Question:
Is it necessary in Shariah to take forty steps after meals? Is this a Hadith or a Bidah?
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
We haven’t come across a hadith that mentions the practice of The Prophet ﷺ walking forty steps after meals. Without any evidence from the reliable books of Hadith, such an act cannot be regarded as a Sunnah or an act of worship.
However such practices may be adopted simply for health reasons. Physicians have suggested that taking a walk after meals is a good practice and assists in the digestion of food.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mufti Arshad Ali
Darul Iftaa, Jaamia Madinatul Uloom (Trinidad)