Steps to Exercise — Page 13
- 13 - under Allah’s commandments. If he does not do this he will be committing a sin, besides suffering from illnesses that will damage his soul. Just as a man looks after his clothes and puries himself for prayer, similarly it is important to keep the house in which he lives clean and tidy and pay attention to his diet to provide proper nourishment to his body. I do not mean that one should pay too much attention to his body and forget one’s soul. In fact, they are both interrelated and one cannot progress without the other. Just as reward is given for spiritual progress, similarly, precautions about health and hygiene are rewarded. Some commandments in Islam concern only health. For instance, prayers to avoid epidemics, covering the utensils and not leaving foodstuff uncovered. In short, there are many instructions that concern only health and by ignoring them one is likely to suffer damage. The time has come when there is a particular need for physical health. Even political parties realise this fact. How much more important is it for the Jama’at that is supposed to take the Divine Message to the corners of the world to keep healthy and physically t? It is vital for us to keep t and to remain healthy. We are few compared to others and if we are physically weak as well then we will not be able to meet the challenges. Also spiritually it is very important for us. After these teachings of principles I would like to give some general instructions. These may not be as important medically but they do inuence any culture and have bearing on any society. Not only do we want to present the true teachings of Islam, but also we want to be a true illustration of those teachings in our every day actions. Few people observe good points but shortcomings become very obvious, very quickly. The excellence of the Sharia becomes obvious only later; rst people look at the person who claims to follow those teachings. If others take dislike to us after their rst look, how would they pay any attention to what we say?…. (Extracts from a speech)