Eating with one finger

2-5-2004 | IslamWeb

Question:

I heard that there is a Hadith that prohibited eating with one finger in Islam because Iblees eats with one finger. Is this Hadith right?

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Answer:

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.

 

Abu Ahmed Al-Ghitrif reported in his volume, and Ibn al Najjar in his Tareekh (History) that Abu Hurairah (Radiya Allahu Anhu) narrated that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: Eating with one finger is the way Satan eats.  Eating with two fingers is the way transgressors eat.  And eating with three fingers is the way the Prophets eat, and this Hadith is weak.

Ibn Al-Jawzi said in Illall Al-Mutanahiya that it is only Rushdeen Bin Said who reported it.  Yahia Bin Maeen said that he is nothing.  Abu Hatem Al-Razi said that this (Rushdeen Bin Said) is objectionable narrator and is anonymous, he relates contradictory things from the trustworthy.

Albani said this is a weak Hadith in his book ‘the weak Ahadith’ (Al-Silssila Al-Dhaeefa).

The Sunnah is to eat with three fingers, as Imam Muslim reported that Ka’ab Bin Malik narrated that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam): Used to eat with three fingers and suck his hand before wiping it.

Allah knows best.