21. Foods

وَعَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: " إِذَا أَكَلَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَنَسِيَ أَنْ يَذْكُرَ اللَّهَ عَلَى طَعَامِهِ فَلْيَقُلْ: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ أوَّلَه وآخرَه ". رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيّ وَأَبُو دَاوُد

‘A’isha reported God’s messenger as saying, “When one of you eats and forgets to mention God over his food he should say, ‘In the name of God at the beginning and at the end of it’.” Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَن أُميَّةَ بن مَخْشِيٍّ قَالَ: كَانَ رَجُلٌ يَأْكُلُ فَلَمْ يُسَمِّ حَتَّى لَمْ يَبْقَ مِنْ طَعَامِهِ إِلَّا لُقْمَةٌ فَلَمَّا رَفَعَهَا إِلَى فِيهِ قَالَ: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ أَوَّلَهُ وَآخِرَهُ فَضَحِكَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ثُمَّ قَالَ: «مَا زَالَ الشَّيْطَانُ يَأْكُلُ مَعَهُ فَلَمَّا ذَكَرَ اسْمَ اللَّهِ اسْتَقَاءَ مَا فِي بَطْنه» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

Umayya b. Makhshi told that a man who was eating and had not mentioned God’s name said when he raised the last morsel to his mouth, “In the name of God at the beginning and at the end of it.” The Prophet laughed and said, “The devil kept eating along with him, but when he mentioned God’s name he vomited what was in his belly.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا فَرَغَ مِنْ طَعَامِهِ قَالَ: «الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَطْعَمَنَا وَسَقَانَا وَجَعَلَنَا مُسْلِمِينَ» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَأَبُو دَاوُدَ وَابْن مَاجَه

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri told that when God’s messenger finished his food he said, “Praise be to God who has given us food and drink and made us Muslims.” Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «الطَّاعِمُ الشَّاكِرُ كَالصَّائِمِ الصابر» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيّ وَابْن مَاجَهْ وَالدَّارِمِيُّ عَنْ سِنَانِ بْنِ سَنَّةَ عَنْ أَبِيه

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “The one who eats and is grateful is like the one who fasts and shows endurance.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it on the authority of Sinan b. Sanna on his father’s authority.

وَعَن أبي أيوبٍ قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا أَكَلَ أَوْ شَرِبَ قَالَ: «الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَطْعَمَ وَسَقَى وَسَوَّغَهُ وَجَعَلَ لَهُ مخرجا» رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

Abu Ayyub told that when God’s messenger ate or drank he said, “Praise be to God who has given food and drink, made it easy to swallow, and provided an exit for it.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَن سلمانَ قَالَ: قَرَأْتُ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ أَنَّ بَرَكَةَ الطَّعَامِ الْوُضُوءُ بَعْدَهُ فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لِلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «بَرَكَةُ الطَّعَامِ الْوُضُوءُ قَبْلَهُ وَالْوُضُوءُ بعدَه» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيّ وَأَبُو دَاوُد

Salman said he read in the Torah that the blessing of food consists in ablution after it, and when he mentioned that to the Prophet he said, “The blessing of food consists in ablution before it and ablution after it.” Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ خَرَجَ مِنَ الْخَلَاءِ فَقُدِّمَ إِلَيْهِ طَعَامٌ فَقَالُوا: أَلَا نَأْتِيكَ بِوَضُوءٍ؟ قَالَ: «إِنَّمَا أُمِرْتُ بِالْوُضُوءِ إِذَا قُمْتُ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيّ وَأَبُو دَاوُد وَالنَّسَائِيّ وَرَوَاهُ ابْن مَاجَه عَن أبي هُرَيْرَة

Ibn ‘Abbas told that when food was presented to the Prophet or, his coming out from the privy and he was asked whether they should bring him water for ablution, he replied, “I have been commanded to perform ablution only when I get up for prayer.” Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it, and Ibn Majah transmitted it on Abu Huraira’s authority.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: أَنَّهُ أُتِيَ بِقَصْعَةٍ مِنْ ثَرِيدٍ فَقَالَ: «كُلُوا مِنْ جَوَانِبِهَا وَلَا تَأْكُلُوا مِنْ وَسَطِهَا فَإِنَّ الْبَرَكَةَ تَنْزِلُ فِي وَسَطِهَا» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ وَالدَّارِمِيُّ وَقَالَ التِّرْمِذِيُّ: هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حسن صَحِيح

Ibn ‘Abbas told that the Prophet was brought a dish containing tharid* and said, “Eat from its sides and not from the middle, for the blessing descends in the middle of it.” *Bread crumbled and mixed with soup which may have pieces of meat in it. Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a hasan sahih tradition. In Abu Dawud’s version he said, “When one of you eats he must not eat from the top of the dish, but from the bottom, for the blessing descends from the top of it.”

وَعَن عبد الله بن عَمْرو قَالَ: مَا رُئِيَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَأْكُلُ مُتَّكِئًا قَطُّ وَلَا يَطَأُ عقبه رجلَانِ. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

“Abdallah b. 'Amr said God’s messenger was never seen reclining while eating, nor walking with two men at his heels. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ جَزْءٍ قَالَ: أَتَى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِخُبْزٍ وَلَحْمٍ وَهُوَ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَأَكَلَ وَأَكَلْنَا مَعَهُ ثُمَّ قَامَ فَصَلَّى وَصَلَّيْنَا مَعَهُ وَلَمْ نَزِدْ عَلَى أَنْ مَسَحْنَا أَيْدِيَنَا بِالْحَصْبَاءِ. رَوَاهُ ابْن مَاجَه

