Etiquette of Eating in Islam

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, ‘A human being fills no worse vessel than his stomach. It is sufficient for a human being to eat a few mouthfuls to keep his spine straight. But if he must (fill it), then one third of food, one third for drink and one third for air.’ - Sunan Ibn Majah, Vol. 4, Book 29, Hadith 3349

1. Wash both hands before eating (mustahabb)
2. It is sunnah to eat from a sufra (dining sheet) versus on a dining table
3. Mention the Name of Allah (Bismillah) in the beginning
4. Eat and drink with your right hand (sunnah is to eat with three fingers)
5. Eat of the dish what is nearer to you or in front of you
6. Blessing descends in the middle of the food, so eat from the edges, not from the middle
7. Eat from the right side of your plate whenever possible
8. Avoiding eating and drinking from vessels of gold and silver
9. It is forbidden to breathe into a vessel (food or drink)
10. Do not blow on food, cover it to cool it down until it can be consumed
11. Do not criticize food, eat if you like it, leave it if you dislike it
12. Do not eat meals while reclining or leaning onto something
13. Do not drink water in one gulp like a camel (taking three breaths is sunnah)
14. If a meal is served when Iqama is proclaimed, start with you meal first
15. If one drops a piece of food, let him remove any dirt from it and eat it
16. Food for two persons is sufficient for three, food of three is sufficient for four
17. Clean the plate, take only as much as you can eat, do not be greedy and do not waste food
18. The son of Adam cannot fill a vessel worse than his stomach, fill it with a third of food, a third of drink, and a third of breath
19. A believer eats in one intestine (is satisfied with a little food)
20. A kafir or a hypocrite eats in seven intestines (eats too much)
21. Praise Allah after finishing eating