Eating and Drinking Conduct of Prophet Muhammad
Abstract
Other
aspects of eating etiquette, such as beginning a meal with Allah’s
name, ending it in praising Him, hygiene, and avoiding wastefulness are
also considered. Since the Prophet was chosen by Allah to deliver His
message to the people through teaching them how to live and eventually
reach perfection, he is the perfect model to be followed in every aspect
of a person’s life.
Eating
and drinking are among the basic requirements of a person’s material
life. If these needs are not met correctly, its effects on the body and
spirit are detrimental. Since the body works as a vehicle for the soul,
any disorder in the body will undoubtedly disrupt it.
The
prophets and saints (awliya' Allah) were also not needless of food and
drink. By following the correct approach to eating, they ensure their
body’s wellbeing and use it as a means to bring the soul to perfection.
For
this reason, when studying the lifestyle of the Prophet, the etiquettes
related to eating, drinking, and other aspects related to bodily health
and physical appearance should be studied before those related to one’s
spiritual life.
Considering
all the narrations (hadiths) regarding the etiquette and conduct of the
Prophet with regards to eating and drinking, we find answers to
questions such as: When, why, and how did the Prophet eat? How much and
what types of food did he have? Did he eat alone or with others? The
answers are found in the following discussions.
A) The primary goal for eating
Why
people eat or drink seems obvious at first glance: eating and drinking
are natural necessities of human life. However, from the viewpoint of
saints, the philosophy behind providing for the physical needs of the
body in general is more important than mere survival: The body plays the
role of an instrument for man’s reality – the soul. In other words, for
the soul to move towards perfection, the needs of the body as the
vehicle and instrument for the soul should be supplied.
For
this reason, the instrumental role of eating in the direction of
worship and performing obligations has been pointed out in narrations,
as the Prophet said:
O’
God, grant us abundance (barakah) of bread and do not let us be
separated from it, for without it we will not be able to perform ritual
prayer, fast, and perform our divine obligations.1
Imam
Sadiq also states, “The foundation of the body is based on bread.”2 In
another narration, a person asks Abu Dharr,3 “What is the best deed
after believing in God?” He replied, “Performing ritual prayers and
eating bread.” Seeing the person surprised by this answer, Abu Dharr
continued, “If there is no bread, God will not be worshipped.”4 As
Sarakhsi said, Abu Dharr implied that eating bread gives a person enough
strength to perform ritual prayers.
Considering
these hadiths, the Prophet’s aim for eating was noble; rather than
eating to become gluttonous, it is to prepare the body for fulfilling
ritual obligations.
B) The kinds of food the Prophet ate
The Prophet chose food that was halal (permissible), simple, and beneficial:
1. Permissibility (halal)
Since
the Prophet’s role was to guide people, he was the most careful when it
came to eating permissible foods. He constantly ate along with his
family and servant, and they ate only what God permitted.5 The Prophet
also insisted on eating with others, as well as beginning a meal in the
name of God and praising Him when the meal was finished. The food must
also be permissible (halal).6
One
of the practical examples of the Prophet’s attention towards eating
permissible food and avoiding prohibited food is seen when he became the
guest of a group of the Ansar. When they put a piece of broiled mutton
in front of him, he put a morsel into his mouth, chewed it, but did not
swallow it. He took it out and said that he was informed that the mutton
“has been supplied unfairly.”
Confirming
what the Prophet said, they admitted, “Since we did not manage to find
any sheep at the market, we took a sheep from one of the neighbours
without permission and expect to pay for it afterwards.”7
2. Simplicity
Narrations
state that the Prophet’s food was as ordinary as his contemporaries.
Based on Tabarsi’s narration, the Prophet was not demanding with regards
to what he ate. He never insisted on having a specific type of food; he
ate whatever he was provided within the boundaries of its
permissibility.8
Of
course, this does not contradict the narrations that specify the foods
and fruits that the Prophet liked; if it was possible, the Prophet would
have the beneficial foods or fruits he liked.
In
most cases, the Prophet ate barley bread made with whole grain flour.
