21. Foods

عَن عمر بن أبي سَلمَة قَالَ: كُنْتُ غُلَامًا فِي حِجْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَكَانَتْ يَدِي تَطِيشُ فِي الصفحة. فَقَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ «سم الله وكل يَمِينك وكل مِمَّا يليك»

I was a boy under the protection of God’s messenger, and as my hand used to roam at large in the dish he said to me, “Mention God’s name, eat with your right hand, and eat from what is next you.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَن حُذَيْفَة قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ يَسْتَحِلُّ الطَّعَامَ أَنْ لَا يُذْكَرَ اسْم الله عَلَيْهِ» . رَوَاهُ مُسلم

Hudhaifa reported God’s messenger as saying, “The devil considers food lawful for him when God’s name is not mentioned over it.” Muslim transmitted it.

وَعَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: " إِذَا دَخَلَ الرَّجُلُ بَيْتَهُ فَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ عِنْدَ دُخُولِهِ وَعِنْدَ طَعَامِهِ قَالَ الشَّيْطَانُ: لَا مَبِيتَ لَكُمْ وَلَا عَشَاءَ وَإِذَا دَخَلَ فَلَمْ يَذْكُرِ اللَّهَ عِنْدَ دُخُولِهِ قَالَ الشَّيْطَانُ: أَدْرَكْتُمُ الْمَبِيتَ وَإِذَا لَمْ يَذْكُرِ اللَّهَ عِنْدَ طَعَامِهِ قَالَ: أَدْرَكْتُمُ الْمَبِيتَ وَالْعَشَاءَ ". رَوَاهُ مُسلم

Jabir reported God’s messenger as saying that when a man enters his house and mentions God’s name on entering and when at his food, the devil says, “You* have no place to spend the night and no evening meal; ” but when he enters without mentioning God’s name on entering the devil says, “You have found a place to spend the night; ” and when he does not mention God at his food he says, “You have found a place to spend the night and an evening meal.” *The pronoun is plural. The devil is said to be addressing his assistants. Muslim transmitted it.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِذَا أَكَلَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَلْيَأْكُلْ بِيَمِينِهِ وَإِذَا شَرِبَ فَلْيَشْرَبْ بِيَمِينِهِ» . رَوَاهُ مُسلم

Ibn ‘Umar reported God’s messenger as saying, “When any of you eats he should eat with his right hand, and when he drinks he should drink with his right hand.” Muslim transmitted it.

وَعَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَا يَأْكُلَنَّ أَحَدُكُمْ بِشِمَالِهِ وَلَا يَشْرَبَنَّ بِهَا فَإِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ يَأْكُلُ بِشِمَالِهِ وَيَشْرَبُ بهَا» . رَوَاهُ مُسلم

He reported God’s messenger as saying, “None of you must ever eat or drink with his left hand, for the devil eats and drinks with his left hand.” Muslim transmitted it.

وَعَنْ كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَأْكُلُ بِثَلَاثَةِ أَصَابِعَ وَيَلْعَقُ يَدَهُ قَبْلَ أَن يمسحها. رَوَاهُ مُسلم

Ka'b b. Malik said that God's messenger used to eat with three fingers and lick his hand before wiping it. Muslim transmitted it.

وَعَنْ جَابِرٌ: أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَمَرَ بِلَعْقِ الْأَصَابِعِ وَالصَّفْحَةِ وَقَالَ: " إِنَّكُمْ لَا تَدْرُونَ: فِي أَيَّهِ الْبَرَكَةُ؟ ". رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ

Jabir said the Prophet ordered people to lick their fingers and the dish, saying, “You do not know in what portion blessing lies.” Muslim transmitted it.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «إِذَا أَكَلَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَلَا يمسحْ يدَه حَتَّى يلعقها أَو يلعقها»

Ibn ‘Abbas reported the Prophet as saying, “When one of you eats he must not wipe his hand till he licks it, or gives it to someone to lick.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَن جَابر قَالَ: النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: " إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ يَحْضُرُ أَحَدَكُمْ عِنْدَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ مِنْ شَأْنِهِ حَتَّى يَحْضُرَهُ عِنْدَ طَعَامِهِ فَإِذَا سَقَطَتْ من أحدكُم لقْمَة فَلْيُمِطْ مَا كَانَ بِهَا مِنْ أَذًى ثُمَّ ليأكلها وَلَا يَدعهَا للشَّيْطَان فَإِذا فرع فليلعق أصَاب فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَدْرِي: فِي أَيِّ طَعَامِهِ يَكُونُ الْبركَة؟ ". رَوَاهُ مُسلم

