This document provides etiquette guidelines for eating meals. It outlines proper intentions when starting a meal, such as strengthening oneself to worship Allah. It then lists do's and don'ts for eating meals, such as washing hands before and after, eating with the right hand, saying blessings, being grateful for what one receives, and avoiding wastefulness. Guidelines are given for starting a meal, finishing it, and cleaning up afterward in a respectful manner.

2. Intention when starting to eat a meal: One
should, when starting to eat, intend to strengthen
oneself with that food in order to worship Allah ta’ala,
to be of service to His servants, to spread to all
people our religion, which is the way of endless
felicity (happiness) and peace.

3. 1. To know that it is from Allah ta’ala to be satiated
when one eats and to be quenched when one
drinks,
2. To eat and drink from halal sources,
3. To spend one’s time in servitude to Allah ta’ala
until the energy one has gotten from that food
dissipates,
4. To be content with whatever you get.

4.  1. To continue to eat though one’s hunger has been
satiated [if one has a guest, one should pretend to be
eating so that one may not cause the guest to stop
eating the meal],
2. To have a musical instrument, non-mahram woman,
alcohol, gambling, or any other forbidden thing at the
place where the meal is eaten,
3. To be wasteful in eating, [Victuals should be bought
moderately, as much as needed, and undue amounts
and excess should be avoided. It will
be israaf (wastefulness) to do otherwise.]

5.  1. To start eating by saying the Basmala [one can say it
loudly for the purpose of reminding others],
2. To say “Alhamdulillah” at the end of the meal,
3. To wash the hands before and after the meal [as
hands are being washed before a meal, younger people
take priority, whereas after meals the elders should be
allowed to do so first],
4. To eat and drink using the right hand,
5. To eat from the edge of the dish and from the edge
closest to one,

6. 4. To say the Basmala when unrightfully
eating something that is in another person’s
possession,
5. To go to a feast without being invited to it,
6. To eat something that is in another person’s
possession without asking permission,
7. To eat that which will make one sick,
8. To eat the meal that has been prepared for
ostentation,
9. To eat the food that one has vowed (nazr).

7. 10. To wipe the food remains on the dish and eat
them, [It brings plenty of thawab (reward) to drink the
remains of beverages, such as stewed fruit
and ayran (i.e., yoghurt diluted with water), after
pouring some water and shaking the mixture. It is
permissible to leave food or drink in the bowl or glass
on condition that one will eat or drink it later. Our
Master the Prophet used to like eating the remnants
of food left by a Believer.]

8. 11. To lick the remnants of food on one’s fingers before
washing them,
12. To cleanse the teeth with a miswak or a toothpick after
meals.
Pieces removed from between the teeth with a toothpick
should not be swallowed. [Handbasin should be used for this
cleansing lest the people at the table should be disgusted
and so that the crumbs removed should go down the sink.]

9. 1. To place the meal on the ground.
2. To sit for the meal with clean clothes on.
3. To eat barley bread.
4. To divide bread into pieces with the hand,
[The bread may be sliced with a knife, but the
slices should not be chopped into morsels with
it. However, a person who prepares food for
another person or for an old one may make it
bite sized pieces. The cooked meat should not
be cut into pieces with a knife.]

10. 5. Not to waste breadcrumbs,
6.To take small morsels,
7. To chew morsels well

11. 1. To eat and drink using the left hand,
2. To smell the meal one will eat,
3. Not to say the Basmala [one should say
the Basmala even if one remembers it during the meal],
4. Not to talk when eating [which is a habit of
fireworshipers; pleasant chats should be had],

12. 5. To put a saltshaker or dishes on bread or to
wipe hands or knives with pieces of bread [it will
not be makruh if the pieces of bread are eaten
after use],
6. To eat or drink mouldy bread, fetid ( rotten
food) food, or stinking water.