The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ provided detailed guidance on the etiquette of eating and drinking, transforming these everyday acts into acts of worship when performed with the right intention and method. Learning and practicing these Sunnahs brings barakah (blessing) to your meals and helps you develop mindfulness and gratitude around food.
The key Sunnahs before eating include: washing hands before the meal, saying بسم الله (Bismillah, "In the name of Allah") before beginning — and if forgotten, saying بسم الله أوله وآخره ("In the name of Allah at its beginning and end") upon remembering, eating with the right hand, eating from what is nearest to you on the plate, and sitting while eating rather than standing or reclining.
The Sunnahs during the meal include: not criticizing food (the Prophet ﷺ never criticized any food — he would eat it if he liked it and leave it if he did not), eating in moderation (the Prophet ﷺ said: "The son of Adam does not fill any vessel worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Adam to eat a few mouthfuls to keep his spine straight"), and picking up any food that falls and eating it after cleaning it. For drinking, the Sunnah is to drink while sitting, to drink in three sips (not in one gulp), to breathe outside the cup (not into it), and to say الحمد لله (Alhamdulillah) after finishing.
After completing the meal, the Sunnah is to say: الحمد لله الذي أطعمني هذا ورزقنيه من غير حول مني ولا قوة ("Praise be to Allah Who fed me this and provided it for me without any might or power on my part"). Our platform teaches each of these Sunnahs with the relevant hadith, practical tips for remembering them, and a tracking feature so you can monitor which eating Sunnahs you are consistently practicing.