EATING
HABITS AND DIET OF THE PROPHET (PBUH)
Praise is to Allah.
The Prophet’s guidance with
regard to food is perfect guidance. It was described by
Ibn al-Qayyim
as follows :
When he put his hand in the food, he would say, “Bismillaah (in
the Name of Allaah), and he told people to say this when eating. He 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, let him say Bismillaahi fi awwalihi wa
aakhirihi (in the name of Allaah at its
beginning and at its end).” Saheeh hadeeth, narrated by al-Tirmidhi (1859) and
Abu Dawood (3767).
The correct view is that it is
obligatory to mention the name of Allaah
(say Bismillaah) when eating. The ahaadeeth which state this are saheeh and are
clear, with no contradictions in them.
When he raised the food to his
mouth, he would say, “Al-hamdu Lillaahi hamdan katheeran tayyiban mubaarakan
fihi ghayri makfiyyin wa laa muwadda’ wa laa mustaghni ‘anhu Rabbanaa ‘azza wa
jall (Allaah be praised with an abundant,
beautiful, blessed praise. He is the One Who is Sufficient, Who feeds and is
never fed, The One Who is longed for, along with that which is with Him, and
the One Who is needed. He is Our Lord, may He be glorified). Narrated by
al-Bukhaari (5142).
He never criticized food at
all. If he liked it, he would eat it, and if he did not like it, he would leave
it and not say anything. Narrated by al-Bukhaari (3370) and Muslim (2064).
Or he would say, “I do not feel
like eating this.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5076) and Muslim (1946).
Sometimes he would praise the
food, as when he asked his family for food, and they said, “We have nothing but
vinegar.” He asked for it and started to eat it, saying, “What a good food is
vinegar.”.” Narrated by Muslim (2052)
He used to talk whilst he was
eating, as is seen from the report quoted above about vinegar.
And he said to his step-son
‘Umar ibn Abi Salamah when he was eating with him: “Say Bismillaah and eat from
that which is in front of you in the dish*.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5061) and
Muslim (2022). [* At the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him), people used to eat together from one dish, and children would
sometimes forget the correct etiquette. - Translator]
He would repeatedly urge his
guests to eat, as generous hosts do, and as is seen in the hadeeth of Abu
Hurayrah, narrated by al-Bukhaari, about the story of drinking milk, where he
repeatedly said to him, “Drink!” and he kept telling him to drink until he (the
guest) said, “By the One Who sent you with the truth, I have no more room for
it!” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (6087).
When he ate with others, he
would not leave until he had made du’aa’ for them. He made du’aa in the house
of ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Bisr, and said: “O Allaah,
bless for them that which You have provided for them, forgive them and have
mercy on them.” Narrated by Muslim (2042).
He 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.” Narrated by
Muslim (2020). 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. Narrated by Muslim (2021). 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 which deserved this prayer against him.
He commanded those who
complained that they never felt full to eat together and not separately, and to
mention the name of Allaah (say
Bismillaah) over the food so that He might bless it for them.” Narrated by Abu
Dawood (3764) and Ibn Maajah (3286).
(See Zaad al-Ma’aad, 2/397-406)
It was also reported that he
said, “I do not eat reclining.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5083.
He used to eat using the first
three fingers (of his right hand), which is the best way of eating.
The Prophet’s guidance regarding diet:
The Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to know what he was eating.
He used to eat what was good
for him.
He used to eat enough to keep
him going, but no so much as to make him fat. Ibn ‘Umar narrated that the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The believer eats in
one stomach whilst the kaafir eats in seven.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5081)
and Muslim (2060).
He taught his ummah something
to protect them from diseases caused by eating and drinking. He said: “The son
of Adam does not fill any vessel worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for
the son of Adam to eat a few mouthfuls, to keep him going. If he must do that
(fill his stomach), then let him fill one third with food, one third with drink
and one third with air.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (1381), Ibn Maajah (3349);
classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah (2265).
See: Zaad al-Ma’aad, 220-222.
Allah
knows best.
