*Riyadh as-Salihin* (The Meadows of the Righteous) from the Words of the Master of the Messengers, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
Chapter: Adding More Hands to Food (Sharing Food).
On the authority of Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
"The food of two is sufficient for three,
and the food of three is sufficient for four."
Agreed upon.
And on the authority of Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say:
"The food of one is sufficient for two,
the food of two is sufficient for four,
and the food of four is sufficient for eight."
Narrated by Muslim.
Chapter: Etiquette of Drinking;
the Recommendation of Taking Three Breaths Outside the Vessel,
the Disliking of Breathing Inside the Vessel,
and the Recommendation of Passing the Vessel to the Right, then to the Next Right, After the One Who Started.
On the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him):
That the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
used to breathe three times while drinking.
Agreed upon.
Meaning, he used to breathe outside the vessel.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
The Sunnah regarding drinking is to drink in three gulps from the vessel,
for it is more wholesome, thirst-quenching, and healthier.
And on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), who said:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
"Do not drink all in one draught like the drinking of a camel,
but rather drink in two or three draughts.
Mention the name of Allah when you drink,
and praise Him when you finish."
Narrated by At-Tirmidhi.
And on the authority of Abu Qatadah (may Allah be pleased with him):
That the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
forbade breathing into the vessel.
Agreed upon.
Meaning, breathing inside the vessel itself.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
The prohibition against breathing into the vessel is specifically tied to the act of drinking.
Encouragement toward hygiene and exercising utmost care in it,
since spittle, mucus,
or noxious vapor might come out with the breath,
giving the drink an unpleasant odor.
Blowing into the vessel is even more severely prohibited than breathing into it.
And on the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him):
That the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
was brought milk that had been diluted with water.
On his right was a Bedouin,
and on his left was Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him).
He drank, then gave the vessel to the Bedouin,
and said: "The one on the right, then the one on his right."
Agreed upon.
His saying *shiba* means mixed.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
It is recommended to seek permission from the person on the right
when serving drinks, if that person is lower in status than the person on the left;
if he gives permission, fine, otherwise it remains his right.
The Prophet's (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) eagerness
to favor the right side in all his affairs and matters.
And on the authority of Sahl ibn Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him):
That the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
was brought a drink and drank from it.
On his right was a young boy,
and on his left were elders.
So he said to the boy: "Will you allow me
to give this to these elders?"
The boy replied: "No, by Allah,
I will not yield my share from you to anyone!"
So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
placed it in his hand. Agreed upon.
His saying *talla'a* means he placed it.
And this young boy was Ibn 'Abbas
(may Allah be pleased with them both).
Chapter: The Disliking of Drinking Directly from the Mouth of a Waterskin and the Like,
and Clarifying that it is Light Disapproval (*karahat tanzih*)
and Not Absolute Prohibition (*tahrim*).
On the authority of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him):
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade
folding over the mouths of waterskins—
meaning bending their openings back
and drinking from them. Agreed upon.
*Al-ikhtinath*:
Meaning folding over, bending back, and turning inside out.
*Al-asqiyah* is the plural of *siqa'*,
referring to a container made of leather,
whether small or large.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
The prohibition against bending back the mouths of waterskins
and drinking directly from them,
out of fear that the odor of the water or waterskin may become foul,
causing people to dislike using it,
which would lead to wasting water.
Safeguarding the safety of a Muslim,
as pests or insects may have entered these waterskins,
affecting anyone who drinks from them without pouring the water into a container first.
This meaning is derived from the command to tie the opening of the waterskin.
And on the authority of Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him),
who said:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade
drinking directly from the mouth of a waterskin or leather bag.
Agreed upon.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
The prohibition against drinking directly from the mouth of a waterskin or leather bag,
because one who drinks in this manner
may have more poured out on him than he needs,
so he cannot be safe from choking;
also, it specifically applies to touching the inside of the waterskin with one's mouth.
As for pouring from the waterskin
into a vessel first and then drinking,
there is no harm in it.
And on the authority of Umm Thabit Kabshah bint Thabit,
the sister of Hassan ibn Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him and her),
who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came in to see me
[peace be upon him]
and drank from the mouth of a hanging waterskin while standing.
