An injury to another part of the brain causes loss of consciousness. Poisonous air affects the body and through it the mind, and the whole inner system, to which the moral impulses are related, is impaired and the unfortunate victim passes out quickly like a madman. 15. Eat and drink but do not be immoderate; (The Holy Quran, al-Aʻrāf 7:32)