Sunnats and Aadaab of Eating – Part 5

1. The young should give preference to the old and senior people (Ulama, etc.) among them to commence eating.

عن حذيفة قال  كنا إذا حضرنا مع النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم طعاما لم نضع أيدينا حتى يبدأ رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فيضع يده (مسلم رقم 2017)

Hadhrat Huzaifa (Radhiallahu Anhu) explains that whenever we ate with Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), we would always commence eating after Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) began eating.

2.  When eating, sit with either both knees on the ground (in the tashahhud posture), or with the right knee raised. ^[1]

3.      Clean the plate and the other utensils thoroughly after eating. It is reported in the Hadith that by doing this, the utensil makes duaa for one’s forgiveness.

حدثتني أم عاصم قالت دخل علينا نبيشة مولى رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم ونحن نأكل في قصعة . فقال قال النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم  من أكل في قصعة فلحسها استغفرت له القصعة (ابن ماجة رقم  3271)

Hadhrat Umme Aasim (Radhiallahu Anha) reports that on one occasion Hadhrat Nubaisha (Radhiallahu Anhu), the freed slave of Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), came to us while we were eating from a utensil. He then said that Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) had mentioned: “Whoever eats from a utensil, then cleans it by using his fingers, the utensil seeks forgiveness from Allah Ta’ala on his behalf.

[1]فالمستحب في صفة الجلوس للأكل أن يكون جاثيا على ركبتيه وظهور قدميه أو ينصب الرجل اليمنى ويجلس على اليسرى (عمدة القاري 21/44) احسن الفتاوى 9/50