In some narrations, barley bread has been introduced as the food of the
prophets, as seen in this saying by Imam Ridha:
There
has not been any prophet who has not invited people to eat barely bread
and has not asked for its abundance. And it has not gone into any
stomach without removing an illness. It is the food of the prophets and
the righteous people, and God has refused to place anything other than
barley as their main food.9
In
another narration, Qutadah speaks of the simplicity of the Prophet’s
food: “Sometimes we would go to Anas Ibn Malik while his baker was
working. One day, Anas turned to us and said, ‘Eat from these pieces of
bread, though I have not ever heard about the Prophet’s having bread
made with sifted flour without bran, and his having broiled mutton.’”10
The
Prophet’s stew was also very simple. Imam Sadiq narrates that one day
the Prophet went to his wife, Umm Salamah, who brought a slice of bread
for the Prophet. When he asked her if she had any stew as well, she
replied that she did not, and that she only had vinegar. The Prophet
then said, “Vinegar is good stew. The house in which there is vinegar is
not poor.”11
The
Prophet sometimes would only have bread dipped in milk. Based on
Kulayni’s narration from Imam Sadiq, one morning the Prophet went out of
his home for prayer while eating a slice of bread dipped in milk.12
3. Beneficial and Harmless
The
Prophet did not consume food or drink that was harmful. Imam Sadiq
narrates from Imam Ali that once, when a very hot food was brought for
the Prophet, he said, “Let it become cool. God has not fed us fire. And
foods that are not too hot are blessed.”13 Nowadays, the damaging
effects of eating hot food are known to everyone.
Because
of the Prophet’s connection to the source of Divine knowledge and his
awareness of the qualities and effects of the various foods, he chose
the most beneficial food available. Furthermore, he also observed
medical principles with respect to the amount of food he ate.
In
the narration mentioned earlier by Imam Reza, the curative quality of
barley bread was pointed out.14 Moreover, in some other narrations, Imam
Sadiq presented milk, vinegar, oil, and sawiq (a kind of food made of
mashed meat and mashed wheat or barley together with sugar and dates) as
the food of the prophets, and meat and milk as their soup.15
The Prophet’s favourite food was meat given its healthy benefits:
Meat
increases the strength of hearing and sight. It is superior to all the
foods in this world and the Hereafter. Had wanted God to feed me with
meat every day, He would do so.16
Sometimes
he would have meat cooked in water and at other times he would have it
roasted and served with bread.17 He liked sheep’s leg more than its
other parts.18
Imam
Sadiq has said that the Prophet broke his fast with sweets when they
were available,19 and if he did not have access to them, he would break
his fast with lukewarm water. Regarding this, he said:
It
[warm water] cleans the liver and the stomach, makes the smell of the
mouth pleasant, strengthens the teeth and the eyes, sharpens the sight,
causes forgiveness of sins, stimulates the blood vessels, removes
bitterness, stops phlegm, decreases the heat in the stomach, and removes
headaches.20
The
Prophet also liked honey; he knew that eating it – along with reciting
verses of the Qur’an – as well as chewing frankincense would remove
phlegm.21
The
Prophet sometimes expressed the desirability of meals by saying
“tayyib” (“delicious”). For example, once, when one of his companions
offered him some kind of desert like faludeh, he took some of it, and
asked him, “O’ Aba Abdallah, what is it made of?”
The
man answered: “We spilt some oil and honey into one stony pot, and then
heated it. After that we grind wheat cores and mix it with the honey
and oil until it is completely mingled and ready to eat.” The Prophet
then said, “This is a delicious dish.”22
C) The kinds of food served
The
simplicity of the Prophet did not allow for more than one kind of food
to be served at each meal. Imam Sadiq narrates that one Thursday night
when the Prophet was at Quba Mosque, he asked for a drink to break his
fast.
Aws
Ibn Khuli Al-Ansari brought a big bowl containing a mixture of milk and
honey. The Prophet brought it close to his lips (perhaps to smell it),
and then suddenly refused to drink it, and said:
This
contains two kinds of drinks. Only one is sufficient. I will not drink
them together. However I do not forbid eating them. I choose not to
drink them so as to show my humbleness before God, and anyone who shows
humility before God, God will dignify him. Anyone who is arrogant, God
will degrade him. He who is moderate in livelihood will be given
sustenance by God, but he who is extravagant, God will make him
deprived. And he who remembers death often will be liked by God.23
This
tradition portrays the Prophet’s contentment with one kind of drink and
food at a time, and this contentment is preferable – not mandatory –
given that Islam is a simple religion to follow.
It
also indicates the ascetic lifestyle in which the infallible Imams and
righteous people lived; although they had the opportunity to use worldly
blessings, they only used what was necessary due to their modesty and
humility towards God, as they did not consider themselves deserving the
least Godly gifts and confessed their inability to thank God for His
smallest favours.
On
the other hand, the arrogant are completely occupied with worldly
affairs and use God’s blessings while being unconcerned about His
favours; instead, they transgress from the right path and demand more
from Him.
