Riyad as-Saliheen, Book of Etiquette of Eating

'Umar bin Abu Salamah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
Messenger of Allah ﷺ, said to me, "Mention Allah's Name (i.e., say Bismillah before starting eating), eat with your right hand, and eat from what is near you."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

عن عمر بن أبى سلمة رضى الله عنهما قال: قال لي رسول الله ﷺ:"سم الله وكل بيمينك، وكل مما يليك" .

'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported:
Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "When any of you wants to eat, he should mention the Name of Allah in the begining, (i.e., say Bismillah). If he forgets to do it in the beginning, he should say Bismillah awwalahu wa akhirahu (I begin with the Name of Allah at the beginning and at the end)."

[At-Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud].

وعن عائشة رضى الله عنها قالت : قال رسول الله ﷺ: "إذا أكل أحدكم فليذكر اسم الله تعالى، فإذا نسى أن يذكر اسم الله تعالى في أوله، فليقل، بسم الله أوله وآخره".

Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
I heard Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, "If a person mentions the Name of Allah upon entering his house or eating, Satan says, addressing his followers: 'You will find no where to spend the night and no dinner.' But if he enters without mentioning the Name of Allah, Satan says (to his followers), 'You have found (a place) to spend the night in, and if he does not mention the Name of Allah at the time of eating, Satan says: 'You have found (a place) to spend the night in as well as food."'

[Muslim].

وعن جابر، رضى الله عنه قال: سمعت رسول الله ﷺ يقول: "إذا دخل الرجل بيته، فذكر الله تعالى عند دخوله وعند طعامه، قال الشيطان لأصحابه: لا مبيت لكم ولا عشاء، وإذا دخل ، فلم يذكر الله تعالى عند دخوله، قال الشيطان: أدركتم المبيت؛ وإذا لم يذكر الله تعالى عند طعامه قال: أدركتم المبيت والعشاء" .

Hudhaifah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
When we attended a meal with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, we would not stretch forth our hands towards the food until he ﷺ would start eating first. Once, we were with him when a little girl rushed in as if someone was impelling her. She was about to lay her hand on the food when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ caught her hand. Then a bedouin came in rushing as if someone were pushing him. He ﷺ caught his hand also and said, "Satan considers that food lawful for himself on which the Name of Allah is not mentioned. He (Satan) brought this girl to make the food lawful through her but I caught her hand. Then he brought the bedouin to make it lawful through him but I caught his hand too. By Him in Whose Hand my soul is, now Satan's hand is in my grasp along with their hands." Then he mentioned the Name of Allah and began to eat.

[Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i].

وعن حذيفة رضى الله عنه قال: كنا إذا حضرنا مع رسول الله ﷺ طعاماً، لم نضع أيدينا حتى يبدأ رسول الله ﷺ فيضع يده. وإنا حضرنا معه مرةً طعاماً، فجاءت جارية كأنها تدفع، فذهبت لتضع يدها في الطعام، فأخذ رسول الله ﷺ بيدها، ثم جاء أعرابي كأنما يدفع فأخذ بيده، فقال رسول الله ﷺ: "إن الشيطان يستحل الطعام أن لا يذكر اسم الله تعالى عليه، وإنه جاء بهذه الجارية ليستحل بها، فأخذت بيدها، فجاء بهذا الأعرابي ليستحل به، فأخذت بيده، والذي نفسي بيده إن يده في يدي مع يديهما" ثم ذكر اسم الله تعالى وأكل. .

Umaiyyah bin Makhshi (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
Messenger of Allah ﷺ was sitting while a man was eating food. That man did not mention the Name of Allah (before commencing to eat) till only a morsel of food was left. When he raised it to his mouth, he said: "Bismillah awwalahu wa akhirahu (With the Name of Allah, in the beginning and in the end)." Messenger of Allah ﷺ smiled at this and said, "Satan had been eating with him but when he mentioned the Name of Allah, Satan vomited all that was in his stomach."

[Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i].

وعن أمية بن مخشى الصحابي رضى الله عنه قال: كان رسول الله ﷺ جالساً ، ورجل يأكل، فلم يسم الله حتى لم يبق من طعامه إلا لقمة، فلما رفعها إلى فيه، قال: بسم الله أوله وآخره، فضحك النبي ﷺ، ثم قال:"ما زال الشيطان يأكل معه، فلما ذكر اسم الله استقاء ما فيه بطنه" . .

