*Riyadh as-Salihin* (The Gardens of the Righteous) from the words of the Master of the Messengers (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
Chapter: Eating from what is directly in front of one, and admonishing and instructing one who eats improperly.
On the authority of 'Umar ibn Abi Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him and his father), who said:
"I was a young boy under the care of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him),
and my hand used to wander all over the serving dish.
So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to me:
'O young boy, mention the name of Allah the Exalted, eat with your right hand, and eat from what is directly in front of you.'" Agreed upon.
His saying *tatish* means it moves and reaches toward various sides of the serving dish.
On the authority of Salamah ibn al-Akwa' (may Allah be pleased with him):
A man ate in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) with his left hand,
so he said: "Eat with your right hand." The man replied: "I am unable to."
He said: "May you never be able to!" Nothing prevented him except arrogance.
Thus, he could never raise it to his mouth again. Reported by Muslim.
Chapter: Prohibition of combining two dates—or similar items—when eating in a group,
except with the permission of one's companions.
On the authority of Jabalah ibn Suhaym, who said:
"A year of drought afflicted us during the time of Ibn al-Zubayr,
and we were provided with dates.
'Abdullah ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father)
used to pass by us while we were eating,
and he would say: 'Do not take two dates at once,
for the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade combining two dates at once.'
Then he would say: 'Unless a man asks permission from his brother.'"
Agreed upon.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
Gathering over food is a praised Sunnah,
and it brings blessing,
unlike eating separately.
The permissibility of scholars observing those beneath them in order to teach them the Sunnah.
The prohibition of wronging others in eating, drinking, and all affairs of life.
The prohibition of taking two pieces of food at once without permission from those sharing the meal,
because it deprives and wrongs one's companions and partners.
Chapter: What should be said and done by one who eats but is not satisfied.
On the authority of Wahshi ibn Harb (may Allah be pleased with him):
The Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
"O Messenger of Allah,
we eat but are not satisfied."
He said:
"Perhaps you eat separately?"
They said: "Yes."
He said:
"Then gather over your food
and mention the name of Allah,
and it will be blessed for you."
Reported by Abu Dawud.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
Separation removes blessing,
whereas gathering yields satisfaction and blessing.
Mentioning the name of Allah before eating is obligatory,
and it attains the hoped-for blessing by multiplying the food.
One who eats alone, even if his food is plentiful,
rises unsatisfied
and remains hungry,
unlike those who eat as a group, even if their food is scarce.
It is obligatory upon the Muslim Ummah to be united in all things:
in their eating and drinking,
and in fighting their enemy,
owing to the unity of their creed and sacred law.
Satan is capable of overcoming the individual and causing him to fall into his traps and plots,
for he devours the stray sheep;
as for the congregation, he is far from reaching them,
because Allah's hand is with the congregation.
Separation is entirely evil,
while gathering is entirely good.
Chapter: The command to eat from the side of the serving dish,
and the prohibition against eating from its center.
Regarding this is his statement (peace be upon him):
"And eat from what is directly in front of you."
Agreed upon, as previously mentioned.
On the authority of Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father),
from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him),
who said:
"The blessing descends in the center of the food,
so eat from its edges
and do not eat from its center."
Reported by Abu Dawud and al-Tirmidhi.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, honors those who remember Him over their food
by bestowing the blessing of the food upon them,
unlike others who do not mention the name of Allah over it.
Blessing is distinct from the physical food itself;
it does not reside in it unless the name of Allah is mentioned over it.
Eating from the center of the food is disliked.
Good manners when eating
require that one eat from the edge of the serving dish,
not from its center.
On the authority of 'Abdullah ibn Busr (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
"The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had a large serving dish
called al-Gharra',
which required four men to carry.
When the forenoon came and they prayed the Duha prayer,
that serving dish was brought—
meaning after bread and broth had been prepared in it—
and they gathered around it.
When they grew numerous, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) knelt on his knees.
A Bedouin asked:
'What is this posture?'
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) replied:
'Indeed, Allah has made me a noble servant,
and He did not make me an arrogant tyrant.'
Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
'Eat from its sides and leave its top,
and it will be blessed.'
Reported by Abu Dawud.
Its *dhirwah* means its top.
*Jatha*
means he knelt upon his knees,
sitting upon the backs of his feet.
*Al-Gharra'*
was named so because of its whiteness from the fat and tallow,
or because of the whiteness of its wheat,
or because of its whiteness from milk.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
The permissibility of dedicating a specific serving dish for food.
The permissibility of applying a descriptive title to a serving dish
or naming it by what it became famous for.
The generosity of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
and his care for his Companions and guests.
The permissibility of sitting as a group after Fajr
to wait for the forenoon
and offer its prayer individually.
Companions serving and assisting
their brother and carrying his needs for him.
Highlighting the recommendation that leaders, commanders, princes, and others share
with the general public in their food and drink,
without reserving anything extra for themselves over the common people.
The Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) observing him closely
and inquiring about what they did not understand or whose wisdom they were ignorant of,
so that they might follow his example.
