"Believers! Eat of the pure things wherewith We have provided you for sustenance“, the Koran 2:172 reads.

We commemorated World Stroke Day on October 29 in the hope of making people aware of the signs and symptoms of a stroke, as well as to educate awareness towards prevention.

It would be wise to take heed of the education out there to guide us as much as possible against becoming a stroke victim.

Health is wealth, without a doubt. It could never be associated or equated with dollars and cents. Good health is more precious than all the money in the world. Without health, life is not lived or enjoyed to its fullest.

To a very large extent we are responsible for taking care of ourselves to maintain optimum health. Some health conditions of course we don’t have control over, but for the most part we do and we should make every effort to maintain a healthy lifestyle, it would behove us to do so.

My mother, as early as when I was a young child, always emphasised to her children that our body was a temple loaned to us by God and thus, we should make every effort to take care of it.

Allah (swt) says in the noble Koran (7:31): “Eat and drink healthy and be not prodigal”. Meaning eat simple and healthy foods and not to be extreme or extravagant in choice of foods or in overeating.

Allah has guided us to the healthy foods to eat and how to eat for good health.

Miqdam bin Madikarib said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) say: ‘A human being fills no worse vessel than his stomach. It is sufficient for a human being to eat a few mouthfuls to keep his spine straight. But if he must (fill it), then one third of food, one third for drink and one third for air.'” (Sahih Darussalam, Volume 4, Book 29, Hadith 3349)

Umar ibn al-Khattaab (companion of the prophet) saw a man with a big stomach and so said to him, “What’s this?” The man replied, “A blessing from Allah.” Umar replied, “Rather a punishment from Allah.” He also said: “O people! Be aware of overeating, because it makes you lazy in your prayer, makes your body weak and it makes you unhealthy.”

People please take care of your bodies and health. One person who took her health seriously, and encouraged others to do so, was Sister Najiyyah Shamsid-Deen who returned to Allah three years ago yesterday. May Allah be pleased with her and grant her Jannah Firdous. We miss her so, but her healthy tips and lifestyle remains with us.

Bermuda, let us continue to pray for global peace and the man-made suffering of the innocent cease immediately.

Sadly once again, violence and senseless murder has cast a dark and ugly shadow over our island.

The Muslim Dawah Team along with the entire Muslim community offer sincere condolences to the Arruda family and friends in this most difficult time. Truly to Allah we belong and to Him we return.

May God abundantly bless us with courage, wisdom, strength and patient endurance.

Have an blessed week. As salaam alaikum (peace be unto you).

• Linda Walia Ming is a member of the Bermuda Hijab Dawah Team, a group of Muslim women who reside in Bermuda and have a goal of educating the community about the religion of Islam