The Etiquette of Eating and Drinking.
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The Shaykh : And on this occasion, I would like to draw attention to the blessing of eating and drinking, which, praise be to Allah, we all recognize. It is a blessing, for the body cannot function without food and drink. And yet, beneath this blessing lie other blessings. If you want to eat, what do you say? I see the youngest brother, what do you say? Come on.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Hm?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Well done. If a person wants to eat, does he say "Bismillah" (In the name of Allah) as an obligation or as a recommendation?
The student: As an obligation.
The Shaykh : As an obligation. Most people think it is recommended, as the majority of scholars have said, but we say that it is obligatory to say "Bismillah." Why? Because if he does not say "Bismillah," Satan shares in his eating. Is there any one of us who would be pleased for his enemy to share in his food? No, by Allah, never. Now, when you eat, do you eat with the right hand or the left hand? This is also a matter of etiquette: eat with the right hand, not the left. Where is the right hand? Well done. Perfect. When you eat, you eat with the right hand. Eating with the left hand is forbidden. Do not think that eating with the left hand is a trivial matter; it is forbidden. The evidence is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1799Sahih (Darussalam). Should we imitate Satan? Answer me, my brothers. No, by Allah, [An-Nur 24:21]. So then, with what do I eat? With the right hand. It is not permissible for me to eat with the left hand. Know that Satan has taken control of the enemies of Islam, who are the disbelievers, and made them eat with what? With the left hand. Now, the disbelievers eat with the left hand because they are the soldiers of Satan and the party of Satan. Should we imitate the enemies of Islam? No. So if you see a person eating with his left hand, advise him, but with gentleness and softness. And if he is one of those who considers himself to be in a high position, you can, when the meal is over, take his hand and say, "So-and-so, I saw you eating with your left hand, and this is forbidden. Your Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to eat with his right hand and forbade eating with the left hand." Now, when you have finished eating, what do you say? Where is the young one? What do you say?
The student: Praise be to Allah.
The Shaykh : What Allah willed. May Allah reward you. When you have finished eating, say "Alhamdulillah" (Praise be to Allah). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Riyad as-Salihin 1396. And among us, my brothers, who among us does not want the pleasure of Allah? Who among us does not want the pleasure of Allah? No one. We all ask Allah to be pleased with us. We all want the pleasure of Allah. So if you want to attain the pleasure of Allah, when you eat, praise Allah, and when you drink, praise Allah. Did you understand, my brother? Please. What did you say?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : We said that if we want to eat, we eat with the right hand, correct? That is the last thing we said.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : What was my last statement?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : If you eat, eat with the right hand. That is my last statement.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : No, what was it? What did I say?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Okay, rest.
So then, among the blessings is that when a person eats and praises Allah, Allah is pleased with him. This is a great blessing. By Allah, this is greater than the blessing of eating. If Allah is pleased with the servant, that is the ultimate goal. Now.
Drinking: with what do you drink? Stand up.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : With what do you drink? With the right hand or the left hand? The right hand? Where is the right hand? Perfect. Rest.
In drinking as well, you drink with the right hand, not with the left hand. But if the vessel is heavy, if the vessel is heavy and it falls if you hold it with one hand, is it permissible for me to use my left hand for assistance or not? Yes, it is permissible, based on the saying of Allah the Exalted:[At-Taghabun 64:16]. Now.
Do you say the name of Allah when drinking? Do you say the name of Allah when drinking?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : What do you say when drinking?
The student: Bismillah.
The Shaykh : Bismillah. Well done. May Allah reward you. Say the name of Allah when drinking. How many times do you breathe while drinking? This is a big one. A little bit. Please.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Or six times. Yes, rest. This one says: drink it in one breath, or if you wish, in three breaths, or if you wish, in six breaths. Do we add to that or not?
We add. Now, may Allah reward you. Who? Do you know? Come on, say it.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : In one breath. Ah, ah.
The student: Without a breath.
The Shaykh : Without a breath? ... This is a big one. Rest. Please.
The student: In three breaths.
