‘A’isha told that boys used to be brought to God’s messenger, and he would invoke blessings on them and soften some dates and rub their palates with them. Muslim transmitted it.

Asma’ daughter of Abu Bakr said she conceived ‘Abdallah b. azZubair in Mecca and gave birth to him in Quba’, then took him to God’s messenger and placed him in his lap. He called for a date, chewed it and spat in his mouth, after which he rubbed his palate and then made supplication for him and invoked a blessing on him. He was the first child to be born in the Islamic period. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Umm Kurz told that she heard God’s messenger say, “Let the birds stay in their roosts.”* She told that she also heard him say, “Two sheep are to be sacrificed for a boy and one for a girl, but it does you no harm whether they are male or female.” *Either that they are not to be molested, or that they are not to be disturbed for the purpose of taking omens. Abu Dawud transmitted it. Tirmidhi and Nasa’i transmit it from “two sheep” to the end, Tirmidhi saying this is a sahih tradition.

Al-Hasan quoted Samura who reported God’s messenger as saying, "A boy is in pledge for his ‘aqiqa. Sacrifice is made for him on the seventh day, he is given a name and his head is shaved.” Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it, but the last two have “a pledge” for “in pledge.” A version by Ahmad and Abu Dawud has “is smeared with blood” 1 in place of “is given a name.” Abu Dawud says th at “is given a name” is sounder.

Muhammad b. ‘All b. Husain quoted ‘Ali b. Abu Talib as saying that God’s messenger sacrificed a sheep on the seventh day for al-Hasan and said, “Shave his head, Fatima, and give the weight of his hair in silver as sadaqa.” So they weighed it and it amounted to a dirham or part of a dirham. Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying this is a hasan gharib tradition, but its isnad is not fully connected because Muhammad b. ‘Ali b. Husain was not born in the time of ‘Ali b. Abu Talib.

Ibn ‘Abbas told that God’s messenger sacrificed a ram on the seventh day for both al-Hasan and al-Husain. Abu Dawud transmitted it. Nasa’i says two rams each.

'Amr b. Shu'aib, on his father's authority, said his grandfather told that God’s messenger was asked about the ‘aqiqa and replied, “God does not like the breaking of ties (‘uquq),” as though he disliked the name. And he said, “If anyone has a child born to him and wishes to offer a sacrifice on its behalf, he may offer two sheep for a boy and one for a girl. Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Abu Rafi' told th at he saw God's messenger uttering the call to prayer in the ear of al-Hasan b. ‘Ali when Fatima gave birth to him. Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a hasan sahih tradition.

When a boy was born to one of us in the pre-Islamic period he sacrificed a sheep and smeared his head with its blood; but when Islam came we sacrificed a sheep on the seventh day, shaved his head and smeared it with saffron. Abu Dawud transmitted it, and Razin added, “and gave him his name.”

I was a boy under the protection of God’s messenger, and as my hand used to roam at large in the dish he said to me, “Mention God’s name, eat with your right hand, and eat from what is next you.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Hudhaifa reported God’s messenger as saying, “The devil considers food lawful for him when God’s name is not mentioned over it.” Muslim transmitted it.

Jabir reported God’s messenger as saying that when a man enters his house and mentions God’s name on entering and when at his food, the devil says, “You* have no place to spend the night and no evening meal; ” but when he enters without mentioning God’s name on entering the devil says, “You have found a place to spend the night; ” and when he does not mention God at his food he says, “You have found a place to spend the night and an evening meal.” *The pronoun is plural. The devil is said to be addressing his assistants. Muslim transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar reported God’s messenger as saying, “When any of you eats he should eat with his right hand, and when he drinks he should drink with his right hand.” Muslim transmitted it.

He reported God’s messenger as saying, “None of you must ever eat or drink with his left hand, for the devil eats and drinks with his left hand.” Muslim transmitted it.

Ka'b b. Malik said that God's messenger used to eat with three fingers and lick his hand before wiping it. Muslim transmitted it.

Jabir said the Prophet ordered people to lick their fingers and the dish, saying, “You do not know in what portion blessing lies.” Muslim transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported the Prophet as saying, “When one of you eats he must not wipe his hand till he licks it, or gives it to someone to lick.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Jabir told that he heard the Prophet say, “The devil is present with one of you in everything he does, even being present when he is at food; so if any of you drops a mouthful he should wipe away anything injurious on it and eat it and not leave it for the devil; and when he finishes he should lick his fingers, for he does not know in what part of the food the blessing lies.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Juhaifa reported the Prophet as saying, “I do not eat reclining.” Bukhari transmitted it.

Qatada quoted Anas as saying that the Prophet never ate at a low table or from a small bowl* and that thin bread was not baked for him. Qatada was asked what they ate off and replied that it was off leather cloths. *This would have indicated pride throngh keeping himself apart, or niggardliness. Bukhari transmitted it.

Anas said he was not aware of the Prophet having seen a thin loaf till he met God, [i.e. during his lifetime.] nor did he ever see with his eye a sheep roasted in its skin. Bukhari transmitted it.

