EATING AND DRINKING ADABS according to ISLAM

Some of the most disgraceful behaviors during this time are eating and drinking while standing, eating or drinking with the left hand, not praying before eating or drinking, and wasting food. Remember: of the four countries that waste the most food in the world, three of them are Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates. The following are the etiquettes for eating and drinking.

Eat after cold food

From Asma' bint Abu Bakar RA, if she makes bread, she covers the bread with something until the heat disappears. Then he said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah say: indeed this is a greater blessing." (HR. Darimi and Ahmad). It was narrated from Abu Hurairah RA: "Food should not be eaten unless the smoke from the hot food has disappeared." Yes, it's best not to eat food that is still hot, or very cold.

Eat halal food

Eat food that is halal and good. "O messengers, eat well and do righteous deeds. Indeed, I am All-Knowing of what you do." (Al-Mu`minun: 51)

Praise food and don't criticize it

It is recommended to praise food and not to criticize it. Rasulullah SAW never criticized food at all. From Abu Hurairah RA it is said that the Prophet never criticized food at all. If he likes a food, then he eats it. If he doesn't like it, then he leaves it (HR. Bukhari and Muslim).

Criticizing food because it is too salty, not enough salty, soft, too hard, not cooked and so on is not good. Why it can not? Because the essence of food is God's creation. To denounce it is to denounce its creator. Besides, criticizing food will cause the cook to feel hurt. It is appropriate that if we are given a treat in the form of food, we should realize how great a blessing Allah has given us by making it easier for us to get it, thank Allah for getting this blessing and not criticize him. A plate of rice with side dishes when you are hungry is an invaluable gift that is right in front of you, which doesn't require you to sweat and sweat in the fields to plant and maintain it.

Conveying your attitude doesn't have to be a criticism. According to the KBBI, "reviling is "saying that there is a fault, disfiguring, condemning, criticizing, insulting". Look for a way to convey it without insulting. It may be that someone doesn't like a food but another person likes it. In essence, food is one thing, but it is another thing.

It is recommended to praise food. Once the Prophet asked his wife for side dishes, and the wife said she had no side dishes except vinegar. The Prophet then asked for the vinegar. The Prophet said while eating: "The best side dish is vinegar, the best side dish is vinegar." (HR Muslim).

Prioritize eating over prayer, if food has been served

What is meant by served is that it is ready to eat. Al-hadith: "When dinner has been served and prayer has been performed, then start with dinner and do not rush (to pray) until your meal is finished." The goal is for our hearts to be calm and prayerful.

If so, which one is actually more important? Isn't solemn prayer very important? "If dinner has been served and the Iqamah prayer has been said, then put dinner first." (HR. Bukhari and Muslim).

Do not use cutlery made of gold and silver

Rasulullah SAW said: "He who drinks from a silver vessel actually ignites the fire of hell in his stomach." (HR. Bukhari and Muslim).

Eat with three fingers

It is recommended to bite food with three fingers (i.e. with the thumb, index finger and middle finger), then lick the finger and the food container after eating. "I saw the Messenger of Allah eating with three of his fingers. When he had finished eating, he licked them." (HR. Muslim). "When one of you has finished eating, let him not wipe his fingers until he has cleaned them with his mouth (licked them) or licked them on someone else." (HR. Bukhari and Muslim). Licking other people, of course, people close to us, our own husband, our own mother, or our own wife. By licking or sucking your fingers, you can stimulate the process of producing more saliva and enzymes (a type of food digester), so that digestion is more perfect.

Eating with three fingers shows not being greedy and an attitude of humility. Of course, as long as it can be done. If you eat soup, use a spoon.

Eating with just three fingers—as the Prophet did—ensures a better balance between the amount of food entering the mouth and the quantity of enzymes present; this allows salivary enzymes like amylase and lysozyme to digest the food optimally, rendering it soft and easy to digest. "The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to eat with three fingers and lick them before cleaning them" (Narrated by Muslim).

Picking up fallen food

It is a Sunnah (Prophetic practice) to pick up fallen food, clean it, and then eat it. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "If one of you is eating and the food falls, he should pick it up, remove any dirt from it, and then eat it. He should not leave the food for Satan" (Narrated by At-Tirmidzi). This act serves as an expression of gratitude for the food Allah has provided and demonstrates our concern for the poor and needy. There is no need to feel humiliated simply for picking up fallen food.

A scholar once recounted a story about a visit from a friend whom he had served a meal. While they were eating, a significant amount of food kept falling from the friend's hand and scattering onto the ground; the friend would earnestly pick it up and eat it. One day, a person became possessed, and the devil spoke through his tongue, saying: "I would pass by a person eating appetizing food. He would refuse to give me even the slightest bit; I would try to snatch it from his hand, but he would pull it back from my grasp." It turned out that it was the devil who had caused the food to fall in the first place.

