8. To eat as a group.
Once the companions of the Prophet Peace be upon him said to him ‘O messenger of Allah! When we eat we do not feel satisfied’ so he replied ‘perhaps you eat individually?’

 

‘Yes’ they replied. So he said ‘Eat together and say the name of Allah when eating He will bless you in your food.’(1)

 

This a practice which many families, due to our busy lifestyles unfortunately do not practice. Muslims should make an effort to revive this Sunnah by eating together with family or friends as much as possible.

 

9. Do not lean and eat.
The Prophet Peace be upon him said: ‘I do not eat whilst leaning’. (2)
  Leaning is a sign of sitting very comfortably and eating, which may lead one to eating a lot.

 

10. It is recommended to wash the hands before eating. If there is dirt on the hand then it is a Sunnah.
  With regards to washing the hands before eating, there are many narrations. There is no authentic and explicit narration in which it is mentioned that one should wash his or her hands before eating regardless of whether the hands are dirty or not.
  In a weak narration Allah’s messenger Peace be upon him has said that one’s food is blessed if he or she washes his or her hands before and after eating.(3) A weak narration is enough to indicate that this is a recommended practice, although we take caution as to call it a Sunnah.

 

However, in another authentic narration it has been mentioned that if the prophet peace be upon him was in the state of Janabah (ritual impurity) he would wash his hands before eating. (4)   This can been explained by the fact that in this state one’s hands may be physically impure or at least he may have touched something which may not render his hands as physically impure but at least dirty.

 

By extension of this we understand that if one doubts his hands may be dirty, or he may have touched something impure or dirty it is Sunnah for him to wash his hands before eating. If not then it is still recommended.

 

With regards to specifically washing the hands after eating, there is an authentic narration that the messenger of Allah peace be upon him washed his hands after eating. (5) 

 

However in another narration, the messenger of Allah peace be upon him said ‘When one of you eats food, he should not wipe his hands until he licks (his fingers) or has them licked. (6)

This narration infers that one may suffice with wiping his hands if there is no need to wash them.

 

11. To avoid standing and eating or drinking.
  Anas Allah be pleased with him narrates that the messenger of Allah prohibited that one stand and drink. Qatadah (the student of Anas) asked about standing and eating. Anas replied ‘That is worse’. (7)

 

However some nations point out that the prophet himself peace be upon him drank whilst standing. (8) Another narration points out that the companions would eat and drink whilst walking. (9)

 

In conclusion, one should avoid eating and drinking whilst standing unless there is a need.

 

12. To know what you are eating.
In a lengthy narration Khalid ibn Al-waleed said ‘It was very rare that food was brought to the messenger of Allah without being named’ (10) i.e. without him being informed of what it was.

 

13. To eat from what is in front of you.
Umar ibn Abi Salamah narrates ‘I was in the care of the messenger of Allah peace be upon him and my hand would wander in the plate so he said to me ‘’O child! Take the name of Allah, eat with your right hand and eat from that which is front of you’’. (11)

 

However, we learn from another narration that if there are multiple types of food we may eat from all the types, even though they may not be in front of us. (12)

 

1. عن وَحْشِيُّ بْنُ حَرْبٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ أَنَّ أَصْحَابَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّا نَأْكُلُ وَلاَ نَشْبَعُ قَالَ فَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَفْتَرِقُونَ قَالُوا نَعَمْ قَالَ فَاجْتَمِعُوا عَلَى طَعَامِكُمْ وَاذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ يُبَارَكْ لَكُمْ فِيهِ

 

(رواه أبو داود، كتاب الأطعمة، باب في الاجتماع على الطعام)

 

2. عن أبي جحيفة يقول قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لا آكل متكئا

 

(رواه البخاري، باب الأكل متكئا)

 

3. عَنْ سَلْمَانَ، قَالَ قَرَأْتُ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ أَنَّ بَرَكَةَ الطَّعَامِ الْوُضُوءُ قَبْلَهُ فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لِلنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ ‏: بَرَكَةُ الطَّعَامِ الْوُضُوءُ قَبْلَهُ وَالْوُضُوءُ بَعْدَهُ  

 

رواه أبو داواد، باب في غسل اليدين قبل الطعام

 

4. عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ، – رضى الله عنها – قَالَتْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَنَامَ وَهُوَ جُنُبٌ تَوَضَّأَ وَإِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَأْكُلَ أَوْ يَشْرَبَ – قَالَتْ – غَسَلَ يَدَيْهِ ثُمَّ يَأْكُلُ أَوْ يَشْرَبُ ‏.رواه النسائي في باب الطهارة

 