Sahl b. Sa‘d said that God’s messenger never saw white bread from the time God commissioned him till God took him. He also said that God's messenger did not see a sieve from the time God commissioned him till God took him. He was asked how they could eat unsifted barley and replied that they ground it and blew it, and when some of it had flown away they moistened and ate what was left. Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Huraira said that the Prophet never expressed disapproval of food; if he desired it he ate it and if he disliked it he left it alone. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He told that a man who used to eat a great amount accepted Islam and began to eat little. When that was mentioned to the Prophet he said, “The believer eats in one intestine but the infidel in seven.”* *This is explained as a figure of speech to indicate the greed of the infidel and the lack of greed on the part of the believer. Bukhari transmitted it. Muslim transmitted on the authority of Abu Musa and Ibn ‘Umar only the part which quotes the Prophet. In another version by him on the authority of Abu Huraira it says that a man who was an infidel was entertained by God’s messenger. He ordered a sheep to be milked and the man drank what was drawn from it, then another and he drank it, then another and he drank it, till he had drunk the milk drawn from seven sheep. In the morning the man accepted Islam and God’s messenger ordered a sheep to be milked for him . When he had drunk what was drawn from it he ordered another to be milked, but when he did not finish all the milk God’s messenger said, “ The believer drinks in one intestine, but the infidel drinks in seven.”

He reported God’s messenger as saying, “Two people’s food is enough for three and three people’s is enough for four.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Jabir told of hearing God's messenger say, “One person’s food is enough for two, two persons’ food is enough for four, and four persons' food is enough for eight.” Muslim transmitted it.

‘A’isha told that she heard God’s messenger say, “Talbina* gives rest to an invalid’s heart and removes some of his grief.” *A kind of gruel made of flour or bran and milk, sometimes having honey mixed with it. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

A tailor invited the Prophet to a meal which he had prepared and I went along with the Prophet. He presented barley bread and soup containing pumpkin and dried sliced meat, and I saw the Prophet going after the pumpkin round the dish, so I have always liked pumpkin since that day. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Amr b. Umayya told that he saw the Prophet cutting slices from a shoulder of mutton in his hand. He was summoned to prayer, and after throwing it and the knife with which he was slicing it away, he stood up and prayed without performing ablution. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘A’isha said God's messenger liked sweetmeats and honey. Bukhari transmitted it.

Jabir told th at when the Prophet asked his family for condiments and was told that they had only vinegar, he called for it and as he was using it in his food he said, “Vinegar is a good condiment; vinegar is a good condiment.” Muslim transmitted it.

Sa'id b. Zaid reported the Prophet as saying, “Truffles are a kind of manna, and their juice is a medicine for the eye.” (Bukhari and Muslim.) A version by Muslim has, “a kind of the manna which God most high sent down to Moses.”

‘Abdallah b. Ja'far told that he saw God’s messenger eating fresh dates with cucumber. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Jabir told that when they were with God’s messenger at Marr az-Zahran and were plucking the fruit of the arak tree he said, “Keep to its black ones, for they are the most pleasant.” He was asked if he had shepherded sheep and replied, “Yes; has there been a prophet who did not shepherd them?” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas told that he saw the Prophet squatting and eating dates. A version says he was eating some quickly. Muslim transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar said God’s messenger prohibited anyone taking two dates together before asking permission from his companions. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘A’isha reported the Prophet as saying, “A family which has dates will not be hungry.” A version reports him as saying twice or three times, “A family which has no dates, ‘A’isha, will be hungry.” Muslim transmitted it.

Sa‘d told of hearing God’s messenger say, “He who has a morning meal of seven 'ajwa* dates will not suffer harm that day through poison or magic." *The name of a good quality of Medina dates. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘A’isha reported God’s messenger as saying, "The 'ajwa dates of al-‘Aliya* contain healing, and they are an antidote first thing in the morning." *A name applied to some villages a few miles east of Medina. Muslim transmitted it.

She said that sometimes a month would come in which they did not kindle a fire, [For cooking] having only dates and water, unless a little meat was brought. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

She said Muhammad’s family did not have a full meal of wheaten bread on two successive days, but would have dates on one of them. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

She said that up to the death of God’s messenger they did not have a full meal of dates and water. [Literally, the two black things.] (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Do you not have the food and drink you desire? I have seen your Prophet unable to get enough poor dates to fill his belly. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Ayyub said that when food was brought to the Prophet he ate some of it and sent him what was left over. One day when he sent him a dish from which he had eaten nothing because it contained garlic, he asked him whether it was unlawful and he replied, “No; but I dislike it because of its odour;” so he said, “I dislike what you dislike." Muslim transmitted it.

Jabir reported the Prophet as saying, “He who eats garlic or onions must keep away from us.” Or he said, “must keep away from our mosque,” or, “must sit in his house.” A pot containing green vegetables was brought to the Prophet, but on noticing that it had an odour he told them to give it to one of his Companions, to whom he said, "Eat, for I hold intimate converse with one with whom you do not."* *The reference is here said to be to angels, or particularly to Gabriel. Cf. Mirqat, iv, 373 (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Al-Miqdam b. Ma'dikarib reported the Prophet as saying, “If you measure out your food* you will be blessed in it." *This is said to refer to such matters as buying and selling, and taking care that suitable portions are given to one’s children. Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Umama told that when the Prophet's cloth* was removed he said, "Praise be to God abundantly and sincerely, of such a nature as is productive of blessing, is not insufficient, abandoned, or ignored, O our Lord." *The word ma'ida means a piece of leather or some other material spread on the ground for the food, and it comes to mean the food itself. It is often translated ‘table’, but this is misleading with reference to the early days of Islam. Bukhari transmitted it.

Anas reported God’s messenger as saying, “God most high is pleased when a man eats something and praises Him for it, or drinks something and praises Him for it." Muslim transmitted it.

We were with the Prophet when food was presented to him, and I never saw food which had greater blessing when we began to eat, or less when we finished. We asked God’s messenger how that was, and he replied, “We mentioned God’s name when we ate, then one who ate sat down without mentioning God's name and the devil ate with him.” It is transmitted in Sharh as-sunna.

‘A’isha reported God’s messenger as saying, “When one of you eats and forgets to mention God over his food he should say, ‘In the name of God at the beginning and at the end of it’.” Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it.