Dipping a fly that has fallen into a drink

If a fly falls into someone's drink, one should dip it in completely before discarding it; this is because one of its wings carries a disease, while the other holds the cure. (Narrated by Al-Bukhari)

Washing hands before and after eating

Washing hands helps maintain health and ward off various diseases. Although it is impossible to completely prevent germs and bacteria from entering our bodies, the risk can be reduced by washing hands before and after activities. Cleansing agents destroy bacterial cell membranes, weakening and killing the bacteria.

Praying before eating and expressing gratitude after eating

The Messenger of Allah (SAW) advised reciting Bismillah (in the name of Allah) when beginning a meal; if one forgets, one should say Bismillaahi fii awwalihi wa aakhirihi (in the name of Allah at the beginning and at the end of my meal). This is a hadith narrated by Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidzi.

The benefit of reciting Basmalah is to prevent Satan from sharing in the meal. Once, the Messenger of Allah was sitting with a man who was eating. The man had not mentioned Allah's name until only a single morsel of food remained. As he raised it to his mouth, he said, " Bismillaahi fii awwalihii wa aakhirihi." The Prophet laughed and remarked: "Satan had been eating along with him, but when he mentioned Allah's name, Satan vomited up everything that was in his stomach." (Narrated by Abu Dawud and An-Nasa'i).

Expressing gratitude to Allah (SWT) after eating. One of the supplications after a meal is: "Alhamdulillaahi hamdan katsiiran thayyiban mubaarakan fiihi ghaira makfiyyin walaa muwadda’in walaa mustaghnan ‘anhu rabbanaa." (Praise be to Allah with praise that is abundant and full of blessings, even if it is not praise that is adequate and sufficient") (HR. Bukhari).

From Mu'adz bin Anas, the Messenger of Allah said: "Whoever eats food and then says Alhamdulillah alladzi ath'amanaa hadza wa razaqaniihi min ghairi haulin minni wa laa quwwatin, then his previous and future sins will be forgiven for him" (HR Abu Dawud, at-Turmudziy, Ibnu Majah, etc.). The meaning of this prayer is: "Praise be to Allah who has given me this food and provided sustenance from Him without my power or strength."

Use your right hand

Rasulullah SAW said: "When one of you eats, eat with his right hand and drink with his right hand, for indeed Satan eats and drinks with his left hand." (Narrated by Muslim). The Messenger of Allah even invoked a curse upon a person who refused to eat with their right hand—not because the person was unable to do so, but simply out of arrogance.

Also, make an effort to eat directly with your hands rather than using a spoon. What is the secret behind this Sunnah? Try this simple experiment: prepare two bowls of rice—mix one using your hand and the other using a spoon—then let them sit for a few hours. Observe the results.

It turns out that the rice mixed by hand spoils faster. Why? Because between our fingers, there are enzymes that aid in breakdown, facilitating the work of the human digestive system in the stomach.

It is said that our hands secrete an enzyme known as RNase. This enzyme plays a role in our immune system and offers protection against bacteria. When our hands are dirty, this enzyme binds to bacteria, inhibiting their activity. Washing one's hands increases the ratio of the enzyme relative to the bacteria. Conversely, when eating with a spoon, harmful bacteria enter the body without encountering any resistance from the RNase enzyme.

Licking his five fingers one by one after eating, apparently in order to get this enzyme into the body more optimally. Wallahu a'lam.

Eat while sitting, don't stand

From the hadith of Tirmidhi, the Prophet forbade a man to drink while standing. "We asked Anas, 'What about eating?' He answered that it was even worse.'" (HR. Muslim). The Prophet's way of sitting when eating was not leaning back, but sitting on his knees, more or less like how Indonesians kneel on a mat. Why is eating standing up ugly? Because food takes longer than drinking.

Eat together

The companions asked: "O Messenger of Allah, indeed we eat but do not feel full." The Messenger of Allah answered: "Perhaps you eat separately (individually). Come together over your food and mention the name of Allah, surely the food will be blessed for you." (HR. Abu Dawud). It turns out that eating in congregation is more recommended, because it will bring blessings. "Eating together is one of the reasons that blessings come when eating."

Breathe outside the glass when drinking

It is also sunnah to drink three sips while breathing out of the glass. Rasulullah SAW drank three times, saying Allah's name at the beginning and praising Allah at the end (HR Ibn As-Sunni). "This way is fresher, tastier and more filling." (HR. Bukhari and Muslim). Breathing into a glass was forbidden by the Prophet. "When one of you drinks, let him not breathe into the glass" (HR. Bukhari).

Gargle after drinking milk

Pray before drinking milk and rinse your mouth afterward. Rasulullah SAW said: "If you drink milk then say Allahumma barik lana fihi wa zidna minhu, because there is no food or drink equivalent to milk." (Narrated by Al-Baihaqi). It means, “O Allah, bless us in this milk and grant us an increase of it.” “When you drink milk, rinse your mouth, for milk leaves a sour taste in the mouth.” (Narrated by Ibn Majah).

