Sunnan
Wash hands before eating
Cleanliness is part of faith — wash hands before and after meals, a Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ.
Abū Dāwūd (general Sunnah)
Say Bismillah
«When one of you eats, let him mention the name of Allah. If he forgets, let him say: Bismillah at its beginning and end» — Shayṭān shares the food where Allah's name is not mentioned.
Abū Dāwūd, Tirmidhī
Eat with the right hand
«O boy, mention Allah's name, eat with your right hand, and eat from what is near you» — the Prophet ﷺ taught a young companion three Sunan in one sentence.
Bukhārī & Muslim
Eat from what is near you
Do not reach across the dish; take from what is closest — respect for the meal and the company.
Bukhārī & Muslim
Never criticise food
The Prophet ﷺ never found fault with food — if he liked it he ate it, if not he left it without comment. Gratitude for every provision.
Bukhārī & Muslim
Small morsels and chew well
Eat slowly and with gratitude; do not gulp. «The son of Adam does not fill a vessel worse than his stomach — a few morsels are enough.»
Tirmidhī, general adab
Do not blow on food
Let hot food cool; do not blow on it — the Prophet ﷺ forbade blowing over food and drink.
Bukhārī
Drink in three sips
The Prophet ﷺ used to drink in three breaths, not gulping all at once — «it is more thirst-quenching, healthier, and more wholesome.»
Bukhārī & Muslim
Sit while drinking
Do not drink standing — the Prophet ﷺ forbade drinking standing like a camel grazing.
Muslim
Do not waste
«Eat and drink but do not be excessive — Allah does not love the wasteful» — take only what you need, finish what is on your plate.
7:31
Eat together
«Eat together and do not separate, for the blessing is in the company» — communal eating brings barakah.
Ibn Mājah
Lick your fingers
The Prophet ﷺ licked his three fingers after eating — «You do not know in which part of your food the blessing lies.»
Bukhārī & Muslim
Duʿās
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ
Before eating
In the name of Allah.
Bukhārī & Muslim
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ أَوَّلَهُ وَآخِرَهُ
If forgetting at the start
In the name of Allah at its beginning and end.
Abū Dāwūd, Tirmidhī
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَطْعَمَنِي هَذَا وَرَزَقَنِيهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ حَوْلٍ مِنِّي وَلَا قُوَّةٍ
After eating
Praise be to Allah who fed me this and provided it without any strength or power from me.
Abū Dāwūd, Tirmidhī
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ حَمْدًا كَثِيرًا طَيِّبًا مُبَارَكًا فِيهِ، غَيْرَ مَكْفِيٍّ وَلَا مُوَدَّعٍ وَلَا مُسْتَغْنًى عَنْهُ رَبَّنَا
Praise after food
All praise is for Allah — abundant, good and blessed praise; never sufficient, never abandoned, never dispensed with — our Lord.
Bukhārī
اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِيهِ وَزِدْنَا مِنْهُ
When drinking milk
O Allah, bless us in it and give us more of it.
Abū Dāwūd, Tirmidhī
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي جَعَلَهُ عَذْبًا فُرَاتًا بِرَحْمَتِهِ وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْهُ مِلْحًا أُجَاجًا بِذُنُوبِنَا
When drinking water (after)
Praise be to Allah who made it sweet and fresh by His mercy, and did not make it salty and bitter because of our sins.
Ibn Mājah