We consume food and drink every single day but how many of us are following the etiquette of the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him)? So I thought I’d highlight some of my findings and in sha Allah we can slowly incorporate this into our daily lives.

Dua BEFORE eating:

Allhuma baa rik lanaa feemaa razaqtanaa wa qinaa azaaba al-naar

O Allah! Bless us on everything You give us, and avoid us from Hellfire. And with the name of Allah.

Dua AFTER eating:

Alhamdulillahillazee at ‘amanaa wa saqaanaa wa kafaa naa wa awaa naa

All Praises be to Allah, who provides us food, drink, satisfaction and protection

The etiquette:

  • Wash your hands thoroughly prior to eating
  • Always pray the dua prior to eating

Aqba Bin Amir (RA) narrates Rasul-Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said, “That meal which Bismillah has not been read on is illness and there is no blessing in it. The compensation for it is that if the table cloth has not been picked up then read Bismillah and eat something and if the table cloth has been picked up then read Bismillah and a lick the fingers.

  • Eat with your right hand

Abdullah Bin Umar (RA) narrates that Rasul-Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said, “When one eats then he should eat with the right hand and when one drinks then he should drink with the right hand

  • Use three fingers
  • Sit on the floor
  • Be grateful to both Allah SWT and your host/cook
  • Remove your shoes
  • Eat with company
  • Don’t get up from your food unnecessarily
  • Wait for your company to finish eating before getting up
  • Eat from the side of the plate closest to you
  • Cool your food down
  • Eat in moderation, do not overindulge
  • Pick up and eat any pieces of foods that may have fallen
  • Finish your plate, do not waste any food

Jabir bin Abdullah (RA) narrates that Rasul-Allah (may Allah bestow peace and blessings upon him) said, “Lick the fingers and the dish. You don’t know which part of meal has blessings.”

  • Wash your hands thoroughly after so no smell of the food remains
  • Appreciate your food for it contains many unknown blessings, both in this dunya and in the Hereafter.

in sha Allah may Allah SWT help us remember this daily.