Kitāb Ādāb al-Akl / Part I
15) 'One should not blow on hot food. For doing so is prohibited.' One should exercise sabr (patient endurance) until the hot food cools to a temperature suitable for eating.
16) Dates should be eaten in odd numbers—seven, eleven, or twenty-one; that is, one should finish eating dates in an odd number if possible.
17) One should not take the pits out of the bowl containing the dates, nor should one hold the pits in one’s hand. The date pit should be placed from the mouth onto the back of the hand and then discarded. Every fruit or morsel that has a pit or residue is subject to the same ruling as the date.
18) One should not pour food remnants back into the serving dish. Rather, these should be left in a separate place together with the residues and scraps, so that no one else mistakenly eats them.
19) One should not drink excessive water during the meal. However, if a morsel remains stuck in the throat or if one is genuinely thirsty, then it is permissible to drink water. It is said that drinking water during a meal is medically beneficial, for (according to physicians) water regulates the stomach.
Drinking Water
The etiquettes of drinking water are as follows:
1) One should take the jug in the right hand, say bismillah (in the name of Allah), and drink by sipping. As the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
.4J1 ^ sö3i Su ı^^!^ı^ adı 1^
Sip the water slowly. Do not drink it in one breath. For lung disease arises from drinking water in this manner.20
2) One should not drink while standing or lying down. For the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade drinking water while standing.21
19 Aḥmad, (from Ibn ʿAbbās)
20 Daylamī, Musnad al-Firdaws
21 Muslim, (from Anas, Abū Saʿīd, and Abū Hurayra)
Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn Nevertheless, it is also narrated that the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) drank water while standing. Thus, the apparent contradiction between these two reports is reconciled as follows: the Prophet’s drinking while standing was due to a particular excuse. 3) When drinking, one should take care that water does not drip from the bottom of the jug onto oneself. One should inspect the jug before drinking. One should not breathe in or out into the jug, nor belch while drinking. One should move the jug away from the mouth while praising Allah, take a breath and belch, and then bring the jug to the mouth again with bismillah. For the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said after drinking:
.öjij l^^l l>Jû dJL>«j |Jj c*>j> lîlji Lâp 4İâ> (jiJl <IJj*>JI
Praise be to Allah, Who by His mercy has made water sweet and pleasant to drink.
It is Allah Who, despite our sins, has not made water bitter and salty. 6) Whether it is a jug or other drinking vessels passed among a group, all should be circulated starting from the right. For when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was drinking milk, Abū Bakr al-Ṣiddīq (may Allah be pleased with him) was on his left, and a Bedouin was on his right. ʿUmar was sitting in a corner of the gathering. When the Messenger of God handed the milk vessel to the Bedouin, ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, 'O Messenger of God! Why not give it to Abū Bakr, who is on your left?' Yet the Messenger of God gave it not to Abū Bakr but to the Bedouin and said: 'Begin from the right, from the right, from the right…' 7) Water should be drunk in three sips. One should begin with bismillah and end with praise to Allah.
At the end of the first sip, say al-ḥamdu li-Llāh; at the end of the second, rabb al-ʿālamīn; and at the end of the third, al-raḥmān al-raḥīm. Thus, the existence of these nearly twenty etiquettes regarding eating and drinking is established by transmitted reports. III. Etiquette After Eating The recommended acts after eating are as follows: 1) One should leave the table before becoming completely full. 2) One should lick one’s fingers. 3) Then wipe them with a napkin. 4) Then wash them. 5) One should gather and eat the crumbs. For the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Whoever eats the crumbs that fall from the table will live in abundance and his child will be granted well-being. 6) One should use a toothpick to clean between the teeth, swallowing only what is removed with the tip of the tongue from the roots of the teeth, but anything removed with the toothpick should be discarded.
