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Mon 16 Dhul Qidah 1444AH 5-6-2023AD at 8:55 pm #90144
🍴 Eat with left hand when right hand cannot be used❓
⏩ Question:
Can I eat with a left hand when my right hand can’t be used?
⏩ Answer:
In the name of Allah most Mercyful,The Bestower of Mercy
✍️Aisyah radhiallahu’anha said:
أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ يُعْجِبُهُ التَّيَمُّنُ فِي تَنَعُّلِهِ وَتَرَجُّلِهِ وَطُهُورِهِ فِي شَأْنِهِ كُلِّهِ
“The Prophet Shallallahu’alaihi Wasallam used to put the right first in wearing sandals, combing his hair, purifying himself and in all his affairs”
📚(Bukhari 168).
🍴 Also in the matters of eating and drinking, He always use his right hand.
✍️Umar bin Abi Salamah radhiallahu’anhuma said:
كُنْتُ غُلاَمًا فِي حِجْرِ رَسُول اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَكَانَتْ يَدِي تَطِيشُ فِي الصَّحْفَةِ، فَقَال لِي رَسُول اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: يَا غُلاَمُ سَمِّ اللَّهَ، وَكُل بِيَمِينِكَ، وَكُل مِمَّا يَلِيكَ
When I was a child, when I was in the care of Rasulullah Sallallahu’alaihi wasallam, once my hand went back and forth (while taking food) on the tray.Then Rasulullah Sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam said to me:
“Say bismillah and eat with your right hand, and take the food that is near you”
📚(Bukhari no.5376, Muslim no.2022)
🥛 This also apply when drinking
✍️Ibnu Umar radhiallahu’anhuma said:
إذا أَكَلَ أحدُكُم فليأكلْ بيمينِهِ . وإذا شرِبَ فليشربْ بيمينِهِ . فإنَّ الشَّيطانَ يأكلُ بشمالِهِ ويشربُ بشمالِهِ
if one of you eats then eats with his right hand and if drinks then drinks with his right hand. Because satan eats and drinks with his left hand
📚(Muslim 2020).
▶️Note that the hadiths above use the command words كُل بِيَمِينِكَ (eat with your right hand), فليأكلْ بيمينِهِ (eat with his right hand). And the original rules of the command is close with obligatory.
▶️So every Muslim should pay attention to this etiquette and not underestimate it, if he is really obey to Allah and His Messenger so they should follow the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.
▶️Therefore, it is an established sunnah even close with obligatory to eat and drink with the right hand. As for the left hand, it is greatly disliked (makrooh), unless one has a genuine reason for not using the right hand such as a broken wrist etc., in which case there is no dislike.
▶️This is because the general rule is that the use of the right hand is intended for noble matters and the use of the left hand is intended for lowly matters. While it is not prohibited (haram) to use the left hand, to do so without a valid need is offensive.
✍️Syaikh Muhammad bin Shalih Al Utsaimin said:
الأكل باليد اليسرى بعذر لا بأس به، أما لغير عذر فهو حرام
“eating and drinking with the left hand when there is an excuse is permissible, but if there is no excuse then it is haram”
فَإِنْ كَانَ عُذْرٌ يَمْنَعُ الأَْكْل أَوِ الشُّرْبَ بِالْيَمِينِ مِنْ مَرَضٍ أَوْ جِرَاحَةٍ أَوْ غَيْرِ ذَلِكَ فَلاَ كَرَاهَةَ فِي الشِّمَال
if there is an excuse that prevents a person from eating or drinking with the right hand, such as due to illness or injury or the like, then it is not makrooh to use the left hand
📚Al Mausu’ah Al Fiqhiyyah Al Kuwaitiyah (6/119)
▶️If someone is left handed, or has become accustomed to eating with their left hand, they should train themselves to eat and drink with their right hand. It is not deemed as an excuse to not train oneself in this. However, this should be gradual and as much as one can do each step at a time. Firstly, one should try stop eating and drinking with the right hand as much as possible, even if only a few mouthfuls, after which they can continue with their left. Each meal, or each day, they should try to increase the mouthfuls. Most importantly, one should ask Allah to grant them the ability to eat and drink in the way that is beloved to Him.
