Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, "When a fly alights in the vessel of any of you plunge it in, for in one of its wings there is disease and in the other a cure; it puts forward the one containing the disease, so dip it all in." Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported the Prophet as saying, "When a fly alights on food plunge it in, for one of its wings contains poison and the other a cure, and it puts the poison first and the cure second." It is transmitted in Sharh as-sunna.

ants, bees, hoopoes and sparrow-hawks. Abu Dawud and Darimi transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas said that the people of pre-Islamic times used to eat some things and leave others alone, considering them unclean. Then God sent His Prophet and sent down His Book, marking some things lawful and others unlawful; so what He made lawful is lawful, what He made unlawful is unlawful, and what He said nothing about is allowable. And he recited, ''Say, I do not find in what is revealed to me anything forbidden to him who eats it, except carrion or blood..." 1 1. Qur'an, vi, 145. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Zahir al-Aslami said he was kindling fire under pots which contained asses' flesh when God's messenger's crier made an announcement to the effect that God's messenger prohibited asses' flesh to the people. Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Tha'laba al-Khushani traced to the Prophet the saying that the jinn are of three classes, one which have wings and fly in the air, one which consists of snakes and dogs, and one which stay in places and travel about. It is transmitted in Sharh as-sunna.

Salman b. ‘Amir ad Dabbl told that he heard God's messenger say, “Along with a boy there is an ‘aqiqa, so shed blood on his behalf and remove injury from him.”* *This is variously explained as shaving the hair of the infant, or removing the impurities with which it is defiled at birth, or even circumcision. Bukhari transmitted it.

‘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.