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PROPHET MUHAMMAD’S RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING FOOD

FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Book Title Food For Thought
Book AuthorJAMAL BADAWI
Total Pages54
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LanguageEnglish
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

The guidance of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is the perfect guidance – even with regard to an ordinary matter, such as the manners of eating food.

He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, had certain habits when it came to eating, and he fostered them in others as well.

The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, recommended a certain etiquette for eating: 

Before a meal:

It is from the Sunnah (Prophetic tradition) to ask about the food being served if you are a guest and you do not know what it is (i.e., what type of food it is), and you are not sure about what has been offered to you.

The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, did not eat food until he had been informed about what is was called and what it contained, so that he would know exactly what it was. 

Imaam Al-Bukhaari, may  Allaah have mercy upon him, narrated from Khaalid ibn al-Waleed, may Allaah be pleased with him, that he and the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, entered upon Maymoonah, may Allaah be pleased with her, who was his [Khaalid’s] maternal aunt and the maternal aunt of Ibn ‘Abbaas, may Allaah be pleased with him.

They found that she had some roasted Dhab (a kind of sand lizard) that her sister Hafeedah bint al-Haarith, may Allaah be pleased with her, had brought from Najd. 

She offered the dish to the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, but he would rarely stretch forth his hand to eat any food that was offered to him until he had been told what it was.

The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, stretched forth his hand, then one of the women who were present said, “Tell the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, that what has been offered to him is lizard.”

The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, withdrew his hand from the dish, and Khaalid ibn al-Waleed, may Allaah be pleased with him, asked, “Is lizard haraam, O Messenger of Allaah?” He said: “No, but it is not found in the land of my people and I feel that I would have no liking for it.” Khaalid, may Allaah be pleased with him, said, “Then I chewed it and ate it, and the Messenger of Allaah was looking at me.” [Al-Bukhaari, Muslim]

Ibn at-Teen, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said,

“The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, used to ask, because the Arabs would eat anything because food was hard to come by amongst them. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, may not have liked some things, so that was why he asked.

It may be understood as meaning that he used to ask because some animals were forbidden in the Sharee’ah (Islamic law) and some were allowed, but they (the Arabs) did not regard anything as forbidden, and they may have brought him some grilled or cooked meat that could not have been distinguished from another type except by asking.” [Fat-hul-Baari]

One should take care not eat and drink from vessels of gold and silver, because that is Haraam. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Do not wear silk or brocade, and do not drink from vessels of gold and silver, or eat from plates thereof. They are for them in this world and for us in the Hereafter.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

Part of honoring one’s guest is to hasten to offer him something, and part of the guest’s honoring the host is to hasten to accept his food and eat from it.

If the host sees the guest not eating, he may think badly of him, so the guest has to reassure his hosts by hastening to eat his food, because that will reassure him.

It is obligatory to mention the name of Allaah The Almighty before eating by saying “Bismillaah (in the name of Allaah)” when starting to eat. It was narrated from Umm Kulthoom from ‘Aa’ishah, may Allaah be pleased with her, that the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “When any one of you eats, let him mention the name of Allaah.

If he forgets to mention the name of Allaah at the beginning, then let him say ‘Bismillaahi awwalahu wa aakhirahu (In the name of Allaah at the beginning and at the end).” [At-Tirmithi, Abu Daawood and Ibn Maajah]

‘Umar ibn Abi Salamah, may Allaah be pleased with him, said, “I was a young boy in the care of the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and my hand used to wander all over the platter (of food).

The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said to me: “O young boy, say Bismillaah, eat with your right hand, and eat from what is directly in front of you.” [Al-Bukhaari, Muslim]

Etiquette while eating

It is obligatory for the Muslim to eat with his right hand; he should not eat with his left hand as it was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar, may Allaah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “No one among you should eat with his left hand, or drink with it, for the Shaytaan eats with his left hand and drinks with it.” [Muslim]

 The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, commanded people to eat with their right hands and forbade them to eat with their left hands. He said: “The Shaytaan eats with his left hand and drinks with his left hand.” [Muslim]

 This implies that eating with the left hand is Haraam, and this is the correct view, because the one who eats with his left hand is either a Shaytaan (a devil), or he is imitating the Shaytaan.

It was also reported in a Saheeh Hadeeth that he told a man who was eating with his left hand in his presence: “Eat with your right hand!” The man said, “I cannot.” He said: “May you never be able to!” and the man never lifted his right hand to his mouth after that. [Muslim]

If it was permissible (to eat with the left hand), he would not have prayed against him for doing so. It was the man’s stubborn arrogance that made him refuse to obey the command, and this is the utmost disobedience that deserved this prayer against him.

This applies so long as there is no excuse; if a person has an excuse for not eating and drinking with his right hand, such as sickness or injury etc., then there is nothing wrong with his eating with his left hand.

 The Hadeeth indicates that a person should avoid doing actions that resemble the actions of the Shaytaan.

It is also from the Sunnah for a person to eat from the food that is directly in front of him, and not reach out to take food that is directly in front of others, or from the middle of the platter, as indicated earlier, in the narration where the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said to ‘Umar ibn Abi Salamah, may Allaah be pleased with him:

“O young boy, say Bismillaah, eat with your right hand, and eat from what is directly in front of you.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

Eating slowly is recommended for health. Slow eating reduces the consumption of food, as it postpones much of the meal to a time when the absorption of nutrients begin to produce physiological signals of satiety.

Slow eating helps in chewing the food well. This results in the exercise of the jaws and mixing of the saliva with food.

 Hence, efficient digestion takes place because the food particles are cut into smaller pieces, not requiring as much churning in the stomach or intestine. Thus, there are fewer incidences of heartburn and similar ailments and discomforts.

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