Aslam

and for that I did not take bread for the last forty years. He thought that change of food is loss of time. So every breath of life is a valuable asset which should be utilized by collecting wealth of the next world. It is easy for one who has got the habit of for bearing hunger. The saint Abu Solaiman Dr-^ani mentioned six harms of eating with satisfaction. (1) Such a man does not get pleasure in invocation. (2) He can't remember the matters of knowledge and wisdom. (3) He loses the attribute of showing kindness to the people. (4) He feels difficulty in doing divine services. (5) Sexual passion and greed become strong in his mind.
(6) When the worshipers are engaged in mosques, he is confined in privies.

(8) Another benefit of hunger is preservation of health and removal of diseases. A little quantity of food improves health and removes diseases. Excessive eating accumulate diseases in stomach and veins. The diseased man cannot do divine services, Zikr and pondering. Hunger removes all these difficulties.

Caliph Harun Rashid is reported to have called eminent physicians of his time of India, Byzantium, Iraq and Abyssinis and said to them: Give me such a medicine as can prevent all diseases. The Indian physician said: If you use black Ahliz, you will not be attacked with any disease. The Iraqi physician said: It is the medicine of white seeds of Helencha. The physician of Byzantium said: It is the medicine of Ahliz makes was most experienced said: The medicine of Ahliz makes the stomach narrow and creates a disease. The seeds of white Hellencha make the stomach soft and create a disease. They asked: What medicine have you got then? He said: What will not create any disease in my sight is this. Don't eat unless you feel hungry and lift up your hand when there remains a little hunger. They all said: You haven prescribed the right medicine.

A philosopher was asked imprisons of some physicians of the People of the Book about the following saying of the Prophet:
One third of the belly is for food, one third for drink and one third for taking breath. He wondered at it and said: I have never heard of a more wise saying in the matter of little food than this and this must be the saying of a wise man. The Prophet said: Gluttony is the root of disease and restraint from food and drink is the root of cure. Teach the habit to which each organ is entitled. The physician was astonished to hear this saying of the Prophet. The

78 The Book of Destructive evils Vol-M