Why not eat with left hand?

[fatima1994]

:salam2:
Some muslims and non muslims point out that whats the difference between eating with right hand or left hand.........

Do not eat & drink with "Left Hand"

[2. Surah Al-Baqarah : Ayah 195] ​

And spend in the way of Allah and cast not yourselves to perdition with your own hands, and do good (to others); surely Allah loves the doers of good.

[Sahih Muslim: Volume 3, Book 23, Number 5007]​

Jabir b. 'Abdullah (Radi Allah Anhu) reported Allah's Messenger (sal-allahu- alleihi-wasallam) having said:
"Do not eat with your left hand, for the Satan eats with his left hand."

[Sahih Muslim: Volume 3, Book 23, Number 5008]​

Ibn 'Umar (Radi Allah Anhu) reported Allah's Messenger (sal-allahu- alleihi-wasallam) as saying:
"When any one of you intends to eat (meal), he should eat with his right hand. and when he (intends) to drink he should drink with his right hand, for the Satan eats with his left hand and drinks with his left hand."

[Sahih Muslim: Volume 3, Book 23, Number 5010]​

Salim (Radi Allah Anhu), on the authority of his father, reported Allah's Messenger (sal-allahu- alleihi-wasallam) as saying:
"None of you should eat with his left hand and drink with that (left hand), for the Satan eats with left hand and drinks with that (hand). Nafi' has made this addition in that:" Do not take up anything with that (left hand) and do not give anything with that."

[Sahih Muslim: Volume 3, Book 23, Number 5012]​

'Umar b. Abu Salama (Radi Allah Anhu) reported: I was under the care of Allah's Messenger (sal-allahu- alleihi-wasallam), and as my hand used to roam about in the dish he said to me:
"Boy, mention the name of Allah, and eat with your right hand and eat from what is near to you."






Our Lord! accept from us; surely Thou art the Hearing, the Knowing.:tti_sister:

 

[zainsmommy]

i cant eat or write with my left hand, ive always been right handed .

HAHAHAHA!

I haven't posted in quite some time. InshaAllah everyone is well.

Being left handed I've always had issues with this. I've read all the hadiths to back up the proof but for some reason, I still have an issue with it? I am this way. I am left handed.

I try very hard to eat with my right hand now but most times I forget. In the beginning I used to be so hard on myself because of it-I felt as if I was a horrible Muslim because I did-then I did some research and though I am SURE I am way out in left field ALL ALONE on this one, I feel that the above verse used to verify that we are not to do it does not state emphatically LEFT HAND. Or at least in the Quran I have. In my opinion(which is of course not a scholarly one) that verse could imply many many things-but not using your LEFT hand is one that I don't get from it?

Anyhow...don't follow me and what I do....just wanted to state my issue with this. It kind of upsets me A LOT! I hate that I am made to feel less than or a BIG OLE SINNER or a product of shaytaan or a misguided Muslim because I happen to be left handed and happen to forget sometimes and use my left my hand.

As for the cleanliness issue-I am from a different background and do not use my left hand in ways that some people of other backgrounds use it. Therefore the cleanliness issue is NOT an issue.

Ahh well...a very pointless reply. Sorry...:shymuslima1:

Again, I hope everyone is healthy & strong in body and deen InshaAllahI do come around from time to time but rarely post anymore-InshaAllah I will try to be more active. I really miss some of you that were here and very active when I first joined. Things have changed quite a bit. Alhamdulilah

Assalamu Aleikom WRWB

 

[mas_adi]

:salam2:

My question : If we eat use knife in right hand and fork in left hand, is it considered as eat with left hand ?.

 

[zinirah]

I know we are suppose to eat with right hand but does that mean just with your hand or using fork with right hand or is that scandalous.?

 

[hana*]

i cant eat or write with my left hand, ive always been right handed .

that post cheered be right up hahahaha i cant stop laughing

 

[Mabsoot]

Assalamu alaykum

You are putting the food in your mouth with the Fork, you hold it with your Right hand.

Always eat with your right hand.

The Hadith make it very clear,

The left hand is used to keep yourself clean, its just, from a Muslim's view totally ridiculous and uncivillised for people to use both hands for those actions.

