Umar bin al Khattab and Big tummies.
1. Al Alusi mentioned:
وأخرج أبو نعيم عن عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله تعالى عنه قال:
إياكم والبطنة من الطعام والشراب فإنها مفسدة للجسد مورثة للسقم مكسلة عن الصلاة وعليكم بالقصد فيهما فإنه أصلح للجسد وأبعد من السرف وإن الله تعالى ليبغض الحبر السمين وإن الرجل لن يهلك حتى يؤثر شهوته على دينه.
It is narrated by Abu Nuaym from Umar bin al Khattab RadhiAllahanho that he said:
” Oh people! Beware of developing a fat belly as a result of over eating and drinking because it spoils the body, makes you unhealthy and makes you lazy in your prayers, rather upon you is to be careful about your intake because that is better for your body and far from extravagance. And Allah does not like the overweight / Fat body (due to eating a lot), and a man does not perish untill his desires to get better of him overcoming his commitment to the deen! ”
Ruh al Ma’ani under surah al Araaf verse 31, who quoted from Abu Nuaym, it is mentioned in حياة السلف بين القول والعمل page 576 from Ibn Abi Duniya.
2. Ibn Rajab Hanbali said:
وَعَنْ بَعْضِ الْعُلَمَاءِ قَالَ: إِذَا كُنْتَ بَطِينًا، فَاعْدُدْ نَفْسَكَ زَمَنًا حَتَّى تَخْمُصَ.
Some scholars said, if you have big stomach, you should consider yourself disabled until you become slim.
Jami Uloom wal hikam page 519
3. Umar bin al Khattab vs people of the city Asfaan and Ibn Zubair.
عن ابن الزبير قال: إن عمر لما كان عمر بالمخمص من عسفان استبق الناس فسبقهم عمر، فانتهزت فسبقته، فقلت: سبقته والكعبة ثم انتهز الثانية، فسبقنى فقال: سبقته والله ثم انتهزت فسبقته، فقلت: سبقته والكعبة ثم انتهز الثالثة فسبقنى فقال: سبقته والله..
Ibn Zubayr said that ‘Umar may Allaah be pleased with him raced with people at Al-Mukhammas, in ‘Asfaan, and ‘Umar may Allaah be pleased with him won the race.
Then, the companions raced for the second time, and Ibn Az-Zubayr may Allaah be pleased with him defeated ‘Umar may Allaah be pleased with him.
[Abdur-Razzaaq may Allaah have mercy upon him narrated al Musannaf 8/468, taken from Jam’e al Ahadeeth al Suyuti no. 29109, it is mentioned in دراسة نقدية في المرويات الواردة في شخصية عمر بن الخطاب رضي الله عنه page 824 that it is saheeh from the rout of Abdur Razzaq]4. Umar bin al Khattab wrote to people of Al Sham:
Teach your children swimming and horsemanship
Durr al Munthur Surah al anfal verse 60
5. It is also famous that Umar ibn al-Khattaab رضي الله عنه saw a man with a big stomach and so said to him,
: ما هذا؟ قال: بركة من الله قال: بل عذاب
‘What’s this?’ The man replied, ‘A blessing from Allaah.’ ’Umar replied, ‘Rather a punishment.’” (end quote, the chain is not proven as per the scholars).