So I got up to its mouth and cut it off.
Narrated by At-Tirmidhi.
She only cut it off
to preserve the place touched by the mouth of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him),
to seek blessings through it,
and to protect it from ordinary use.
This hadith is understood as clarifying permissibility,
whereas the two preceding hadiths clarify what is better and more complete;
and Allah knows best.
"From a waterskin" means from the mouth of a waterskin.
The waterskin (*qirbah*) is a tanned skin
in which water is placed.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
The Companions' eagerness to preserve the relics of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
to seek blessings through them;
and this is among the exclusive privileges of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
In the hadith is evidence
for the permissibility of drinking while standing,
and that the prohibition is not one of absolute prohibition,
but rather to demonstrate what is better and more complete.
Chapter: The Disliking of Blowing into Drink.
On the authority of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him):
That the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
forbade blowing into drink.
A man said:
"O Messenger of Allah, what if I see a speck of dirt in the vessel?"
He said: "Spill it out."
The man said: "I am not quenched by a single breath."
He said: "Then remove the cup from your mouth [while breathing]."
Narrated by At-Tirmidhi.
*Al-qadha*:
Refers to anything that falls into drink or the eye.
*Ahriqha* means pour it out.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
The prohibition against blowing into the vessel
is due to the aversion it causes in others
toward the water or drink.
Whoever sees a speck of dirt in his vessel
should pour out enough from it until it comes out and does not remain.
If a drinker is distracted while drinking
by a speck inside the water, he will not enjoy its taste,
and it may prevent him from quenching his thirst,
leaving him displeased and annoyed.
And on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both):
That the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
forbade breathing into the vessel
or blowing into it.
Narrated by At-Tirmidhi.
Chapter: Clarifying the Permissibility of Drinking Standing,
and Clarifying that the Most Complete and Superior Way is Drinking Sitting.
On the authority of Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both),
who said: I served the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
Zamzam water, and he drank it while standing.
Agreed upon.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
The permissibility of drinking standing out of necessity,
such as in crowded places like Zamzam,
or when the waterskin is large and hanging
and one cannot find a cup to pour the water into.
And on the authority of An-Nazzal ibn Sabrah (may Allah be pleased with him),
who said: 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) came
to the gate of the courtyard (*Al-Rahbah*)
and drank while standing,
then said: "I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
do as you have seen me do."
Narrated by Al-Bukhari.
*Al-Rahbah* means a spacious place,
and here it refers to the courtyard of Kufa.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
A scholar, when he sees that people
avoid a matter or something
that he knows to be permissible,
ought to clarify to them the correct view regarding it,
lest time pass and they come to believe it is forbidden.
Whoever fears that
should hasten to inform them of the ruling,
even if he is not asked;
and if he is asked, the obligation becomes even more emphasized.
And on the authority of Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), who said:
"In the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), we used to eat
while walking,
and we used to drink while standing."
Narrated by At-Tirmidhi.
On the authority of 'Amr Ibn Shu'ayb, on the authority of his father,
on the authority of his grandfather (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
"I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
drinking while standing and while sitting."
Narrated by al-Tirmidhi.
[It is reported] that he prohibited a man from drinking while standing.
Qatadah said:
"So we asked Anas, 'What about eating?'"
He said, "That is even worse,"
"or more abominable."
Narrated by Muslim.
In a narration by Muslim, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
rebuked drinking while standing.
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
"Let none of you drink while standing.
And whoever forgets, let him induce vomiting."
Narrated by Muslim.
Chapter: The Recommendation That the One Who Serves Drink to a People
Be the Last of Them to Drink.
On the authority of Abu Qatadah (may Allah be pleased with him),
on the authority of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who said:
"The one who serves drink to a people should be the last of them to drink."
Narrated by al-Tirmidhi.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
From the etiquette of the one serving water, milk, and the like—
such as one who distributes food to a group,
like meat, fruit, or other items—
is that he should be the last of them to partake of it himself.
Whoever assumes authority over any affair of the Ummah
must strive toward that which benefits them
and ward off that which harms them,
prioritizing their welfare over his own.
An elucidation of the true nature of altruism (*ithar*):
For in such situations, the soul
naturally seeks and desires [its share],
so giving precedence to others over oneself
is a manifestation of altruism.