 

[a_muslimah86]

:salam2:

I would like to say that the ahkaam (verdicts) of Sharia are *no joke* or matters to be taken *lightly* so we disregard them based upon nothing but *personal assessment*...in the Might of Allah (swt)..and in the shadow of Rasulullah (saaws) we are *nobodies*...for us...when a matter is decreed in Islam by Allah and His Prophet (saaws)..we only say *we hear! and we obey!*

Also we need to remember that Rasulullah (saaws) did *not* speak from *whim*..he was *divinely inspired*...so every word he (saaws) uttered *does* in fact hold a wisdom and a truth behind it which we need to follow even we have not *deciphered* it yet!

Yes..it gets challenging to use the right hand *especially* for those born left-handed and have not been *trained* to use the right hand...but it's all about Jihad of the nafs...and showing Allah (swt) that you are *ardent* on following what His Prophet (saaws) decreed appropriate and virtuous!..and sobhanallah..I don't see why holding a sandwich..a glass..or a spoon in one hand can come between me and earning the pleasure of Allah (swt)!

Now please read the following fatwa...and inshallah we'll pick words wisely when we speak of matters relating to Shari'a..and baraka Allaho feekom!

Praise be to Allaah.​

Doing good is a habit and doing evil is a habit. Man is always either making progress or falling behind. When a person gets used to doing something, he becomes very fond of it and loves it, and dislikes anything else. Then he thinks that the thing he is not used to is not possible, but this way of thinking is not right and it goes against both the laws of Islam and the facts of reality. Therefore the one who uses his left hand to eat and drink should be taught the Islamic ruling and should be reminded of the hadeeth of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) on this matter. When a man ate with his left hand in his presence, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Eat with your right hand.” He said, “I cannot.” He said, “May you never be able to!” Nothing was stopping him but his stubborn arrogance, and he never raised his right hand to his mouth after that. (Reported by Muslim, 3776). According to a report narrated by al-Daarimi, “his right hand never reached his mouth”. This man suffered paralysis because of the du’aa’ of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “In this hadeeth we have an indication that it is allowed to pray against a person who breaks a shar’i rule with no excuse. We also see the principle of enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil in all situations, even with regard to eating. It encourages us to teach proper manners of eating to a person who is eating if he is doing something wrong. The hadeeth also teaches us that the Shaytaan eats with his left hand, because of the hadeeth: “When any one of you eats, let him eat with his right hand, and when he drinks, let him drink with his right hand, because the Shaytaan eats with his left hand and drinks with his left hand.” (Reported by Muslim, 3764). The Shaytaan eats with his left hand so the person who eats with his left hand resembles the Shaytaan, indeed the Shaytaan is sharing his food with him. Ahmad reported with a hasan isnaad from ‘Aa’ishah and attributed to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): “Whoever eats with his left hand, the Shaytaan eats with him.” (Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi, commentary on hadeeth 1721).
Moreover, the left hand should be reserved for removing dirt, as when cleaning oneself after going to the toilet (istinja’) and blowing one’s nose and other kinds of cleaning oneself and removing dirt. How can a person use that which is used for removing dirt and impurities for putting food in his mouth?
Hafsah (may Allaah be pleased with her), the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to use his right hand for eating, drinking and getting dressed and his left hand for everything else. (Reported by Abu Dawood, no. 30)
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
“This is a fixed rule in sharee’ah. It has to do with honourable things such as putting on one’s shirt, trousers and shoes, entering the mosque, using siwaak, applying kohl, … combing and styling one’s hair, … shaving the head, giving salaam at the end of prayer, washing oneself in ghusl or wudoo’, leaving the toilet, eating, drinking, shaking hands, acknowledging the Black Stone, and other things where we are encouraged to use the right hand or start with the right. As for the opposite [things that are not honourable], such as entering the toilet, leaving the mosque, blowing one’s nose, washing oneself after using the toilet, taking off one's shirt, trousers and shoes, and so on, then we should start with the left or use the left hand. All of this has to do with honouring the right hand or right side.”
Some people may have a real problem that prevents them from using their right hand, such as being paralyzed and so on. In this case they are excused and there is no blame on them. Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “If he has an excuse for not eating and drinking with his right hand, such as sickness or an injury, then this is not makrooh…”
Most likely the problem of the boy you are asking about has to do with habit, so try to get him used to eating with his right hand and keep on advising him and reminding him to do so. You could seek the help of psychiatrists, because some of them may have some useful ideas. We ask Allaah to give you strength, May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.


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Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
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