Eating the Fallen Morsel

Cleaning and eating a morsel that has fallen is refusing to belittle a blessing.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) would pick up a morsel that had fallen, clean it and eat it; he did not leave it on the ground. He said not to leave it for Satan. This behavior teaches that even the smallest blessing is precious and that waste does not befit a Muslim.

What is the hadith source of this sunnah?

This sunnah rests on the following hadith. The reference gives the collection, chapter and number where the hadith appears.

• M5306 Müslim, Eşribe, 136

More sunnahs in Eating & Drinking

As a table with references: Eating & Drinking sunnahs.

• Beginning with Bismillah: Beginning every meal with Bismillah comes first among the sunnahs.
• Eating with the Right Hand: Using the right hand while eating and drinking is a sunnah.
• Drinking While Seated: Drinking water and other drinks while seated is a sunnah of the Prophet.
• Eating in Moderation: Leaving a third of the stomach for food and a third for water is part of the sunnah.
• Praising Allah After Eating: Praising Allah after eating or drinking is gratitude for His blessings.
• Sharing the Meal: Sitting together at the table and sharing increases the blessing.
• Never Criticising Food: Not criticising food is a mark of respect for the blessing of Allah.
• Washing the Hands: Washing the hands after eating is the sunnah of cleanliness at the table.
• Eating from What Is in Front of You: Eating from the side of the plate nearest you is a sunnah of table etiquette.
• Eating Seated on the Floor: Eating seated on the floor, and not eating or drinking standing, is humility reflected in the sunnah.