Question:
Bismillah wal hamdulillah wa la ilaha illa Allah wa Allahu Akbar
Sayyidi wa Mawlana Shaykh Hisham
and all those who are serving Them through this beautiful website:
as-Salaamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!
Can someone please speak to us about the hikmas (wisdoms) behind the Sunnah of eating salt before our meals? Also, what are other Sunnahs of eating & drinking that Mawlana Shaykh Nazim emphasizes? Specifically, I’ve heard that Prophet, salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallim, would only drink after his meal and I’ve also heard that he would only drink before. Which is correct or did he (saws) do both at different times? Would he (saws) ever drink during a meal?
Thank you for everything.
Answer:
`Alaykum assalam,
Salt is the king of spices and in Arabic medicine is said to lift or prevent 70 diseases. This and other beneficial properties are mentioned in some reports.
For the best work on Mawlana’s food etiquette see the wonderful book, “At the Table of an Ancient Master” by Shaykh Abdurrauf Felpete, Mawlana’s representative in Patagonia.
The Holy Prophet (upon him blessings and peace) was invited with Abu Bakr and `Umar (Allah be well-pleased with them) on a day of famine inside someone’s garden property and they were brought a feast. Then some dates and, to finish, water. The Prophet then said: “this is the delight (na’eem) that you will be asked about”.
Blessings and peace on the Prophet, his Family, and all his Companions.
Hajj Gibril Haddad