His profound humility (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
Teaching people the proper manners of eating.
Blessing resides in the center,
and it affects the entire food.
Chapter: Dislike of eating while leaning on one's side or reclining.
On the authority of Abu Juhayfah
Wahb ibn 'Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
"I do not eat while reclining."
Reported by al-Bukhari.
Al-Khattabi said: The one reclining here
is one sitting firmly leaning upon a cushion beneath him.
He said: He meant that he does not sit on cushions and pillows
like one who intends to consume large quantities of food;
rather, he sits poised and ready to rise, not firmly settled on cushions,
eating only enough to sustain himself.
End of al-Khattabi's words.
Others indicated that the one reclining
is the one leaning on his side;
and Allah knows best.
*Al-Wita'* is a soft bedding or cushion.
*Bulghah*
means that which suffices and is meagerly adequate.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
The one reclining is the one leaning on his side;
this is the correct view,
and it is attested to by the statement of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them)
in the authentic hadith:
"He was reclining, then he sat up,"
meaning he was leaning on his side, then sat upright.
Therefore,
the first meaning mentioned by al-Khattabi is less preferable;
and Allah knows best.
One should eat sparingly
and not consume beyond what is needed.
Demonstrating humility when eating,
and avoiding imitation of non-Arabs.
On the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
"I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
sitting in a squatting position
eating dates."
Reported by Muslim.
The one squatting (*al-muq'i*) is one who rests his buttocks on the ground
and keeps his shins upright.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
The permissibility of eating while squatting.
Chapter: The recommendation of eating with three fingers,
the recommendation of licking the fingers,
the dislike of wiping them before licking them,
the recommendation of licking the serving dish,
picking up a dropped morsel and eating it,
and wiping the hand after licking it on the forearm, foot, or similar.
On the authority of Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father), who said:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
"When one of you eats food,
he should not wipe his fingers until he licks them or has them licked."
Agreed upon.
*Yal'aqaha* (with a fatha on the Ya)
means he licks them himself to seek and obtain the blessing.
*Yul'iqaha* (with a damma on the Ya)
means he allows someone who is not repulsed by it to lick them.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
It contains a refutation of people whose intellects have been corrupted by luxury,
who claimed that licking the fingers is a repulsive act.
On the authority of Ka'b ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
"I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
eating with three fingers,
and when he finished, he licked them."
Reported by Muslim.
Among the benefits derived from this hadith:
It is recommended to eat with three fingers,
without joining others to them unless necessary.
Eating with three fingers
demonstrates a lack of greed for food.
Whoever does otherwise
risks stuffing too much food into his mouth,
which then crowds its passage to the stomach
and causes him harm.
On the authority of Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him),
the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
commanded the licking of fingers and the wiping clean of the dish,
and he said:
"You do not know in which part of your food the blessing lies."
[Related by Muslim]
Among the benefits derived from this hadith:
It is recommended to lick the fingers and wipe the dish clean,
and not to treat carelessly even the small amount of food left on the hand or elsewhere.
Blessing descends in the middle of the food,
spreads throughout all of it,
and remains until the very end.
On the authority of Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him),
the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
"If a morsel of food falls from one of you,
let him pick it up,
wipe away any dirt on it,
and eat it,
and not leave it for Satan.
And he should not wipe his hand with a napkin until he licks his fingers,
for he does not know in which part of his food the blessing lies."
[Related by Muslim]
Among the benefits derived from this hadith:
It is permissible to use a napkin to wipe off food,
but only after licking the fingers.
This type of napkin is meant for removing remaining food from the body,
which differs from a towel meant for drying oneself after washing.
On the authority of Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him),
the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
"Indeed, Satan attends every affair of one of you,
even attending while he eats his food.
So if a morsel falls from one of you,
let him pick it up, wipe away any dirt on it,
and then eat it,
and not leave it for Satan.
When he finishes, let him lick his fingers,
for he does not know in which part of his food the blessing lies."
[Related by Muslim]
On the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), he said:
Whenever the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
finished eating food,
he would lick his three fingers,
and he said:
"If a morsel falls from one of you, let him pick it up,
wipe the dirt off it,
and eat it,
and not leave it for Satan."
And he commanded us to wipe the dish clean,
saying:
"You do not know in which part of your food the blessing lies."
[Related by Muslim]
On the authority of Sa'id Ibn al-Harith,
he asked Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him)
about performing ablution after eating food touched by fire.
Jabir replied:
"No;
during the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him),
we rarely found such food.
And when we did find it,
we had no napkins
except our palms, forearms, and feet.
Then we would pray without performing ablution."
[Related by al-Bukhari]
Among the benefits derived from this hadith:
The abrogation of the ruling requiring ablution
after eating food cooked over fire.
The scarcity of food in the early era of prophethood,
and the patience of the Prophet's Companions (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
in enduring hardship and austerity
to preserve their religion.
The Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
considered religion far more important than food and drink.
Using a napkin is permissible when available.
*Riyadh al-Salihin*