▶️We should note here that these rulings do not apply to writing or working with one’s left hand. In such cases one does not have to use the right hand or train themselves to do so.
❓While eating and drinking with the left hand without excuse, there are two opinions of scholars in this matter:
1— First opinion,
➖ The rules is makrooh. — This is the opinion of Shafi’iyyah and Hanabilah.
صَرَّحَ الشَّافِعِيَّةُ وَالْحَنَابِلَةُ بِأَنَّهُ يُكْرَهُ الأَْكْل وَالشُّرْبُ بِالشِّمَال بِلاَ ضَرُورَةٍ
“Shafi’iyyah and Hanabilah affirmed that it is makruh to eat and drink with the left hand when not in an emergency”
📚(Al Mausu’ah Al Fiqhiyyah Al Kuwaitiyah, 45/294).
➖Among the scholars who strengthen this opinion are Shaykh Shalih Alu Asy Shaikh and Shaykh Shalih Al Fauzan hafizhahumallah. They interpret the reasons for the prohibition of eating and drinking as a prohibition that is guidance that is not haram
2— Second opinion
➖ The opinion is haraam— This is the opinion of muhaqiqqin scholars such as Ibnu Hajar Al Asqalani, Ibnul Qayyim, Ibnu ‘Abdil Barr, Ash Shan’ani, Ash Syaukani and also the great scholars of this era such as Shaykh Abdul Aziz bin Baz, Shaykh Muhammad bin Salih Al Utsaimin, and Shaykh Muhammad Nashiruddin Al Albani.
➖ Them opinion based on the hadith of Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him in hadith muslim 2020
➖ In that hadith there are two points: the command to eat with the right hand and the prohibition to eat with the left hand.
✍️Also the hadith of Jabir bin ‘Abdillah, may Allahbbe pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:
لا تأكلوا بالشِّمالِ ، فإنَّ الشَّيطانَ يأكلُ بالشِّمالِ
Do not eat with your left hand because the devil eats with his left hand
📚(Muslim 2019)
✅The second opinion is a stronger opinion, which is based on the hadith that strictly command eating with the right hand and the hadith that strictly prohibit eating and drinking with the left hand.
▶️If there is only an hadith for the command to eat and drink with the right hand, then that is strong enough to prohibit to eat with left hand.As the rules:
امر بالشي نهي عن نتذهه
“a command against something, is a prohibition against its opposite”
▶️However, in this problem there is not only an hadith for the command to eat and drink with the right hand, there is also an hadith for the prohibition of eating and drinking with the left hand. So that the prohibition is even more strict.
‼️ Do not imitate the devil!
✍️Al Imam Ibnul Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
فَإِنَّ الْآكِلَ بِهَا, إِمَّا شَيْطَانٌ وَإِمَّا مُشَبَّهٌ بِهِ
“he who eats with his left hand, if he is not a devil then he resembles a devil”
📚 (Zaadul Ma’ad, 2/369)
✍️and Allah Ta’ala says:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ امَنُوا لَتَِِّّعُوا تَتَِّْْعُوا ُتُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ وَمَنْ يَتَّْبِْ ِقُطُوَاتِ الَّذِينَ فَإِنَّهُ يَاْرُ بِالفِشَاءِ وَالْمُنْكِ
“O believers, do not follow the steps of Satan.Whoever follows the steps of the devil, verily he is enjoining bad deeds and wickedness”
📚 (Sorah An Nur: 21)
❌Then, the devil is happy if you eat with your left hand, because that means you have followed the devil and disobeyed the Prophet Shallallahu’alaihi Wasallam.So this is seriously matter! If you eat or drink with your left hand, the devil is very happy because of the act.They is happy because you have follow them and differed from the Prophet Shallallahu’alaihi Wasallam.Therefore, it is obligatory for the students of knowledge to prohibit the public from doing this act.