'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported:
Messenger of Allah ﷺ was eating with his six Companions when a desert Arab came and ate up the food in two mouthfuls. Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Had he mentioned the Name of Allah, it would have sufficed for all of you."

[At-Tirmidhi].

وعن عائشة رضى الله عنها قالت: كان رسول الله ﷺ يأكل طعاماً في ستة من أصحابه، فجاء أعرابى، فأكله بلقمتين. فقال رسول الله ﷺ "أما إنه لو سمى لكفاكم".

Abu Umamah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
Whenever the Prophet ﷺ finished a meal, he would say: "Al-hamdu lillahi hamdan kathiran taiyyiban mubarakan fihi, ghaira makfiyyin wa la muwadda`in, wa la mustaghnan `anhu, Rabbuna. (All praise is due to Allah, praise which is abundant, pure, and full of blessings, which is indispensable and to which one cannot be indifferent).''

[Al-Bukhari].

وعن أبى أمامة رضى الله عنه أن النبي ﷺ كان إذا رفع مائدته قال: "الحمد لله حمداً كثيراً طَيِّباً مباركاً فيه، غير مكفى ولامودع، ولا مستغنى عنه ربنا" .

Mu'adh bin Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "He who has taken food and says at the end: 'Al- hamdu lillahi-lladhi at'amani hadha, wa razaqanihi min ghairi haulin minni wa la quwwatin (All praise is due to Allah Who has given me food to eat and provided it without any endeavour on my part or any power),' all his past sins will be forgiven."

At-Tirmidh i].

وعن معاذ بن أنس رضى الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله ﷺ: "من أكل طعاماً فقال: الحمد الله الذي أطعمني هذا، ورزقنيه من غير حول منى ولا قوةٍ، غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبه" .

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
Messenger of Allah ﷺ never found fault with food. If he had inclination to eating it, he would eat; and if he disliked it, he would leave it.

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

وعن أبى هريرة رضى الله عنه قال: "ما عاب رسول الله ﷺ طعاماً قط، إن اشتهاه أكله، وإن كرهه تركه" .

Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Prophet ﷺ asked for sauce and was told that there was nothing except vinegar. He asked for it and began to eat from it saying, "How excellent is vinegar when eaten as sauce! How excellent is vinegar when eaten as Udm!"

[Muslim].

وعن جابر رضى الله عنه أن النبي ﷺ سأل أهله الأدم فقالوا: ما عندنا إلا خل، فدعا به، فجعل يأكل ويقول: "نعم الأدم الخل، نعم الأدم الخل" .

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "When any of you is invited to a meal, he should accept the invitation. If he is observing Saum (fasting), he should supplicate for the betterment of the host and if he is not fasting, he should eat."

[Muslim].

عن أبى هريرة رضى الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله ﷺ : "إذا دعي أحدكم ، فليجب، فإن كان صائما فليصل، وإن كان مفطراً فليطعم" .

Abu Mas'ud Al-Badri (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
A man prepared some food especially for the Prophet ﷺ and invited him along with four others. But a man accompanied him. Having arrived at the door, Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to the host, "This person has followed us. You may allow him, if you like, and if you like he will return." He said: "O Messenger of Allah, I allow him, too."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

عن أبى مسعود البدرى رضى الله عنه قال: دعا رجل النبي ﷺ لطعام صنعه له خامس خمسة، فتبعهم رجل، فلما بلغ الباب، قال النبي ﷺ: "إن هذا تبعنا؛ فإن شئت أن تأذن له، وإن شئت رجع" قال: بل آذن له يا رسول الله . .

'Umar bin Abu Salamah (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:
I was a boy under the care of Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and as my hand used to wander around in the dish, he ﷺ said to me once, "Mention Allah's Name (i.e., say Bismillah), eat with your right hand, and eat from what is in front of you."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

عن عمر بن أبى سلمة رضى الله عنهما قال: كنت غلاماً في حجر رسول الله ﷺ، وكانت يدي تطيش في الصحفة، فقال لي رسول الله ﷺ: " يا غلام سم الله تعالى، وكل بيمينك،وكل مما يليك" .

Salamah bin Al-Akwa' (May Allah be pleased with him) reported on the authority of his father:
A man ate with his left hand in the presence of Messenger of Allah ﷺ, whereupon he said, "Eat with your right hand." The man said: "I cannot do that." Thereupon he (the Prophet ﷺ) said, "May you not be able to do that." It was vanity that prevented him from doing it and he could not raise it (the right hand) up to his mouth afterwards.

