CHAPTER · 54 – PRAYING FOR THE HOST AFTER A MEAL
Jabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Abu al-Haysam ibn Tayhan prepared food for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) and invited the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) and his companions. When they departed from the meal, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) said, “Reward your brother for this feast.” The Companions asked, “O Messenger of Allah, how do we reward him?” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) said, “When people enter his home, eat his food, and drink his drink, and those who partake in it pray for him, that is his reward.”
Anas (RA) narrates: The Prophet (ﷺ) came to Sa'id bin 'Ubadah. Sa'id bin 'Ubadah brought bread and olive oil. The Prophet (ﷺ) ate and then said: "Among you, some fasting people have broken their fast, and righteous people have eaten your food, and the angels have invoked blessings upon you."
[469]. Tirmidhi, Book of Supplications, Hadith 3453
[470]. Ibn Majah, Book of Food, Hadith 3297; Tirmidhi, Book of Food, Hadiths 1860-1861
[407]. Bukhari, Book of Marriage, Chapter on the Obligation to Respond to Invitations, Hadith 7/31; Muslim, Book of Marriage, Hadith 1429
[408]. Muslim, Book of Marriage, Hadith 98
[409]. Muslim, Book of Marriage, Hadith 100
[410]. Muslim, Book of Marriage, Hadith 1430; Ibn Majah, Book of Fasting, Hadith 1751
[411]. Bukhari, Book of Marriage, Chapter on the One Who Leaves an Invitation, Hadith 2/32; Ibn Majah, Book of Marriage, Hadith 1913; Muslim, Book of Marriage, Hadith 1432
[412]. Bukhari, Book of Marriage, Chapter on the First to Marry, Hadith 7/31; Muslim, Book of Marriage, Hadith 90; Ibn Majah, Book of Marriage, Hadith 1908
[413]. Tirmidhi, Book of Marriage, Hadith 1095; Ibn Majah, Book of Marriage, Hadith 1909
[414]. Bukhari, Book of Manners, Hadith 8/13; Muslim, Book of Lost Items, Hadith 14; Ibn Majah, Book of Manners, Hadith 3675
[415]. Ibn Majah, Book of Manners, Hadith 3677
[416]. Bukhari, Book of Manners, Chapter on Honoring Guests, Hadith 7/39; Muslim, Book of Lost Items, Hadith 1727; Tirmidhi, Book of Biography, Hadith 1589; Ibn Majah, Book of Manners. Hadith 3676
[417]. Ibn Majah, Book of Food, Hadith 3360
[418]. Tirmidhi, Book of Food, Hadith 1848
[419]. Tirmidhi, Book of Food, Hadith 1847
[420]. Bukhari, Book of Merits, Hadith 4/230; Muslim, Book of Drinks, Hadith 2064
[421]. Ibn Majah, Book of Food, Hadith 3286
[422]. Muslim, Book of Drinks, Hadith 2018; Ibn Majah, Book of Supplication, Hadith 3887
[423]. Muslim, Book of Drinks, Hadith 2017; Ibn Majah, Book of Supplication, Hadith 3887
[424]. Tirmidhi, Book of Food, Hadith 1859
[425]. Bukhari, Book of Food, Chapter on Eating with Moderation, Hadith 93/7; Tirmidhi, Book of Food, Hadith 1831; Ibn Majah, Book of Food, Hadith 3262
[426]. Ibn Majah, Hadith 244
[427]. Muslim, Book of Drinks, Hadith 2044
[428]. Tirmidhi, Book of Food, Hadith 1806; Ibn Majah, Book of Food, Hadith 3277
[429]. Ibn Majah, Book of Food, Hadith 2363
[430]. Muslim, Book of Drinks, Hadith 2060; Tirmidhi, Book of Food, Hadith 1800
[431]. Tirmidhi, Book of Food, Hadith 1858; Muslim, Book of Drinks, Hadith 2022
[432]. Bukhari, Book of Food, Chapter on Desirability, Hadith 7/101; Muslim, Book of Drinks, Hadith 2041; Tirmidhi, Book of Food, Hadith 1851
[433]. Bukhari, Book of Expeditions, Hadith 5/167; Muslim, Book of Hunting, Hadith 1941
[434]. Ibn Majah, Book of Slaughtering, Hadith 3198; Nasa’i, Book of Hunting and Game, Hadith 4236
[435]. Bukhari, Book of Sacrifice, Chapter on the Sacrifice, Hadith 7/126; Muslim, Hadith 1945; Nasa’i, Book of Hunting, Hadith 4324; Ibn Majah, Book of Hunting, Hadith 3241
[436]. Bukhari, Book of Slaughtering, Chapter on the Sacrifice, Hadith ; Muslim, Hadith 1946; Nasa’i, Book of Hunting, Hadith 4322; Ibn Majah, Hadith 3241