Thus,
the Prophet’s main advice in this narration is moderation in life and
refraining from prodigality. At the end of the narration, the Prophet
advises people to remember death, which is an important way of
preserving man from deviations.24
D) The amount the Prophet ate
The
saint and the people of wisdom have always strictly advised others to
eat a moderate amount of food and forsake gluttony. Nowadays,
researchers of medical sciences also emphasize this issue.
Kulayni
quotes Imam Baqir saying, “In the eyes of God, nothing is more
unfavourable and hated than a full stomach”25 and “When the stomach
becomes full, it steps into the path of transgression.”26
As
the wise saying goes: “Do not eat very much, so as to not drink very
much, so as to not sleep very much, so as to not regret very much.”27
Prophetic narrations have also stressed that gluttony causes disease,
hardheartedness, sluggishness in worship and prayer, and illness of the
body. This causes the heart to die, and as a result, one becomes
distanced by God and eventually disliked by Him.28 Regarding the amount
of eating, the Prophet said:
The
children of Adam do not fill any pot worse than the stomach. Only a few
morsels that give them strength is sufficient for them. But if one has
to eat, he should put one-third [of his stomach] for his food, one-third
of it for his drink, and the remaining one-third for breathing.2930
The
Prophet’s spouses also witnessed the Prophet’s moderate way of eating:
as they said, “The Prophet’s stomach never became filled with food.”31
E) When the Prophet ate
The
Prophet did not eat except when he felt hungry and when his body
required nutrition, as he said, “Eat when you have an appetite for
eating, and stop eating while you [still] have an appetite for it.”32
Another narration states that the Prophet’s preferred to have food when
it was necessary to do so. He never ate when he was full.33
Moreover,
regarding the Prophet’s food, Anas ibn Malik said, “The Prophet would
never eat meat or bread during the day or night, except when his body
needed them.”34
The Imams recommended having two meals every day35 and eating a small portion at night before going to sleep:
Do
not abandon eating dinner, even if it is only three morsels (of bread)
with salt. And anyone who abandons eating dinner (totally), a vessel
dies in his body which will never be revived.36
The
Prophet has also stated, “Eat dinner even if it is only a handful of
low quality dates, because abandoning eating dinner brings about old
age.”37
F) Who did the Prophet eat with?
The Prophet advised others against eating alone as he never ate alone when he had the opportunity to eat with another person:
Would you like me to inform you who the worst among you is? One who rejects his guest, beats his servant, and eats alone.38
When
a food possesses four qualities it becomes perfect: being halal, eating
it with other people, having started with the name of God, and having
ended with the praise of God.39
He also said:
The best food in the eyes of God is that food which has many hands (i.e. many people) involved in eating it.40
Imam Sadiq narrates from Imam Ali that the Prophet with regards to eating also said:
Eating
food with people brings about abundance. One person’s food portion is
enough for two people, and two people’s food portion is enough for
four.41
The
Prophet’s statement may mean that despite not becoming full, the body’s
requirements will be provided for, and this might be the consequence of
the people’s sacrifice (ithar) in sharing their portions with others.
The emergence of abundance (barakah) in food means that by God’s
blessing, little food can result in sufficient food that is sufficient
to supply the body’s needs.42
Thus,
the Prophet reproached those who ate by themselves while choosing not
to invite those who pass by to join them. Kulayni narrates that once
when the Prophet was performing prayer in a battle, a group of people
went to see him. But since they found him worshipping, they went to the
Prophet’s companions and told them that if they were not in a hurry to
leave, they would have waited for the Prophet to finish his worship, but
they said that they had to go and asked those companions to send their
greetings to the Prophet.
After
they left, the Prophet told that group of companions unhappily, “A
group of people come to you, send their greetings to me, and you do not
invite them to eat something? If my friend Ja‘far [ibn Abi Taleb]43 was
here, it would never happen that a group of people meet him without
eating food with him.44
According
to Tabarsi’s narration, the Prophet partook permissible (halal) food
together with his family and servant, or when he was invited to eat,
together with those who had invited him. He sat on the ground or on
whatever the hosts used for sitting, and ate the same food they ate,
unless a guest came to him, in which case he ate with his guest.45
According
to another narration from Tabarsi, once a person said to the Prophet
that they ate food but never became full, the Prophet said, “Perhaps you
eat separately. Gather together at the time of eating, and recite the
name of God so that you may have abundance.”46
These
sayings, in addition to inviting others to share a meal and visit one
another, emphasize on making family relations stronger by cooperating
with one another. The Divine blessing on a group of believers who
assemble out of affection and brotherhood is far greater than the
blessing on believers individually.
