Riyadh Al-Salehin | Episode (98) | Chapter: Eating from the following

0:00 *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).

0:09 Chapter: Eating from what is directly in front of one, and admonishing and instructing one who eats improperly.

0:18 On the authority of 'Umar ibn Abi Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him and his father), who said:

0:25 "I was a young boy under the care of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him),

0:30 and my hand used to wander all over the serving dish.

0:34 So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to me:

0:38 '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.

0:48 His saying *tatish* means it moves and reaches toward various sides of the serving dish.

0:56 On the authority of Salamah ibn al-Akwa' (may Allah be pleased with him):

0:59 A man ate in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) with his left hand,

1:05 so he said: "Eat with your right hand." The man replied: "I am unable to."

1:11 He said: "May you never be able to!" Nothing prevented him except arrogance.

1:17 Thus, he could never raise it to his mouth again. Reported by Muslim.

1:23 Chapter: Prohibition of combining two dates—or similar items—when eating in a group,

1:31 except with the permission of one's companions.

1:34 On the authority of Jabalah ibn Suhaym, who said:

1:38 "A year of drought afflicted us during the time of Ibn al-Zubayr,

1:42 and we were provided with dates.

1:44 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father)

1:48 used to pass by us while we were eating,

1:50 and he would say: 'Do not take two dates at once,

1:53 for the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade combining two dates at once.'

1:58 Then he would say: 'Unless a man asks permission from his brother.'"

2:03 Agreed upon.

2:05 Among the benefits of the hadith:

2:09 Gathering over food is a praised Sunnah,

2:12 and it brings blessing,

2:14 unlike eating separately.

2:16 The permissibility of scholars observing those beneath them in order to teach them the Sunnah.

2:22 The prohibition of wronging others in eating, drinking, and all affairs of life.

2:28 The prohibition of taking two pieces of food at once without permission from those sharing the meal,

2:34 because it deprives and wrongs one's companions and partners.

2:38 Chapter: What should be said and done by one who eats but is not satisfied.

2:45 On the authority of Wahshi ibn Harb (may Allah be pleased with him):

2:51 The Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

2:56 "O Messenger of Allah,

2:58 we eat but are not satisfied."

3:01 He said:

3:02 "Perhaps you eat separately?"

3:05 They said: "Yes."

3:07 He said:

3:08 "Then gather over your food

3:11 and mention the name of Allah,

3:13 and it will be blessed for you."

3:15 Reported by Abu Dawud.

3:17 Among the benefits of the hadith:

3:21 Separation removes blessing,

3:24 whereas gathering yields satisfaction and blessing.

3:27 Mentioning the name of Allah before eating is obligatory,

3:31 and it attains the hoped-for blessing by multiplying the food.

3:36 One who eats alone, even if his food is plentiful,

3:40 rises unsatisfied

3:42 and remains hungry,

3:44 unlike those who eat as a group, even if their food is scarce.

3:50 It is obligatory upon the Muslim Ummah to be united in all things:

3:55 in their eating and drinking,

3:57 and in fighting their enemy,

3:59 owing to the unity of their creed and sacred law.

4:03 Satan is capable of overcoming the individual and causing him to fall into his traps and plots,

4:09 for he devours the stray sheep;

4:12 as for the congregation, he is far from reaching them,

4:16 because Allah's hand is with the congregation.

4:19 Separation is entirely evil,

4:23 while gathering is entirely good.

4:29 Chapter: The command to eat from the side of the serving dish,

4:32 and the prohibition against eating from its center.

4:35 Regarding this is his statement (peace be upon him):

4:40 "And eat from what is directly in front of you."

4:42 Agreed upon, as previously mentioned.

4:45 On the authority of Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father),

4:48 from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him),

4:51 who said:

4:52 "The blessing descends in the center of the food,

4:55 so eat from its edges

4:58 and do not eat from its center."

5:02 Reported by Abu Dawud and al-Tirmidhi.

5:05 Among the benefits of the hadith:

5:09 Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, honors those who remember Him over their food

5:13 by bestowing the blessing of the food upon them,

5:16 unlike others who do not mention the name of Allah over it.

5:21 Blessing is distinct from the physical food itself;

5:24 it does not reside in it unless the name of Allah is mentioned over it.

5:28 Eating from the center of the food is disliked.

5:32 Good manners when eating

5:34 require that one eat from the edge of the serving dish,

5:37 not from its center.

