by Malik Abdul Rashid
Fasting is a very kind thing for a Muslim body, spirit, and soul. Muslims value fasting as a practice that contributes to their spiritual, psychological, physical, and social health instead of a form of hardship and self-imposed suffering. The role of food to accomplish these objectives is well known. Food is not just to satisfy one’s desires. It is a way of maintaining one’s health and constantly attempting to worship Allah وَتَعَالَى سُبْحَانَهُ . Islam had already given guidelines on eating food through the Qur’an and Sunnah from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his companions. Islam has also propagated the concept of eating as medicine. Allah وَتَعَالَى سُبْحَانَهُ commands to consume the good and Halal food (Qur’an). His prophet, Muhammad ﷺ, explained to avoid consuming ambiguous things, whether halal or haram. Eating Halal and Tayyib foods for Muslims is a meaningful connection with the Creator وَتَعَالَى سُبْحَانَهُ .
Why Tayyib Food?
Tayyib means “clean” and “pure” in Arabic. The term ‘Tayyibat’ is mentioned eighteen times in the Qur’an. The derivatives of ‘tayybah’ have been repeated forty three times in the Qur’an. It is a ‘fardhu kifayah’ among the Muslim to ensure that halal and Tayyib food is consumed . Tayyib food refers to a process that allows food to accomplish goals of maximum cleanliness (clean) and minimum contamination (pure). Tayyib also refers to avoiding potentially poisonous, Najis (ritually unclean) and Khabith (impure) elements. Toyyib also includes nutritious and healthy food. The term Tayyib implies an additional quality assurance . Tayyib food also relates to hygiene, safety, sanitation, minimum risk exposure and without possible toxins. Muslims nowadays , mostly disregard this concept, which results in taking tolls on their day-to-day lives. This ignorance makes them spiritually, intellectually and physically unhealthy. This is because what is good for our body is also good for our mind and spiritual health.
Ramadan roza and Tayyib good
Millions of Muslims fast during the Ramadan month. Ramadan roza (fasting) induces the changes in the usual eating patterns of Muslims . Roza commands abstinence from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk. Ramadan is a phase of time where it is incumbent upon every Muslim to reduce his outside obligations and focus inwards. Focusing inward aids in spiritual elevation of individuals. The pakeezgi of the food which a Muslim takes is to be ensured every time. Pakeezgi is to be unfailingly guaranteed during Ramadan to aid in spiritual motivation. Halal and Tayyib food has ‘nur’ ( light). It brightens the ‘ruh’ (soul) of the ‘mu’min’ (pious Muslim ) . Since Ramadan month is a training month for Muslims as such they can invest their time and energy in ensuring that only Tayyib and Halal food is consumed in every Muslim family so that their ‘ruh’ gets more lighten up. For making Ramadan a turning point in ones life Muslims are required to break free from the deceptions (which includes Najis food) of this world to safeguard their eeman.
Grim Picture
Tayyib as already stated relates to purity, cleanliness, and pakeezgi. More than 22 lakh sheep are slaughtered in Kashmir every year on an average which roughly adds up to a whopping 2,10,00,000 kg annual meat consumption. Kashmir also spends more than Rs. 900 crores annually on import of poultry. The share in sheep and poultry consumption increases exponentially during the month of Ramadan. So is the case of vegetables and fruit which is also consumed in plenty during the month. Simultaneously the expectations of maintenance of slaughterhouses, meat shops, vegetable and fruit shops, and their handlers in a hygienic way are NOT equally met. The majority of meat handlers have lower levels of education or any meat safety training. There is a high concentration of waste products like blood, hair, tail, horns, and bones, among others in slaughterhouses and butcher shops. There is no mechanism for meat waste management in these shops. The meat waste material has become a great source of diseases and in-numerous infections. Butchers constitute a unique group of individuals who not only contract the diseases from animals/birds but also have the potential to aggravate the spread of various diseases. The typical environment of meat, vegetable, or fruit retail shops displays a plethora of unhygienic activity and vicious human-associated behavior. There is not only a lack of awareness regarding zoonotic diseases but also a lack of effective disease control and surveillance. It has also been reported that the potential route of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a cause of staph infection. It is difficult to be treated because of resistance to some antibiotics spread from the farm to the slaughterhouse and possibly to the human population.
Who is Responsible?
It was the duty of law enforcement agencies, civil society, and individual consumers to ensure all relevant standards of the food products reach people’s kitchens. Civil society has scant regard for raising these issues. They are mostly busy in registering NGOs in their name. Consumers fear to raise the issue to avoid the hegemony of butchers, vegetable, and grocery sellers. Government issues basic FSSAI licenses for small food businesses and startups. For such small businesses, a Basic food license is enough. For multi-lakh annual turnover of businesses associated with meat, vegetables, and fruit FSSAI licenses, can inspire trust and assure safe and nutritious food. If the turnover of a food-related commercial entity is below Rs.12 Lakhs, it falls under a small business cap. Such businesses need to register for Form A for Basic FSSAI registration/ FSSAI certificate. As the business turnover reaches Rs. 12 lakhs, a food license from Basic FSSAI registration to state FSSAI registration is required to be upgraded. You will hardly find any person dealing with food business holding state FSSAI registration. The authorities do not insist on seeking these registrations in most cases. It should have been a priority in the interest of human health. See the plethora of certificates being asked from Commercial vehicle owners (like sumo drivers) for the safety of travelers.
Way Out
The main objective of Tayyib is to produce clean and pure food and to create a comfortable feeling, which can be achieved if food is produced according to Sharia (Islamic principles). What can be done as a short-term measure?
Invest in home gardens for increasing supply and consumption of a diverse range of organic vegetables free from toxins. Purchase from those food outlets where every aspect of cleanliness, personal hygiene, sanitation, dress, equipment, premises, etc., is ensured. Look for halal labels in grocery stores.
First tie your camel, then put your trust in Allah وَتَعَالَى سُبْحَانَهُ
The writer has served as a Consultant in NIFT and Central University of Kashmir. He has retired as Senior Accounts Officer in C&AG’s organization. He can be mailed at malikabdulrashid1957@gmail.com