The
Prophet sometimes ate with poor and needy people, and by the blessing
of his presence, many of them were fed to their fill. It has been
narrated from Imam Baqir that one night the Prophet broke his fast
beside the pulpit (minbar), together with the deprived people who slept
in the mosque. He ate in an earthenware pot, and by the blessing of his
presence, thirty people ate from that food and were fed to their fill.
Then the pot was returned to the wives of the Prophet, and they all were
fully fed as well.47
This
narration contains two messages: the concern of the Prophet for sharing
company with people in eating, and his miracle in feeding a large
number of people to their fill with a small amount of food.
G) How did the Prophet eat and drink?
There are numerous narrations about how the Prophet ate and the mannerisms he followed:
1. Beginning in the name of Allah and ending with praising Him
As
in other affairs, the Prophet also mentioned the name of God when
eating and drinking.48 We quoted the Prophet earlier saying:
The
meal with four qualities is perfect: its permissibility (halal), having
many people eating it, initiated with the name of God, and ended with
praising Him.49
When food was brought for the Prophet, he would say:
Bism-Allah
(In the Name of God). O’ God, make this gift a gift for which we are
grateful so that we gain the gift of paradise through it. Bism-Allah, O’
God, grant us abundance in what you have provided for us and make it
continue.50
Moreover,
contrary to the customary practice of praying after the meal, the
Prophet prayed before eating, which is an indication of giving thanks
for a gift before actually starting to use it.
While
drinking, the Prophet mentioned the name of God and prayed in the
beginning, and praised God in the end. Since he drank water in three
breaths, he said “Bismillah” and praised God three times.51 When he
wanted to start drinking, he prayed thus:
Praise
be to the God who sends down water from the sky, and manages the
affairs as He desires. In the name of God, the best of names.52
Also, Imam Ali said:
Many
times I have been with the Prophet and saw that while drinking water,
he would breathe three times, and each time he would mention the name of
God in the beginning and praise God in the end.53
Also, when drinking water, he would say:
Praise
be to the God who, by His grace, quenched our thirst with clean and
pleasant water, and did not give us bitter and salty water despite our
sins.54
According
to another narration, when drinking milk, the Prophet would say, “O’
God, grant us abundance in this, and bestow us more from it.”
2. Drinking in three gulps
As
pointed out, the manners and lifestyle of the Prophet regarding
drinking was such that he divided a drink into three gulps, and
mentioned the name of God and praised him in each gulp. In the
narrations from the Imams, it is mentioned that the difference between
human beings and animals in drinking is that human beings do not drink
water in one breath as animals do. Imam Baqir and Imam Sadiq said,
“Drinking in three breaths is better than in one breath.” Both Imams
found it unfavourable that a person should dip his head in the water,
like a thirsty camel, and continue until his thirst is quenched.55
It
is narrated by ibn Abbas that the Prophet took two breaths56 while
drinking. Also according to a narration from Tabarsi, the Prophet
sometimes drank in one breath.57 This may have happened in cases in
which he drank a small amount of water and drinking in three breaths was
not necessary.
3. Drinking from clean utensils
In
one narration, one day the Prophet saw a man who had dipped his mouth
in water and drank from the middle of the pot as animals do. The Prophet
said to him, “Do you dip your head in water and drink like animals? If
you have no dishes, fill your palms with water since it is the cleanest
dish.”58
4. Sipping Water
Another
way in which the Prophet drank water was by sipping it; he said, “Drink
water by sipping and do not drink it all at once, because it causes
pain in the liver.”59
5. Not Breathing Inside the Container
When
the Prophet drank water, he would remove the container from his mouth
if he wanted to breathe;60 this showed his concern for hygiene.
6. Eating from the food placed in front of him
When
other people were present at the meal, the Prophet confined himself to
the food that was in front of him, and would not reach for the food that
was in front of others.61 This characteristic is a kind of social
politeness, which is very delicate.
Starting to Eat Before Others and Finishing After Them
When
the Prophet ate with other people, whether he was a guest or the host,
he started eating before others, and also stopped after everyone had
finished eating. This was especially noticeable when he was the host.62
This
behaviour was not out of greed; rather, it was to make the guests feel
comfortable and not shy to eat. This behaviour also has a specific
ethical delicacy. At the times that the Prophet was a guest, others did
not start to eat before he did out of respect for him. Thus, by starting
to eat earlier than others, the Prophet made them feel at ease in
starting to eat. At the end of the meal, also, if the Prophet stopped
eating sooner than others, it would make them stop – perhaps even before
feeling full of respect or shame.
