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سنن ابن ماجه
Ibn Majah
كتاب الأطعمةChapters on Food
بَابُ : لَعْقِ الأَصَابِعِChapter: Licking the fingers
Hadith 3270
اُردوEn
حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ ، أَنْبَأَنَا أَبُو دَاوُدَ الْحَفَرِيُّ ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ ، عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ ، قَالَ : قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : " لَا يَمْسَحْ أَحَدُكُمْ يَدَهُ حَتَّى يَلْعَقَهَا ، فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَدْرِي فِي أَيِّ طَعَامِهِ الْبَرَكَةُ " .
´It was narrated from Jabir that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:` “None of you should wipe his hand until he has licked it, for he does not know where the blessing if in his food.’”
Related hadith on this topic
Brief Explanation
1؎: This is Sunnah, although in this era some arrogant worldly people consider it contrary to etiquette; in reality, they themselves are lacking in manners. When a person is clean and pure, and eats after washing his hands, then what objection can there be to licking the fingers? However, if the hands are impure and one is eating with a spoon, then he should not lick them. The first etiquette mentioned here is that one should begin eating or drinking by reciting «بسم اللہ». The second etiquette is to eat with the right hand, and the third etiquette is to eat from what is in front of and near oneself. This applies when the food is in a large vessel (such as a tray, platter, or large dish) and several people are eating together at the same time, and the food is of one kind. If there are different kinds of items, then it will be permissible to extend the hand towards others’ sides to take something.
Explanation & Benefits
Maulana Ataullah Sajid
Benefits and Issues:
➊
After eating, one should clean the fingers with the tongue.
➋
Wasting even a small portion of food is ingratitude for the blessing.
➌
It is not appropriate to wipe the hand with a cloth or wash it with water without first cleaning it, because in this way the cloth will be soiled or water will be used more than necessary, and the food particles stuck to the hand will go into the bread, which is a form of disrespect for the blessing of sustenance.
➍
Blessing (barakah) is an intangible and imperceptible thing. For its attainment, one should act upon the teachings of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and avoid wasting sustenance.
➎
Letting someone else lick (the fingers) is permissible when the other person does not feel any aversion to it, for example: a wife or children, etc.
➊
After eating, one should clean the fingers with the tongue.
➋
Wasting even a small portion of food is ingratitude for the blessing.
➌
It is not appropriate to wipe the hand with a cloth or wash it with water without first cleaning it, because in this way the cloth will be soiled or water will be used more than necessary, and the food particles stuck to the hand will go into the bread, which is a form of disrespect for the blessing of sustenance.
➍
Blessing (barakah) is an intangible and imperceptible thing. For its attainment, one should act upon the teachings of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and avoid wasting sustenance.
➎
Letting someone else lick (the fingers) is permissible when the other person does not feel any aversion to it, for example: a wife or children, etc.
Source: Commentary on Sunan Ibn Mājah by Mawlānā ‘Atā’ullāh Sājid, Page: 3270
Shaykh Dr. Abdur Rahman Freywai
Explanation:
1:
That is, the dust or dirt that has settled on the fallen morsel should be removed,
so that one appreciates this blessing of Allah,
and eats it,
not leaving it for Shaytan, because leaving it would be showing ingratitude for this blessing.
However, it should also be considered that the morsel has not fallen in a place that is impure or filthy;
if that is the case, then it is better to clean it and feed it to an animal.
1:
That is, the dust or dirt that has settled on the fallen morsel should be removed,
so that one appreciates this blessing of Allah,
and eats it,
not leaving it for Shaytan, because leaving it would be showing ingratitude for this blessing.
However, it should also be considered that the morsel has not fallen in a place that is impure or filthy;
if that is the case, then it is better to clean it and feed it to an animal.
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhi – Majlis ‘Ilmi Dar al-Da‘wah, New Delhi Edition, Page: 1802
