Darulifta Ahlesunnat
(Dawateislami)
Question
What do the noble scholars and jurists of Islamic law say about the following: We were taught from a young age to always eat and drink with the right hand and that eating and drinking with the left is prohibited. I wanted to ask, what is the Shari’ ruling about this? Is it Wajib to eat and drink with the right hand? Is it totally Haram and impermissible to eat with the left? What is the emphasis on this prohibition? Please provide guidance.
بِسْمِ اللہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَ الصَّوَابِ
Eating and drinking with the right hand is from the Sunnah and etiquettes of eating and drinking and the practice of The Messenger ﷺ. He ﷺ commanded this and discouraged eating and drinking with the left hand deeming it to be the way of Satan. Though eating and drinking with the left hand even without an ‘Uzr (valid excuse) isn’t Haraam and a sin, it is against this Sunnah Mustahabbah and undoubtedly a disliked act in Shari’ah. However, if there is any ‘Uzr (valid excuse), such as missing a right hand or the right hand being disabled then there is no issue in eating with the left hand.
Mentioning the blessed practice of The Holy Prophet ﷺ in eating and drinking, it is stated in Sunan Abu Dawood, Sahih Ibn Hibbān, and Musnad Ahmad (the following words are from Sunan Abu Dawood):
أن حارثة بن وهب الخزاعي قال: حدثتني حفصة زوج النبي صلى اللہ عليه و سلم: أن النبي صلى اللہ عليه و سلم كان يجعل يمينه لطعامه و شرابه و ثيابه
Translation: Harisah Bin Wahb Al-Khuza’I said: Hafsah, the wife of The Prophet ﷺ narrated to me that The Messenger ﷺ would use his right hand for eating, drinking, and wearing cloths. (Al-Sunan Li-Abi Dawood, Chapter on the dislike of touching the private part with the right during Istibra’, Vol. 1, p. 25, Publ. Dar Al-Risalah Al-‘Alamiyah)
It is also narrated in Sunan Abu Dawood:
عن عائشة، قالت: كانت يد رسول اللہ صلى اللہ عليه و سلم اليمنى لطهوره و طعامه، و كانت يده اليسرى لخلائه و ما كان من أذى
Translation: It is narrated by Hazrat A’ishah رضي الله تعالى عنها that she said: The right hand of The Messenger ﷺ was for matters like ablution and eating and the left hand for Istinja (i.e., purification after relieving oneself) and other similar acts. (Al-Sunan Li-Abi Dawood, Chapter on the dislike of touching the private part with the right during Istibra’, Vol. 1, p. 26, Publ. Dar Al-Risalah Al- ‘Alamiyah)
Prohibiting from eating with the left hand, it is stated in Sahih Muslim:
ان رسول اللہ صلى اللہ عليه و سلم قال: لا يأكلن أحد منكم بشماله، و لا يشربن بها، فإن الشيطان يأكل بشماله، و يشرب بها
Translation: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: None of you should eat with the left hand nor drink with it for Satan eats and drinks with his left hand. (Sahih Muslim, Vol. 3, p. 1598, Publ. Dar Ihya Al-Turas Al- ‘Arabiy, Beirut)
Regarding the Shari’ ruling of eating and drinking with the left hand, it is stated in Muwatta Imam Muhammad:
عن جابر بن عبد اللہ: أن رسول اللہ صلى اللہ عليه و سلم نهى أن يأكل الرجل بشماله، قال محمد: يكره للرجل أن يأكل بشماله
Translation: It is narrated by Jabir Bin Abdullah that The Messenger of Allah ﷺ prohibited for a man to eat with his left. Imam Muhammad عليه الرحمة stated: It is Makruh for a man to eat with his left hand. (Muwatta Imam Muhammad Ma’a Al-Ta’leeq Al-Mumajjad, Vol. 3, p. 447, Publ. Dar Al-Qalam, Damascus)
It is further stated therein:
قال محمد: لا ينبغي أن يأكل بشماله و لا يشرب بشماله إلا من علة
Translation: Imam Muhammad عليه الرحمة stated: It isn’t appropriate for one to eat or drink with his left unless there is any excuse. (Muwatta Imam Muhammad Ma’a Al-Ta’leeq Al-Mumajjad, Vol. 3, p. 390, Publ. Dar Al-Qalam, Damascus)
It is stated in Mirqat Al-Mafateeh:
( عن جابر قال: نهى رسول اللہ صلى اللہ عليه و سلم أن يأكل الرجل بشماله): أی نهي تنزيه
Translation: It is narrated from Jabir رضي الله تعالى عنه that he said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ prohibited for a man to eat with his left. (This prohibition is Tanzihi). (Mirqat Al-Mafateeh, Vol. 7, p. 2767, Publ. Dar Al-Fikr, Beirut)
It is further stated:
) عن عمرو بن أبی سلمة رضی اللہ عنه قال: كنت غلاما فی حجر رسول اللہ صلى اللہ عليه و سلم و كانت يدی تطيش فی الصحفة. فقال لی رسول اللہ صلى اللہ عليه و سلم: سم اللہ وكل بيمينك، و كل مما يليك) ذهب جمهور العلماء إلى أن الأوامر الثلاثة فی هذا الحديث للندب
Translation: It has been narrated from Amr Bin Abi Salamah تعالى عنهرضي الله that he said: I was a child in the care of The Messenger ﷺ and my hand was moving all around in the dish. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me, “Recite the name of Allah, eat with your right, and eat what is near you.” Majority of the scholars agree that all three matters mentioned in this Hadith are for Istihbab (being Mustahab). (Mirqat Al-Mafateeh, Vol. 7, p. 2692, Publ. Dar Al-Fikr, Beirut)
Hakeem-Ul-Ummah, Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan Na’eemi رحمة الله تعالى عليه writes in Mir’at Al-Manajeeh:
داہنے ہاتھ سے کھانا پینا مستحب سنت ہے۔
Translation: Eating and drinking with the right hand is a Mustahab Sunnah. (Mir’at Al-Manajeeh, Vol. 5, p. 09, Publ. Na’eemi Kutub Khana)
He also wrote:
بلا مجبوری بائیں ہاتھ سے کھانا پینا مکروہ تنزیہی ہے۔
Translation: Eating and drinking with the left hand without any valid excuse is Makruh Tanzihi. (Mir’at Al-Manajeeh, Vol. 6, p. 95, Publ. Na’eemi Kutub Khana)
وَ اللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہ اَعْلَم صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَ اٰلِہٖ وَ سَلَّم
(.Allah Almighty knows best and His Messenger صَلَّی اللہُ عَلَيْهِ وَ اٰلِهٖ وَ سَلَّم knows best)
Answered By: Mufti Muhammad Qasim Attari
Ref No: Hab-0386
Date: 1st Muharram Al-Haraam 1446 AH/ 8th July 2024