36/18. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 2032c — Three Fingers
It is recommended to lick one's fingers and wipe the bowl, and to eat a piece of food that is dropped after removing any dirt on it. It is disliked to wipe one's hand before licking it, because of the possibility that the blessing of the food may be in that remaining part. The Sunnah is to eat with three fingers
Hadith on Eating With Three Fingers and Licking Them
Sahih Muslim : 2032c
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 2032c
وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ نُمَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، بْنِ سَعْدٍ أَنَّ عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ كَعْبِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، - أَوْ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ كَعْبٍ - أَخْبَرَهُ عَنْ أَبِيهِ، كَعْبٍ أَنَّهُ حَدَّثَهُمْ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ يَأْكُلُ بِثَلاَثِ أَصَابِعَ فَإِذَا فَرَغَ لَعِقَهَا .
`Abdullah bin Ka`b Narrated from:
Abdullah b. Ka'b reported that his father Ka'b narrated to him that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) used to eat with three fingers and when he had finished (eating), he licked them.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2032cIn-book reference : Book 36, Hadith 172USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 23, Hadith 5041
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 2032c
This Hadith about eating with three fingers is direct and easy to follow. Ka'b narrated that Allah's Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم used to eat with three fingers, and when he had finished eating, he licked them. The key search phrase is hadith about licking three fingers, and the related idea is Sunnah way of eating with fingers. The narration does not give added reasons, so the explanation should not add claims outside the wording. It simply shows a Prophetic practice at mealtime. The action has two parts in the text: eating with three fingers and licking them after finishing. That is the full teaching of this short report.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to eat with three fingers.
- When he finished eating, he licked those fingers.
- The Hadith describes an action, not a long speech.
- The lesson is tied to simple eating manners.