Jabir told that he heard the Prophet say, “The devil is present with one of you in everything he does, even being present when he is at food; so if any of you drops a mouthful he should wipe away anything injurious on it and eat it and not leave it for the devil; and when he finishes he should lick his fingers, for he does not know in what part of the food the blessing lies.” Muslim transmitted it.

وَعَن أبي جُحَيْفَة قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسلم: «لَا آكل مُتكئا» . رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيّ

Abu Juhaifa reported the Prophet as saying, “I do not eat reclining.” Bukhari transmitted it.

وَعَن قَتَادَة عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ: مَا أَكَلَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَى خِوَانٍ وَلَا فِي سُكُرَّجَةٍ وَلَا خُبِزَ لَهُ مُرَقَّقٌ قِيلَ لِقَتَادَةَ: على مَ يَأْكُلُون؟ قَالَ: على السّفر. رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيّ

Qatada quoted Anas as saying that the Prophet never ate at a low table or from a small bowl* and that thin bread was not baked for him. Qatada was asked what they ate off and replied that it was off leather cloths. *This would have indicated pride throngh keeping himself apart, or niggardliness. Bukhari transmitted it.

وَعَن أنس قَالَ: مَا أَعْلَمُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ رَأَى رَغِيفًا مُرَقَّقًا حَتَّى لَحِقَ بِاللَّهِ وَلَا رَأَى شَاةً سَمِيطًا بِعَيْنِهِ قَطُّ. رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيّ

Anas said he was not aware of the Prophet having seen a thin loaf till he met God, nor did he ever see with his eye a sheep roasted in its skin. Bukhari transmitted it.

وَعَن سهل بن سعد قَالَ: مَا رَأَى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ النَّقِيَّ مِنْ حِينِ ابْتَعَثَهُ اللَّهُ حَتَّى قَبَضَهُ اللَّهُ وَقَالَ: مَا رَأَى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مُنْخُلًا مِنْ حِين ابتعثهُ الله حَتَّى قبضَهُ قِيلَ: كَيْفَ كُنْتُمْ تَأْكُلُونَ الشَّعِيرَ غَيْرَ مَنْخُولٍ؟ قَالَ: كُنَّا نَطْحَنُهُ وَنَنْفُخُهُ فَيَطِيرُ مَا طَارَ وَمَا بَقِي ثريناه فأكلناه. رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيّ

Sahl b. Sa‘d said that God’s messenger never saw white bread from the time God commissioned him till God took him. He also said that God's messenger did not see a sieve from the time God commissioned him till God took him. He was asked how they could eat unsifted barley and replied that they ground it and blew it, and when some of it had flown away they moistened and ate what was left. Bukhari transmitted it.

وَعَن أبي هُرَيْرَة قَالَ: مَا عَابَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ طَعَامًا قَطُّ إِنِ اشْتَهَاهُ أَكَلَهُ وَإِنْ كرهه تَركه

Abu Huraira said that the Prophet never expressed disapproval of food; if he desired it he ate it and if he disliked it he left it alone. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْهُ أَنَّ رَجُلًا كَانَ يَأْكُلُ أَكْلًا كَثِيرًا فَأَسْلَمَ فَكَانَ يَأْكُلُ قَلِيلًا فَذَكَرَ ذَلِكَ لِلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ: «إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ يَأْكُلُ فِي مِعًى وَاحِدٍ وَالْكَافِرُ يَأْكُلُ فِي سبعةِ أمعاء» . رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيّ. وَرَوَى مُسْلِمٌ عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى وَابْنِ عُمَرَ الْمسند مِنْهُ فَقَط. وَفِي أُخْرَى لَهُ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ضَافَهُ ضَيْفٌ وَهُوَ كَافِرٌ فَأَمَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِشَاةٍ فَحُلِبَتْ فَشَرِبَ حِلَابَهَا ثُمَّ أُخْرَى فَشَرِبَهُ ثُمَّ أُخْرَى فَشَرِبَهُ حَتَّى شَرِبَ حِلَابَ سَبْعِ شِيَاهٍ ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ أَصْبَحَ فَأَسْلَمَ فَأَمَرَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِشَاةٍ فَحُلِبَتْ فَشَرِبَ حِلَابَهَا ثُمَّ أَمَرَ بِأُخْرَى فَلَمْ يَسْتَتِمَّهَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «الْمُؤْمِنُ يَشْرَبُ فِي مِعًى وَاحِدٍ وَالْكَافِرُ يشربُ فِي سَبْعَة أمعاء»