The Shaykh : In three breaths, correct? Like this. Rest. Be careful, my brother, in three breaths. And do we gulp it down or suck it in? Please. No, this is a big one. Do you not know? Do you not know? Now, rest.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Suck it in. It is better. After the prayer, the questions, after the prayer, if Allah wills.
And upon his family and his Companions, and those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Hm?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Well done. If a person wants to eat, does he say "Bismillah" (In the name of Allah) as an obligation or as a recommendation?
The student: As an obligation.
The Shaykh : As an obligation. Most people think it is recommended, as the majority of scholars have said, but we say that it is obligatory to say "Bismillah." Why? Because if he does not say "Bismillah," Satan shares in his eating. Is there any one of us who would be pleased for his enemy to share in his food? No, by Allah, never. Now, when you eat, do you eat with the right hand or the left hand? This is also a matter of etiquette: eat with the right hand, not the left. Where is the right hand? Well done. Perfect. When you eat, you eat with the right hand. Eating with the left hand is forbidden. Do not think that eating with the left hand is a trivial matter; it is forbidden. The evidence is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
Let none of you wat with his left hand nor drink with his left hand, for indeed Ash-Shaitan eats with his left hand and drinks with his left hand.
لا يأكل أحدكم بشماله ولا يشرب بشماله فإن الشيطان يأكل بشماله ويشرب بشمالهO you who have believed, do not follow the footsteps of Satan. And whoever follows the footsteps of Satan - indeed, he enjoins immorality and wrongdoing
يا أيها الذين آمنوا لا تتبعوا خطوات الشيطان ومن يتبع خطوات الشيطان فإنه يأمر بالفحشاء والمنكرThe student: Praise be to Allah.
The Shaykh : What Allah willed. May Allah reward you. When you have finished eating, say "Alhamdulillah" (Praise be to Allah). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Allah is pleased with His slave who says: 'Al-hamdu lillah (praise be to Allah)' when he takes a morsel of food and drinks a draught of water.
إن الله ليرضى عن العبد يأكل الأكلة فيحمده عليه ويشرب الشربة فيحمده عليهاThe student: ... .
The Shaykh : We said that if we want to eat, we eat with the right hand, correct? That is the last thing we said.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : What was my last statement?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : If you eat, eat with the right hand. That is my last statement.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : No, what was it? What did I say?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Okay, rest.
So then, among the blessings is that when a person eats and praises Allah, Allah is pleased with him. This is a great blessing. By Allah, this is greater than the blessing of eating. If Allah is pleased with the servant, that is the ultimate goal. Now.
Drinking: with what do you drink? Stand up.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : With what do you drink? With the right hand or the left hand? The right hand? Where is the right hand? Perfect. Rest.
In drinking as well, you drink with the right hand, not with the left hand. But if the vessel is heavy, if the vessel is heavy and it falls if you hold it with one hand, is it permissible for me to use my left hand for assistance or not? Yes, it is permissible, based on the saying of Allah the Exalted:
So fear Allah as much as you are able
فاتقوا الله ما استطعتمDo you say the name of Allah when drinking? Do you say the name of Allah when drinking?
The student: Yes.
The Shaykh : What do you say when drinking?
The student: Bismillah.
The Shaykh : Bismillah. Well done. May Allah reward you. Say the name of Allah when drinking. How many times do you breathe while drinking? This is a big one. A little bit. Please.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Or six times. Yes, rest. This one says: drink it in one breath, or if you wish, in three breaths, or if you wish, in six breaths. Do we add to that or not?
We add. Now, may Allah reward you. Who? Do you know? Come on, say it.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : In one breath. Ah, ah.
The student: Without a breath.
The Shaykh : Without a breath? ... This is a big one. Rest. Please.
The student: In three breaths.
The Shaykh : In three breaths, correct? Like this. Rest. Be careful, my brother, in three breaths. And do we gulp it down or suck it in? Please. No, this is a big one. Do you not know? Do you not know? Now, rest.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Suck it in. It is better. After the prayer, the questions, after the prayer, if Allah wills.
And upon his family and his Companions, and those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment.