Ihsaan Magazine August 2016 | Page 49

Eating The Sunnah Way WRITTEN by. KERINA MOHAMMED Islam as a complete way of life teaches us the etiquette’s of eating and drinking. The Prophet (SAS) in his perfect example made a point of developing remarkably clean and healthy eating habits,even among his followers. He asked the companions to wash their hands before and after meals, to start and end their meals with the praise of Allah, to eat using the right hand, not to eat until they really felt hungry and not to eat and drink excessively. Eating, like any other act of a Muslim, is a matter of worship when performed according to Islamic guidelines. The following are SOME of the many habits regarding eating, which had been practiced and performed by the Prophet Muhammad (SAS): Do not criticize Criticizing a meal, whether a person dislikes the food or the taste, is against the teachings of the Prophet (SAS). Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) never criticized any food that was offered to him. “The Prophet (SAS) never criticized any food (he was invited to) but he used to eat it if he liked the food, and leave it if he disliked it.”– Sahih Bukhari Praying before each meal Eating, like any other act of a Muslim, is a matter of worship and begins with the name of Allah. Muslims start their eating by making the following supplication: “O Allah! Bless the food You have bestowed upon us and protect us from the torment of hell. In the name of Allah we start.” (OR AT LEAST SAY...Bismillah)– An-Nasa’i Praying after each meal Begin in the name of Allah and praise and thank Allah for the blessing that He bestowed upon them upon finishing a meal, this is the practice of our beloved Prophet (SAS). “Praise be to Allah the One Who gave us the food and the drinks. Praise be to Him Who made us Muslims.”(OR AT LEAST SAY...Alhamdulillah)– Tirmidhi & Abu Dawud Eating less or just enough Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) emphasized the habit of eating less as a method of preventing sickness and disease. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: “Nothing is worse than a person who fills his stomach. It should be enough for the son of Adam to have a few bites to satisfy his hunger. If he wishes more, it should be: Onethird for his food, one-third for his liquids, and one-third for his breath.”– Tirmidhi & Ibn Majah Eating slowly Eating slowly is recommended for health. Slow eating reduces the consumption of food, as it postpones much of the meal to a time when the absorption of nutrients begin to produce physiological signals of satiety. Slow eating helps in chewing the food well. This results in the exercise of the jaws and mixing of the saliva with food. Hence, efficient digestion takes place because the food particles are cut into smaller pieces, not requiring as much churning in the stomach or