Taking the Children Away from the Ill -Gotten Food
Fathersshouldprovidelegal-gottenfoods totheir children,andpro-
tectthemagainstanyfoodthat the Lordhas forbidden.The forbidden
foodsaretheusurped,the realfilthythings-suchaspork-,theexternal
filthythings-suchasfoodsaffectedbyexternalimpurities-,andthelike
thingsthat aredetailedinthe thesesofthejurists.Fathersshouldexert
alleffortsforhabituatingtheirchildrentohavelegalfoodonlysince,as
ithasbeenproventhroughmodernclinicalsurveys,thesourcesofnutri-
tion leave a great influence on the behavior and maturity.
Islam is terribly sensitive to anymatter that may delay the children’s
growth and personal prosperity. Ill-gotten foods have internal afteref-
fectsonthementalconstituents.Theymaycausethehindranceofthebe-
havioral activities in away permitting the composition of eviltenden-
cies,suchasseverityandextremeassaults.AsIslamhascaredforthese
aspects,itissuedthe obligationof keepingthe childrenclearof the ill-
gotten foods.It isrelated thatas theProphet (s) noticedthat Imam al-
Hassan-whenwasachild-putafruitofdatepalmsinthemouth,hedis-
ciplined,“Throwitout!Haveyounotknownthatwe–theProphetand
his household- do not have from foods given as alms?”
After the calamitous incident of Kerbala, Imam al-Hussein’s harems
weretakentoKufaascaptives.Assomepeoplenoticedthattheaccom-
panyingchildrenwerestarving,theygavethemsomefruitsofdatepalm
asalms.Ummu-Kulthoum,theProphet’sgranddaughter,reproachedthe
childrenandinformedthatitwasforbiddenfortheProphet’shousehold
to receive alms. Immediately, the children took the fruits out of their
mouths.Asthe Prophet’shouseholdkept upthisilluminativebehavior
intheeducationalfields,theyproducedthoseunprecedentedandunpar-
alleled youngmen and womenwho formed the greatestexemplars in
veracity, chastity, and decency.