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Fatwa CenterThe Sunnah way of eating food
Question
assalam wa alykum what is the sunnah way of eating food? how should it be eaten, whether it should be eaten by all the five fingers or 3 fingers (thumb,index finger and middle finger) because some people say that sunnah way of eating is with 3fingers only(mentioned above)?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
It is good to mention some etiquette that one should observe when eating, among which are the following:
1- Washing the hands before and after eating.
2- Supplicating Allaah to bless the food.
3- Saying Bismillaah (in the Name of Allaah) before eating.
4- Eating with the right hand.
5- Eating from what is nearest to the person.
6- Not criticizing the food; if one likes it, he should eat from it, otherwise he should leave it.
7- Eating with three fingers.
8- Not eating while leaning on something.
9- Saying ‘Al-Hamdulillaah’ after finishing eating.
Therefore, eating with three fingers is among the etiquette of eating, and we have already issued Fatwa 87617 clarifying the evidence about this.
Hishaam ibn ‘Urwah 
identified these three fingers as he said: “The thumb, the index finger and the middle finger.” Eating with these three fingers is desirable but it is permissible to eat with more than three fingers, and one may need that when the food is not consistent.
Allaah Knows best.
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