He told that a man who used to eat a great amount accepted Islam and began to eat little. When that was mentioned to the Prophet he said, “The believer eats in one intestine but the infidel in seven.”* *This is explained as a figure of speech to indicate the greed of the infidel and the lack of greed on the part of the believer. Bukhari transmitted it. Muslim transmitted on the authority of Abu Musa and Ibn ‘Umar only the part which quotes the Prophet. In another version by him on the authority of Abu Huraira it says that a man who was an infidel was entertained by God’s messenger. He ordered a sheep to be milked and the man drank what was drawn from it, then another and he drank it, then another and he drank it, till he had drunk the milk drawn from seven sheep. In the morning the man accepted Islam and God’s messenger ordered a sheep to be milked for him . When he had drunk what was drawn from it he ordered another to be milked, but when he did not finish all the milk God’s messenger said, “ The believer drinks in one intestine, but the infidel drinks in seven.”

وَعَنْهُ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «طَعَامُ الِاثْنَيْنِ كَافِي الثلاثةِ وطعامِ الثلاثةِ كَافِي الْأَرْبَعَة»

He reported God’s messenger as saying, “Two people’s food is enough for three and three people’s is enough for four.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «طَعَامُ الْوَاحِدِ يَكْفِي الِاثْنَيْنِ وَطَعَامُ الِاثْنَيْنِ يَكْفِي الْأَرْبَعَةَ وَطَعَامُ الْأَرْبَعَةِ يَكْفِي الثمانيَة» . رَوَاهُ مُسلم

Jabir told of hearing God's messenger say, “One person’s food is enough for two, two persons’ food is enough for four, and four persons' food is enough for eight.” Muslim transmitted it.

وَعَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا قَالَتْ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «التَّلْبِينَةُ مُجِمَّةٌ لِفُؤَادِ الْمَرِيضِ تَذْهَبُ بِبَعْض الْحزن»

‘A’isha told that she heard God’s messenger say, “Talbina* gives rest to an invalid’s heart and removes some of his grief.” *A kind of gruel made of flour or bran and milk, sometimes having honey mixed with it. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ أَنَسٍ أَنَّ خَيَّاطًا دَعَا النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لِطَعَامٍ صَنَعَهُ فَذَهَبْتُ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَرَّبَ خُبْزَ شَعِيرٍ وَمَرَقًا فِيهِ دُبَّاءُ وَقَدِيدٌ فَرَأَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَتَتَبَّعُ الدُّبَّاءَ مِنْ حَوَالَيِ الْقَصْعَةِ فَلَمْ أَزَلْ أُحِبُّ الدباءَ بعد يومِئذٍ

A tailor invited the Prophet to a meal which he had prepared and I went along with the Prophet. He presented barley bread and soup containing pumpkin and dried sliced meat, and I saw the Prophet going after the pumpkin round the dish, so I have always liked pumpkin since that day. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَن عَمْرو بنِ أُميَّةَ أَنَّهُ رَأَى النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يحتزمن كتف الشَّاة فِي يَدِهِ فَدُعِيَ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ فَأَلْقَاهَا وَالسِّكِّينَ الَّتِي يَحْتَزُّ بِهَا ثُمَّ قَامَ فَصَلَّى وَلَمْ يتَوَضَّأ

‘Amr b. Umayya told that he saw the Prophet cutting slices from a shoulder of mutton in his hand. He was summoned to prayer, and after throwing it and the knife with which he was slicing it away, he stood up and prayed without performing ablution. (Bukhari and Muslim.)