Book 21: Foods

Al-Mughira b. ‘Shu'ba said: I was a guest one night along with God's messenger and he ordered a haunch to be roasted, then took a broad knife and began to cut off slices for me. Bilal then came to tell him the time for prayer had come, and he threw down the knife saying, “What is the m atter with him! May his hands be covered with dust!”* My moustache was long, so he said, “I shall clip it for you over a tooth-stick,” or, “Clip it over a tooth-stick.” *Taribat yadahu. I have here translated the phrase literally, but cf. p. 658. It is not normally to be taken literally. In this tradition the Prophet (ﷺ) is evidently displeased because the call to prayer has been made so soon, but it should not be understood that he is calling down a curse on Bilal. In its use here it may indicate some degree of displeasure, but nothing more. Tirmidhi transmitted it*

Hudhaifa said: When we were at food with the Prophet (ﷺ) we did not put in our hands till he had put his in first. Once when we were at food with him a girl came in as though she were being impelled and was about to put her hand in the food when God’s messenger seized her by the hand. Then a nomadic Arab came in as though he were being impelled and he seized his hand. God’s messenger then said, “The devil considers food lawful when God’s name is not mentioned over it, and he brought this girl th at it might be lawful by means of her, so I seized her hand; then he brought this nomadic Arab that it might be lawful by means of him, so I seized his hand. By Him in whose hand my soul is, the devil’s hand is in mine along with hers.” He added in a version, ‘Then he mentioned God’s name and ate.’ Muslim transmitted it.

‘A'isha told that God’s messenger wanted to buy a young slave, so he threw some dates in front of him, but when the youth ate greedily he said, “Voracious eating is ominous,” and ordered him to be sent back. Baihaqi transmitted it in Shu‘ab al-iman.

Anas b. Malik reported God’s messenger as saying, “The lord of your condiment is salt.”* *Probably meaning that salt is necessary to make food palatable, while other condiments are extras. Ibn Majah transmitted it.

He reported God’s messenger as saying, "When food is set down take off your sandals, for it gives more rest to your feet."

Asma’ daughter of Abu Bakr told that when she was brought tharid she ordered it to be covered until the force of its steam had gone, saying she had heard God’s messenger say it is more effective in producing a blessing. Darimi transmitted the two traditions.

Nubaisha reported God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone eats from a dish and licks it, the dish will express to him the wish that God may free him from hell as he has freed it from the devil.” Razin transmitted it.