Al Minah Al `Aliyyah (28)

1. Sunnan of Food :

Before you eat or drink anything, begin by saying: “Bismillah” (In the name of Allah.” 'Umar ibn abu Salamah  narrated,

“I was a boy under the care of Allah's Messenger r and my hand used to go around the dish while I was eating. Therefore, Allah's Apostle said to me, 'O boy! Mention the Name of Allah, eat with your right hand and eat of the dish what is nearest to you.' Since then I have applied those instructions when eating.”^[1]

It is better to stick to the phrase “Bismillah” (In the name of Allah) as the texts confirm.

Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) stated, “What is meant, is to say: ‘Bismillah’ before your first sip or bite.” The most vivid example in this regard is the hadith reported by Abu Dawud and an-Nasa'i through Umm Kulthum through 'Aishah (may Allah be pleased with them all) – that the Prophet r said,

“When one of you eats, he should mention Allah’s name (Bismillah); if he forgets to mention Allah’s Name at the beginning, he should say (when he remembers): ‘Bismi Allah fi awalihi wa fi akhirih’ (I begin with the name of Allah at the beginning and at the end.” Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i also report a hadith through Umayyah ibn Makhsi which supports this. The Prophet said, "Satan had been eating with him but when he mentioned the Name of Allah, Satan vomited up all that was in his stomach.^[2]"

As for an-Nawawi's saying (may Allah have mercy on him) in his book entitled ‘Adhkar,’ in the chapter of the etiquettes of eating, “The formula of saying in the Name of Allah is the best thing to know. It is better to say: 'In the Name of Allah, most Compassionate, most Merciful.' It is enough for the Muslim just to say: 'In the name of Allah,' and through this formula he/she has applied the Sunnah." However, I did not find any proof that supports an-Nawawi's opinion.^[3]

Scholars have differed with regards to tasmiyah (i.e. saying Bismillah upon starting to eat or drink). Some have argued it is Sunnah, while others have said it is obligatory because of the Prophet's r command in the hadith.

If a person forgets to mention Allah’s name at the beginning, when they remember they should say: “I begin with the name of Allah at the beginning and at the end,” and this is because of 'Aishah's hadith that bears the same meaning.^[4] Besides, the hadith indicates that the Muslim should eat using his right hand so he would not resemble Satan. However, if the Muslim did not say the tasmiyah or ate using the left hand, they would then resemble Satan.

This also indicates:   

Hudhaifa t reported: “When we attended a dinner along with the Messenger of Allah r we did not lay our hands on the food until Allah's Messenger r had laid his hand and commenced eating (the food). Once we went with him at a dinner when a girl came rushing as if someone had been pursuing her. She was about to lay her hand on the food, when Allah's Messenger r caught her hand. Then a desert Arab came there (rushing) as if someone had been pursuing him. He (the Prophet r) caught his hand; and then said, ‘Satan considers that food lawful on which Allah's name is not mentioned. He had brought this girl so that the food might be made lawful for him and I caught her hand. And he had brought a desert Arab so that (the food) might be lawful for him. So I caught his hand. By Him, in Whose Hand is my life, it was (Satan's) hand that was in my hand along with her hand.’”^[5]

Also, 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar  (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Allah's Messenger r said,

“None of you should eat or drink with his left hand, for verily Satan eats and drinks with his left hand.”

 Nafi' added that the Prophet r said,

“Do not give or take with it (the left hand).”^[6]

The explicit meaning of the hadith indicates that Satan eats just as human beings eat.

Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said, “At-Taybi said: 'Do not eat with the left hand, if you did so, you are from the supporters of Satan as he told his supporters to do so.' However, this saying is not correct and the correct opinion is that Satan actually eats like humans. This is accepted and a hadith indicated this view, thus there is no opportunity to present another interpretation of Satan's manner of eating.”^[7]

Satan is eager to enter homes so he can spend the night and share the food and drink of the people. Jabir ibn 'Abdullah narrated that he heard Allah's Messenger r saying,

"If a person mentions the Name of Allah upon entering his house or eating, Satan says, addressing his followers: 'You will find nowhere to spend the night and no dinner.' But if he enters without mentioning the Name of Allah, Satan says (to his followers); 'You have found (a place) to spend the night in,’ and if he does not mention the Name of Allah at the time of eating, Satan says: 'You have found (a place) to spend the night in as well as food.’”^[8]