Mentioning the name of Allah and Tahmid (All Praise Belongs to Allah) over the Food

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ إِذَا وُضِعَتِ الْمَائِدَةُ حَفَّتْهَا أَرْبَعَةُ آلَافِ مَلَكٍ فَإِذَا قَالَ الْعَبْدُ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ قَالَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ بَارَكَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي طَعَامِكُمْ ثُمَّ يَقُولُونَ لِلشَّيْطَانِ اخْرُجْ يَا فَاسِقُ لَا سُلْطَانَ لَكَ عَلَيْهِمْ فَإِذَا فَرَغُوا فَقَالُوا الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ قَالَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ قَوْمٌ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ فَأَدَّوْا شُكْرَ رَبِّهِمْ وَ إِذَا لَمْ

“When the table is spread four thousand angels surround it and when a servant of Allah says, ‘In the name of Allah’ the angels say, ‘May Allah grant you blessings in your food.’ Then they (angels) say to Satan, ‘Move away, O disobedient, you have no authority over them.’ When they complete eating their food and say, ‘A

إِذَا وُضِعَ الْخِوَانُ فَقُلْ- بِسْمِ اللَّهِ وَ إِذَا أَكَلْتَ فَقُلْ- بِسْمِ اللَّهِ عَلَى أَوَّلِهِ وَ آخِرِهِ وَ إِذَا رُفِعَ فَقُلِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ.

‘When the table is prepared say, ‘In the name of Allah.’ When your eating is complete say, ‘In the name of Allah at its beginning and at its end.’ When it is removed say, ‘All praise belongs to Allah.’”

إِنَّ أَبِي ص أَتَاهُ أَخُوهُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ يَسْتَأْذِنُ لِعَمْرِو بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ وَ وَاصِلٍ وَ بَشِيرٍ الرَّحَّالِ فَأَذِنَ لَهُمْ فَلَمَّا جَلَسُوا قَالَ مَا مِنْ شَيْ‌ءٍ إِلَّا وَ لَهُ حَدٌّ يَنْتَهِي إِلَيْهِ فَجِي‌ءَ بِالْخِوَانِ فَوُضِعَ فَقَالُوا فِيمَا بَيْنَهُمْ قَدْ وَ اللَّهِ اسْتَمْكَنَّا مِنْهُ فَقَالُوا يَا أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ هَذَا الْخِوَانُ مِنَ الشَّيْ‌ءِ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ قَالُوا فَمَا حَدُّهُ

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Once the brother of my father (a.s.), ‘Abd Allah ibn Ali came to ask permission for ‘Amr ibn ‘Ubayd, Wasil and Bashir al-Rahhahl and he granted them permission. They sat down. He (the Imam) said, ‘For everything there is a limit where it ends.’ They brought food and it was made availa

إِذَا وُضِعَ الْغَدَاءُ وَ الْعَشَاءُ فَقُلْ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ لَعَنَهُ اللَّهُ يَقُولُ لِأَصْحَابِهِ اخْرُجُوا فَلَيْسَ هَاهُنَا عَشَاءٌ وَ لَا مَبِيتٌ وَ إِذَا نَسِيَ أَنْ يُسَمِّيَ قَالَ لِأَصْحَابِهِ تَعَالَوْا فَإِنَّ لَكُمْ هَاهُنَا عَشَاءً وَ مَبِيتاً.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘When food for lunch or dinner is made ready, say, ‘In the name of Allah,’ because Satan, may Allah condemn him says to his friends, ‘Go out there is no dinner here or a place to spend the night.’ When one forgets saying, ‘In the name of Allah’, Satan says to his friends, ‘Come; there

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع‌ مَنْ أَكَلَ طَعَاماً فَلْيَذْكُرِ اسْمَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عَلَيْهِ فَإِنْ نَسِيَ فَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ مِنْ بَعْدُ تَقَيَّأَ الشَّيْطَانُ لَعَنَهُ اللَّهُ مَا كَانَ أَكَلَ وَ اسْتَقَلَّ الرَّجُلُ الطَّعَامَ‌[1].

