Etiquettes of eating and drinking: What to do: What not to do: Eat and drink while sitting. Saying Bismillah before eating. Ayesha (r.a) relates that the Prophet (s.a.w) said: “When anyone of you starts eating, he should say ‘Bismillah’. If he forgets in the beginning (and he remembers it later) he should say ‘Bismillahi awwalahu wa akhirahu’. (Abu Dawood and Tirmidhi) Eat and drink with right hand. Umar (r.a) relates that the Prophet (s.a.w) said: “When one of you eats, then let him eat with his right (hand), and when one of you drinks, then let him drink with his right (hand), for verily, Shaitan eats with his left (hand) and drinks with his left (hand)”. (Muslim) Eat and drink while standing. Anas bin Malik (r.a) relates that the Prophet (s.a.w) has forbidden a person from drinking while standing. Qatadah (r.a) asked Anas (r.a), “What are the orders about drinking? He said, “ that would still be worse.” (Muslim) Start eating without saying Bismillah. Eat and drink with left hand. Jaabir ibn Abdullah (r.a) relates that the prophet (s.a.w) said: “Do not eat with the left (hand), for indeed Shaitaan eats with the left (hand)”. (Muslim)

What to do: What not to do: Eat from the side of the vessel. Ibn Abbas (r.a) relates that the Prophet (s.a.w) said: “Blessing comes down upon food in its middle, so eat from the sides of the vessel and do not eat from its centre.” (Abu Dawood and Tirmidhi) Eat from your own side when sharing. Umar bin Abusalma (r.a) narrates that the Prophet (s.a.w) told me, “Say Bismillah and eat with your right hand and eat from your side.” Eat with three fingers and lick them. Ka’ab bin Malik (r.a) says that he saw the Prophet (s.a.w) eating with three fingers and after having finished eating, he would lick them. (Muslim) Eat from the middle of the vessel. Eat from others side when sharing. Eat with all the fingers and to wash them without licking them.

What to do: What not to do: Eat the dropped bit of dry food. Jabir (r.a) narrates that if anyone drops a bit of food, he should eat it after cleaning it and not leave it for shaitan. To appreciate food and not to find fault in it. Abu Hurairah (r.a) narrates that the Prophet (s.a.w) never found fault with any food. If he liked it, he would eat it and if he disliked it, he would leave it. (Bukhari and Muslim) To sit upright while eating. Abu Juhaifa (r.a) narrates that while he was with the Prophet (s.a.w), he (s.a.w) said to a man who was with him, “I do not take meals while leaning.” (Bukhari) Wait for very hot food to cool before eating it. Abu Hurairah (r.a) said, “Food should not be eaten until its steam goes away”. (Al-Baihaqee) Leave the dropped bit of dry food. Complain and find fault in food (make faces that express disgust or dislike). To eat while leaning (against something). Eat very hot food or blow over it so as to cool it.

What to do: What not to do: Drink water in two to three installments with breaks for breaths. Ibn Abbas (r.a) relates that the Prophet (s.a.w) said: “Do not drink water in one gulp (or one breath) like a camel, but take it in two or three installments (with break for breaths). Say Bismillah when you start drinking and Alhamdulillah when you finish. (Tirmidhi) Pour drinking water from the water bottle into a glass before drinking. Praise Allah upon completing their meal by saying, “Alhamdulillah.” Drink water in one installment while breathing inside the drinking vessel or blow over the drinking water. Ibn Abbas (r.a) relates that the Prophet (s.a.w) prohibited from breathing in the pot and blowing upon it. (Tirmidhi) To drink directly from the water bottle. Abu Hurairah (r.a) relates that the Prophet (s.a.w) has forbidden drinking water directly from a water-skin or pot. (Bukhari and Muslim) Complete their meal without praising Allah.