HOW TO EAT

Before sitting down for a meal, it is sunnat to wash your hands. Our blessed Prophet ‘’alaihis-salâm’ would sit on his left knee, with his right shank upright, as he ate a meal. It is permissible as well to sit on chairs around a meal table. It is an act of sunnat to say the Basmala-i-sherîf before a meal. When Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ta’âlâ ’alaihi wa sallam’ was asked about the âdâb of eating, he stated: “We are quls (slaves of Allâhu ta’âlâ). We should eat like quls!”

A meal has four farzes that we should observe:
1. To know that the food comes from Allah.
2. For the food that we are to eat to be halâl and tayyib, (i.e. clean both physically and with respect to the criteria established by Islam.)
3. Not to violate Allah’s commandments until the food is digested. Not to eat with nâ-mahram women.
4. Not to commit something prohibited by Allah with the energy provided by the food until it is digested.

A meal has two harâms that we have to avoid:

1– To eat on after satiation until your stomach becomes crammed full.
2– To have musical instruments, nâ-mahram women, alcoholic beverages, gambling activities, and/or other harâm things at a meal table.
3– If you want your body to feel relaxed, eat little! There is quite a number of âdâb and sunnats to be observed during a meal. Particularly, however, do not forget to begin eating with the Basmala and to say, “Al-hamd-u-li-llah,” when you are through! Eat some salt as you begin eating and when you are through!