The Book About the Etiquette of Eating

كتـــــاب أدب الطعام

Chapter 1: Saying Bismillah Before and Al-Hamdulillah After Eating

'Umar bin Abu Salamah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

'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].

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].

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.[Muslim].

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].

'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported

The 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].

Abu Umamah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

[Al-Bukhari].

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." [Abu Dawud and At- Tirmidhi].

Chapter 2: Prohibition of Criticizing Food

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

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].

Chapter 3: Response to an Invitation Extended to a Man Observing Saum (Fasting)

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

[Muslim].

Chapter 4: What should One say to the Host if an Invited Person is Accompanied by an Uninvited Person

Abu Mas'ud Al-Badri (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Chapter 5: Eating from What is in Front of One

'Umar bin Abu Salamah (May Allah be pleased with them) reported

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

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].

Chapter 6: Prohibition of Eating Two Dates Simultaneously

Jabalah bin Suhaim reported

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Chapter 7: What Should a Person Say or Do When He Eats and is Unsatisfied

Wahshi bin Harb (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

[Abu Dawud].

Chapter 8: Eating from the Side of the Vessel

Ibn 'Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) reported

[Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi].

'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].

Chapter 9: Undesirability of Eating in a Reclining Posture

Abu Juhaifah Wahb bin 'Abdullah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

[Al-Bukhari].