Diet of Prophet Mohammad, Peace be upon him

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem
Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu


The diet of the Messenger Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, was modest and it reflected the life of a person not in love with the temptations and trappings of this worldly life. He lived like a wayfarer in this World. The best way to know what and how he ( Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) ate and drank is to let the Hadith on the subject speak for themselves.

Washing hands before and after eating:

[1] The Messenger of Allah ( Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) said: "The blessings in the meal is by washing before and after it." (Sunnan Abu Daud) The importance of Bismillah at the start

[2] The Messenger of Allah ( Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) said: "When one of you eats, and he forgets to mention the name of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'alathen let him say, 'Bismillahi Awwalahu wa Aakhirahu.' (Narrated in Ashraf al-Wasail ila-fahm al-Shamail, p269).

Respecting food as it is a gift from Allah taala :

[3] "The Messenger of Allah ( Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) never ever complained regarding any food, if he liked it he ate it, if did not he left it." (Sunnan Abu Daud)

Honoring the food by licking the plate:

[4] The Messenger of Allah. Peace and blessings upon him, said: "Whoever eats in a plate let him (at the end) lick it, the plate will ask forgiveness for him." (Ahmad)

Gaining blessings (Barakah) by eating together:

[5] The Companions of the Messenger ( Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) complained: 'O Messenger of Allah, we eat but are not satiated.' The Messenger of Allah ( Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) said: 'Perhaps you eat separately?' They replied that they did. He ( Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) said: 'Eat your food together and say Bismillah befor you start, that will bring blessings into your food.'" (Abu Daud)

The blessings descend for the believer in the middle of the plate:

[6] The Messenger of Allah ( Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) said: "When one of you eats let him not partake from the middle of the plate, rather take from around it, for the blessings descend from upon the middle of it." (Sunnan Abu Daud )

Importance of eating using the right hand:

[7] The Messenger of Allah ( Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) said: "When of you eats let him eat with his right hand, for verily Satan eats and drinks with his left hand." (Abu Daud)

Praising Allah taala after eating and drinking:

[8] The Messenger of Allah ( Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) said: "Verily, Allah taala is pleased with His servant when he eats a morsal and praises hims, and when he takes a drink and then praises him (Al-Hamdulillah)." (Abu Daud)

The permissibility in wanting a particular food:

[9] Hazrat Aisha ( Radi Allahu anhu) said: The most beloved drink to the Messenger of Allah ( Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) was a cool sweet drink. (Ashraf al-wasail ila Fahm al-Shamail)

The importance of moderation and controlling one's desire when eating:

[10] The Messenger of Allah ( Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) said: "The disbeliever eats till he fills seven intestines but the believer eats to the fill of one intestine." (Jami of Tirmidhi)

[11] The Messenger of Allah ( Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) said: "Eating too much is misfortune." (Shuab al-Iman of Bayhaqi)

It is recorded in the hadith that the Messenger of Allah ( Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) ate all the following foods: the meat of chicken, lamb and goose. Cucumber with dates:

[12] Abdullah ibn Jafar narrates the Messenger of Allah ( Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) would eat cucumber with dates. (Abu Daud) Butter and dates

[13] The two sons of Busr al-Sulamiyain said: The Messenger of Allah ( Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) would love butter with dates. (Abu Daud) Sweets and Honey

[14] Hazrat Aisha ( Radi Allahu anhu) narrates that: "The Messenger of Allah ( Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) would love the sweet-dish and honey." (Tirmidhi) Pumpkin

[15] Anas ibn Malik ( Radi Allahu anhu) said: "I saw the Messenger of Allah ( Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) looking for the (pieces of the) pumpkin in the plate, ever since then I have loved it." (Tirmidhi)

Olive oil

[16] The Messenger of Allah ( Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) said: "Have olive oil and rub yourselves with it." (Tirmidhi)

Importance of the evening meal:

[17] The Messenger of Allah ( Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) said: "Partake of the evening meal even if it be a handful of dried dates, for verily missing the evening meal brings on old age quickly." (Tirmidhi)

The Messenger of Allah's ( Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) favorite dish:

[18] Ibn Abbas ( Radi Allahu anhu) said: "The most beloved food to the Messenger of Allah ( Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) was Thareed (a mixed dish consisting of crumbled pieces of bread in a type of broth that includes meat.)" (Abu Daud)

Licking fingers after eating:

[19] The Messenger of Allah ( Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) said: "When you finish eating do not wipe your hands with a towel without first licking the fingers." (Abu Daud)

The basic rule in the case of food is that all foods are permitted except that which has been explicitly forbidden by the Shariah. Secondly, one should never eat more than one's need as it comes in a hadith one should eat enough to keep your back straight.

Regarding, drinking, he ( Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) prohibited drinking whilst standing, except for drinking Zamzam water. He ( Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam) would drink in three draughts and would refrain from breathing into the glass, but would do so away from it. It is permitted to drink before, during or after the food.

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