‏عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، – رضى الله عنها – قَالَتْ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم – وَقَالَ عَمْرٌو كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم – إِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَأْكُلَ أَوْ يَنَامَ وَهُوَ جُنُبٌ تَوَضَّأَ – زَادَ عَمْرٌو فِي حَدِيثِهِ – وُضُوءَهُ لِلصَّلاَةِ ‏.رواه النسائي

 

5. عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ أَكَلَ كَتِفَ شَاةٍ فَمَضْمَضَ وَغَسَلَ يَدَيْهِ وَصَلَّى، رواه ابن ماجه

 

6. إِذَا أَكَلَ أَحَدُكُمْ طَعَامًا, فَلَا يَمْسَحْ يَدَهُ, حَتَّى يَلْعَقَهَا, أَوْ يُلْعِقَهَا.رواه البخاري

 

7. وعن أَنسٍ عن النَّبيّ ﷺ أَنهُ نهَى أَنْ يشربَ الرّجُلُ قَائمًا. قَالَ قتادة: فَقلْنَا لأنَس: فالأَكْلُ؟ قَالَ: ذلكَ أَشَرُّ أَو أَخْبثُ. رواهُ مسلم

 

8. وعن عمرو بن شعيب عن أَبيهِ عن جدِّه قَالَ: رَأَيْتُ رسُول اللَّهِ ﷺ يشربُ قَائمًا وقَاعِدًا. رواه الترمذي وقال: حديث حسن صحيح

 

9. وعن ابن عمر رضيَ اللَّه عنهما قال: كنَّا نَأْكُلُ عَلى عَهدِ رسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ ونحْنُ نَمْشى، ونَشْرَبُ وَنحْنُ قيامٌ. رواهُ الترمذي، وقال: حديث حسن صحيح

 

10. عن خالد بن الوليد أَنَّهُ، دَخَلَ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى مَيْمُونَةَ زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهِيَ خَالَتُهُ وَخَالَةُ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ فَوَجَدَ عِنْدَهَا ضَبًّا مَحْنُوذًا قَدِمَتْ بِهِ أُخْتُهَا حُفَيْدَةُ بِنْتُ الْحَارِثِ مِنْ نَجْدٍ فَقَدَّمَتِ الضَّبَّ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَكَانَ قَلَّمَا يُقَدَّمُ إِلَيْهِ طَعَامٌ حَتَّى يُحَدَّثَ بِهِ وَيُسَمَّى لَهُ فَأَهْوَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَدَهُ إِلَى الضَّبِّ فَقَالَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ النِّسْوَةِ الْحُضُورِ أَخْبِرْنَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِمَا قَدَّمْتُنَّ لَهُ ‏.‏ قُلْنَ هُوَ الضَّبُّ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ‏.‏ فَرَفَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَدَهُ فَقَالَ خَالِدُ بْنُ الْوَلِيدِ أَحَرَامٌ الضَّبُّ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ ‏ “‏ لاَ وَلَكِنَّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ بِأَرْضِ قَوْمِي فَأَجِدُنِي أَعَافُهُ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ خَالِدٌ فَاجْتَرَرْتُهُ فَأَكَلْتُهُ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَنْظُرُ فَلَمْ يَنْهَنِي ‏رواه مسلم

 

11. عَنْ وَهْبِ بْنِ كَيْسَانَ، سَمِعَهُ مِنْ، عُمَرَ بْنِ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ قَالَ كُنْتُ فِي حَجْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَكَانَتْ يَدِي تَطِيشُ فِي الصَّحْفَةِ فَقَالَ لِي ‏ “‏ يَا غُلاَمُ سَمِّ اللَّهَ وَكُلْ بِيَمِينِكَ وَكُلْ مِمَّا يَلِيكَ ‏”رواه مسلم

 

12. عن عِكْرَاشِ بْنِ ذُؤَيْبٍ قَالَ أُتِيَ النَّبِيُّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ بِجَفْنَةٍ كَثِيرَةِ الثَّرِيدِ وَالْوَدَكِ فَأَقْبَلْنَا نَأْكُلُ مِنْهَا فَخَبَطْتُ يَدِي فِي نَوَاحِيهَا فَقَالَ ‏”‏ يَا عِكْرَاشُ كُلْ مِنْ مَوْضِعٍ وَاحِدٍ فَإِنَّهُ طَعَامٌ وَاحِدٌ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ ثُمَّ أُتِينَا بِطَبَقٍ فِيهِ أَلْوَانٌ مِنَ الرُّطَبِ فَجَالَتْ يَدُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ فِي الطَّبَقِ وَقَالَ ‏”‏ يَا عِكْرَاشُ كُلْ مِنْ حَيْثُ شِئْتَ فَإِنَّهُ غَيْرُ لَوْنٍ وَاحِدٍ ‏”‏ ‏رواه ابن ماجه