From Haakim, Jaabir radiallahu anhu, and from Abu Daud Asmaa radiallahu anha relate that he sallallahu alayhe wasallam would say “Let the food cool down because there is no barakah (blessing) in hot food.”

In Sahih Muslim, Hadrat Jabir radiallahu anhu relates that the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wasallam said “Shaytan is ever present in all you attempt. At the time you eat, he is there too.  Therefore, if a morsel falls down and something attaches to it, clean it off and eat it and do not leave it for Shaytan and when you have completed your meal, lick your fingers because one never knows which part of the meal contains the barakah.”

Ibn Maajah reports from Hadrat Hasan Basri rahmatullahi alayhe who relates that Hadrat Mu’qil ibn Yasaar radiallahu anhu was eating when a morsel fell from his hand. He picked it up, cleaned and ate the morsel. On seeing this, the unlearned around him indicated with their eyes to each other (that his action was lowly and disliked).  Someone said “May Allah do good for my Commander…”, Hadrat Mu’qil ibn Yasaar radiallahu anhu was in the position of a Commander and Chief among them, “…these unlearned people are indicating to each other that you have picked up a fallen morsel despite there being plenty of food in front of you.” He replied, “I cannot leave that which I have heard from my Beloved Prophet sallallahu alayhe wasallam because of these ‘Ajamis (non-Arabs).  We were commanded that if a morsel were to fall that we should clean it and eat it and not leave it for Shaytan.”

Ibn Maajah reports that the Mother of the Believers Hadrat ‘Aisha radiallahu anha relates that the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wasallam entered his home and found a piece of bread on the floor.  He sallallahu alayhe wasallam picked it up, cleaned it and ate it then said “O ‘Aisha, honor good things because once this leaves a nation, it never returns.” meaning that rizq (sustenance) does not return to a nation of ingrates.

Tabarani reports from Hadrat ‘Abdullah ibn Umm Haraam radiallahu anhu relates that the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wasallam said “Honor bread as it is from the barakaat (blessings) of the sky and the Earth.  The one who eats the fallen food of the tablecloth (traditionally spread on the floor where people eat) will have his sins forgiven.”

In Sahih Muslim, Jaabir relates radiallahu anhu relates that the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wasallam commanded us to lick our fingers and the plate and he sallallahu alayhe wasallam said that you do not know (or you never know) which part of the food contains the barakah.

Related in Sahih Bukhari and Muslim Abdullah ibn Abbas radiallahu anhuma relates that the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wasallam said that after eating do not wipe your hand until you lick it, or have somone else lick it (meaning have only the one who does not hold hatred for you lick it, such as students or mureeds –spiritual aspirants– of a Shaykh as they consider eating the leftovers of their teacher or Shaykh as a great honor and happiness).

Imam Ahmed, Tirmidhi, and Ibn Maajah rahmatullahi alyhim report that Nabishah radiallahu anhu relates that the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wasallam said that he who licks his plate will have it seek forgiveness for him. In Zarin’s radiallahu anhu narration, the plate will say “May Allah Most High free you from Jahannam (Hell) as you have saved me from Shaytan.”

In Sahih Muslim it is related from the same (companion) that the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said “None of you should eat nor drink with your left hand as it is Shaytan’s way to eat and drink with the left hand.”

Ibn Majah reported from Abu Hurayra radiallahu anhu that the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam stated “Eat with your right hand and drink with your right hand and take with your right hand and give with your right hand because Shaytan eats with his left hand and drinks with his left hand and takes with his left hand and gives with his left hand.”

Ibn an-Najjar reported from Abu Hurayra radiallahu anhu that the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said “Eating (lifting the morsel) with three fingers is the way of the Prophets (peace be upon all of them).”

Hakim reported from Ibn Abbas radiallahu anhu that the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam said “Eat with three fingers as it is the Sunnah (the way of the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wa sallam) and do not eat with five fingers as it is the way of the A’arab (uncultivated bedouins).”

In Sahih Muslim, Hadrat Hudhayfa (radi-Allahu anhu) relates that the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wasallam stated that not reciting Bismillahir Rahman ir-Rahim over food makes the food permissible for Shaytan to partake in.  This means that if one does not recite Bismillahir Rahman ir-Rahim prior to eating, Shaytan partakes in the meal.

In Sahih Muslim, Hadrat Jabir (radi-Allahu anhu) relates that the Blessed Prophet sallallahu alayhe wasallam said “If a person enters his  house and begins his meal by saying Bismillah, Shaytan tells his family “you will not find here place to stay nor food to eat.” And if he enters his house without Bismillah then he says “you have found place to stay.” Then, when such a person eats without Bismillah, Shaytan says “you now have a place to stay and food to eat.”

In Sahih Bukhari and Muslim, Hadrat Umar ibn abi Salamah (radi-Allahu anhu) relates “I was a child when I was in the care of the Blessed Prophet sallallahu alayhe wasallam (this companion was under the guardianship of the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wasallam and the son of the Mother of the Believers Umm Salamah) and during mealtime, I’d eat from various parts of the dish, so the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wasallam said “Say Bismillah, eat with your right hand, and eat from that part of the plate which is closest to you.” 

In Abu Daud, Tirmidhi, and Haakim A’isha (radi Allahu anha) relates that the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wasallam stated “When one of you begins to eat, remember the Name of Allah, meaning say Bismillah and if you forget to say Bismillah in the beginning then say it as such “Bismillahi awwalahu wa aakhirahu” and in the traditions of Imam Ahmed, Ibn Maajah, Ibn Habbaan, and Bayhaqi, it is as such:   “Bismillahi fi awwalihi wa aakhirihi.”