5:39 On the authority of 'Abdullah ibn Busr (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:

5:45 "The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had a large serving dish

5:49 called al-Gharra',

5:51 which required four men to carry.

5:54 When the forenoon came and they prayed the Duha prayer,

5:57 that serving dish was brought—

5:59 meaning after bread and broth had been prepared in it—

6:02 and they gathered around it.

6:04 When they grew numerous, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) knelt on his knees.

6:09 A Bedouin asked:

6:11 'What is this posture?'

6:14 The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) replied:

6:18 'Indeed, Allah has made me a noble servant,

6:22 and He did not make me an arrogant tyrant.'

6:25 Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

6:29 'Eat from its sides and leave its top,

6:33 and it will be blessed.'

6:35 Reported by Abu Dawud.

6:37 Its *dhirwah* means its top.

6:41 *Jatha*

6:43 means he knelt upon his knees,

6:45 sitting upon the backs of his feet.

6:48 *Al-Gharra'*

6:49 was named so because of its whiteness from the fat and tallow,

6:54 or because of the whiteness of its wheat,

6:56 or because of its whiteness from milk.

6:58 Among the benefits of the hadith:

7:01 The permissibility of dedicating a specific serving dish for food.

7:05 The permissibility of applying a descriptive title to a serving dish

7:09 or naming it by what it became famous for.

7:12 The generosity of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)

7:15 and his care for his Companions and guests.

7:19 The permissibility of sitting as a group after Fajr

7:23 to wait for the forenoon

7:25 and offer its prayer individually.

7:27 Companions serving and assisting

7:30 their brother and carrying his needs for him.

7:33 Highlighting the recommendation that leaders, commanders, princes, and others share

7:39 with the general public in their food and drink,

7:43 without reserving anything extra for themselves over the common people.

7:48 The Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) observing him closely

7:53 and inquiring about what they did not understand or whose wisdom they were ignorant of,

7:57 so that they might follow his example.

8:00 His profound humility (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

8:04 Teaching people the proper manners of eating.

8:07 Blessing resides in the center,

8:11 and it affects the entire food.

8:14 Chapter: Dislike of eating while leaning on one's side or reclining.

8:20 On the authority of Abu Juhayfah

8:23 Wahb ibn 'Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:

8:27 The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

8:30 "I do not eat while reclining."

8:33 Reported by al-Bukhari.

8:35 Al-Khattabi said: The one reclining here

8:39 is one sitting firmly leaning upon a cushion beneath him.

8:43 He said: He meant that he does not sit on cushions and pillows

8:48 like one who intends to consume large quantities of food;

8:51 rather, he sits poised and ready to rise, not firmly settled on cushions,

8:55 eating only enough to sustain himself.

8:57 End of al-Khattabi's words.

8:59 Others indicated that the one reclining

9:03 is the one leaning on his side;

9:05 and Allah knows best.

9:07 *Al-Wita'* is a soft bedding or cushion.

9:10 *Bulghah*

9:13 means that which suffices and is meagerly adequate.

9:16 Among the benefits of the hadith:

9:18 The one reclining is the one leaning on his side;

9:22 this is the correct view,

9:24 and it is attested to by the statement of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them)

9:28 in the authentic hadith:

9:30 "He was reclining, then he sat up,"

9:32 meaning he was leaning on his side, then sat upright.

9:35 Therefore,

9:36 the first meaning mentioned by al-Khattabi is less preferable;

9:40 and Allah knows best.

9:42 One should eat sparingly

9:45 and not consume beyond what is needed.

9:48 Demonstrating humility when eating,

9:50 and avoiding imitation of non-Arabs.

9:53 On the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:

9:58 "I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)

10:01 sitting in a squatting position

10:03 eating dates."

10:05 Reported by Muslim.

10:07 The one squatting (*al-muq'i*) is one who rests his buttocks on the ground

10:11 and keeps his shins upright.

10:13 Among the benefits of the hadith:

10:15 The permissibility of eating while squatting.

10:18 Chapter: The recommendation of eating with three fingers,

10:25 the recommendation of licking the fingers,

10:27 the dislike of wiping them before licking them,

10:30 the recommendation of licking the serving dish,

10:34 picking up a dropped morsel and eating it,

10:37 and wiping the hand after licking it on the forearm, foot, or similar.