[437]. Nasa’i, Book of Hunting, Chapter on the Sacrifice, Hadith 4325; Ibn Majah, Book of Hunting, Hadith 3238
[438]. Tirmidhi, Book of Food, Hadith 1829
[439]. Tirmidhi, Book of Food, Hadith 1792; Ibn Majah, Book of Hunting, Hadith 3236; Nasa’i, Book of Hunting, Hadith 4328
[440]. Bukhari, Book of Slaughtering, Chapter on Eating All Types of Game, Hadith 7/124; Muslim, Book of Hunting, Hadith 1932; Tirmidhi, Book of Food, Hadith 1797; Ibn Majah, Book of Hunting, Hadith 3232; Nasa’i, Book of Hunting, Hadith 4430
[441]. Muslim, Book of Hunting, Hadith 1934
[442]. Ibn Majah, Book of Hunting, Hadith 3234
[443]. Tirmidhi, Book of Trade, Hadith 1280; Ibn Majah, Book of Hunting, Hadith 3250
[444]. Bukhari, Book of Slaughtering, Chapter on Eating the Liver of a Camel, Hadith 7/123
[445]. Nasa’i, Book of Legal Opinions, Chapter on Forbidding Eating the Hair of a Noble Animal, Hadith 4452
[446]. Bukhari, Book of Slaughtering, Chapter on Eating Grasshoppers, Hadith 7/117; Muslim, Book of Hunting, Hadith 1922; Tirmidhi, Book of Food, Hadith 1822; Nasa’i, Book of Hunting, Chapter on Locusts, Hadith 4361
[447]. Ibn Majah, Book of Hunting, Hadith 3247
[448]. Ibn Majah, Book of Food, Hadith 3341
[449]. Muslim, Book of Drinks, Hadith 2052; Tirmidhi, Book of Food, Hadith 1840; Nasa’i, Book of Oaths, Hadith 2827; Ibn Majah, Book of Food, Hadith 3317
[450]. Bukhari, Book of Adhan, Chapter on the Sunnah and the Iqaamah, Hadith 2/216; Tirmidhi, Book of Food, Hadith 1807; Nasa’i, Book of Masjids, Chapter on Naming a Mosque, Hadith 708; Ibn Majah, Book of Performing Prayers
[451]. Tirmidhi, Book of Food, Hadith 1809
[452]. Tirmidhi, Book of Food, Hadith 1809
[453]. Muslim, Book of Drinks, Hadith 2046; Tirmidhi, Book of Food, Hadith 1816; Ibn Majah, Book of Food, Hadith 3327
[454]. Ibn Majah, Book of Food, Hadith 3333
[455]. Bukhari, Book of Food, Hadith 7/104; Muslim, Book of Drinks, Hadith 2045; Ibn Majah, Book of Food, Hadith 3331; Tirmidhi, Book of Food, Hadith 1815
[456]. Bukhari, Book of Food, Chapter on the Order in Drinking, Hadith 7/101; Muslim, Book of Drinks, Hadith 2043; Tirmidhi, Book of Food, Hadith 1845; Ibn Majah, Book of Food, Hadith 3325
[457]. Tirmidhi, Book of Food, Chapter on What Has Come Regarding Eating Lettuce with Milk, Hadith 1844
[458]. Ibn Majah, Book of Food, Hadith 3334
[459]. Bukhari, Book of Slaughtering, Chapter on Hunting the Gazelle, Hadith 7/111; Muslim, Book of Hunting, Hadith 1930; Tirmidhi, Book of Hunting, Hadith 1464; Ibn Majah, Book of Hunting, Hadith 3207
[460]. Muslim, Book of Hunting, Hadith 1935; Nasa’i, Book of Hunting, Chapter on the Dead Sea Creatures, Hadith 4356
[461]. Bukhari, Book of Slaughtering, Chapter on When a Rat Falls into the Dough, Hadith 7/126; Tirmidhi, Book of Food, Hadith 1799; Nasa’i, Book of Manners and Etiquette, Chapter on The Rat Falling in the Dough, Hadith 4263
[462]. Tirmidhi, Book of Food, Hadith 1799
[463]. Bukhari, Book of Creation, Hadith 4/158; Ibn Majah, Book of Medicine, Hadith 3505; Nasa’i, Book of Legal Opinions, Hadith 4267
[464]. Muslim, Book of Drinks, Hadith 2034; Tirmidhi, Book of Food, Hadith 1804
[465]. Muslim, Book of Oaths, Hadith 1663
[466]. Bukhari, Book of Food, Chapter on Forbidding Eating the Liver, Hadith 7/106; Muslim, Book of Drinks, Hadith 2031; Ibn Majah, Book of Food, Hadith 3269
[467]. Muslim, Book of Drinks, Hadith 2032
[468]. Bukhari, Book of Food, Hadith 7/106; Tirmidhi, Book of Supplications, Hadith 3452
[469]. Tirmidhi, Book of Supplications, Hadith 3453
[470]. Ibn Majah, Book of Food, Hadith 3297; Tirmidhi, Book of Food, Hadiths 1860-1861
3736. It is narrated by Abdullah bin Umar that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Whoever receives an invitation from his brother, let him accept it.”
