Eman Sakina

The Prophet’s guidance about food is perfect. When he put his hand in the food, he would say, “Bismillah (in the Name of Allah)”, and he told people to say this when eating. He said, “When any one of you eats, let him mention the name of Allah.” 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.

Or he would say, “I do not feel like eating this.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (5076) and Muslim (1946).

Friday Musings

He commanded people to eat with their right hands and forbade them to eat with their left hands. He said, “The Shaitan eats with his left hand and drinks with his left hand.” Narrated by Muslim (2020). This implies that eating with the left hand is haram, and this is the correct view because the one who eats with his left hand is either a Shaitaan (a devil), or he is imitating the Shaitaan.

The Prophet’s guidance regarding diet:

The Prophet (peace 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 not so much as to make him fat. “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).

The golden rule about eating and drinking lies in this verse which gives the meaning:

(O children of Adam! wear your beautiful apparel at every time and place of prayer; eat and drink, but waste not by excess. For Allah loves not the wasters.) (Quran 7:31)  

It is said that: “Do not eat very much, do not drink very much, do not sleep very much, do not regret very much.”

As for drinking water, there is no specific amount of water that one should drink. It depends on your weight. The more water you drink, the healthier you will be.

Drinking water after taking meals is not the sunnah of the Holy Prophet.

The best drink of the Prophet was the sweet, cool drink.

Finally, eat what will nourish your body not what will fill your stomach. Feel the hunger and pain of the poor and the needy and share the food with them.

Muslims need to maintain a moderate diet consisting of healthy foods, in consultation with reliable nutritional and medical experts. Eating too much food, or eating unhealthy food, can be very dangerous to our spiritual and bodily health. The threat is also subtle because almost all types of food are permissible, but extravagance and excess in permissible eating can become sinful.

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It was the practice of the Prophet to eat humbly, in what he ate, how he sat as he ate, and in his general attitude towards eating.