It may appear a little ironic to be discussing
the subject of FOOD in a month, which is characterized by the command to
abstain from it! Nevertheless, it is true to say that in this month the
subject of food tends to receive special attention from us, for after a
whole day of keeping our desires and hunger pangs at bay, the chance to
eat ones till in the evening is much appreciated. An appropriate time therefore
to highlight some of the Islaamic etiquettes of eating we think.
Significance For every act that a Muslim does, there is a chance for him to earn some reward for it from Allaah. From praying to performing ghusl, in everything Allaah has placed His Blessings and these blessings are multiplied in the month of Ramadhan.
These rewards and blessings can be attained only
by those keen to imbibe the Guidance and Example (Sunnah) of the Prophet
Muhammad
into every mode of their lives, seeking thereby none but the Face of Allaah.
For such people, their whole lives become ‘Ebadah (worship). Even the act
of eating and drinking upon which all living things depend can become acts
of ‘Ebadah. Thus, by acquainting ourselves with the Sunnah of eating and
drinking we too can turn this mundane exercise into an act of worship and
a source of blessing, Insha’Allaah!!
The Etiquettes of Eating
1. How to Begin [1]
When a Muslim begins to eat, he should begin with
the name of Allaah. As the Prophet Muhammad
said: ‘When one of you eats, he should mention Allaah's name (i.e.
say ‘Bismillaah); if he forgets to mention Allaah's name at the beginning,
he should say (when he remembers): I begin in the name of Allah
at the beginning and at the end of it ( Bismillah awwalahu wa Akhirahoo).”
[2]
The Prophet
explained that shaitan partakes in the food if the name of Allaah is not
recited at the start of eating. However if one forgets in the beginning
and then remembers and says the aforementioned du’aa shaitan is made to
vomit out what he has eaten. [3]
2. The Manners of Eating
The best manner in which to eat food is with the
fingers. The Companion, lbn Ka’ab ibn Maalik
reported that he saw the Messenger
eating with three fingers and when he finished, he would lick them. [4]
Sadly nowadays, the Muslims are choosing to imitate the disbelievers rather
than the Prophet
and are choosing to eat with knives and forks rather than the finger's.
Although it is not at all forbidden (haraam) to eat with a Knife and fork,
to consider this a better and more cultured or civilized way to eat is
definitely wrong, since this is to consider someone else's way to be superior
to that of the Prophet's
.
It should also be mentioned that if one does choose to eat with a knife
and fork, then they should make sure that the fork is in the right and
not in the left hand as is the convention with the disbelievers. This is
because to eat with the left hand is forbidden. The Prophet,
said: “Do not eat with your left hand for shaitaan eats with his left
hand,” [5] Another thing which the Prophet
taught us about the manners of eating is that we should always eat from
what is nearest to us and not from the middle of the plate. The reason
for this is that the blessings come down upon the food in its middle, therefore
it should be left to last. [6]
3. The Manners of Sitting whilst Eating.
It would probably come as no surprise to us to
learn that unlike the arrogant manner traditionally associated with the
Greeks and Romans, the Prophet
would never eat from a reclining position. [7] His whole
life was a model of modesty and humility and this was no less in his manner
of eating. The Companion Anas,
each reported that he saw Allaah's Messenger
squatting and eating dates. [8] Other times, the Prophet
would sit on his knees, as reported by ‘Abdullaah ibn Busr
who said that the Prophet
was sitting on his knees upon which a bedouin said: ‘What is this sitting?’
The Prophet
replied, “Allaah has made me a respectable servant and He did not make
me an obstinate tyrant." [9]
4. Don't Criticize Food
Aboo Hurairah,
reported that the Prophet
never found fault with food. If he liked it, he would eat it, but if he
disliked it, he just left it.
This is how our Prophet
was. Yet if we look to ourselves today, we find that we are ever ready
to criticize whatever we find on our plate. This is extreme ingratitude
to Allaah on our part and next time we think of complaining about food
or maybe moaning that ‘there's nothing to eat’ even though our fridges
are full, we should spare a thought for all those people both Muslim and
non Muslims who don't know where their next meal is coming from. So we
should instead be grateful as instructed by Allaah: “O You who believe!
Eat of the good things that we have provided for you and be grateful to
Allaah, if it is He you worship.” [Surah Al-Baqarah
Verse 17]
5. DON'T LEAVE FOOD FOR SHAITAAN
As Muslims we must be aware that shaitaan is around
us wherever we are and whatever we are doing. Even when we are eating shaitaan
is in our presence, waiting to grasp any opportunity he can to fill his
belly. This is why the Prophet,
commanded us never to waste food, because food that we waste is eaten by
shaitaan. He
said: “The shaitaan is present with everyone of you in everything he
does; he is even present when he eats food, so if any on of you drops a
mouthful, he should remove away anything filthy on it and eat it and not
leave it for the devil; and when he finished, he should lick his fingers
for he does not know in what portion of his food the blessing ties.”
[11] So here, the Prophet
enumerated another reason why we should not waste food i.e. we may deprive
ourselves of the blessings which are contained n the food. this should
be sufficient encouragement fares to appreciate the value of food and not
waste it.
6. DON'T EAT TOO MUCH
One of the worst habits we nave adopted as a result
of our relatively luxurious lifestyle is the habit of overeating and not
showing any restraint in that. How many times can we think of where we
have eaten so much that we can barely breathe, or where we can feel the
food coming up to our throats?! This eating pattern does not befit the
Muslim, who should do all things in moderation, including his eating. The
Prophet,
said: “A Believer eats in one intestine, whereas a non-believer eats
in seven intestines,” [12] Therefore it is not for
us to eat till we are completely satiated; rather we should eat such that
the hunger goes but there is still room for more.
