Among the etiquettes of eating is that a person should eat from what is nearest to him if the food is uniform from its top to its edges
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The Shaykh : It is undoubtedly among the etiquettes of eating, and there are more than one hadith regarding this. A person is commanded to eat from what is in front of him, as stated in the authentic hadith: Bulugh al-Maram 8:98, but this applies when the food is uniform from its top to its edges. However, if we suppose, if we suppose a man other than Abu Faris—I am not disparaging you, give me your attention, because I am afraid we might disparage you by saying—he is a man other than Abu Faris who is tight on provisions, so he did what Allah made easy for him in terms of sustenance, using some fat or grease, or whatever, but he did not have much meat, so he gathered this meat at the top of the vessel.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Is it permissible for them to eat from it, or is it not permissible? Why don't you say it is permissible?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Why?
The questioner : The food was not all uniform.
The Shaykh : Because the food was not all the same.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : And our companion here, you did not notice that he was gathering it.
The questioner : ... May Allah reward you with good, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Therefore, he did not contradict the ruling.
The student : Praise be to Allah, and by Allah, O my Shaykh...
Another student : May Allah reward you with good.
The student : It is permissible for him, it is permissible for him.
Another student : I told you it did not occur to me, what Allah willed.
The student : May Allah reward you with good, may Allah reward you with good, may you be blessed.
Dear child, mention Allah's Name, eat with your right hand, and eat from what is next to you.
يا غلام ، سَمِّ الله ، وكُلْ بيمينك ، وكُلْ ممَّا يليكThe questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Is it permissible for them to eat from it, or is it not permissible? Why don't you say it is permissible?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Why?
The questioner : The food was not all uniform.
The Shaykh : Because the food was not all the same.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : And our companion here, you did not notice that he was gathering it.
The questioner : ... May Allah reward you with good, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Therefore, he did not contradict the ruling.
The student : Praise be to Allah, and by Allah, O my Shaykh...
Another student : May Allah reward you with good.
The student : It is permissible for him, it is permissible for him.
Another student : I told you it did not occur to me, what Allah willed.
The student : May Allah reward you with good, may Allah reward you with good, may you be blessed.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.