EN.MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, YOGYAKARTA – Muhammad Hasnan Nahar, a member of the Muhammadiyah Central Board’s Tabligh Council, has encouraged Muslims to view good health as an essential part of practicing their faith, emphasizing that balanced nutrition and regular exercise and acts of gratitude to Allah and help the ummah fulfill their religious responsibilities.
The message was delivered during Sunday morning sermon at Ahmad Dahlan University Islamic Center on Sunday (5/7).
Hasnan said Islam encourages physical strength alongside spiritual devotion. He opened his lecture by recounting a story about Umar ibn al-Khattab, who warned against excessive weight not because of appearance, but because it reflected unhealthy habits that could weaken one’s commitment to worship.
Eating Healthy as an Act of Worship
Citing the World Obesity Atlas 2025, Hasnan highlighted Indonesia’s growing obesity problem. He urged Muslims to monitor their health by calculating their Body Mass Index (BMI). He shared his own experience of weighing 101 kilograms in 2012. It inspired him to study Islamic dietary principles and later publish research on the contextual interpretation of Surah Al-A’raf verse 31.
According to Hasnan, Islam teaches moderation in eating and drinking while encouraging the consumption of food that is both halal and tayyib (permissible and beneficial). Because individual health conditions differ, he noted that food considered halal may not always be appropriate for everyone. Islam also promotes balanced nutrition through adequate intake of carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, and fiber, while encouraging beneficial foods mentioned in the Qur’an such as milk, dates, and honey.
He recommended maintaining regular meal schedules through a “3+2” eating pattern—three main meals and two healthy snacks—to help stabilize energy levels and prevent overeating. He also stressed that maintaining a healthy weight depends on balancing calorie intake with physical activity.
Physical Fitness for Every Stage of Life
Hasnan distinguished between everyday physical activity and structured exercise, explaining that exercise involves planned and systematic movement aimed at improving fitness.
He said regular exercise supports children’s physical and cognitive development, helps adults reduce the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension, and enables older adults to maintain muscle strength, improve balance, and reduce the risk of falls. He also encouraged married couples to exercise together as a way to strengthen both health and family relationships.
Drawing on the Qur’an and Sunnah, Hasnan cited the story of Talut in Surah Al-Baqarah verse 247 as an example of the importance of physical preparedness. He also referred to the Prophet Muhammad’s saying that “the strong believer is more beloved to Allah than the weak believer,” explaining that strength includes both physical fitness and spiritual resilience.
As examples from the Prophet’s life, Hasnan mentioned his footrace with Aisyah and his wrestling match with Rukanah, illustrating that maintaining physical fitness is consistent with Islamic teachings.
Concluding his sermon, Hasnan urged Muslims not to wait until illness develops before adopting healthier habits.
“Do not wait until you become ill. When your BMI shows that you are overweight or obese, begin adjusting your diet and exercising regularly. Our duty is to make every effort, while the final outcome remains in Allah’s hands,” he said.
