Brief Comments on Riyaadh al-Saaliheen #94

Chapter: Do not criticize food

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُلُوا مِن طَيِّبَاتِ مَا رَزَقْنَاكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لِلَّـهِ إِن كُنتُمْ إِيَّاهُ تَعْبُدُونَ﴾

{O you who believe! Eat of the lawful things that We have provided you with, and be grateful to Allaah, if it is indeed He Whom you worship} [Surah al-Baqarah (2): 172]­

Sahl bin Mu`aadh bin Anas Al-Juhanee narrated from his father that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

❝Whoever eats food and says:

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَطْعَمَنِي هَذَا، وَرَزَقَنِيهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ حَوْلٍ مِنِّي، وَلَا قُوَّةٍ

Al-hamdu lillaahil-ladhee at`amanee haadha wa razaqaneehi min ghayri hawlin minnee wa la quwwah

(Praise is to Allaah Who has fed me this and provided it for me without any strength or power on my part),

his previous (minor) sins will be forgiven.❞ [Sunan Abu Dawood (4023), Sunan al-Tirmidhee (3458) and Sunan Ibn Maajah (3285) and graded as “Hasan” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]

Narrated Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه: ❝The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم never criticized any food (that was presented to him), he would eat it if he liked it; otherwise, he would leave it (without expressing his dislike).❞ [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (3563, 5409) and Saheeh Muslim (5121, 5124)]

Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله said:

"Food is that which is consumed either through eating or drinking. When food is presented to a person, he should appreciate the blessings of Allaah سبحانه وتعالى which He تعالى has facilitated for him, and he should thank Allaah for it and he should not criticize it. But if he desires and finds it pleasant, he should eat it; otherwise, he should leave it and should not insult or criticize it…If you don’t like it, then leave it, but do not criticize the blessing of Allaah which He تعالى has made it easy for you; it does not befit us to do such a thing."

[Sharh Riyaadh al-Saaliheen of Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen (4/199)]

But some of us would go to a gathering, criticize the food saying: ‘it has gotten cold’, ‘there is not enough meat in it’, ‘it was not cooked properly’, and still eat it because of the freeloaders that some of us have become.