Etiquette of Feeding the Needy (It‘am at-Ta‘am) in the Quran & Sunnah

1. They feed — for love of Him — the needy, the orphan and the captive.

Allah says:

وَيُطْعِمُونَ ٱلطَّعَامَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِۦ مِسْكِينًا وَيَتِيمًا وَأَسِيرًا

and they give food, out of their love for Him (Allah), to the needy, and the orphan, and the captive, (Surah Al-Insan 76:8)

“…though the food is dear to them themselves” — and their words are preserved: “We feed you only for the Face of Allah; we want from you neither reward nor thanks.”

2. The steep path: feeding on a day of hunger.

Allah says:

أَوْ إِطْعَـٰمٌ فِى يَوْمٍ ذِى مَسْغَبَةٍ

or giving food in a day of hunger (Surah Al-Balad 90:14)

Freeing a neck and feeding in famine are named the steep ascent — the deeds by which a soul climbs out of itself toward Allah.

3. The one who never urged the feeding of the poor.

Allah says:

وَلَا يَحُضُّ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ ٱلْمِسْكِينِ

and did not persuade (others) to feed the needy. (Surah Al-Haqqah 69:34)

Denial of the Judgment is described by its fruit: he did not believe in Allah the Magnificent, and he never urged the feeding of the needy — the empty table is a creed before it is a habit.

1. “What is the best of Islam?” — “That you feed food…”

A man asked: “What sort of deeds (or qualities) of Islam are good?” He ﷺ said: “To feed (the poor), and to greet with salam those whom you know and those whom you do not know.”

Lesson: Feeding stands at the head of the answer — before the greeting that opens every other door.

2. “Feed the hungry, visit the sick, free the captives.”

The Prophet ﷺ joined three doors of mercy in one command — and feeding the hungry is placed first of them.

Lesson: The hungry man is not asked for his story before his bread; the command is to feed, and the rest follows.