Eating and drinking using his right hand
The
right hand is a symbol of blessing in Islamic culture. In the Holy
Qur’an, “The people of the right hand” (ashab al-miymanah) and
“The
people of the left hand” (ashab al-yamin) have been presented as the
people of salvation and felicity, and on the Day of Judgment their
record of deeds will be given in their right hand.63
The
Prophet also performed various activities with his right hand. While
mentioning the noble manners of the Prophet, Tabarsi has said:
And
the right hand of the Prophet was for eating, drinking, taking, and
giving. He did not take except with the right hand, and did not give
except with the right hand. And his left hand was for other activities.
He liked “tayammun” (acting by the right hand) in everything he did,
such as putting on clothes, putting on shoes, moving objects, etc.64
According
to a narration, Imam Sadiq narrates from his ancestors that the Prophet
discouraged eating and drinking with the left hand.65 There is another
narration that indicates the emphasis that the Prophet put on this
matter.66
Modesty and politeness
The
Prophet was not voracious during a meal; he sat calmly and politely,
bringing the food close to his mouth to bite it rather than lowering his
head towards the food.67 Other narrations state the Prophet’s modesty
while eating, and unlike [arrogant] kings, he used to eat without
leaning against something:
After
being assigned prophethood until the time of his death, the Prophet
never ate leaning against something, and this was because of his
humility before God.68
In
addition to acknowledging that the Prophet never ate leaning against
something, Imam Muhammad ibn Muslim from Imam Baqir says that these
behaviours indicates the special humility of the Prophet before God.69
In another narration, Bashir Dahhan asks Imam Sadiq whether the Prophet
ate leaning on his left or right side, to which the Imam replied:
The
Prophet never ate while leaning on his left or right side; rather, he
sat like a servant and this was out of humility before God.70 Imam Sadiq
said also to Mu’alla ibn Khunays:
Since
the time he was assigned prophethood, the Prophet never ate while
leaning against something and he disliked behaving like [arrogant]
kings.71
What
comes to mind first from the word “leaning” is resting one’s back, or
left or right side against something. The reason for avoiding eating in
such a condition – as it is understood from the mentioned narrations –
is to avoid behaving like arrogant people and to express humility before
God.
Some
scholars have interpreted the word “leaning” in these narrations as a
particular form of sitting in which one’s tendency to eat increases,
such as sitting cross-legged. But the
Prophet sat in such a way as if he was ready to rise at any moment.72
Also,
this etiquette of sitting does not bring about gluttony. The way the
Prophet sat humbly is likened to the way servants sat – with modesty and
humility. The Prophet himself said, “Indeed I am a servant who eats
like servants and sits like them.”73
Also, Imam Baqir said, “The Prophet ate like servants and sat like them. And he ate and slept on the ground.”74
He also quoted the Prophet saying:
There
are five things which I will not quit until the time of my death:
eating on the ground together with servants, riding saddeless mounts,
milking goats with my hands, wearing woolen clothes, and greeting
(saying salam to) children, so that they become customary (sunnah) after
me.75
The
intention of the Prophet in making these simple behaviours customary is
the message that lies behind them, which is to be humble with people.
It
is narrated from ibn Abbas that the Prophet sat and ate on the ground.
And he accepted the invitation of servants for eating barley bread.76
Imam Sadiq also said: “The holy Prophet ate like a servant and sat like a
servant, and he knew himself a servant.”77
While
sitting on the ground like a servant, the Prophet sat on his knees like
servant as a sign of humility before God. This interpretation is
mentioned in a narration from Tabarsi in the following way:
Most
of the time, when the Prophet ate, he ate from the food that was in
front of him, and sat on his knees, similar to a person who is
performing prayer sits at the time of tashahhud, except that he put one
knee on the other knee and one foot on the other foot. He said, ‘I am a
servant who eats like a servant and sits like a servant.’78
Besides
what was mentioned, the Prophet also discouraged eating while lying on
the back or the stomach. In addition to politeness and modesty, this was
also because of health-related issues.79
Avoiding Formalities (takalluf) in providing the items
The
Prophet – especially considering the economic state of that time – did
not have any strict commitments to the formalities or the unnecessary
items related to serving the food. For example, if in some cases there
was no tablecloth – or something that could be used instead the Prophet
would eat on the ground.80
One
day, one of the Ansar brought some dates for the Prophet as a gift. But
since they found no dishes at home, the Prophet cleaned a space on the
ground with a piece of cloth, and said, “Place them here. By God if the
world had the value of a fly’s wing in the eyes of God, He would not
give any of it to the disbelievers and hypocrites.”81
It
should be mentioned here that considering the Prophet’s concern for
hygiene, putting the dates on the ground does not mean consuming them in
that condition, and they would of course be consumed after being
cleaned.