10:42 On the authority of Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father), who said:

10:47 The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

10:51 "When one of you eats food,

10:54 he should not wipe his fingers until he licks them or has them licked."

10:59 Agreed upon.

11:01 *Yal'aqaha* (with a fatha on the Ya)

11:05 means he licks them himself to seek and obtain the blessing.

11:10 *Yul'iqaha* (with a damma on the Ya)

11:12 means he allows someone who is not repulsed by it to lick them.

11:16 Among the benefits of the hadith:

11:19 It contains a refutation of people whose intellects have been corrupted by luxury,

11:24 who claimed that licking the fingers is a repulsive act.

11:28 On the authority of Ka'b ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:

11:34 "I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)

11:37 eating with three fingers,

11:40 and when he finished, he licked them."

11:42 Reported by Muslim.

11:45 Among the benefits derived from this hadith:

11:48 It is recommended to eat with three fingers,

11:51 without joining others to them unless necessary.

11:55 Eating with three fingers

11:58 demonstrates a lack of greed for food.

12:01 Whoever does otherwise

12:03 risks stuffing too much food into his mouth,

12:06 which then crowds its passage to the stomach

12:09 and causes him harm.

12:12 On the authority of Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him),

12:14 the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)

12:17 commanded the licking of fingers and the wiping clean of the dish,

12:20 and he said:

12:22 "You do not know in which part of your food the blessing lies."

12:26 [Related by Muslim]

12:30 Among the benefits derived from this hadith:

12:32 It is recommended to lick the fingers and wipe the dish clean,

12:36 and not to treat carelessly even the small amount of food left on the hand or elsewhere.

12:42 Blessing descends in the middle of the food,

12:45 spreads throughout all of it,

12:47 and remains until the very end.

12:50 On the authority of Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him),

12:54 the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

12:58 "If a morsel of food falls from one of you,

13:01 let him pick it up,

13:02 wipe away any dirt on it,

13:05 and eat it,

13:07 and not leave it for Satan.

13:09 And he should not wipe his hand with a napkin until he licks his fingers,

13:14 for he does not know in which part of his food the blessing lies."

13:18 [Related by Muslim]

13:20 Among the benefits derived from this hadith:

13:24 It is permissible to use a napkin to wipe off food,

13:27 but only after licking the fingers.

13:29 This type of napkin is meant for removing remaining food from the body,

13:34 which differs from a towel meant for drying oneself after washing.

13:39 On the authority of Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him),

13:44 the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

13:48 "Indeed, Satan attends every affair of one of you,

13:53 even attending while he eats his food.

13:56 So if a morsel falls from one of you,

13:59 let him pick it up, wipe away any dirt on it,

14:03 and then eat it,

14:05 and not leave it for Satan.

14:08 When he finishes, let him lick his fingers,

14:11 for he does not know in which part of his food the blessing lies."

14:16 [Related by Muslim]

14:18 On the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), he said:

14:21 Whenever the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)

14:24 finished eating food,

14:26 he would lick his three fingers,

14:28 and he said:

14:30 "If a morsel falls from one of you, let him pick it up,

14:34 wipe the dirt off it,

14:36 and eat it,

14:38 and not leave it for Satan."

14:41 And he commanded us to wipe the dish clean,

14:44 saying:

14:45 "You do not know in which part of your food the blessing lies."

14:49 [Related by Muslim]

14:51 On the authority of Sa'id Ibn al-Harith,

14:54 he asked Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him)

14:57 about performing ablution after eating food touched by fire.

15:00 Jabir replied:

15:02 "No;

15:03 during the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him),

15:06 we rarely found such food.

15:10 And when we did find it,

15:12 we had no napkins

15:15 except our palms, forearms, and feet.

15:18 Then we would pray without performing ablution."

15:22 [Related by al-Bukhari]

15:24 Among the benefits derived from this hadith:

15:28 The abrogation of the ruling requiring ablution

15:31 after eating food cooked over fire.

15:34 The scarcity of food in the early era of prophethood,

15:37 and the patience of the Prophet's Companions (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)

15:40 in enduring hardship and austerity

15:42 to preserve their religion.

15:44 The Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)

15:49 considered religion far more important than food and drink.

15:53 Using a napkin is permissible when available.

15:57 *Riyadh al-Salihin*

Riyadh Al-Salehin | Episode (98) | Chapter: Eating from the following

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