Daily living skill
Eating a meal
Mealtime step by step, with the manners the Prophet ﷺ taught: Bismillah, the right hand, the food that is near, and Alhamdulillah at the end.
The steps (9 steps)
Step 1: I wash my hands.
Step 2: I sit down at the table.
Step 4: I eat with my right hand.
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 5376; Sahih Muslim 2022
Step 5: I eat the food that is near me.
Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 5376; Sahih Muslim 2022
Step 6: I take small bites and chew well.
Step 8: I take my plate to the kitchen.
Step 9: I wash my hands and wipe my mouth.
For grown-ups
Keep mealtimes calm: one new manner at a time is plenty. A plate with sections helps children who do not like foods touching.
The Prophet ﷺ said to a boy who was eating with him: "Boy, say Bismillah, eat with your right hand, and eat from what is near you."Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 5376; Sahih Muslim 2022
"Allah is pleased with a servant who eats a meal and praises Him for it, or drinks and praises Him for it."Source: Sahih Muslim 2734
Sources
- Sahih al-Bukhari 5376
- Sahih Muslim 2022
- Sahih Muslim 2734
Faith lines come only from the Quran and from hadith graded sahih or hasan. Scholars differ on some details, so ask a scholar you trust.
Pictograms: Sergio Palao, ARASAAC (arasaac.org), Government of Aragón, under the Creative Commons BY-NC-SA licence.