[Muslim].

وعن سلمةَ بن الأَكْوَع أنَّ رَجُلاً أَكَلَ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ الله بِشِمَالِهِ ، فَقَالَ : « كُلْ بِيَمِينِكَ » قَالَ : لا أسْتَطِيعُ . قَالَ : « لا اسْتَطَعْتَ » ! مَا مَنَعَهُ إِلا الكِبْرُ ! فَمَا رَفَعَهَا إِلَى فِيهِ . رواه مسلم

Jabalah bin Suhaim reported:
We were with 'Abdullah bin Az-Zubair (May Allah be pleased with them) in a time of famine, then we were provided with dates. (Once) when we were eating, 'Abdullah bin 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) passed by us and said: "Do not eat two dates together, for Messenger of Allah ﷺ prohibited it, unless one seeks permission from his brother (partner)."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

عن جبلة بن سحيم قال: أصابنا عام سنةٍ مع ابن الزبير، فرزقنا تمراً، وكان عبد الله بن عمر رضى الله عنهما يمر بنا ونحن نأكل، فيقول: لا تقارونوا، فإن النبى نهى عن الإقران، ثم يقول:"إلا أن يستأذن الرجل أخاه" متفق عليه

Wahshi bin Harb (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
Some of the Companions of Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "We eat but are not satisfied." He ﷺ said, "Perhaps you eat separately." The Companions replied in affirmative. He then said: "Eat together and mention the Name of Allah over your food. It will be blessed for you."

[Abu Dawud].

عن وحشى بن حرب رضى الله عنه أن أصحاب رسول الله ﷺ قالوا: يا رسول الله ، إنا نأكل ولا نشبع قال: "فلعلكم تفترقون" قالوا: نعم. قال: فاجتمعوا على طعامكم، واذكروا اسم الله ، يبارك لكم فيه"

Ibn 'Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:
The Prophet ﷺ said, "Blessing descends upon food in its middle, so eat from the sides of the vessel and do not eat from its middle."

[At-Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud].

وعن ابن عباس رضى الله عنهما عن النبي ﷺ قال: "البركة تنزل وسط الطعام، فكلوا من حافتيه ولا تأكلوا من وسطه" .

'Abdullah bin Busr (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Prophet ﷺ had a large bowl called Al-Gharra', which would be carried by four men. One day, when the Companions finished their Duha (forenoon optional) prayer, Al-Gharra' was brought full of sopped bread, meat and broth, and they sat down around it. When their number increased, Messenger of Allah ﷺ sat down on his knees and rested on the soles of his feet. A bedouin said to him: "What sort of sitting is that?" Thereupon Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Verily, Allah has made me a courteous slave not a fierce tyrant." Then he said, "Eat from the sides of the bowl and leave the central part of it so that your food will be blessed."

[Abu Dawud].

وعن عبد الله بن بشر رضى الله عنه قال: كان للنبي ﷺ قصعة يقال لها: الغراء، يحملها أربعة رجال، فلما أضحوا وسجدوا الضحى أتى بتلك القصعة، يعنى وقد ثرد فيها، فالتقوا عليه ، فلما كثروا جثا رسول الله ﷺ.فقال أعرابي : ما هذه الجلسة؟ قال رسول الله ﷺ : إن الله جعلني عبداً كريماً، ولم يجعلني جباراً عنيداً، ثم قال رسول الله ﷺ :"كلوا من حواليها، ودعوا ذروتها يبارك فيها" . (1)

746. Abu Juhaifah Wahb bin 'Abdullah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "I do not eat reclining (against a pillow)."

[Al-Bukhari].

عن أبى جحيفة وهب بن عبد الله رضى الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله ﷺ: " لا آكل متكئاً" .

Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
I saw Messenger of Allah ﷺ eating some dates while sitting on his buttocks, with his legs raised.

[Muslim].

وعن أنس رضى الله عنه قال: رأيت رسول الله ﷺ جالساً مقعياً يأكل تمراً، .

Ibn 'Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:
Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "When one of you finishes eating, he should not wipe his fingers until he has licked them himself or has given them to someone else to lick for him."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

عن ابن عباس رضى الله عنهما قال: قال رسول الله ﷺ: "إذا أكل أحدكم طعاماً، فلا يمسح أصابعه حتى يلعقها أو يلعقها". .