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin has said, ‘One who eats food must mention the name of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious on it; but if one forgets and remembers later, Satan, may Allah condemn him, throws up what he has eaten and one feels as if the food is not sufficient.’”

قَالَ: مَنْ ذَكَرَ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عَلَى الطَّعَامِ لَمْ يُسْأَلْ عَنْ نَعِيمِ ذَلِكَ أَبَداً.

“He (the Imam) (a.s.), has said, ’One who mentions the name of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, on food, he will never be asked any questions about that blessing.’”

إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ الْمُسْلِمَ إِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَطْعَمَ طَعَاماً فَأَهْوَى بِيَدِهِ فَقَالَ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعالَمِينَ* غَفَرَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَصِلَ اللُّقْمَةُ إِلَى فِيهِ.

’In the name of Allah’ and ‘All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds’ Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, forgives him before a morsel reaches his mouth.’”

كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص إِذَا وُضِعَتِ الْمَائِدَةُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ قَالَ- سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ مَا أَحْسَنَ مَا تَبْتَلِينَا سُبْحَانَكَ مَا أَكْثَرَ مَا تُعْطِينَا سُبْحَانَكَ مَا أَكْثَرَ مَا تُعَافِينَا اللَّهُمَّ أَوْسِعْ عَلَيْنَا وَ عَلَى فُقَرَاءِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَ الْمُسْلِمَاتِ.

“The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, when food was made available for him said, ‘O Lord, You are free of all defects, how good is Your trial for us. O Lord, You are free of all defects, and how great is what You have granted us, O Lord,

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ إِذَا حَضَرَتِ الْمَائِدَةُ وَ سَمَّى رَجُلٌ مِنْهُمْ أَجْزَأَ عَنْهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ.

‘When the table of food is made available and a man among them says, ’In the name of Allah’, it is sufficient for all of them.’”

كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص إِذَا طَعِمَ عِنْدَ أَهْلِ بَيْتٍ قَالَ لَهُمْ طَعِمَ عِنْدَكُمُ الصَّائِمُونَ وَ أَكَلَ عِنْدَكُمُ الْأَبْرَارُ وَ صَلَّتْ عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ الْأَخْيَارُ.

‘The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, when eating food with a family would say to them, “Fasting people have received food with you, virtuous people have eaten food with you and chosen angels have prayed for you.’””

إِذَا أَكَلْتَ الطَّعَامَ فَقُلْ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ فِي أَوَّلِهِ وَ آخِرِهِ فَإِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا سَمَّى قَبْلَ أَنْ يَأْكُلَ لَمْ يَأْكُلْ مَعَهُ الشَّيْطَانُ وَ إِذَا لَمْ يُسَمِّ أَكَلَ مَعَهُ الشَّيْطَانُ فَإِذَا سَمَّى بَعْدَ مَا يَأْكُلُ وَ أَكَلَ الشَّيْطَانُ مَعَهُ تَقَيَّأَ الشَّيْطَانُ مَا كَانَ أَكَلَ.

‘In the name of Allah’ at its beginning and at its end’; when a servant says it before he eats, Satan cannot eat with him; but if he did not mention the name of Allah, Satan eats with him. If he then says, ‘In the name of Allah’ after he begins and Satan had been eating with him, Satan then throws up what he had eaten.

كَانَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ ع إِذَا وُضِعَ الطَّعَامُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ قَالَ- اللَّهُمَّ هَذَا مِنْ مَنِّكَ وَ فَضْلِكَ وَ عَطَائِكَ فَبَارِكْ لَنَا فِيهِ وَ سَوِّغْنَاهُ وَ ارْزُقْنَا خَلَفاً إِذَا أَكَلْنَاهُ وَ رُبَّ مُحْتَاجٍ إِلَيْهِ رَزَقْتَ فَأَحْسَنْتَ اللَّهُمَّ وَ اجْعَلْنَا مِنَ الشَّاكِرِينَ فَإِذَا رُفِعَ الْخِوَانُ قَالَ- الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي حَمَلَنَا فِي الْبَرِّ وَ الْبَحْرِ وَ رَزَقَنَا مِنَ

12. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah from ‘Amr al-Mutatabbib from abu Yahya al-San‘aniy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that Ali ibn al-Husayn, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, when finding food placed before him said, ‘O Lord, this is from Y

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ اذْكُرِ اسْمَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عَلَى الطَّعَامِ فَإِذَا فَرَغْتَ فَقُلِ- الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي‌ يُطْعِمُ وَ لا يُطْعَمُ‌.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Mention the name of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, on food and when you complete eating say, ‘All praise belongs to Allah who feeds and is not fed.’”