The
Prophet also ate with his hands. This means that, considering the
circumstances of his time, he invited his followers to simplicity of
life. Here it is necessary to mention two points:
First,
eating by hands is not in disagreement with observing hygiene; because,
as it will be mentioned in the discussion about food hygiene, the
Prophet washed his hands before and after eating.
Second,
the message of these kinds of narrations is not that the followers of
the Prophet today should also eat by hand. But rather the message is
that in case formalities and other related items cannot be provided, one
should not go through a lot of difficulties for providing them.
The
way the Prophet ate with his hand was such as to not look similar in
the slightest degree to the way arrogant people ate. The Prophet,
depending on the kind of food, ate with three or four fingers, and
sometimes used his whole hand if necessary, or even his both hands.82
Regarding this, Imam Sadiq said:
The
Prophet sat like a servant, put his hand on the ground, and ate with
three fingers. He did not eat with two fingers like arrogant people.83
Tabarsi describes this as follows:
The
Prophet ate with three fingers: the thumb and the two adjacent fingers
(the index and middle fingers), and sometimes he ate with four fingers,
and [sometimes] with his whole hand. He did not eat with two fingers
and would say: ‘Eating with two fingers is [like] the way Satan eats.”84
Avoiding waste
Regarding consuming the food that remains in the dish, the Prophet said, “The greatest blessing is in the end of the food.”85
Imam
Sadiq also stated: “The Prophet wiped the dish of the food and said,
‘Anyone who does this, his action is like he has given charity to the
size of the dish of his food.’”86
The
Prophet wiped the dish of the food and said: “The end of the food has
the greatest blessing, and the angles hail those who do this and pray
for the abundance of their sustenance. And there is a double reward for
them.”87
The
fact that wiping the dish of the food is known as bringing about
blessing might be because of the reason that there is a kind of
thankfulness for the Godly gifts, and avoidance of squander and
ungratefulness in it. Thus, the person who does this is addressed by the
following verse of the Qur’an:
“If you are grateful, I will surely enhance you [in blessing].” (14:7)
Observing Food Hygiene
One
of the important characteristics of the Prophet was the attention he
gave to hygiene in various dimensions, especially in eating and
drinking. For instance, washing the hands, both before and after eating,
was very much emphasized by the Prophet.
Especially
taking into consideration the fact that the people of that time usually
ate with their hands, there are many narrations from the Prophet
regarding this issue in which the effects of this act of hygiene are
mentioned; effects such as removal of poverty, increasing of sustenance,
abundance of good, keeping away insanity, accuracy of sight, and
staying away from illness.88
Another
manifestation of food hygiene in the lifestyle of the Prophet is his
emphasis on the cleanliness of the container of food or water. It is
narrated from Imam Sadiq that the Prophet preferred to drink water in
the dishes that were brought to him as gifts, from the city of Sham
(Damascus), and he said: “These are the cleanest of your dishes.”89
It
might be the case that the structure of these dishes was such that the
smoothness of their surface made it less possible for unclean particles
to remain in dish, as it can be the case with uneven surfaces and dishes
with patterns carved into them.
The
Prophet drank water in containers made of wood, or skin, or in
earthenware, and he also drank water in the palms of his hands and said:
“There is no dish cleaner than the palms.”90
According
to some narrations, the Prophet forbade bending the lid of the
waterskin while drinking water from it, and prohibited others from doing
so as well.91 This prohibition might have been due to the fact that the
water inside the waterskin, as a result of being bent, would give a
foul odour, and that the bent area would gradually become polluted.
Since the surface of the waterskin is greasy, when some part of it is
often bent, there is a higher possibility of that part becoming
polluted.92
It
was mentioned earlier that when the Prophet wanted to breathe while he
was drinking water, he took the container away from his mouth, and
brought it near again after breathing.93
This
indicates the Prophet’s consideration of the most delicate issues of
hygiene and manners. Breathing in the container, especially if someone
else is going to drink from it, is not in accordance with the principles
of hygiene94 and proper manners.
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