7:287 Narrated by Abu Huraira

The family of Muhammad did not eat their fill for three successive days till he died. Once while I was in a state of fatigue (because of severe hunger), I met ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab, so I asked him to recite a verse from Allah’s Book to me. He entered his house and interpreted it to me. (Then I went out and) after walking for a short distance, I fell on my face because of fatigue and severe hunger. Suddenly I saw Allah’s Apostle standing by my head. He said, “O Abu Huraira!” I replied, “Labbaik, O Allah’s Apostle, and Sadaik!” Then he held me by the hand, and made me get up. Then he came to know what I was suffering from. He took me to his house, and ordered a big bowl of milk for me. I drank thereof and he said, “Drink more, O Abu Hirr!” So I drank again, whereupon he again said, “Drink more.” So I drank more till my belly became full and looked like a bowl. Afterwards I met ‘Umar and mentioned to him what had happened to me, and said to him, “Somebody, who had more right than you, O ‘Umar, took over the case. By Allah, I asked you to recite a Verse to me while I knew it better than you.” On that Umar said to me, “By Allah, if I admitted and entertained you, it would have been dearer to me than having nice red camels.

CHAPTER 1. One should mention the Name of Allah on starting to eat, and one should eat with his right hand.

7:288 Narrated by ‘Umar bin Abi Salama

I was a boy under the care of Allah’s Apostle and my hand used to go around the dish while I was eating. So Allah’s Apostle said to me, ‘O boy! Mention the Name of Allah and eat with your right hand, and eat of the dish what is nearer to you.” Since then I have applied those instructions when eating.

CHAPTER 2. Whoever ate till he was satisfied

7:295 Narrated by ‘Aisha

The Prophet died when we had satisfied our hunger with the two black things, i.e. dates and water.

CHAPTER 3. Thin bread and eating at an eating table, (or a dining table)

7:297 Narrated by Qatada

We were in the company of Anas whose baker was with him. Anas said, The Prophet did not eat thin bread, or a roasted sheep till he met Allah (died).

7:298 Narrated by Anas

To the best of my knowledge, the Prophet did not take his meals in a big tray at all, nor did he ever eat well-baked thin bread, nor did he ever eat at a dining table.

CHAPTER 4. The food of one person is sufficient for two persons.

7:304 Narrated by Abu Huraira

Allah’s Apostle said, “The food for two persons is sufficient for three, and the food of three persons is sufficient for four persons.”

CHAPTER 5. A believer eats in one intestine (i.e., he is satisfied with a little food).

7:305 Narrated by Nafi’

Ibn ‘Umar never used to take his meal unless a poor man was called to eat with him. One day I brought a poor man to eat with him, the man ate too much, whereupon Ibn ‘Umar said, “O Nafi’! Don’t let this man enter my house, for I heard the Prophet saying, “A believer eats in one intestine (is satisfied with a little food), and a kafir (unbeliever) eats in seven intestines (eats much food).”

CHAPTER 6. To eat while leaning (against something).

7:311 Narrated by Abu Juhaifa

While I was with the Prophet he said to a man who was with him, “I do not take my meals while leaning.”

CHAPTER 7. The Prophet never criticized any food (that was offered to him).

7:320 Narrated by Abu Huraira

The Prophet never criticized any food (he was invited to) but he used to eat if he liked the food, and leave it if he disliked it.

CHAPTER 8. To blow (on the grind powdered) barley (to remove the husk).

7:321 Narrated by Abu Hazim

That he asked Sahl, “Did you use white flour during the lifetime of the Prophet ?” Sahl replied, “No. Hazim asked, “Did you use to sift barley flour?” He said, “No, but we used to blow off the husk (of the barley).”

CHAPTER 9. What the Prophet and his companions used to eat.

7:322 Narrated by Abu Huraira

Once the Prophet distributed dates among his companions and gave each one seven dates. He gave me seven dates too, one of which was dry and hard, but none of the other dates was more liked by me than that one, for it prolonged my chewing it.

7:325 Narrated by Abu Huraira

That he passed by a group of people in front of whom there was a roasted sheep. They invited him but he refused to eat and said, “Allah’s Apostle left this world without satisfying his hunger even with barley bread.”

7:327 Narrated by ‘Aisha

The family of Muhammad had not eaten wheat bread to their satisfaction for three consecutive days since his arrival at Medina till he died.

CHAPTER 10. The TalbIna (a kind of dish prepared from flour or bran, and sometimes honey is added).

7:328 Narrated by ‘Aisha

(the wife of the Prophet) that whenever one of her relatives died, the women assembled and then dispersed (returned to their houses) except her relatives and close friends. She would order that a pot of Talbina be cooked. Then Tharid (a dish prepared from meat and bread) would be prepared and the Talbina would be poured on it. ‘Aisha would say (to the women),”Eat of it, for I heard Allah’s Apostle saying, ‘The Talbina soothes the heart of the patient and relieves him from some of his sadness.’ “

CHAPTER 11. Eating in a dish decorated with silver.

7:337 Narrated by ‘Abdur-Rahman bin Abi Laila

We were sitting in the company of Hudhaifa who asked for water and a Magian brought him water. But when he placed the cup in his hand, he threw it at him and said, “Had I not forbidden him to do so more than once or twice?” He wanted to say, “I would not have done so,” adding, “but I heard the Prophet saying, “Do not wear silk or Dibaja, and do not drink in silver or golden vessels, and do not eat in plates of such metals, for such things are for the unbelievers in this worldly life and for us in the Hereafter.”