❌Many people we find when eating, they drink with their left hand. They said: “the glass will be dirty”. Although most glasses are now made of paper that is only used once. So if that’s the case, just let it get stained (from eating utensils). Then, it is still possible for you to hold it on the bottom between your index finger and thumb, then drink it. Then if the alternatives just now are not possible, then just let the glass get stained and it can be washed later, this is not a immpossible thing to do with the right ways.
▶️ Because as long as a person knows that doing such a thing is prohibited and sinful if he drinks with his left hand, then what is prohibited cannot be done except in an emergency”
⁉️ Dont says only makruh?
▶️Some people argue that “aren’t some scholars only say it is makrooh, not haraam?”.
▶️However, my brothers and sisters, I advise you and others,Scholars issue fatwas according to their understanding. Sometimes they know the reason, but sometimes are wrong in understanding it.And sometimes they don’t know the evidence, and sometimes the evidence in a problem is khafiy (vague) so we should take which a stronger opinion.
▶️ Based on hadith and stronger opinion then the matter is over.If a believer is told to choose, do you prefer the guidance of Rasulullah Sallallahu’alaihi Wasallam or do you prefer the path of Satan? What is the answer? Of course I will answer, I prefer the guidance of Rasulullah Shallallahu’alaihi Wasallam‼️
▶️In addition, if scholars have opinion of makrooh about this, then that makruh should be avoided.When the scholars say that the rules is makruh, then they want people to stay away from it, not even do it let alone make it a habit.
✍️The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say:
الحَلاَلُ بَيِّنٌ، وَالحَرَامُ بَيِّنٌ، وَبَيْنَهُمَا مُشَبَّهَاتٌ لاَ يَعْلَمُهَا كَثِيرٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ، فَمَنِ اتَّقَى المُشَبَّهَاتِ اسْتَبْرَأَ لِدِينِهِ وَعِرْضِهِ، وَمَنْ وَقَعَ فِي الشُّبُهَاتِ: كَرَاعٍ يَرْعَى حَوْلَ الحِمَى، يُوشِكُ أَنْ يُوَاقِعَهُ“What is halal is clear, what is forbidden is clear.Among them there are syubhat, whose laws are not known by most people.Whoever avoids the doubtful, he has protected his honor and religion.Whoever approaches the suspicious, like a shepherd on the border. He almost passed it”
📚(Bukhari 52, Muslim 1599)
✍️The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, also said:
إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ يَجْرِي من ابْن آدم مجرى الدم
“Verily, Satan flows in human blood”
📚 (Bukhari 7171, Muslim 2174)
✍️Al-Khathabi explained this hadith:
وَفِي هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ اسْتِحْبَابُ أَنْ يَحْذَرَ الإِنْسَانُ مِنْ كُلِّ أَمْرٍ مِنَ الْمَكْرُوهِ مِمَّا تَجْرِي بِهِ الظُّنُونُ وَيَخْطُرُ بِالْقُلُوبِ وَأَنْ يَطْلُبَ السَّلامَةَ مِنَ النَّاسِ بِإِظْهَارِ الْبَرَاءَةِ مِنَ الرِّيَبِ
In this hadith there is knowledge about the recommendation of every human being to stay away from every makruh thing and various things that cause other people to have suspicions and preconceptions that are not wrong.And the suggestion to find actions that are safe from the prejudices of others by showing actions that are free from suspicious things
📚(Talbis Iblis, 1/33)
✅ Conclusion
▶️ It is obligatory to eat and drink with the right hand and it is forbidden to eat and drink with the left hand.And eating and drinking with the left hand is the work of the devil.The opinion that states makruh is a weak opinion, but if someone takes this opinion then he should still stay away from it instead of doing it.if they have an excuse with his right hand then its permissible to eat with left hand
Hopefully useful, nas-alullah at taufiq was sadaad.
And Allah knows best
✍️Writer : Fadia Riaz
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