barakah in food

التَّاسعُ : عَنْهُ أَنْ رسولَ اللَّه صَلّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وسَلَّم أَمَر بِلَعْقِ الأَصابِعِ وَالصحْفةِ وقال

إِنَّكُــم لا تَدْرُونَ في أَيِّهَا الْبَرَكَةَ » رواه مسلم .وفي رواية لَهُ : « إِذَا وَقَعتْ لُقْمةُ أَحدِكُمْ . فَلْيَأْخُذْهَا فَلْيُمِطْ مَا كَانَ بِهَا مِنْ أَذًى ، وَلْيَأْكُلْهَا ، وَلا يَدَعْهَا لَلشَّيْطانِ ، وَلا يَمْسَحْ يَدَهُ بِالْمَندِيلِ حَتَّى يَلْعَقَ أَصَابِعهُ ، فَإِنَّهُ لا يدْرِي في أَيِّ طَعَامِهِ الْبَركَةَ » .

وفي رواية له : « إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ يَحْضُرُ أَحَدكُمْ عِنْدَ كُلِّ شَيءٍ مِنْ شَأْنِهِ حَتَّى يَحْضُرَهُ عِنْدَ طَعَامِهِ ، فَإِذَا سَقَطَتْ مِنْ أَحَدِكُمْ اللُّقْمَةُ فَلْيُمِطْ مَا كَان بِهَا منْ أَذًى، فَلْيأْكُلْها ، وَلا يَدَعْهَا لِلشَّيْطَانِ .»

164/16 - رياض الصالحين 

Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) commanded the licking of fingers (after eating) and the cleaning of the dish, saying: "You do not know in what portion the Blessing (of Allah) lies".[Muslim].

In another narration, Jabir said: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "When a morsel of any of you falls down, you should pick it up and remove any dirt or dust on it and then eat it; and dont leave it for Satan; and do not wipe your hand with the towel until you have licked your fingers, for you do not know in what portion of the food the Barakah* (of Allah) lies".

* Barakah is the abundance of goodness and its continuity.

Commentary:This Hadith enjoins Muslims to lick their fingers after meals, wipe off the food left in the utensils and eat morsels which fall down in the course of eating. 

All these things have many advantages:

1. May be that is the blessed portion of the food which sticks to the fingers or utensils.

2. This practice is a sign of humility and aversion from the style of proud and haughty people.3. It saves one from being ungrateful to Allah.4. By these means one defeats Satan.In the light of these Islamic injunctions one can very well judge violation of Islamic teachings and ungratefulness to Allah which is evident from the large quantity of food which is thrown on the garbage.

16/164 - Riyad Us-Saliheen (Gardens of the Righteous)