Abu Dawud

Benefits and Issues:
This hadith is evidence that the right hand has superiority. In one narration, Nafi‘ reports from Ibn ‘Umar radi Allahu anhuma that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “Do not take anything from anyone with the left hand, nor hand anything to anyone with the left hand.” [صحيح مسلم، الاشربه، باب آداب الطعام والشراب واحكامهما، حديث : 2020] People do not exercise caution in this matter and use the left hand when taking and giving things, whereas, just as with eating and drinking, only the right hand should be used when taking and giving things. The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “None of you should eat or drink with the left hand, for indeed Shaytan eats and drinks with the left hand.” [صحيح مسلم، الاشربه، باب آداب الطعام ولشراب واحكامهما، حديث : 2020] From this, it is understood that eating and drinking with the left hand is an act of Shaytan, but unfortunately, many Muslims, in imitation of the Europeans, eat and drink with the left hand with great pride, even though there is a very severe warning against resembling the disbelievers. In the presence of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, a man ate with his left hand, so the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said to him: “Eat with your right hand.” He replied: “I am not able to.” The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “Then may you not be able to.” Only arrogance had prevented him from doing so. The narrator of this hadith states that after that, the man was never able to raise his right hand to his mouth. [صحيح مسلم، الاشربة، حديث : 2021]

From this hadith, it is understood that the supplication made by the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam for him was accepted, therefore eating and drinking with the left hand is a very grave sin. Cleanliness and hygiene also demand that only the right hand be used for eating and drinking, because the left hand has been commanded to be used for istinja’ (cleaning oneself after relieving oneself), so how inappropriate it is to eat and drink with the same hand with which a person cleans his filth. In order to make such pure habits and manners a part of daily life, one should instill and ensure these habits in one’s children from the very beginning, so that a righteous and pious society, upholding the etiquettes of the Shari‘ah, may be formed.