After cleaning between the teeth with a toothpick, one should rinse the mouth with water. For there is a narration from the People of the House (ahl al-bayt) regarding this. One should wipe the food bowl with one’s fingers, wash it, and drink its water. For it is said: Whoever wipes the food bowl with his fingers, licks his fingers, washes the bowl, and drinks its water, will have the reward of freeing a slave written for him. Gathering the crumbs is the dowry of the wide-eyed houris. 7) One should give thanks to Allah with the heart for the blessings provided. That is, one should see the foods as blessings bestowed by Allah. 'O you who believe! Eat of the good and lawful things We have provided for you, and be grateful to Allah.' (al-Baqara 2:172) 25 Abū Shaykh, Thawāb, (from Jābir)
.I^P HXlj Q Ql ^1 40^1 a4j oUJU ^ cJû jjJl AÜİ^JI
Praise be to Allah, by Whose blessings righteous deeds are completed and blessings descend. O Allah! Feed us what is good and lawful, and employ us in righteous ways.
If you have eaten something doubtful, say:
'
/ ^ J • X
# X
^J
' J
*x
.Aİl^Ü J^ Ü i) ^N fİBl JU J? ^ AÜJu^l
All praise is due to Allah in every circumstance. O Allah! Do not make this food a source of energy for disobeying You.
After eating, one should recite Sūrat al-Ikhlāṣ and Sūrat Quraysh. One should not rise from the table before the table is cleared. If one has eaten someone else’s food, one should supplicate for them, saying:
lUij l^i Uj Z^y \^ a-> jiii o* il J^j *»jj ^ ^ V-ı ‘^ ^'
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O Allah! Increase the good of this servant, bless the provision You have given him, grant him success in acting righteously with what You have provided, make him content with what You have given, and make us and him among Your grateful servants!
If one breaks fast with a group, one should say:
.Â^^lJl jt^ûp cJLâ^j jljNl |^»liî> Jî”ij UjaIUa^ i^S*JLp jja*l
May those who are fasting break their fast with you, may the righteous eat your food, and may the angels send blessings upon you.
After eating, one should seek much forgiveness (istighfār). One should feel remorse for having eaten something doubtful, so that one’s tears and sorrow may extinguish the heat of the Fire—that Fire which is ever ready to seize. For the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
•^ Jj' j^ S? ^ ,1*^ ,/
Kitāb Ādāb al-Akl / Part I
For every flesh that grows from the unlawful, the Fire is more fitting and deserving. One who eats and weeps is certainly not like one who eats and plays. When one drinks milk, one should recite this supplication: O Allah! Bless what You have provided us as sustenance and grant us more of it. If one eats (or drinks) something other than milk, one should recite: O Allah! Bless what You have provided us as sustenance and grant us something better than it. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) specified this supplication for milk because of its general benefit. After eating, it is recommended to say:
ıX ü^ ^^^ ^^ ^ IjJlL* Ûjlj ÜUTj Ulil*j LüJbi (5^ <1J*U>JI ^^ û^ ’^^J ^ ^ ûj^ -U>Jl JJİİ <3j>- û^ ^b ^yr ^ C-Jiî ^^^ ^ iaâ^JLm^j <1aI cJl 13* <ö ^jÇ* bolu Li UIS I^2f lx*> jl*^JI s£Uj aJLp j^ c^^Ij X x« x * Z X X X X X Z ' x S 0 • s S s t x 4j jx^J öl ÎL 3jiuj ^ihelb ^^b ^ t>^ üisf lj bJG ll*Âxxli LJ# UuÂbl fî-Hl Praise be to Allah.