God’s messenger was brought some bread and meat when he was in the mosque, and he ate and we ate along with him. He then stood up and prayed and we prayed along with him, doing no more than wiping our hands with pebbles. Ibn Majah transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: أَتَى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِلَحْمٍ فَرُفِعَ إِلَيْهِ الذِّرَاعُ وَكَانَتْ تُعْجِبُهُ فَنَهَسَ مِنْهَا. رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَابْن مَاجَه

Abu Huraira told that God’s messenger was brought some meat, and when the foreleg, which was a part he liked, was offered to him he took a bite of it. Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

وَعَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَا تَقْطَعُوا اللَّحْمَ بِالسِّكِّينِ فَإِنَّهُ مِنْ صُنْعِ الْأَعَاجِمِ وَانْهَسُوهُ فَإِنَّهُ أَهْنَأُ وَأَمْرَأُ» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَالْبَيْهَقِيُّ فِي شُعَبِ الْإِيمَانِ وَقَالا: ليسَ هُوَ بِالْقَوِيّ

‘A’isha reported God’s messenger as saying, “Do not cut meat with a knife, for it is a foreign practice, but bite it, for that is more beneficial and wholesome.” Abu Dawud and Baihaqi, in Shu'ab al-iman, transmitted it, both saying it is not strong.

وَعَن أُمِّ المنذِر قَالَتْ: دَخَلَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَمَعَهُ عَلِيٌّ وَلَنَا دَوَالٍ مُعَلَّقَةٌ فَجَعَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَأْكُلُ وَعَلِيٌّ مَعَهُ يَأْكُلُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَعَلِيٍّ: «مَهْ يَا عَلِيُّ فَإِنَّكَ نَاقِهٌ» قَالَتْ: فَجَعَلْتُ لَهُمْ سِلْقًا وَشَعِيرًا فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «يَا عَلِيُّ مِنْ هَذَا فَأَصِبْ فَإِنَّهُ أَوْفَقُ لَكَ» . رَوَاهُ أَحْمَدُ وَالتِّرْمِذِيُّ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ

God’s messenger came in to visit me accompanied by ‘Ali when we had some ripening dates hung up. He began to eat, and ‘Ali along with him, but God’s messenger said to ‘Ali, “Stop, Ali, for you are convalescing.” I then prepared some beetroot and barley for them and the Prophet said, “Take some of this, ‘Ali, for it will be more beneficial for you.” Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

وَعَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُعْجِبُهُ الثُّفْلُ. رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَالْبَيْهَقِيُّ فِي شعب الْإِيمَان

Anas said God’s messenger liked what was at the bottom of the pot.* *Mirqat, iv, 381 has quite a long discussion of the meaning of thufl. It means 'dregs', or 'what sinks to the bottom'. The preference for the meaning in the translation above is said to "be either because what is in the bottom of the pot is cooked longer and so is better than the rest, or because the Prophet liked others to be served first. It is also suggested that here thufl means tharid. Tirmidhi and Baihaqi, in Shu'ab al-iman, transmitted it.

وَعَن نُبَيْشَة عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «مَنْ أَكَلَ فِي قَصْعَةٍ فَلَحَسَهَا اسْتَغْفَرَتْ لَهُ الْقَصْعَةُ» . رَوَاهُ أَحْمَدُ وَالتِّرْمِذِيُّ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ وَالدَّارِمِيُّ وَقَالَ التِّرْمِذِيُّ: هَذَا حَدِيثٌ غَرِيب

Nubaisha reported God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone eats from a dish and licks it, the dish will ask forgiveness for him.” Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a gharib tradition.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «مَنْ بَاتَ وَفِي يَدِهِ غَمَرٌ لَمْ يَغْسِلْهُ فَأَصَابَهُ شَيْءٌ فَلَا يَلُومَنَّ إِلَّا نَفْسَهُ» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَأَبُو دَاوُدَ وَابْن مَاجَه

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone spends the night with grease on his hand which he has not washed away, he can blame only himself if some trouble comes to him.” Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

وَعَن ابنِ عبَّاسٍ قَالَ: كَانَ أَحَبَّ الطَّعَامَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الثَّرِيدُ مِنَ الْخُبْزِ والثريدُ منَ الحَيسِ. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

Ibn ‘Abbas said the food God’s messenger liked best was tharid made from bread and tharid made from hais. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَن أبي أُسَيدٍ الْأَنْصَارِيِّ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «كَلُوا الزَّيْتَ وَادَّهِنُوا بِهِ فَإِنَّهُ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ مُبَارَكَةٍ» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ وَالدَّارِمِيُّ

Abu Usaid al-Ansari reported God’s messenger as saying, “Eat olive oil and anoint yourselves with it, for it comes from a blessed tree.” Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it.

وَعَن أم هَانِئ قَالَتْ: دَخَلَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ: «أَعِنْدَكِ شَيْءٌ» قُلْتُ: لَا إِلَّا خُبْزٌ يَابِسٌ وَخَلٌّ فَقَالَ: «هَاتِي مَا أَقْفَرَ بَيْتٌ مِنْ أَدَمٍ فِيهِ خَلٌّ» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَقَالَ: هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ

The Prophet came in to visit me and asked whether I had anything. When I replied that I had nothing but some dry bread and vinegar he said, “Produce it; a house in which there is vinegar is not devoid of condiments.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a hasan gharib tradition.

وَعَنْ يُوسُفَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سَلَامٍ قَالَ: رَأَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَخَذَ كِسْرَةً مِنْ خُبْزِ الشَّعِيرِ فَوَضَعَ عَلَيْهَا تَمْرَةً فَقَالَ: «هَذِهِ إِدَامُ هَذِهِ» وَأَكَلَ. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

Yusuf b. ‘Abdallah b. Salam said he saw the Prophet take a piece of barley bread and put a date on it. Saying, “This is the condiment of this,” he ate it. Abu Dawud transmitted it.