Part 36

The people of knowledge have mentioned some of the wisdoms behind the prohibition of drinking directly from the mouth of a jug, and we will mention a few of them here. First, the more people drink from and breathe into a jug, canteen, or bottle, the worse will become its smell, until it becomes so bad that one will feel aversion at the idea of drinking from it. Second, a large ; canteen or jug might have filth, dirt, or insects inside of it, anda person who drinks from it won't be able to notice those things, : and as a result, his health might become affected. But if he pours - the drink into a glass, he will be able to see the filth and remove .

"1! Related by Bukhaaree (5627), Ahmad (7113), and others. "1 Related by Bukhaaree (5629), Ahmad (1990), At-Tirmidhee (1825), An- -

Nassaaee (4448), Abu Daawood (3719), Ibn Maajah (3421), and Ad-

Chapter - 9 The Manners Of Eating And Drinking 223

it. Third, a person’s spit might get mixed into the drink, and others will feel disgusted as a result. Fourth, the spit and breath of the person drinking might make someone else fall ill, for it is a medically established fact that contagious diseases sometimes spread through saliva and breath.

Question: It is established in an authentic hadith that the Prophet # drank from a hanging canteen. How then can we find harmony between his action -~ which indicates permissibility - and his verbal prohibition?

Answer: Refuting the claim that the action abrogates the verbal prohibition in this issue, Ibn Hajr said, “In Sharhut-Tirmidhee, our Shaikh said, ‘We must make a distinction between situations wherein one has no excuse - so that the prohibition stands - and situations wherein one has an excuse, such as when a canteen is hanging up, and the person who wants to drink cannot easily find a cup and is not positioned such that he can drink from his hand. When one has an excuse, it is not disliked for him to drink from the mouth of a canteen, as is the case in the aforementioned Ahadeeth.’ This view [of our Shaikh] is corroborated by the fact that, in all of the Ahadeeth that indicate permissibility, the canteen was hanging up. [We must keep in mind that] drinking from a hanging container is more specific (thus allowing it to take a different ruling) than drinking from a container in general. Consequently, nothing in those Ahadeeth points to a general, comprehensive ruling of permissibility; instead, permissibility applies to that one situation only. [In finding harmony between the apparently conflicting narrations] it is better to construe some of the narrations as dealing with cases of necessity, thus bringing complete harmony between the different narrations, than to take the view of abrogation. And Allah 3 knows best.’

" The hadith is related by At-Tirmidhee (1892) with the fallowing wording: Kabshah Al-Ansaariyyah 4 said, “The Messenger of Allah #% entered upon me and then drank, standing up, from the mouth of a hanging canteen...” Abu ‘Eesa At-Tirmidhee said, “This hadith is Hasan Sahech.” Tbn Maajah related it too (3423), and Al-Albaanee gave it a ‘sahih’ grade.

18) The Person Who Is Serving Drinks To Others Should Be The Last Of Them To Drink Himself

The basis of this ruling is a long hadith related by Qataadah #, in which he 4 said, ‘The Messenger of Allah #% began to pour and I to hand them the drink, until no one remained save me and save the Messenger of Allah #%. Then the Messenger of Allah # poured [again] and said [to me], ‘Drink,’ to which I answered, ‘I will not drink until you drink, O Messenger of Allah.’ He # said,

Gy Biel pili gale Sp

“The person who gives drink to the people is (i.e., should be) the last of them to drink.’

So I drank and [then] the Messenger of Allah 3% drank...”")

19) It ls Recommended To Talk During A Meal

In Thyaa Uloom Ad-Deen, Al-Ghazaalee pointed out that we should talk during a meal so as to differ from people of foreign nations, for it customary for them to remain silent during meals.) And we have been ordered not to imitate non-Muslims. Tbn Muflaih related that Ishaaq Ibn Ibraaheem said, “I once had dinner with Abu ‘Abdur-Rahmaan (Ahmad Ibn Hanbal) and a relative of his. When we stopped talking, he ate and continued to say, ‘Alhamdulillah (All praise is to Allah)’ and ‘Bismillah (In the Name of Allah).’ He then said, ‘Eating and praising [Allah] is better than eating and remaining silent.” After relating this account, Ibn Muflaih said, “I found nothing related from Ahmad that explicitly conflicted with this narration, nor did I find any opposition from most of Al-Ashaab (scholars that followed Imam Ahmad’s principles of jurisprudence). It appears that Ahmad - may Allah have mercy on him - followed some narration in this

'] Related by Muslim (681), Ahmad (22040), At-Tirmidhee (1894), Ibn Maajah (3434), and Ad-Daarimee (2135). Some of them related it in its full length, while others only related the portion that contains proof for the issue in question. And yet others related it both ways, in its full length and in truncated form.

1 Refer to Thyaa ‘Uloom Ad-Deen (2/11)

Chapter - 9 The Manners Of Eating And Drinking 225

regard, for it was his way and wont to search out for ways to follow [the Prophet #].””

