The short answer
Say "Bismillah" before you start, eat with your right hand from what is in front of you, praise Allah when you finish, and do not overeat. These simple habits, taught by the Prophet ﷺ, turn an ordinary meal into an act of gratitude.
Allah tells us to "eat and drink, but be not excessive" 1. Food is a blessing to enjoy, not something to be wasted or overdone.
The Prophet ﷺ taught the basics to a young boy whose hand was wandering all over the shared dish: "Mention the Name of Allah and eat with your right hand, and eat of the dish what is nearer to you" 2. The boy said he kept those instructions for the rest of his life. If you forget to say Bismillah at the start, say "In the name of Allah at the beginning and at the end of it" when you remember 3.
Small details matter too. The Prophet ﷺ commanded licking the fingers and the dish, because "you do not know in what portion the blessing lies" 4. He used to take three breaths while drinking rather than gulping in one go 5. And Allah is pleased with the servant who says Al-hamdu lillah (all praise is for Allah) over his food and drink 6.
Good manners also include how we speak about food. The Prophet ﷺ never criticised any food: if he liked it he ate it, and if not he left it 7. That is a lesson in gratitude, and in kindness to whoever cooked it.
Finally, moderation. The worst container a person fills is his stomach; a few mouthfuls that keep you upright are enough, and if you must eat more, then a third for food, a third for drink and a third for breathing 8.
Try adding one of these habits at a time, starting with Bismillah and the right hand. They cost nothing and bring barakah (blessing) to the table.
Eat and drink, but do not be excessive; Allah does not like those who commit excess.
۞يَٰبَنِيٓ ءَادَمَ خُذُواْ زِينَتَكُمۡ عِندَ كُلِّ مَسۡجِدࣲ وَكُلُواْ وَٱشۡرَبُواْ وَلَا تُسۡرِفُوٓاْۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُسۡرِفِينَ ٣١
O children of Adam, take your adornment at every masjid, and eat and drink, but be not excessive. Indeed, He likes not those who commit excess
Mention Allah's name, eat with your right hand, and eat from what is near you.
Narrated `Umar bin Abi Salama:I was a boy under the care of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and my hand used to go around the dish while I was eating. So Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to me, 'O boy! Mention the Name of Allah and eat with your right hand, and eat of the dish what is nearer to you." Since then I have applied those instructions when eating
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، أَخْبَرَنَا سُفْيَانُ، قَالَ الْوَلِيدُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ أَخْبَرَنِي أَنَّهُ، سَمِعَ وَهْبَ بْنَ كَيْسَانَ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ عُمَرَ بْنَ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، يَقُولُ كُنْتُ غُلاَمًا فِي حَجْرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَكَانَتْ يَدِي تَطِيشُ فِي الصَّحْفَةِ فَقَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " يَا غُلاَمُ سَمِّ اللَّهَ، وَكُلْ بِيَمِينِكَ وَكُلْ مِمَّا يَلِيكَ ". فَمَا زَالَتْ تِلْكَ طِعْمَتِي بَعْدُ.
If you forget Bismillah at the start, say it for the beginning and the end.
Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: When one of you eats, he should mention Allah's name; if he forgets to mention Allah's name at the beginning, he should say: "In the name of Allah at the beginning and at the end of it
حَدَّثَنَا مُؤَمَّلُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، عَنْ هِشَامٍ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الدَّسْتَوَائِيَّ - عَنْ بُدَيْلٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ، عَنِ امْرَأَةٍ، مِنْهُمْ يُقَالُ لَهَا أُمُّ كُلْثُومٍ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، - رضى الله عنها - أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " إِذَا أَكَلَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَلْيَذْكُرِ اسْمَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى فَإِنْ نَسِيَ أَنْ يَذْكُرَ اسْمَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى فِي أَوَّلِهِ فَلْيَقُلْ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ أَوَّلَهُ وَآخِرَهُ " .
Lick the fingers and the dish, for you do not know where the blessing lies.
Jabir reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) commanded the licking of fingers and the dish, saying:You do not know in what portion the blessing lies
وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَمَرَ بِلَعْقِ الأَصَابِعِ وَالصَّحْفَةِ وَقَالَ " إِنَّكُمْ لاَ تَدْرُونَ فِي أَيِّهِ الْبَرَكَةُ " .
The Prophet ﷺ took three breaths while drinking.
Narrated Thumama bin `Abdullah:Anas used to breathe twice or thrice in the vessel (while drinking) and used to say that the Prophet; used to take three breaths while drinking
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَاصِمٍ، وَأَبُو نُعَيْمٍ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا عَزْرَةُ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي ثُمَامَةُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ كَانَ أَنَسٌ يَتَنَفَّسُ فِي الإِنَاءِ مَرَّتَيْنِ أَوْ ثَلاَثًا، وَزَعَمَ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يَتَنَفَّسُ ثَلاَثًا.
Allah is pleased with the servant who praises Him over food and drink.
Anas b. Malik reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said:Allah is pleased with His servant who says: Al-Hamdu lillah while taking a morsel of food and while drinking
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، وَابْنُ، نُمَيْرٍ - وَاللَّفْظُ لاِبْنِ نُمَيْرٍ - قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بِشْرٍ عَنْ زَكَرِيَّاءَ بْنِ أَبِي زَائِدَةَ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ، مَالِكٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَيَرْضَى عَنِ الْعَبْدِ أَنْ يَأْكُلَ الأَكْلَةَ فَيَحْمَدَهُ عَلَيْهَا أَوْ يَشْرَبَ الشَّرْبَةَ فَيَحْمَدَهُ عَلَيْهَا " .
The Prophet ﷺ never criticised food; he ate it if he liked it and left it if not.
Narrated Abu Huraira:The Prophet (ﷺ) never criticized any food (he was invited to) but he used to eat if he liked the food, and leave it if he disliked it
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي حَازِمٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ مَا عَابَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم طَعَامًا قَطُّ، إِنِ اشْتَهَاهُ أَكَلَهُ، وَإِنْ كَرِهَهُ تَرَكَهُ.
The worst container to fill is the stomach; a third for food, a third for drink, a third for breath.
Miqdam bin Ma'dikarib said:"I heard the Messenger of Allah (S.a.w) saying: 'The human does not fill any container that is worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Adam to eat what will support his back. If this is not possible, then a third for food, a third for drink, and third for his breath
حَدَّثَنَا سُوَيْدُ بْنُ نَصْرٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ، أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ عَيَّاشٍ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو سَلَمَةَ الْحِمْصِيُّ، وَحَبِيبُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ جَابِرٍ الطَّائِيِّ، عَنْ مِقْدَامِ بْنِ مَعْدِيكَرِبَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " مَا مَلأَ آدَمِيٌّ وِعَاءً شَرًّا مِنْ بَطْنٍ بِحَسْبِ ابْنِ آدَمَ أُكُلاَتٌ يُقِمْنَ صُلْبَهُ فَإِنْ كَانَ لاَ مَحَالَةَ فَثُلُثٌ لِطَعَامِهِ وَثُلُثٌ لِشَرَابِهِ وَثُلُثٌ لِنَفَسِهِ " . حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَرَفَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ عَيَّاشٍ، نَحْوَهُ . وَقَالَ الْمِقْدَامُ بْنُ مَعْدِيكَرِبَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ فِيهِ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ .
This answer was compiled with the help of AI, using only the verified texts shown here. Every reference links to its source. If you find a mistake, please report it. Updated 2026-09-24