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع‌ مَنْ ذَكَرَ اسْمَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عِنْدَ طَعَامٍ أَوْ شَرَابٍ فِي أَوَّلِهِ وَ حَمِدَ اللَّهَ فِي آخِرِهِ لَمْ يُسْأَلْ عَنْ نَعِيمِ ذَلِكَ الطَّعَامِ أَبَداً.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin has said, ‘One who mentions the name of Allah on food or drink at the beginning and ‘All praise belongs to Allah’ at the end, he will never be asked about the blessings of the food.’”

كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص إِذَا رُفِعَتِ الْمَائِدَةُ قَالَ- اللَّهُمَّ أَكْثَرْتَ وَ أَطَبْتَ وَ بَارَكْتَ فَأَشْبَعْتَ وَ أَرْوَيْتَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي‌ يُطْعِمُ وَ لا يُطْعَمُ‌.

‘The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, when the table was moved would say, “O Lord, you have granted a great deal, have made it very good, blessed it, made us satisfied and quenched. All praise belongs to Allah who feeds and is not fed.’””

كَانَ أَبِي ع يَقُولُ‌ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَشْبَعَنَا فِي جَائِعِينَ وَ أَرْوَانَا فِي ظَامِئِينَ وَ آوَانَا فِي ضَائِعِينَ‌[1] وَ حَمَلَنَا فِي رَاجِلِينَ وَ آمَنَنَا فِي خَائِفِينَ وَ أَخْدَمَنَا فِي عَانِينَ‌[2].

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has stated this Hadith. ‘My father would say, “All praise belongs to Allah who has made us satisfied with food among the hungry ones, quenched our thirst among the thirsty people. He has given us shelter among the homeless ones, given us means of transport among those who move without means of t

أَكَلْتُ مَعَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع طَعَاماً فَمَا أُحْصِي كَمْ مَرَّةً قَالَ- الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي جَعَلَنِي أَشْتَهِيهِ.

“I ate food with abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and I do not know how many times he (the Imam) said, ‘All praise belongs to Allah who has made me to have the appetite for food.’”

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع‌ ضَمِنْتُ لِمَنْ يُسَمِّي عَلَى طَعَامِهِ أَنْ لَا يَشْتَكِيَ مِنْهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ ابْنُ الْكَوَّاءِ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ لَقَدْ أَكَلْتُ الْبَارِحَةَ طَعَاماً فَسَمَّيْتُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آذَانِي فَقَالَ لَعَلَّكَ أَكَلْتَ أَلْوَاناً فَسَمَّيْتَ عَلَى بَعْضِهَا وَ لَمْ تُسَمِّ عَلَى بَعْضٍ يَا لُكَعُ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin guaranteed those who mention the name of Allah on food that it will not harm them. Ibn al-Kawwa, said to ’Amir al-Mu’minin, ‘O ’Amir al-Mu’minin last night I ate a meal and I mentioned the name of Allah on it but it has given me trouble.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Perh

شَكَوْتُ مَا أَلْقَى مِنْ أَذَى الطَّعَامِ إِلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع إِذَا أَكَلْتُهُ فَقَالَ لَمْ تُسَمِّ فَقُلْتُ إِنِّي لَأُسَمِّي وَ إِنَّهُ لَيَضُرُّنِي فَقَالَ لِي إِذَا قَطَعْتَ التَّسْمِيَةَ بِالْكَلَامِ ثُمَّ عُدْتَ إِلَى الطَّعَامِ تُسَمِّي قُلْتُ لَا قَالَ فَمِنْ هَاهُنَا يَضُرُّكَ أَمَا لَوْ أَنَّكَ إِذَا عُدْتَ إِلَى الطَّعَامِ سَمَّيْتَ مَا ضَرَّكَ.

