25/11. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 1804 — Licking the Bowl After Eating
What Has Been Related About The Fallen Morsel
Hadith About Licking the Bowl After Eating
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 1804
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 1804
حَدَّثَنَا نَصْرُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْجَهْضَمِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ الْمُعَلَّى بْنُ رَاشِدٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَتْنِي جَدَّتِي أُمُّ عَاصِمٍ، وَكَانَتْ أُمَّ وَلَدٍ، لِسِنَانِ بْنِ سَلَمَةَ قَالَتْ دَخَلَ عَلَيْنَا نُبَيْشَةُ الْخَيْرِ وَنَحْنُ نَأْكُلُ فِي قَصْعَةٍ فَحَدَّثَنَا أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " مَنْ أَكَلَ فِي قَصْعَةٍ ثُمَّ لَحِسَهَا اسْتَغْفَرَتْ لَهُ الْقَصْعَةُ " . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ لاَ نَعْرِفُهُ إِلاَّ مِنْ حَدِيثِ الْمُعَلَّى بْنِ رَاشِدٍ . وَقَدْ رَوَى يَزِيدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ وَغَيْرُ وَاحِدٍ مِنَ الأَئِمَّةِ عَنِ الْمُعَلَّى بْنِ رَاشِدٍ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ .
Al-Mu'alla bin Rashid Narrated from:
My Grandmother, Umm 'Asim Narrated To Me - And She Was The Slave Woman Of Sinan Bin Salamah - She Said: 'Nubaishah Al-Khair Entered Upon Us While We Were Eating From A Large Bowl. He Narrated To Us That The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) Said: "Whoever Eats From A Qas'Ah, Then Licks It, The Qas'Ah Will Seek Forgiveness For Him." [Abu 'Eisa Said:] This Hadith Is Gharib, We Do Not Know Of It Except Through The Narration Of Al-Mu'Alla Bin Rashid. And Yazid Bin Harun And Others Among The A'Immah Reported This Hadith From Al-Mu'Alla Bin Rashid.
[1] A type of large bowl.Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1804In-book reference : Book 25, Hadith 18English translation : Vol. 3, Book 23, Hadith 1804
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 1804
This Hadith about licking the bowl after eating speaks about care for food and the value of not wasting what remains. Umm 'Asim narrated that Nubaishah Al-Khair entered while they were eating from a large bowl. He told them that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said that whoever eats from a Qas'ah and then licks it, the Qas'ah will seek forgiveness for him. The narration points to a simple food habit with a spiritual meaning. The bowl is not treated as just an object to be left with food stuck to it. The remaining food is respected. The wording also shows that small actions at the table can carry meaning when done as part of Prophetic manners. Abu 'Eisa noted that this Hadith is Gharib.
What we learn from this hadith
- Cleaning the bowl after eating shows respect for food.
- Small eating manners can carry spiritual meaning in Islam.
- The Hadith encourages avoiding leftover waste on the dish.