7. AFTER EATING
When we have finished eating, we should always
remember Allaah and be grateful to Him, for He is ar-Razzaaq, the Provider
and our Sustainer. We should express this gratitude in the manner in which
the Prophet
taught us. He
said: “One who has eaten some food and then says: ‘All praise is for
Allaah, who has given me this (food to eat] and provided me without
any effort or power on my part’, he will have his sins forgiven. (Alhamdulillaahil-lazee
at’amanaa haadha warazaqeenee min ghairi hawlin minnee wala quwwah).” [13]
SubhaanAllaah! The reward for just saying this short du’aa is so great, too great to neglect. Can we afford to miss out on such opportunities of Allaah's Mercy and Forgiveness?
8. A MEANS OF DRAWING CLOSER TO ALLAAH
The ahaadeeth mentioned here only cover some of
the Islaamic etiquettes of eating which the Messenger Muhammad
taught us. Many more hadeeth on this subject are to be found in the books
of hadeeth such as Saheeh
al-Bukharee, Saheeh
Muslim and others. But just a few narrations cited here give us some
indication of the attention that the Companions
paid to even the smallest details of the prophet's
Sunnah (example). Many of us today may consider such matters to be ‘trivial’
or ‘insignificant,’ but we find the Companions
did not take these matters lightly. They considered such details important
enough to preserve through careful transmission which their successors
meticulously recorded in the books of hadeeth so that they could be read
by generations to come. It is up to us whether we want to benefit from
the knowledge they carried for us or not.
So during this blessed month of Ramadhan, when
we take the suhoor (the predawn meal) and break our fasts, we have an excellent
opportunity to transform an everyday practice of eating and drinking into
an act of worship and a source of blessing for us. Every mouthful of food
we take will serve as a reminder of Alaah's great favor upon us and His
Mercy and this in turn will cause us to earn favor with Allaah, for the
Prophet
said: “Indeed Allah is pleased with His servant who, when he eats a morsel,
praises Him for it, or drinks a sip and then praises Him for it.” [14]
May Allaah grant us the ability to become of His
thankful servants. Aameen.
[1] There is a common
misconception that to wash ones hands before eating is from Sunnah. This
is based on the hadeeth which alleges that the Prophet
said: The blessing of the food is in washing the hands before it and after
it. [Ahmed, Aboo Dawood and others] It should be known however that this
hadeeth is daef (week) according to Aboo Dawood. Imaam Ahmad, at-Tirmidhee
and others. Infect some scholar went as far As to say that this practice
was disliked since it was a practice of the Jews and only if there was
a reason to wash them was it not disliked. The point is that washing the
hands before the meal contains no added reward since it is not from the
Sunnah, although there is no harm in doing as if one needs to.
[2] Saheeh - Narrated by Aaisha and collected by Aboo Dawood (eng. Trans. Vol.3, p.1064, no.3758). Authenticated by at-Tirmidhee and al-Albanee inhis Saheeh. Sunan Aboo Dawood. Note that the Sunnah is to say ‘Bismillaah’ only and not ‘Bismillaah Ar-Rahmaan Ar-Raheem’
[3] Saheeh Muslim (eng. Trans. Vol.3, p. 1114, no. 5004).
[4] Saheeh Muslim (eng. Trans. Vol.3, p. 1119, no. 5040)
[5] Narrated by Jabir
and collected I Saheeh Muslim (eng. Trans. Vol.3, p. 1115, no. 5007). The
ruling also applies to drinking as well as taking or giving something (i.e.
it should all be done with the right hand) (Saheeh Muslim Vol.3)
[6] Aboo Dawood (eng. Trans. Vol. 3, p. 1064, no. 3763). This is not superstition or an old wives tale, rather the saying of one inspired by Allaah, who is the knower of all things hidden.
[7] Narrated by Aboo
Juhaifah
and collected in Saheeh of Imaam Bukhari (eng. Trans. Vol.7, p. 234 and
311). NB. Ibn al-Qayyim mention in his Zaadal Maad that any posture in
which the posterior is on the floor is regarding as reclining.
[8] Saheeh Muslim (eng, trans vol.3. p. 1127, no. 5073).
[9] Saheeh - Reported by Aboo Dawood (eng. Trans. Vol. 3, p.1064, no. 3764). Authentic in his Saheeh Sunan Aboo Dawood.
[10] Saheeh Muslim (eng. Trans. Vol. 3, p.113, no.5121).
[11] Narrated by Jaabir and collected in Saheeh Muslim (eng. Vol. 3, p. 1121. no. 5046)
[12] Narrated by Ibn Umar and collected in Saheeh Muslim (eng. Trans vol. 3, p.1137, no. 5046)
[13] Hasan - Narrated
by Mu’aadh Ibn Anas
collected by at-Tirmidhee and others. Authentic by at-Tirmidhee and others.
Authenticated by at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Hajr and others. (Note: that the other
du’aa from Aboo Dawood this is often mentioned in books to be recited at
the end of eating: “all Praises are form Allah who fed us grave us drink
and made us Muslims’ is not authentic as mentioned by Ibn Hajr and others.)
[14] Narrated by
Anas
and collected in Saheeh Muslim (eng. Trans. Vol. 4, p.1492, no. 6592).
Taken from Ahya.org