DAILY POST #38

Imaam Ibn Hajar Al-‘Asqalaani – rahimahullaah – said:

It is reported from Ibn Abbas- radiyallaahu anhuma – who said: The Messenger of Allah – salallaahu alayhi wasallam – said:

“When one of you eats , he must not wipe his hand till he licks it , or he gives it (I.e the hand ) to someone else to lick ( such as wife ,husband,children , etc)”
Agreed Upon (by Bukhaari and Muslim)

This Hadith teaches us the following:

1.Not to wipe our hand after eating until we lick it .This is for the reason that we don’t really know where the bar aka (blessing) of the food lays as explained by the ulamaa

2.The permissibility of wiping the hand after licking in the absence of water. However,when there is water ,it is preferable to wash the hand as explained by some scholars.

3.It is allowed for someone to lick another persons hand like wife,husband,children etc.

4.The illegitimacy of a kafir (disbeliever) to lick the hand of a Muslim . This is because the messenger of Allah- salallahu alayhi wasallam said: “when one of you ….”and a kafir is not one of us.

5. it also shows that it is not backwardness or hungriness for someone to lick his hand after eating but it is sunnah of the messenger of Allah -salallahu alayhi- wasallam. For this reason ,we shouldn’t feel odd for licking our hand after eating.

6. The licking of the hand is applicable to any food as far as it involve using hand ,for the messenger of Allah-sallahu alayhi wasallam placed the word”food” as indefinite word .. thus, this implies for any food we eat.

Allaahu A’alam!
Baarakallaahu feekum!