Placing The Food Before Being Seated

After a tedious search, we have not come across a narration which shows that the practice of sitting down before placing the food is Sunnah despite looking through books of Ahaadith, commentaries of Ahaadith, books which mention Sunan pertaining to eating or any reputable scholar who has mentioned it to be a Sunnah action. Thus, we are unable to classify it as a Sunnah action and are unable to provide proofs regarding this matter.

Some of our elders however, have mentioned that it is from amongst the Aadaab (etiquettes) of eating. Below is an excerpt from Kitaabut Ta’aam (miscellaneous advices pertaining to food) of Moulana Abdul Hamid Sahib (D.B.) regarding the above discussion:

So, the correct procedure is that those going to eat must first sit down then the dastarkhan must be put down then the utensils then the food. And the reverse when finishing meals, i.e. first the food must be lifted, then the utensils and finally the dastarkhan, at that time is this dua to be recited. This is the ideal! However, Hadhrat Moulana Shah Abraarul Haq Saheb used to say at least lift up the food before getting up. Even if just one person (even a child) is sitting at the dastarkhan before and/or after meals and the food is on the dastarkhan, then it will be alright. If other people are still going to sit and eat, then too it will be alright to get up. Even if one gets up, while others are sitting it will be alright. The example of this adab is like in a court room, when the whole court is seated and everything is in order, then the judge/magistrate walks in, and at the end he first gets up and walks out, then everyone else is allowed to leave as he is the most important person there. Here the food is the most important; we are in need of the food, the food is not in need of us. So, we must first sit down and wait for the food and at the end the food must first leave then we are allowed to leave. (Pg.23-24)

This is in line with the general teachings of Nabi ﷺ as he expressed humility at the time of eating. This is evident from the following:

·       Nabi ﷺ used to eat whilst sitting on the ground.

·       Nabi ﷺ never used to recline and eat.

·       The Sunnah method of sitting whilst eating.

·       Nabi ﷺ mentioned “I eat like how a servant eats and I sit like how a servant sits as I am only a servant (of Allah Ta’ala).