❀ Etiquette of Handling Dropped Food & Satan’s Use of the Left Hand ❀
✍ Compiled by: Dr. Raza Abdullah Pasha حفظه الله
What should I do if a morsel falls? Does Satan eat with his left hand?
When a morsel of food falls, it should be picked up, cleaned, and eaten.
It is narrated in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim from Sayyidunā Jābir رضي الله عنه, who reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"إذا وقعت لقمة أحدكم فليأخذها فليمط ما كان بها من أذى وليأكلها، ولا يدعها للشيطان، ولا يمسح يده بالمنديل حتى يلعق أصابعه، فإنه لا يدري فى أى طعايير البركة"
“When any of you drops a morsel, he should pick it up, remove the dirt from it, and eat it. He should not leave it for the devil. And he should not wipe his hands with a cloth until he has licked his fingers, for he does not know in which portion of the food the blessing lies.”
In another narration of Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim:
"إن الشيطان يحضر أحدكم عند كل شيء من شأنه حتى يحضره عند طعامه، فإذا سقطت من أحدكم اللقمة فليمط ما كان بها من أذى ثم ليأكلها ولا يدعها للشيطان"
“Satan is present with one of you in all matters, even at the time of eating. So if a morsel falls, he should remove any dirt from it and eat it, and not leave it for Satan.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Hadith No. 182]
As for eating with the left hand, it is forbidden, as it is the practice of Satan.
It is narrated from Sayyidunā Jābir رضي الله عنه that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"لا تأكلوا بالشمال، فإن الشيطان يأكل ويشرب بشماله"
“Do not eat with your left hand, for Satan eats and drinks with his left hand.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Hadith No. 183]
① If a morsel of food falls, it should be picked up, cleaned, and eaten.
② One should not leave fallen food for Satan, as he seeks to share in the food.
③ The Prophet ﷺ instructed to lick the fingers before wiping them, as blessing (barakah) could be in any part of the food.
④ Satan is present at the time of eating and tries to share in it.
⑤ Eating or drinking with the left hand is the practice of Satan and is prohibited in Islam.
⑥ The Sunnah is to eat with the right hand and follow proper manners and etiquettes at mealtimes.
✍ Compiled by: Dr. Raza Abdullah Pasha حفظه الله
❖ Question:
What should I do if a morsel falls? Does Satan eat with his left hand?
❖ Answer:
When a morsel of food falls, it should be picked up, cleaned, and eaten.
It is narrated in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim from Sayyidunā Jābir رضي الله عنه, who reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"إذا وقعت لقمة أحدكم فليأخذها فليمط ما كان بها من أذى وليأكلها، ولا يدعها للشيطان، ولا يمسح يده بالمنديل حتى يلعق أصابعه، فإنه لا يدري فى أى طعايير البركة"
“When any of you drops a morsel, he should pick it up, remove the dirt from it, and eat it. He should not leave it for the devil. And he should not wipe his hands with a cloth until he has licked his fingers, for he does not know in which portion of the food the blessing lies.”
In another narration of Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim:
"إن الشيطان يحضر أحدكم عند كل شيء من شأنه حتى يحضره عند طعامه، فإذا سقطت من أحدكم اللقمة فليمط ما كان بها من أذى ثم ليأكلها ولا يدعها للشيطان"
“Satan is present with one of you in all matters, even at the time of eating. So if a morsel falls, he should remove any dirt from it and eat it, and not leave it for Satan.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Hadith No. 182]
As for eating with the left hand, it is forbidden, as it is the practice of Satan.
It is narrated from Sayyidunā Jābir رضي الله عنه that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
"لا تأكلوا بالشمال، فإن الشيطان يأكل ويشرب بشماله"
“Do not eat with your left hand, for Satan eats and drinks with his left hand.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Hadith No. 183]
✔ Key Points:
① If a morsel of food falls, it should be picked up, cleaned, and eaten.
② One should not leave fallen food for Satan, as he seeks to share in the food.
③ The Prophet ﷺ instructed to lick the fingers before wiping them, as blessing (barakah) could be in any part of the food.
④ Satan is present at the time of eating and tries to share in it.
⑤ Eating or drinking with the left hand is the practice of Satan and is prohibited in Islam.
⑥ The Sunnah is to eat with the right hand and follow proper manners and etiquettes at mealtimes.