When the time of invitation arrives, (he should) hasten to it.” [407]
3737 – Narrated from Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “In the same meaning as the preceding hadith.”
However, in this narration, the phrase "If the one who comes to the invitation is not fasting, let him eat. If he is fasting, let him supplicate" is an addition. [408]
3738 – Narrated from Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Let whoever is invited to a wedding or something similar respond to the invitation.” [409]
3740 – Narrated from Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever is invited to a feast should hasten to accept it. Then, if he wishes, he may eat, or if he wishes, he may refrain.” [410]
3742 – Narrated from Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) that he used to say: “The worst of foods is the invitation in which the rich are invited and the poor are not. Whoever does not respond to an invitation has disobeyed Allah and His Messenger.” [411]
“I have never seen the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) give a wedding feast for any of his wives like he did for Zaynab. He slaughtered a sheep and gave a feast at her wedding." [412]
"The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) gave a wedding feast for Safiya, his wife, with roasted flour and dates.” [413]
Abu Dawud said: Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked about the statement of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), ‘The provision is for a day and a night.’ He said: 'It is an act of kindness and hospitality for one day and one night. He has the right to stay as a guest for three days.' [414]
3750 – Narrated from Abu Kerima (Mikdam bin Ma’d al-Kurzi) (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “It is incumbent on every Muslim host to entertain the guest for the first night. Whoever shelters a guest in front of his house, then it is a debt upon that host. He may pay off the debt or leave it.” [415]
A man asked, "O Messenger of Allah, you send us out and we are guests among a people. But they do not entertain us. What do you order us?" The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said to us: “If you are guests among a people and they command you to something that is proper for guests, then accept it. If they do not provide such hospitality, then take from them what is the right of a guest.” [416]
A man visited Ali bin Abu Talib and prepared food for him. Fatima (may Allah be pleased with her) said, “If we had called the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), he would have eaten with us.” They called the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and he came. He placed his hand on the doorpost, and then suddenly saw a decorated curtain hanging in a corner of the house. Then he turned back. Fatima (may Allah be pleased with her) said to Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), “Go and see what made the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) turn back.” Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) followed him, and said, "O Messenger of Allah, what caused you to turn back?" The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “It is not proper for me or a prophet to enter a house adorned with luxuries that bring pleasure." [417]
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had just left the lavatory. Food was presented to him. The companions said, "Should we bring water for ablution?" The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “I am only commanded to perform ablution when I intend to pray.” [418]
Abu Dawud said: This hadith is weak. [419]
“The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) never disliked any food. If he was hungry, he would eat it; if he did not like it, he would refrain from eating it.” [420]
"Indeed, you are the ones who eat separately," he said. The companions replied, "Yes." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Eat together and begin with Bismillah, so that it may be blessed for you.” [421]
“Whoever enters his house should say Bismillah when entering and when eating, then Satan will say to his associates, ‘You have no access to this place or evening meal.’ And if he does not mention Allah when he enters his house, then Satan will say to his associates, ‘You have reached them. And if he does not mention Allah at the time of eating, then Satan will say to his associates, ‘You have reached them for a place to sleep and an evening meal.’” [422]
“Food eaten without Bismillah is allowed for Satan to eat. Satan came with a bedouin and found opportunity to eat with him. He seized the bedouin’s hand, and then a slave girl came, and Satan found opportunity to eat with her. He seized the slave girl's hand, and I swear by Allah in whose hand is my soul, that I saw Satan’s hand along with theirs.” [423]
“Whoever eats food should mention the name of Allah (say Bismillah). If he forgets to say Bismillah at the beginning, then when he remembers, he should say, ‘In the name of Allah, whose name has been mentioned before and after.’” [424]
3769 – Narrated from Ali bin Akmar that I heard Abu Jahhafah (may Allah be pleased with him) saying: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “I do not eat while leaning.” [425]
“It was never seen that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) ate while leaning. Nor was it ever seen that two men walked behind him.” [426]
"The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sent me on an errand. When I returned to him, I found him eating dates while reclining and his legs drawn up." [427]
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Whoever eats food should eat from the middle of the container, not from its edge.”