He is Allah Who fed us, gave us drink, and sheltered us. He is our Master and Patron. O Allah, Who needs nothing but Whom all things need! You have filled my belly and granted me safety from fear. So to You alone is all praise. You are the One Who turns away orphanhood and poverty, Who guides from misguidance to hudā (guidance), and Who enriches from poverty; so to You alone is all praise!… Abundant, beneficial, beautiful, lasting, and great praise belongs to You. You are worthy and deserving of praise… O Allah! You have fed us what is lawful, so employ us in righteous deeds. Make this food we have eaten a help for us in Your worship. We seek refuge in You from it being a help in sin! As for washing the hands with eshnān (alkali plant soap), the method is as follows: Take the eshnān in the left palm. First, wash three fingers of the right hand with it. Then, by striking the fingers on dry eshnān, use the eshnān that sticks to the hand to wipe the lips. Then gently wash the inside of the mouth with the finger. Then, by striking the fingers on dry eshnān, use the eshnān that sticks to the hand to wipe the lips. Then gently wash the inside of the mouth with the finger. One should thoroughly rub and rinse the inside and outside of the teeth, the cheeks, and the tongue. Then wash the fingers with that water. Afterward, rub the inside and outside of the fingers with the remaining dry eshnān.
By doing so, there is no need to apply eshnān to the mouth or to repeat the washing a second time.
PART TWO Matters Necessitated by Eating in Company These are seven in number. 1) If there is someone present who, due to age or virtue, should begin eating first, one should not start before them. However, if the person is the leader or head, then he should not keep the assembled group waiting too long for the meal. 2) One should not remain silent while eating, for such behavior is the custom of the Persians. Rather, one should speak of good things, recounting the stories of the righteous regarding food and other matters. 3) One should be considerate of one’s companions at the table and never seek to eat more than them. It is haram (forbidden) to eat more of the food on the table than the others unless all present consent. On the contrary, one should prefer one’s companion by allowing them to eat more.
One should not eat two dates at once. However, if everyone at the table does so, or if they permit it, then it is permissible. If a companion eats little, one should try to stimulate their appetite and encourage them to eat, saying 'eat'—but not more than three times. For to say 'eat' more than three times is excessive and improper. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when addressing anything, would not insist more than three times, nor would he pay heed to one who insisted more than three times.26 Aḥmad
Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would repeat a statement three times. Thus, a well-mannered person is one who does not give occasion for more than three. Insistence is an act contrary to proper etiquette. To require one’s companion to swear to eat is religiously forbidden and blameworthy. Ḥasan b. ʿAlī (may Allah be pleased with him) said: 'It is not necessary to require a believer to swear to eat.' 4) One should not force one’s companion to say 'eat.' One of the well-mannered said: 'The best of those who eat together is the one who does not compel his companion to monitor himself, nor give occasion for his companion to say 'eat.' To refrain from eating a desired food because someone else is watching is not proper behavior.
For such behavior is artificial. Rather, one should continue as is one’s custom, and act the same way when eating alone or with others. However, when alone, one should train oneself in good etiquette so that one need not resort to artificial behavior in company. Yes, if one eats less out of preference for one’s companions and considering their needs, then eating less is commendable. If one eats more with the intention of helping those at the table and encouraging them to eat, there is no harm; rather, such behavior is praiseworthy. Ibn Mubārak would offer the best dates to his companions and say: 'Whoever eats more, I will give him a dirham for every pit.' After eating, he would count the pits, and whoever had more, he would give a dirham for each extra pit. Ibn Mubārak did this for two reasons: a) to remove shyness and embarrassment regarding eating, b) to foster camaraderie among friends. Jaʿfar b. Muḥammad (may Allah be pleased with him) said: 'In my view, the best of companions is the one who eats most of my food at the table and takes the largest morsel. The most burdensome and difficult companion is the one who even at the meal compels himself to restraint.' All these indicate the necessity of acting according to one’s usual habit and avoiding artificiality.Bukhārī, from Anas
Kitāb Ādāb al-Akl / Part II Again, Imām Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq said: 'The sweetness of a person’s love for his companion is evident in how well he eats in his companion’s home.' 5) There is no harm in washing one’s hands in a basin. If eating alone, one may wash and rinse the mouth in the same basin. If eating with others, it is not appropriate to rinse the mouth and spit into the basin. If another offers the basin first as a courtesy, one should accept. Anas b. Mālik and Sābit al-Bannānī (may Allah be pleased with them) once gathered at a table. Anas b. Mālik offered the basin to Sābit, but Sābit, out of etiquette, did not accept to wash before Anas.