Imam Ahmed, Abu Daud, Ibn Maajah, and Haakim mention it, and Wahshi ibn Harb (radi Allahu anhu) relates that the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wasallam said “Eat in a group, and recite Bismillah, for in these are Barakah ” (Barkat - blessing, grace, increase, a lot with a little). Ibn Majah relates that the people asked “O Messenger of Allah, we eat yet are not satiated.” The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wasallam replied “Perhaps you eat separately.” They said “Yes”. He said “Eat your meals together and recite Bismillah, therein is Barakah.”

In the Sharah Sunnah Abu Ayyub radi-Allahu anhu narrates that we were in the blessed presence of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhe wasallam and at the beginning of the meal there was abundance of barakah the likes of which we had never seen before, but towards the end there was an absence of such.  So we asked the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wasallam, “O Rasul Allah! What was the cause of this change.” He sallallahu alayhe wasallam responded “We all began the meal with the recitation of Bismillah, then a person joined in without doing so such that Shaytan joined in the meal with him.”

Abu Daud relates from Hadrat Umayyah ibn Maghsha radi-Allahu anhu who says “A person was eating without having said Bismillah and had almost completed the meal, but on lifting the last morsel recited “Bismillahi awwalahu wa aakhirahu”.  The Prophet sallallahu alayhe wasallam smiled and said “Shaytan was eating along with him and when the person remembered the name of Allah he threw up whatever he head eaten” and this may also mean that the barakah that had dissipated returned.”

In Sahih Muslim Hadrat Hudhayfa radi-Allahu anhu says that when we joined in meals with the Holy Prophet sallallahu alayhe wasallam we would never place our hand in (begin) the meal unless the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wasallam did first. Once in the company of the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wasallam a girl rushed in as if someone was pushing her from behind. She tried to place her hand in the dish but the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wasallam prevented her. Then an A’arabi (bedouin) rushed in as if he was being pushed from behind and the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wasallam withheld his hand likewise as said “When the Name of Allah is not mentioned over food, that food becomes permissible (halal) for Shaytan.  Shaytan came in with the girl so that he could partake with her in the meal and I withheld his hand, then he came in with this A’arabi so that he could partake in the meal with him and I withheld his hand. I swear by He in Whose Hand is my life, his hand along with theirs is in my hand”, thereafter, the Blessed Prophet mentioned the Name of Allah, meaning he said Bismillah and began to eat.”  A similar narration is mentioned by Imam Ahmed, Abu Daud, Nisa’i, and Haakim.

Ibn ‘Asakir mentions that Hadrat ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amir radi-Allahu anhu relates that the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wasallam said “The food on which the Name of Allah is not mentioned is (a cause of) disease and is devoid of barakah and its atonement, if the tablecloth (the sheet that is spread out to place the dish or dishes of food on the floor) has not been lifted, is to read Bismillah and eat something from it, and if already lifted, to read Bismillah and lick your fingers.”

Daylami mentions that Anas radi-Allahu anhu relates that the Prophet sallallahu alayhe wasallam said “If any of you eats or drinks you should say “Bismillahi wa billahil-ladhi laa yadurru ma’a ismihi shay-un fil ardi wa laa fis-Samaa-i ya Hayyu ya Qayyumu” and with this you will never get sick even if the food contains poison.

The vast majority of actions are mubah and thus permissible.

The Holy Book (Al-Quran) mentions:

O believers! Make not unlawful the pure things, which Allah has made lawful for you and cross not the limit. Undoubtedly, Allah likes not those who cross the limit. (Qur’an 5:87)

And the Book further states:

And of the cattle some are for carrying burden and some lying on earth (too small); eat of what Allah has provided for you and do not follow the footsteps of the devil (Satan). Undoubtedly, he is your open enemy. (Quran 6:142)

Furthermore, the Exalted One mentions in these 3 verses of  Surat ul-A’raf:

‘O children of Adam! Take your adornment whenever you go to the masjid (mosque) and eat and drink and do not cross the limit. Undoubtedly, the persons crossing the limit are not liked by Him.

Say you, ‘who has forbidden the adornment of Allah, which He brought forth for His bondmen and the pure foods? Say you. ‘That is for the believers in the world and is exclusively for them on the Day of Resurrection. Thus We explain fully the signs for the people who have knowledge.

Say you, ‘My Lord has forbidden the indecencies, which of them are open and which are hidden. And sin, and unjust excesses, and that you associate with Allah that for which He has not sent down any warrant and that you say of Allah what you know not. (Quran 7:31-33)

Then My Beloved Sustainer (Rabb) states:

There is no harm for the blind and there is no harm for the lame and there is no restriction on the sick nor on any one of you, that you eat in the houses of your children or the houses of your fathers, or the houses of your mothers or the houses of your brothers, or the houses of your sisters or the houses of your uncles or the houses of your paternal aunts, or the houses of your maternal uncles, or the houses “of your maternal aunts, or from those places of which the keys are in your possession or , from the house of your friend. There is no blame upon you whether you eat together or separately. Then when you enter any house, salute your own people, a nice greeting from Allah at the time of meeting, blessed, pure. Thus Allah narrates to you His signs that you may understand. (Quran 24:61)