Ka'b bin Malik (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
I saw Messenger of Allah ﷺ eating with three fingers (i.e., the thumb, the index finger and the middle finger) and licking them after having finished the food.

[Muslim].

وعن كعب بن مالك رضى الله عنه قال: رأيت رسول الله ﷺ يأكل بثلاث أصابع ، فإذا فرغ لعقها.

Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded the licking of fingers and the gleaning of the dish, saying, "You do not know in which portion the blessing lies."

[Muslim].

وعن جابر رضى الله عنه أن رسول الله ﷺ أمر بلعق الأصابع والصحفة، وقال: "إنكم لا تدرون في أي طعامكم البركة" .

Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "When a morsel of any of you falls, he should pick it up and remove any of the dirt on it and then eat it, and should not leave it for Satan nor should wipe his hand with towel until he has licked his fingers, for he does not know in what portion of the food the blessing lies."

[Muslim].

وعنه أن رسول الله ﷺ قال: "إذا وقعت لقمة أحدكم، فليأخذها فليمط ما كان بها من أذى وليأكلها، ولا يدعها للشيطان، ولا يمسح يده بالمنديل حتى يلعق أصابعه؛ فإنه لا يدرى في أي طعامه البركة" .

Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Satan appears at every thing done by you; he appears even at one's dinner. When a morsel of any of you falls, he should pick it up and remove any dirt on it, and then eat it. He should not leave it for Satan, nor should he wipe his hand with the towel until he has licked his fingers, for he does not know in what portion of the food the blessing lies."

[Muslim].

وعنه أن رسول الله ﷺ قال: "إن الشيطان يحضر أحدكم عند كل شئ من شأنه، حتى يحضره عند طعامه؛ فإذا سقطت لقمة أحدكم فليأخذها فليمط ما كان بها من أذى، ثم ليأكلها ولا يدعها للشيطان، فإذا فرغ فليلعق أصابعه؛ فإنه لا يدرى في أي طعامه البركة" .

Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
Whenever Messenger of Allah ﷺ ate food, he would lick his three fingers and say, "If anyone of you drops a morsel of food, he should remove any dirt that may have stuck on it and then eat it, and should not leave it for Satan." He ﷺ also commanded us that we should glean the pot, saying, "You do not know in which part of your food the blessings lies."

[Muslim].

وعن أنس رضى الله عنه قال: كان رسول الله ﷺ إذا أكل طعاماً، لعق أصابعه الثلاث، وقال:"إذا سقطت لقمة أحدكم فليأخذها، وليمط عنها الأذى، وليأكلها،ولا يدعها للشيطان" وأمرنا أن نسلت القصعة وقال: "إنكم لا تدرون في أي طعامكم البركة" .

Sa'id bin Al-Harith reported:
I asked Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him) whether it was obligatory to make Wudu' for Salat (prayer) after eating cooked food. He said: "No, because in the lifetime of Messenger of Allah ﷺ, such food was rarely available. We had no handkerchiefs, so when we ate such food we would wipe our fingers against our palms, forearms or (the sole of our) feet, and would offer Salat without fresh Wudu' (for prayer)."

[Al-Bukhari].

وعن سعيد بن الحارث أنه سأل جابراً رضى الله عنه عن الوضوء مما مست النار، فقال: لا ، قد كنا زمن النبي ﷺ لا نجد مثل ذلك الطعام إلا قليلاً، فإذا نحن وجدناه، لم يكن لنا مناديل إلا أكفنا وسواعدنا وأقدامنا، ثم نصلى ولا نتوضأ. .

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "The food of two persons suffices for three persons, and the food of three persons suffices for four persons."

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

عن أبى هريرة رضى الله عنه قال : قال رسول الله ﷺ :طعام الاثنين كافي الثلاثة، وطعام الثلاثة كافي الأربعة" .

Jabir bin 'Abdullah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "The food of one person suffices for two, the food of two persons suffices for four persons, and the food of four persons suffices for eight persons."

[Muslim].

وعن جابر رضى الله عنه قال: سمعت رسول الله ﷺ يقول: "طعام الواحد يكفى الاثنين، وطعام الاثنين يكفى الأربعة، وطعام الأربعة يكفى الثمانية" .

Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to breathe three times in the course of a drink (he used to drink in three gulps).

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

عن أنس رضى الله عنه أن رسول الله ﷺ كان يتنفس في الشراب ثلاثاً.