Part 5-Prophet Muhammad SAW’s Habits in Eating And Drinking

BISMILLAHIR-RAHMANIR-RAHEEM

 

THE HOLY PROPHET’S HABITS IN EATING AND DRINKING

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) never ate reclining. While taking meals it is desirable to sit in a manner that the knees are upwards and the bottom of the feet touches the ground or in a manner that only right knee is kept upward and the left knee touches the ground making a sitting posture. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) as a gesture of courtesy used to keep the inner side of his left foot over the back of the right foot.

 

Another gesture of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) courtesy was that he never found fault with the food. If he liked it he ate it, otherwise he did not touch it but he never passed any remark as to whether it was bad or sour, or that the salt was not according to taste or that the soup was thin or thick. [Madarij-un-Nubuwwah]

 

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) used to say Bismillah before beginning to eat and used to praise Allah at the end. He used to wash his hands before taking meals, ate with his right hand and from before him. [Zad-ul-Ma’ad]

 

While eating he would never put the whole of his fingers into the food. His habit was to eat with three fingers, and he used to lick them clean. In some traditions it occurs that he used to lick the middle finger first, then the forefinger and after it the thumb. If an item of food was thin, he would also use the ring finger, but only rarely. [Muslim, Tabrani, Khasail-e-Nabawi]

 

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) never blew in any food or drink and considered it to be a bad habit. He did not smell  the food and thought it undesireable. [Nashr-ut-Tib]

 

If there was one item of food only, he would take it from before him and if there were more items but in one dish, he would extend his hand to other sides also. After meals he would wash his hands and dry them by rubbing then together or on the face and head. In one of the reports, drying the hands on the other parts washed in wudhu has also been mentioned.

 

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) said that one should eat and drink with his right hand for Satan eats and drinks with the left hand. [Khasa’il-e-Nabawi]

 

If someone beganeating food without having recited Bismillah, The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) held his hand and commanded him to say Bismillah. [Zad-ul-Ma’ad]

 

One will not be questioned for a bounty on the Day of Reckoning which is preceded by Bismillah and followed by Alhamdulillah.

 

Aisha (ra) has related: ‘The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) once said, “What a nice condiment vinegar is.” Abu Usaid (ra) has related that the Holy Prophet said : “Use olive oil in food as also for annointing, for this comes from a blessed tree.” [Shamail-e-Tirmizi]

 

Aisha (ra) has rrelated that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) had a liking for vinegar, olive oil, sweets and honey. The Holy Prophet is reported to have eaten chicken, red duck, mutton and flesh of camel. He relished Surid (bread crumbled and mixed with soup which may have pieces of meat in it). He also ate black pepper and spices. He is reported to have eaten dates (raw, ripe or dried)beet and hasa (soup made of flour, water and either oil or clarified butter/cheese).

 

He used to eat cucumber with dates as Abdullah bin Jafar has reported on the authority of Aisha (ra) that the Holy Prophet used to eat water melon with dates and used to say that the heat of the one is broken by the coolness of the other. He liked cold sweet water. He used to drink water and milk as well as water obtained from steeped dates from the same cup. [Ibn Sa’d]

 

If the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) ate along with people he was the last to finish eating. As some people habitually take much time in eating and when they see others getting up, they feel embarassed and also finish eating. As such in order to accomodate such persons the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) continued eating bit by bit till the end. [Zad-ul-Ma’d, Ibn-e-Majah, Baihaqi, Mishkat]

 

When he was in the company of people and wished to give something to eat or drink, he would hand it over to the one who was sitting on his right as he thought him to be more rightful. In case he wished to give it to someone who was sitting on his left then he used to do so with the permission of the person sitting on his right. [Baukhari, Muslim, Zad-ul-Ma’d]

 

Whenever the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) was invited to a meal and some uninvited person accompanied him, he would ask permission of the host and would then keep him in his company. Asma (ra) has related that whenever hot food was brought to the Prophet (s.a.w.), he would keep it covered until the force of its steam had gone and used to say that there is great blessing in cold food. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) did not drink water after taking meals as it effects digestion adversely. One should not drink water until the food is nearly digested.  [Madari-un-Nubuwwah]

 

He also used to take evening meal even if it comprised of a few dates. He used to say that giving up evening meal hastens old age. He advised people not to go to bed immediately after taking meals. (as it increases sluggishness of heart) Taking rest for a while after forenoon meal is reported from  the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.). He used to induce people  to be sparing in diet and to say that let one third of the stomach be for food, one third for water and one third be left for the stomach itself (breathing). [Zad-ul-Ma’d]

 

If he found a date or a piece of bread lying in a clean place he would clean the dirt and eat it. While eating together, an elderly and respectable person should be requested to begin eating. While eating, if a morsel falls down, it should be eaten after removing the dirt. It should not be left for Satan.  [Muslim]

 

While taking meals, if someone drops in, he should be requested to join in. The people at meals should rise only after the cloth (spread for serving food) is removed. [Ibn-e-Majah]

 

Anas (ra) has related the the Prophet (s.a.w.) used  to breathe three times in the course of a drink and used to say that drinking in this manner is more acceptable, more thirst quenching and more wholesome. One should not breathe into the vessel while drinking but should remove his lips from the cup. [Shamail-e-Tirmizi]

 

Drinking water after taking meals is not the sunnah of the Holy Perophet (s.a.w.) particularly when the water be warm or intensely cold since both these are harmful. He did not consider it advisable to drink water being tired with excercise, after taking food or fruit, after intercourse and after a bath. He used to drink water while sitting. In authentic traditions, it occurs that he has forbidden drinking water standing and has even forbidden drinking with one hand.  [Zadul Ma’ad]

 

Ibn Abbas (ra) has related that when brought a bucket of zamzam water, he drank it while standing. Some have held that drinking while standing is particular for zamzam and wudhu water. [Zadul Ma’ad]

 

لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ

“Certainly there is for you in the Messanger of Allah an excellent example.” [Holy Quran 33 – 21]

 

Rabbana Taqabbal minna innaka antas-samee-ul aleem, wa tub alaina innaka antat-tawwabur-raheem. Subhana rabbika rabbil izzati amma yasifoon, wa salaamun alal mursaleen wal hamdulillahi rabbil alameen. Ameen.

 

Tradition/Hadith: “Transmit from me even if it be a single verse.”