Reciting Bismillah Before Drinking and Alhamdulillah After
Author: Imran Ayyub Lahori
It is from the Sunnah to say "بِسْمِ الله" before drinking and "الْحَمْدُ لِلَّه" afterwards.
Qur’ānic Basis for Including Water in "Ṭaʿām" (Food)
The Qur’ān uses the term "طَعَام" (food) in a way that includes drinking water:
①
"وَمَن لَّمْ يَطْعَمْهُ فَإِنَّهُ مِنِّي"
"Whoever does not taste it is indeed of me."
(Sūrah al-Baqarah 2:249)
Imām al-Qurṭubī states: This verse shows that the word ṭaʿām can refer to drinking water.
②
"لَيْسَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ جُنَاحٌ فِيمَا طَعِمُوا"
"There is no blame upon those who believe and do righteous deeds for what they consumed (ate/drank)."
(Sūrah al-Māʾidah 5:93)
Ruling Derived
Since ṭaʿām (food) includes both eating and drinking, and it is established that before eating we say Bismillah and afterwards Alhamdulillah, the same applies to drinking water:
- Before drinking: Say بِسْمِ الله
- After drinking: Say الْحَمْدُ لِلَّه
هٰذَا مَا عِندِي وَاللهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَاب
