fingers, and he would not wipe his hand until he had licked it. Recorded by Imam Ahmad (58). A hadith was mentioned to him, narrated by the daughter of al-Zuhri, that the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to eat with his entire palm (58), but he did not authenticate it, and he did not consider [the sunnah to be] anything other than three fingers. It was narrated from Ahmad that he ate khabis (59) with his entire palm. It was also narrated from 'Abdullah ibn Buraydah that he used to forbid his daughters from eating with three fingers, saying: "Do not imitate the men."
Section: Muhanna said: I asked Ahmad about the hadith of 'Aisha, from the Prophet (peace be upon him), who said: "Do not cut meat with a knife, for that is the practice (60) of the non-Arabs (61)." He replied: It is not authentic; we do not recognize this. He also said: The hadith of 'Amr ibn Umayya al-Damri (62) contradicts this; the Prophet (peace be upon him) was cutting from the shoulder of a sheep, then he stood for prayer and put down the knife (63). Also, the hadith of Mis'ar, from Jami' ibn Shaddad, from al-Mughira al-Yashkuri, from al-Mughira ibn Shu'ba: I was a guest of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) one night, and he ordered a side [of meat] to be grilled. Then he took a blade and began to cut, and Bilal came to inform him of the prayer, so he cast aside the blade (64). He said: And I asked Ahmad about the hadith of Abu Juhayfa, from the Prophet (peace be upon him), that he said: "Stop your belching, O Abu Juhayfa, for the one among you who is most full today will be the most hungry on the Day of Resurrection (65)." He and Yahya both said: It is not authentic.
Section: It was narrated from Ibn 'Abbas that he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) would not blow into food or drink, nor would he breathe into the vessel (66). From Anas, who said: The Prophet (peace be upon him) never ate on a khawan (dining table) nor in a sukurraja (small bowl) (67). Qatada said: Upon what did they eat then? He said: On the sufra (leather tablecloth) (66). And from 'Aisha,
(58) The authentication was previously provided in: 10/214. (59) Khabis: Food made from dates and honey. (60) In A and B: "san'" (manufacture/practice). (61) The authentication was previously provided in: 10/212. (62) This is the one that will follow, regarding the Prophet (peace be upon him) cutting from the shoulder of a sheep... (63) The authentication was previously provided in: 10/212. (64) Recorded by Abu Dawud, in: Chapter on leaving ablution due to what fire has touched, from the Book of Purification. Sunan Abi Dawud 1/43. See: Tuhfat al-Ashraf 8/492. (65) Recorded by al-Tirmidhi, in: Chapter: Muhammad ibn Humayd al-Razi narrated to us..., from the Chapters on the Description of Resurrection. 'Aridat al-Ahwadhi 9/297, 298. And Ibn Majah, in: Chapter on moderation in eating..., from the Book of Food. Sunan Ibn Majah 2/1111. (66) The authentication was previously provided in: 10/218. (67) Sukurraja: A small bowl/saucer from which food is served.
