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Plse advise me on what one should eat or not eat for pregnancy according to the sunnah of our Nabie (SAW).  Also acts which are recommended or that which one should refrain from during pregnancy.  I have heard that the Nabie (SAW) has encouraged the eating of melons when pregnant - Is this sweet melons or water-melons?

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Answer:

What did the Prophet (saws) advise to eat during pregnancy?

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

First and foremost, we as believers, must try to understand and comprehend that Allah Subhanah did not send Prophet Mohamed (saws) to teach or guide mankind towards the sciences and technical expertise in medicine, or astronomy, or agriculture, or chemistry, or architecture, etc. These are amongst the knowledge of the physical world which man has the capability and the ability to learn from his own experiences and experiments.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) was sent by Allah Subhanah as a spiritual guide, to invite and teach mankind how to live a life that would win the approval and Mercy of the Creator. He (saws) was sent to invite mankind to come out of their spiritual darknesses, and come to the spiritual light of living a life in submission to the Will of the One Lord and Creator of the Worlds.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 61 Surah Saff verse 9:It is Allah Who has sent His Messenger with the Guidance, and the Religion of Truth so that He may cause it to prevail over all other religions; much as the ‘mushriks’ may detest it!

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 7 Surah Aaraat verse 157: (So, now mercy has been assigned to those) who follow this Messenger, the Gentile Prophet, whose mention they shall find in the Torah and the Gospel with them. He enjoins them to do good and forbids them from evil; he makes pure things lawful for them and impure things unlawful; he relieves them of their burdens and frees them from the shackles (of rites and rituals) that bound them. For this reason, those alone who believe in him, support him, succour him, and follow the Light that has been sent down with him shall attain true ‘success’.

An example from the authentic traditions of the Prophet (saws) would appropriately illustrate the point:

Sahih Muslim Hadith 5832 Narrated by Anas ibn Malik ; Aisha

Allah's Messenger (saws) happened to pass by the people (in Medina) who had been busy in grafting the trees. Thereupon he (saws) said: ‘If you were not to do it, it might be good for you.’ (So they abandoned this practice) and there was a decline in the yield. He (the Prophet (saws)) happened to pass by them (and said): ‘What has gone wrong with your trees?’ They said: ‘You said so and so.’ Thereupon he (saws) said: ‘You have better knowledge (of a technical skill) in the affairs of the world.’

In another hadith narrated by Hadrat Talhah ibn Ubaidullah (r.a.) and related by Muslim on the same above subject, the Messenger of Allah (saws) replied:

“If there is any use of it, then they should do it (grafting the trees), for it was just a personal opinion of mine, and do not go after my personal opinion; but when I say to you anything on behalf of Allah, then do accept it, for I do not attribute a lie to Allah, the Exalted and Glorious.”

Your Question: Plse advise me on what one should eat or not eat for pregnancy according to the sunnah of our Nabie (SAW).  Also acts which are recommended or that which one should refrain from during pregnancy.  I have heard that the Nabie (SAW) has encouraged the eating of melons when pregnant - Is this sweet melons or water-melons?

The best thing to do here would be to consult the best doctors and experts in the fields of medicine, as they would be the best people qualified to advice as to what acts or foods the women should refrain from during pregnancies. When the Messenger of Allah (saws) got ill, or if any of his family members got ill, he too consulted and sought advice of the available ‘doctors’ of his time.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your Brother in Islam,

Burhan