´Mu’alla bin Rashid Abu Yaman said:` “My grandmother narrated to me from a man of Hudhail who was called Nubaishah Al-Khair. She said: ‘Nubaishah entered upon us when we were eating from a bowl of ours. He said: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Whoever eats from a bowl then cleans it, the bowl will pray for forgiveness for him.’”
Related hadith on this topic
Explanation & Benefits
Maulana Ataullah Sajid
Benefits and Issues:
Both narrations in the mentioned chapter are weak in their chains of transmission; however, the act of cleaning a cup or plate, etc., with one’s fingers is mentioned in a narration of Sahih Muslim.
It is narrated from Anas bin Malik radi Allahu anhu that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam commanded us to clean the plate with our fingers. (Sahih Muslim, Al-Ashriba, Chapter: The Recommendation of Licking the Fingers..., Hadith: 2034)
Furthermore, in this same narration of Sahih Muslim, the reason for cleaning the plate with the fingers is the same as that which was mentioned in the previous chapter regarding licking the fingers.
Especially in today’s environment, some people take more food in their plates and, after eating a little, waste the rest.
This is an extremely bad habit.
It shows disrespect for the food.
And to waste without necessity is included in extravagance (tabdhir), regarding which the Qur’an has called the one who commits it “the brother of Satan.” It is a requirement of Islamic manners that when eating, one should take only as much food as needed in the plate and not leave any behind.
And whatever cooked food remains, instead of throwing it away, it should be distributed among those in need, the poor, and neighbors.
Source: Commentary on Sunan Ibn Mājah by Mawlānā ‘Atā’ullāh Sājid, Page: 3272
Shaykh Dr. Abdur Rahman Freywai
Urdu Footnote:
Note:
(In the chain of narration, both Mu'alla bin Rashid and Umm 'Asim are "layyin al-hadith," meaning weak narrators.)
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhi – Majlis ‘Ilmi Dar al-Da‘wah, New Delhi Edition, Page: 1804