3807 – Jābir bin Abdullah narrated: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade eating the meat of domesticated donkeys. Muhammad bin Abd al-Malik said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade eating the meat of cats and the meat that comes from them. [443]
Rasulullah ﷺ forbade us from eating the meat of domesticated asses on the day of Khaybar. He permitted us to eat horsemeat. Amr said: I conveyed this news to Abu Sha’sa, and he said: Al-Hakim Gifari used to say it like this among us. Regarding Ibn Abbas, he avoided this. [444]
On the day of the battle of Khaybar, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade eating the meat of domesticated asses and riding them, and eating their meat. [445]
I heard the son of Abu Auf being asked about locusts. The son of Abu Auf replied: I accompanied the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in six or seven campaigns. We used to eat locusts with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. [446]
“Eat the fish that the sea throws out, and what is found on land when the sea recedes. Do not eat the fish that dies in the water.” [447]
Abu Dawud said: Gabuk is what is eaten at nightfall. Sabuh is what is eaten in the morning. [448]
“Verily vinegar is a good condiment.” [449]
The narrator, Ahmed bin Salih, said that Ibn Wahb interpreted the word "badra" in the text as a dish. [450]
Garlic has been forbidden except when cooked. [451]
Aisha (RA) was asked about onions. Aisha (RA) replied: Onions were present in the last meal the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ate. [452]
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “A household that does not have dates in it is a starving household.” [453]
An old date was brought to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He began to examine it carefully, intending to remove the worms found within it. [454]
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade eating dates together in groups of two or three while eating with someone else. Unless the companion permits, he said. [455]
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to eat cucumbers with fresh dates. [456]
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to eat melons and watermelons with fresh dates.
He would temper the heat with the cold, and the cold with the heat. [457]
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, entered upon us, and we presented to him clarified butter and dates. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, loved clarified butter and dates. [458]
He asked the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, “We are neighbors to the People of the Book (Jews and Christians). They cook pork in their pots and drink wine in their cups.” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, replied, "If you cannot find another vessel, wash their vessels and eat and drink from them." [459]
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, sent us to follow the Quraysh’s caravan. He appointed ‘Abdullah ibn Jarrah as our commander. He gave us a measure of dates as provisions, and he could not find anything else to give. Abu Ubaydah would give us one date each, sucking it like children suck dates, and then we would drink water. It would suffice for us until the evening. We would shake the leaves of trees, moisten them with water, and eat them. We descended by the sea, and a thing resembling a large sand dune appeared to us; we approached it, and it was an animal called ambergris (stranded). Abu Ubaydah said, “This animal is dead to us, so it is not permissible.” Then I said, "We are messengers of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. We set out in the path of Allah, and you are in a difficult situation, so eat." We were three hundred people. We continued to eat it for a month. We grew fat and plump. When we arrived in Medina, we told the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “That is sustenance that Allah brought forth for you. Do you have anything from its meat to give me?” We sent him some of its meat, and he ate it. [460]
A mouse fell into clarified butter. News was brought to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Remove the area around where the mouse fell, and eat the rest.” [461]
3842 – It was narrated from Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "If a mouse falls into clarified butter, if it is solid, remove the mouse and the area around where it fell. If it is liquid, do not approach it.” [462]
“Whenever a fly falls into one of your vessels containing food or drink, let him dip it completely, for there is disease in one wing of it and remedy in the other. For he rises with the wing that carries illness. So let him dip it completely." [463]
When the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, ate, he would lick his three fingers. He said: “Let not Satan eat a morsel that has fallen from one of you.” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, ordered us to clean the eating vessel. And he also said: "One of you does not know which part of his food contains blessing." [464]
3846 – It was narrated from Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Whenever a servant prepares food and brings it to his master, let him sit with him to eat. For the servant is close to the heat and smoke of the food. If the food is little, then let him put one or two morsels in his hand.” [465]
3847 – It was narrated from Ibn Abbas that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Let not one of you wipe his hand without licking it or letting someone else lick it (feed them) when he eats.” [466]
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would eat with three fingers and would not wipe his hand until he licked it. [467]
When the table was removed, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would say: “Praise to Allah who has fed us, given us drink, brought us forth as Muslims, and whose blessing never fails, to whom we are always in need.” [468]
After eating, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would say: "Praise be to Allah who has fed us and given us drink and made us Muslims." [469]
3852 – It was narrated from Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Whoever sleeps with leftover food and its scent while not washing it, let him not blame anyone but himself for any harm that befalls him in his sleep.” [470]