Do not overeat or be wasteful.

Do not be excessive or wasteful. Indeed, excessiveness is a trait of Satan and is deeply detested by Allah, as stated in the Quran (Surah Al-Isra: 26–27 and Al-A’raf: 31). Excessiveness is also a characteristic of disbelievers. “A believer eats with one stomach, whereas a disbeliever eats with seven stomachs.” (Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim).

Excessiveness in any matter is reprehensible and forbidden—especially regarding food and drink. Allah says: “Eat and drink, but be not excessive. Indeed, Allah does not like those who commit excess” (Al-A’raf: 31).

In the academic realm, research by molecular biologist Kalluri Suba Rao (2004) found that eating sparingly allows the body to better "concentrate" on self-repair; consequently, processes such as DNA repair, the elimination of toxins, and the regeneration of damaged cells with healthy ones can occur more optimally. Conversely, when one overeats, the body must work harder on catabolism (breaking down the food) and "lacks the opportunity" to repair itself.

Furthermore, a 2006 study by Christian Leeuwenburgh of the University of Florida’s Institute on Aging discovered that reducing food intake by just 8% below the point of feeling "full" can prevent accelerated organ damage. Thus, the correct approach is to "stop before feeling full." Recommendation to eat from the edges of the plate

Narrated by Ibn Abbas, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "Blessings descend upon the center of the food; therefore, eat from the edges and not from the middle!" This recommendation is particularly appropriate when eating together from a shared vessel, so that hands do not cross over one another.

Recommendation to engage in dhikr (remembrance of Allah) while eating

Ibnul Muflih cites a statement from Ishaq bin Ibrahim noting that Imam Ahmad would eat while saying *alhamdulillah* (praise be to Allah) and *bismillah* (in the name of Allah), adding: "Eating while praising Allah is better than eating in silence."

Do not attend banquets where khamr is served

Rasulullah SAW said: "Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, do not sit at a dining table where khamr (liquor) is served" (HR Ahmad).

Perform ablution first, if you are in junub

If we are in a state of junub and want to eat, it is recommended to perform ablution first. Aisyah said that if the Messenger of Allah was in a state of junub and wanted to eat or sleep, he would perform ablution first, like performing ablution for prayer. (Hadith narrated by Bukhari and also Muslim).

Etiquette in restaurants

This is from myself. Indeed, "the buyer is king", indeed his presence is eagerly awaited, and indeed he pays dearly for his food; But don't act arrogantly and "just for fun". We often find people angry because food doesn't taste right, or is served for a long time. This is an insult to humanity. Even though they are servants, act politely even when they are angry. A wise man said: "Politeness is the flower of humanity".

Eat before you're hungry, stop before you're full

We often hear the command to eat before you are hungry and stop before you are full, namely: "We (Muslims) are a people who only eat when we are hungry and stop eating before we are full." Many people think this hadith is dhaif, but its meaning is correct.

Shaykh Abdul Aziz bin Baz Rahimahullah said: "The meaning is correct, but the sanad is dha'if, please refer to the books Zaadul Ma'ad and Al Bidayah Wan Nihayah. It is beneficial for someone to eat when they are hungry or in need. And when eating, one should not overdo it until one is full. As for being full which is not harmful, there is nothing wrong with that."

However, there is another hadith whose meaning supports this. “The son of Adam fills no vessel worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Adam to eat a few morsels to keep his back straight. But if he must [eat more], then let one-third of his stomach be for food, one-third for drink, and one-third for breathing.” Imam Al-Shafi’i (may Allah have mercy on him) explained that overeating makes the body heavy and the heart hard, dulls the intellect, induces excessive sleep, and weakens one’s ability to perform acts of worship. Indeed, overeating can even become haram (forbidden) if it fills the stomach to the point where performing acts of worship becomes burdensome. Those who neglect worship tend to become arrogant, driven by base desires, prone to excessive sleep, and lazy. Thus, the ruling shifts from makruh (disliked) to haram primarily due to the adverse effects it causes.

Eat in moderation and with balance. Simply follow the various recommendations and Sunnah practices. For instance, satisfy an infant's nutritional needs for two years with breast milk rather than cow's milk; thousands of research studies have proven the benefits of breast milk.

Furthermore, avoid excessive consumption of animal protein. Beyond the negative physical impact—specifically the absorption of the animal's "feral nature"—the livestock industry is known to cause significant environmental damage. Methane gas emitted by livestock, particularly cattle, accounts for 14.5 percent of total global greenhouse gas emissions. Rising global beef consumption, driven by increased prosperity and lifestyle changes, has contributed to the rise in the Earth's temperature. This issue was highlighted, for example, at the Annual Media Briefing on Climate Change for Journalists of the Global South held in New Delhi, India, in November 2014. Therefore, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, adopt a diet based on non-animal protein.

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