Is the Hadith: "We are a people who do not eat until we are hungry, and if we eat, we do not eat to satiety" authentic?
The aforementioned Hadith — "The stomach is the home of all illness, and abstinence is the head of all remedies, and the origin of every ailment is indigestion (burdah), and abstinence is an empty stomach, and burdah is eating food on top of food, and the wording 'the stomach'" — has not been found in the books of the Sunnah. Al-Albani and the Permanent Committee have affirmed its inauthenticity and that it cannot be attributed to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.
Nevertheless, the wisdom contained in these words aligns with the teachings of Islam, which call for moderation in eating, as stated in the Prophetic Hadith: "The son of Adam fills no vessel worse than his stomach. A few morsels are sufficient for the son of Adam to keep his back straight. But if he must eat more, then a third for his food, a third for his drink, and a third for his breath." This Hadith is considered a great principle in medicine and recommends against eating food on top of food before it has been digested, in order to avoid illnesses and lethargy.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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