The phrases in the verse above would also be important in...

The phrases in the verse above would also be important in arousing in us the sense of thanksgiving for the pure blessings that Allah has given us. This would, in turn, exert a profound effect upon our conduct. In summary, this verse identifies three ways to encourage the tendency to do good deeds: A) The influence of pure and wholesome food on the purity of the heart. B) Arousing the sense of thanksgiving in man. C) Drawing attention to the fact that Allah watches and observes all our deeds.

As said before, the Qur’anic word /tayyib/ means anything that is clean and pure. It is the opposite of the word ‘khabith’, which means foul and dirty. In the book ‘Mufradat’, the author Raqib says: “The word ‘tayyib’ originally meant any affair that is pleasant, whether man thinks that he experiences this pleasure through his soul or physical senses or not, in reality, it is experienced only in his soul.

In religion, however, it means anything that is clean and lawful.” Many verses in the Holy Qur’an talk about doing good and enjoying what is pure. Here, not only the prophets but all the believers are also ordered to eat good and lawful food: “O you who believe! Eat of the good things We have provided you with...” [^3] Only good words and deeds are near to Allah.

“...Unto Him do good words ascend, and the pious deed does He exalt...” [^4] Enjoying good things is one of the great blessings bestowed upon man by Allah and it can also be seen as one of the signs of man’s superiority over all other creatures.

Allah in the Qur’an says: “And, indeed, We have honored the children of Adam, and We carried them on the land and the sea; and We provided them with sustenance of the good things; and We preferred them greatly over many of those We created.” [^5] The Prophet (S) reiterates this in a short, meaningful tradition when he says: “O people!