Explanation of the Book of Foods-02b
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The reciter: Uthman ibn Abi Shaybah narrated to me, saying: Jarir informed us, from Mansur, from Ali ibn al-Aqmar, from Abu Juhayfa, who said:
The Shaykh : Reclining is leaning on something. Reclining is sometimes on the right side, sometimes on the left side, and sometimes on the back. The reason the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "I do not eat while reclining," is that the common case is that the one who eats while reclining is at ease and leaning, and he eats a lot. It is also possible that sometimes he is accompanied by arrogance and haughtiness, and he did not care about this blessing or treat it as it should be treated. Just as if a person gave you a gift and you were sitting like this, and you extended your hand—what does that mean? Arrogance, and I do not care about this gift you gave me; it is nothing to me. So there is consideration of two meanings: the first meaning is that reclining involves relaxation and comfort, which leads to eating a lot. The second is that it may stem from arrogance, vanity, and indifference to this blessing, so this would be the eating of the arrogant. However, as I said, reclining is on the right, the left, or the back. As for the manner of sitting, Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned that al-turu'b is a form of reclining, meaning like this, my sitting and the sitting of most of you. But the jurists rejected that and said that this sitting is among the required sittings. In truth, reclining in the language is leaning, and this is not leaning. It is true that this is a sitting that leads to tranquility and eating a lot. That is why it is said that the one who eats in this state will have a large belly, yes, because the belly remains, as the Egyptians say, "mutabhabhab" (loose and full). But if one is in a state of alertness, meaning similar to being alert, like many people do now, sitting on the left leg, spreading it, and straightening the right thigh, then there is no doubt that this leads to a reduction in the belly and a decrease in eating, especially if his leg hurts a little and he cannot settle down much. Yes, and we would like to hear al-Fath's words on this.
I was with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) when he said to a man in his presence: "I do not eat while reclining."
كنت عند النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال لرجل عنده : لا آكل وأنا متكئThe Shaykh : Reclining is leaning on something. Reclining is sometimes on the right side, sometimes on the left side, and sometimes on the back. The reason the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "I do not eat while reclining," is that the common case is that the one who eats while reclining is at ease and leaning, and he eats a lot. It is also possible that sometimes he is accompanied by arrogance and haughtiness, and he did not care about this blessing or treat it as it should be treated. Just as if a person gave you a gift and you were sitting like this, and you extended your hand—what does that mean? Arrogance, and I do not care about this gift you gave me; it is nothing to me. So there is consideration of two meanings: the first meaning is that reclining involves relaxation and comfort, which leads to eating a lot. The second is that it may stem from arrogance, vanity, and indifference to this blessing, so this would be the eating of the arrogant. However, as I said, reclining is on the right, the left, or the back. As for the manner of sitting, Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned that al-turu'b is a form of reclining, meaning like this, my sitting and the sitting of most of you. But the jurists rejected that and said that this sitting is among the required sittings. In truth, reclining in the language is leaning, and this is not leaning. It is true that this is a sitting that leads to tranquility and eating a lot. That is why it is said that the one who eats in this state will have a large belly, yes, because the belly remains, as the Egyptians say, "mutabhabhab" (loose and full). But if one is in a state of alertness, meaning similar to being alert, like many people do now, sitting on the left leg, spreading it, and straightening the right thigh, then there is no doubt that this leads to a reduction in the belly and a decrease in eating, especially if his leg hurts a little and he cannot settle down much. Yes, and we would like to hear al-Fath's words on this.