Thereupon Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: 'When your brother honors you, accept his honor and do not refuse. For in reality, he is honoring Allah Most High.' It is narrated that Hārūn al-Rashīd invited the blind Abū Muʿāwiya Muḥammad b. Ḥāzim. While the guest was washing his hands in the basin, Hārūn al-Rashīd poured water for him. After washing, Hārūn asked: 'O Abū Muʿāwiya! Do you know who poured water on your hands?' 'No.' 'It was the Commander of the Faithful who poured the water.' 'O Commander of the Faithful! By doing so, you have only honored knowledge and elevated it.'
May Allah elevate you as you have elevated knowledge and its people. (If the basin is large and there are several pitchers) there is no harm in several people washing their hands at the same time in the same basin. On the contrary, this is closer to humility and better than waiting. If they do not wash at the same time but separately, it is not appropriate to pour out each one’s water and bring a new basin for each. The used water should be collected in the basin and poured out at once. For the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:28 This person lost his sight at age four. He was from Kufa, trustworthy, born in H. year, died in H. year.
Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn 'Collect your ablution water together.' (If you do so, that is, wash in one vessel) Allah Most High will remove discord among you and grant you unity. It is said that the ablution water in this hadith refers to the washing of hands by those eating together in one vessel. ʿUmar b. ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz sent a decree to the lands of Islam: When the basin for washing hands is full, let it be removed from among those eating together and poured out. Do not imitate the Persians. Ibn Masʿūd (may Allah be pleased with him) said: 'Wash your hands in one basin. Do not follow the custom of the Persians.' Some scholars considered it disliked for the servant pouring water to stand, preferring that he sit.
For the servant sitting while pouring water is closer to humility. Some scholars considered it disliked for the servant to sit and explained: 'A servant poured water while sitting, and the one whose hands were being washed stood up. When asked why, he replied: "One of us must be standing."' It is preferable for the servant to stand, as it is more suitable for pouring and washing, and pouring water while standing is closer to humility. If the servant intends to pour water while standing, there is no arrogance in allowing him to serve; for the servant pouring water in this way is a normal custom.
From the above explanation, it is understood that there are seven etiquettes of washing hands in the basin: 1. Not spitting into the basin. 2. Presenting the basin first to the head or leader. 3. Accepting the honor of being presented first. 4. Passing it starting from the right. 5. All present washing their hands in the same basin. 6. Collecting all the used water in the same basin.
Kitāb Ādāb al-Akl / Part II
7. The servant pouring water on the hands of those washing should stand. Another etiquette is to let the water from the mouth and hands fall gently into the basin so that it does not splash onto companions or the carpet. The host should personally pour water for the guest’s hands. For Imām Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) poured water for the hands of Imām al-Shāfiʿī, who was his guest and not yet twenty years old. When Imām al-Shāfiʿī was embarrassed by this, Imām Mālik said: 'Let not what you have seen from me cause you embarrassment or surprise. For serving the guest is obligatory.' 8) One should not stare at companions while they eat or monitor their eating to the point of causing embarrassment. Rather, one should not concern oneself with their eating but focus on one’s own.
If, after oneself, companions are embarrassed to continue eating, then one should not leave the meal before them. One should occupy oneself with eating slowly until they are satisfied. If one is someone who eats little, one should eat slowly at the beginning and finish with them. For most of the noble Companions (ṣaḥāba) did so. If, for any reason, one does not eat, one should apologize to the guests, so as to remove their embarrassment. 9) One should not do anything that would disgust others. Therefore, one should not shake the hand over the food dish. When taking a morsel to the mouth, one should not bend the head over the dish. If anything is removed from the mouth, one should turn away from the food and hold it in the left hand.
One should not dip an oily morsel into vinegar, nor mix vinegar with oily food, for others may be disgusted by this. One should not dip a morsel that has been bitten into a shared soup or vinegar, nor mention things that would cause disgust.