Chapter: The Permissibility of Drinking from All Pure Vessels
Other Than Gold and Silver,
the Permissibility of Lapping Water Directly (*al-kar'a*),
and the Prohibition of Using Gold and Silver Vessels
for Drinking, Eating, Purification,
and All Other Forms of Use.
On the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
"The time for prayer arrived,
so those whose homes were nearby stood up and went to their families,
while a group remained.
Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was brought
a stone basin.
The basin was too small for him to spread his palm out in it,
yet all the people performed ablution from it."
They asked, "How many were you?"
He said, "Eighty or more."
Agreed upon.
And this is the wording of al-Bukhari.
In another narration by him and Muslim:
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
called for a vessel of water,
and he was brought a wide, shallow bowl containing a small amount of water.
He placed his fingers in it.
Anas said:
"I began looking at the water gushing from between his fingers,
and I estimated those who performed ablution
to be between seventy and eighty."
*Al-mikhdab*:
Meaning a vessel made of stone.
*Rahrah*:
Meaning shallow yet wide.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
An elucidation of one of the miracles of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him),
which is the gushing of water from between his fingers.
The Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) witnessing
his miracles
and gaining reassurance through them.
Seeking water for ablution when the time for prayer arrives;
as stated in a narration:
"I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
when the time for the 'Asr prayer had arrived,
and the people sought water for ablution but could not find any."
The permissibility of performing ablution and ghusl
using stone basins, shallow bowls, wood, and stone.
Ablution is not restricted to a fixed, specified amount of water,
because the Companions scooped from that bowl without fixed measurement,
provided there is no extravagance or wastefulness.
On the authority of 'Abdullah Ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
"The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came to us,
so we brought out water for him in a brass vessel,
and he performed ablution."
Narrated by al-Bukhari.
*Al-Sufr* is brass.
*Al-Tawr* is like a bowl.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
The permissibility of performing ablution and ghusl using brass vessels.
On the authority of Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him),
that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
entered upon a man from the Ansar
accompanied by a Companion of his,
and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
"If you have water that has remained overnight in a waterskin, [bring it to us];
otherwise, we will lap water directly."
Narrated by al-Bukhari.
*Al-shann* is an old waterskin.
"We will lap water directly" (*kara'na*):
Meaning we will drink water directly with the mouth without using a vessel or hands.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
There is no harm in drinking cool water on a hot day,
which is why the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) asked for water kept in a waterskin;
and this is among the blessings Allah has bestowed upon His servants.
A person is permitted to ask another for water beyond his immediate need,
without causing him harm.
The permissibility of drinking milk diluted with water,
because in the hadith,
the Ansari man milked a domestic goat over water for him.
As for commercial sales,
mixing them is impermissible, as it constitutes deception.
On the authority of Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
"The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade us from wearing silk and brocade,
and from drinking in vessels of gold and silver,
and he said:
'They are for them in this world,
and for you in the Hereafter.'"
Agreed upon.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
The use of silk and brocade
is among the characteristics and attire of the disbelievers,
because it is their enjoyment in this world,
while they have no share in the Hereafter.
The attire of the people of disbelief
differs from the attire of the people of faith;
for the attire of the people of disbelief is characterized by luxury, self-indulgence,
opulence, pride, and the like,
unlike the people of faith.
The permissibility for the people of faith to enjoy
everything that Allah has made lawful for them,
without approaching what is forbidden,
for there is no true enjoyment in it.
Glad tiding for the people of faith
who obey the command of Allah and His Messenger that they will attain Paradise,
and that those deprived of it in this world
shall receive it on the Day of Resurrection.
On the authority of Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her),
that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
"He who drinks from a silver vessel
only swallows the fire of Hell gurgling into his belly."
Agreed upon.
In a narration by Muslim:
"He who eats or drinks in vessels of silver and gold..."
And in another narration by Muslim:
"Whoever drinks from a vessel of gold or silver
only swallows a fire from Hell gurgling into his belly."
Among the benefits of the hadith:
The prohibition of using gold and silver.
Whoever uses vessels of silver and gold
deserves the punishment of Hellfire.
*Riyadh al-Salihin*.