CHAPTER 12. A man may take the trouble to prepare a meal for his (Muslim) brethren.

7:345 Narrated by Abu Mas’ud Al-Ansari

There was a man called Abu Shu’aib, and he had a slave who was a butcher. He said (to his slave), “Prepare a meal to which I may invite Allah’s Apostle along with four other men.” So he invited Allah’s Apostle and four other men, but another man followed them whereupon the Prophet said, “You have invited me as one of five guests, but now another man has followed us. If you wish you can admit him, and if you wish you can refuse him.” On that the host said, “But I admit him.” Narrated Muhammad bin Isma’il: If guests are sitting at a dining table, they do not have the right to carry food from other tables to theirs, but they can pass on food from their own table to each other; otherwise they should leave it.

CHAPTER 13. The eating of snake-cucumber with fresh dates.

7:351 Narrated by ‘Abdullah bin Ja’far bin Abi Talib

I saw Allah’s Apostle eating fresh dates with snake cucumber.

CHAPTER 14. Fresh dates and dry dates.

7:354 Narrated by Jabir bin ‘Abdullah

There was a Jew in Medina who used to lend me money up to the season of plucking dates. (Jabir had a piece of land which was on the way to Ruma). That year the land was not promising, so the payment of the debt was delayed one year. The Jew came to me at the time of plucking, but gathered nothing from my land. I asked him to give me one year respite, but he refused. This news reached the Prophet whereupon he said to his companions, “Let us go and ask the Jew for respite for Jabir.” All of them came to me in my garden, and the Prophet started speaking to the Jew, but he Jew said, “O Abu Qasim! I will not grant him respite.” When the Prophet saw the Jew’s attitude, he stood up and walked all around the garden and came again and talked to the Jew, but the Jew refused his request. I got up and brought some ripe fresh dates and put it in front of the Prophet. He ate and then said to me, “Where is your hut, O Jabir?” I informed him, and he said, “Spread out a bed for me in it.” I spread out a bed, and he entered and slept. When he woke up, I brought some dates to him again and he ate of it and then got up and talked to the Jew again, but the Jew again refused his request. Then the Prophet got up for the second time amidst the palm trees loaded with fresh dates, and said, “O Jabir! Pluck dates to repay your debt.” The Jew remained with me while I was plucking the dates, till I paid him all his right, yet there remained extra quantity of dates. So I went out and proceeded till I reached the Prophet and informed him of the good news, whereupon he said, “I testify that I am Allah’s Apostle.”

CHAPTER 15. A1-‘Ajwa (a special kind of dates).

7:356 Narrated by Sad

Allah’s Apostle said, “He who eats seven ‘Ajwa dates every morning, will not be affected by poison or magic on the day he eats them.”

CHAPTER 16. To lick and suck the fingers before cleaning them with a handkerchief.

7:366 Narrated by Ibn ‘Abbas

The Prophet said, ‘When you eat, do not wipe your hands till you have licked it, or had it licked by somebody else.”

7:367 Narrated by Said bin Al-Harith

That he asked Jabir bin ‘Abdullah about performing ablution after taking a cooked meal. He replied, “It is not essential,” and added, “We never used to get such kind of food during the lifetime of the Prophet except rarely; and if at all we got such a dish, we did not have any handkerchiefs to wipe our hands with except the palms of our hands, our forearms and our feet. We would perform the prayer thereafter with-out performing new ablution.”

CHAPTER 17. What one should say after finishing one’s meal.

7:368 Narrated by Abu Umama

Whenever the dining sheet of the Prophet was taken away (i.e., whenever he finished his meal), he used to say: “Al-hamdu lillah kathiran taiyiban mubarakan fihi ghaira makfiy wala muwada’ wala mustaghna’anhu Rabbuna.”

7:369 Narrated by Abu Umama

Whenever the Prophet finished his meals (or when his dining sheet was taken away), he used to say. “Praise be to Allah Who has satisfied our needs and quenched our thirst. Your favor cannot by compensated or denied.” Once he said, upraise be to You, O our Lord! Your favor cannot be compensated, nor can be left, nor can be dispensed with, O our Lord!”

CHAPTER 18. The Statement of Allah :- “And when you have taken your meal, disperse.” (V.33:53)

7:375 Narrated by Anas

I know (about) the Hijab (the order of veiling of women) more than anybody else. Ubai bin Ka`b used to ask me about it. Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) became the bridegroom of Zainab bint Jahsh whom he married at Medina. After the sun had risen high in the sky, the Prophet (ﷺ) invited the people to a meal. Allah’s Apostle remained sitting and some people remained sitting with him after the other guests had left. Then Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) got up and went away, and I too, followed him till he reached the door of `Aisha’s room. Then he thought that the people must have left the place by then, so he returned and I also returned with him. Behold, the people were still sitting at their places. So he went back again for the second time, and I went along with him too. When we reached the door of `Aisha’s room, he returned and I also returned with him to see that the people had left. Thereupon the Prophet (ﷺ) hung a curtain between me and him and the Verse regarding the order for (veiling of women) Hijab was revealed.