Etiquette of Eating

What the Qur'an and the Sunnah say, with Arabic, translation and Tafsir Ibn Kathir.

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From the Sunnah

The Book of Drinks

Sahih Muslim 2020a

Ibn 'Umar reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:When any one of you intends to eat (meal), he should eat with his right hand. and when he (intends) to drink he should drink with his right hand, for the Satan eats with his left hand and drinks with his left hand

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ نُمَيْرٍ، وَزُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، وَابْنُ، أَبِي عُمَرَ - وَاللَّفْظُ لاِبْنِ نُمَيْرٍ - قَالُوا حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرِ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ، اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ عَنْ جَدِّهِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ إِذَا أَكَلَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَلْيَأْكُلْ بِيَمِينِهِ وَإِذَا شَرِبَ فَلْيَشْرَبْ بِيَمِينِهِ فَإِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ يَأْكُلُ بِشِمَالِهِ وَيَشْرَبُ بِشِمَالِهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏
Sahih Muslim · Book 36, Hadith 139

Food, Meals

Sahih al Bukhari 5376

Narrated `Umar bin Abi Salama:I was a boy under the care of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and my hand used to go around the dish while I was eating. So Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to me, 'O boy! Mention the Name of Allah and eat with your right hand, and eat of the dish what is nearer to you." Since then I have applied those instructions when eating

حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، أَخْبَرَنَا سُفْيَانُ، قَالَ الْوَلِيدُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ أَخْبَرَنِي أَنَّهُ، سَمِعَ وَهْبَ بْنَ كَيْسَانَ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ عُمَرَ بْنَ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، يَقُولُ كُنْتُ غُلاَمًا فِي حَجْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَكَانَتْ يَدِي تَطِيشُ فِي الصَّحْفَةِ فَقَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ يَا غُلاَمُ سَمِّ اللَّهَ، وَكُلْ بِيَمِينِكَ وَكُلْ مِمَّا يَلِيكَ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَمَا زَالَتْ تِلْكَ طِعْمَتِي بَعْدُ‏.‏
Sahih al Bukhari · Book 70, Hadith 4

Foods (Kitab Al-At'imah)

Sunan Abu Dawud 3776

Ibn ‘Umar reported the Prophet(ﷺ) as sayings:When any of you eats, he should eat with his right hand, and when he drinks, he should drink with his right hand, for the devil eats with his left hand and drinks with his left hand

حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَنْبَلٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ، عَنْ جَدِّهِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ إِذَا أَكَلَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَلْيَأْكُلْ بِيَمِينِهِ وَإِذَا شَرِبَ فَلْيَشْرَبْ بِيَمِينِهِ فَإِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ يَأْكُلُ بِشِمَالِهِ وَيَشْرَبُ بِشِمَالِهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏
Sunan Abu Dawud · Book 28, Hadith 41

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These verses and narrations are gathered for study and reflection. They are not a fatwa. For a ruling on your specific circumstances, please consult a qualified scholar in your community.

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