20) Eating Together As A Group

It is recommended for people to eat together as a group, for doing so causes their food to be blessed: the more the people are that are sharing a meal, the more the blessings. Jaabir Ibn ‘Abdullah 4 reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah # say,

“The food of one is enough for two; the food of two is enough for four; and the food of four is enough for eight."

The link between a meal being blessed and people sharing a meal is more explicitly worded in this narration, which At-Tabaraanee relates from the hadith of Ibn ‘Umar : “Eat together and do not part from one another, for indeed, the food of one is sufficient for two...” We learn from this hadith that it is the blessings of gathering and sharing that lead to a seemingly small amount of food being sufficient for many; hence, the more the people there are that are sharing, the more blessings will there be in their meal.

Wahshee Ibn Harb related from his father, who related from his father, that the Companions of the Messenger of Allah 2 said, “O Messenger of Allah, we eat but do not become filled.” He # said,

“Perhaps you separate from one another [when you eat].” They said, “Yes.” He 2% said,

1 Related by Muslim (2059), Ahmad (13810), At-Tirmidhee (1820), Ibn Maajah (3254), and Ad-Daarimee (2044).

“Then gather upon your food (i.e., eat together) and mention

Allah’s name over it, and as a result, it will become blessed for “Al

21) It Is Disliked To Eat A Lot Of Food Or To Eat So Little That One's Body Weakens

Eating too much leads to many diseases, causes laziness, making one feel it heavy and burdensome to do deeds of obedience to Allah 4é, and hardens a person's heart - and we seek refuge in Allah #€ from all of that. The opposite way, eating too little, also weakens a person’s body, making him too weak to do acts of obedience to Allah 4%. The best cure and prevention is what is prescribed by the Prophet #%, and were we to follow the Prophet’s way, we would not, in many instances, have to pay a visit to the doctor. Miqdaam Ibn Ma’dee Karib 4 reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah # say,

“A human being has never filled a container that is worse than his stomach, It is sufficient for the son of Adam to have just that amount of morsels that cause his back to remain upright. But if there is no escape (i.e., he wants more), then one third for his food, one third for his drink, and one third for his breathing.’!

We would do we" to heed what some of our pious predecessors had to say about this subject. Ibn ‘Abdul-Barr and others related that, one day, when ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab # delivered a sermon, he said, ‘‘Beware of gluttony, for it makes one lazy from prayer and it is harmful to the body. Upon you is moderation in your food, for that will keep you further away

"] Related by Abu Daawood (3764), and Al-Albaanee gave a ‘Sakeeh’ grade to his narration; Ahmad (15648); and Ibn Maajah (3286).

"1 Related by At-Tirmidhee (2380), who said, “Hasan sahih”; by Tbn Maajah (3349), and Al-Albaanee gave a ‘sahih’ grade to his narration; and by

Chapter - 9 The Manners Of Eating And Drinking 207 from ungratefulness, healthier in your body, and stronger to do worship. And a person does not become destroyed until he prefers his desire over his religion.” ‘Alee 2 said, ‘The stomach is the tank of the body: liquids come into it and flow out of it. If it is healthy, liquids will flow out of it in a healthy manner, but if it is sick, liquids will flow out of it with sickness.” Fudail Ibn ‘Iyaadh said, “Two actions harden the heart: much talk and much eating.” And it was said to Imam Ahmad, “These are the people who eat very little food.” He said, “That does not impress me. I heard ‘Abdur-Rahmaan Ibn Mahdee say, ‘A group of people did the same and it resulted in them being cut off from obligatory duties (ie., their bodies became so weak that they became negligent in performing obligatory duties).”

22) The Prohibition Of Sitting At A Table Upon Which Alcohol Is Imbibed

‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattaab # said, ‘The Messenger of Allah 2% forbade two kinds of eating: sitting at a table upon which alcohol is imbibed, and for a man to eat while he is lying prone on his stomach." Imam Ahmad related the same with this wording: “Whosoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, then let him not sit at a table upon which alcohol is imbibed...” Even when one doesn’t drink alcohol, just by sitting with others who are drinking it, he shows his tacit acceptance and approval of their evil action. And that is the wisdom behind the prohibition.

1) Related by Abu Daawood (3774), and Al-Albaanee gave a ‘sahih’ grade to his narration; and by Ibn Maajah (3370), but without mention of the first part of the hadith.

The Manners Of Going To The Bathroom

Salmaan # said, “[One of] the disbelievers said to us, ‘Verily, we see that your companion (the Prophet #%) even teaches you how to relieve yourselves.”” Salmaan # answered him, “Yes, he forbids each of us from cleaning himself [after urinating or defecating] with his right hand and from facing the Qiblah [during the act of urinating or defecating]. And he prohibited the use of manure or bones [for cleaning]. And he #¢ said,