“I once complained before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the trouble I face from food. He (the Imam) said, ‘You may have eaten without mentioning the name of Allah.’ I said, ‘I had mentioned the name of Allah but it gives me trouble.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘When you discontinue mentioning the name of Allah by speaking, the

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع كَيْفَ أُسَمِّي عَلَى الطَّعَامِ قَالَ فَقَالَ إِذَا اخْتَلَفَتِ الْآنِيَةُ فَسَمِّ عَلَى كُلِّ إِنَاءٍ قُلْتُ فَإِنْ نَسِيتُ أَنْ أُسَمِّيَ قَالَ تَقُولُ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ عَلَى أَوَّلِهِ وَ آخِرِهِ.

‘In the name of Allah at its beginning and at its end.’”

كُنْتُ مَعَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَحَضَرَ وَقْتُ الْعِشَاءِ فَذَهَبْتُ أَقُومُ فَقَالَ اجْلِسْ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فَجَلَسْتُ حَتَّى وُضِعَ الْخِوَانُ فَسَمَّى حِينَ وُضِعَ فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ قَالَ- الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ هَذَا مِنْكَ وَ مِنْ مُحَمَّدٍ ص.

“Once I was with abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and it became the time of al-‘Isha’ Salat (prayer). I went to say Iqamah. He (the Imam) said, ‘Sit down, O abu ‘Abd Allah.’ I then sat down until food was made available. He (the Imam) mentioned the name of Allah when food was placed for eating. When he (the Imam) finished he (th

كُنَّا عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَأَطْعَمَنَا ثُمَّ رَفَعْنَا أَيْدِيَنَا فَقُلْنَا الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع- اللَّهُمَّ هَذَا مِنْكَ وَ مِنْ مُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولِكَ اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ.

“Once we were with abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and he (the Imam) fed us food then we stopped eating and said, ‘All praise belongs to Allah.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), then said, ‘O Lord, this is from You and from Muhammad, Your messenger, O Lord, all praise belongs to you, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع‌ اذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عَلَى الطَّعَامِ وَ لَا تَلْغَطُوا[1] فَإِنَّهُ نِعْمَةٌ مِنْ نِعَمِ اللَّهِ وَ رِزْقٌ مِنْ رِزْقِهِ يَجِبُ عَلَيْكُمْ فِيهِ شُكْرُهُ وَ ذِكْرُهُ وَ حَمْدُهُ.

’Amir al-Mu’minin has said, “You must mention the name of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, on your food and do not speak nonsense, because it is a bounty of the bounties of Allah, and it is obligatory on those to whom He grants it to thank Him, speak of Him and praise Him.’”

أَمَرَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع بِلَحْمٍ فَبُرِّدَ ثُمَّ أُتِيَ بِهِ مِنْ بَعْدُ فَقَالَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي جَعَلَنِي أَشْتَهِيهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ النِّعْمَةُ فِي الْعَافِيَةِ أَفْضَلُ مِنَ النِّعْمَةِ عَلَى الْقُدْرَةِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), commanded to bring meat but it became cold and later it was brought. He (the Imam) said, ‘All praise belongs to Allah who made me to have the appetite for it.’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘Bounty in good health is better than the bounty with constraints.”’

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ مَا مِنْ رَجُلٍ يَجْمَعُ عِيَالَهُ وَ يَضَعُ مَائِدَةً بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَ يُسَمِّي وَ يُسَمُّونَ فِي أَوَّلِ الطَّعَامِ وَ يَحْمَدُونَ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فِي آخِرِهِ فَتَرْتَفِعُ الْمَائِدَةُ حَتَّى يُغْفَرَ لَهُمْ.

‘The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, “Allah forgives a family who come together, prepare the table of food, they all mention the name of Allah at the beginning of food and praise Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, at the end