Chapter I: Etiquette of Eating
to God under all circumstances. O God, let it not lead us towards Thy transgression. Alter meal, recite chapters lkhlas and Lailafe.
Don't rise up till the dining cloth is lifted up. If you take food in the house of another person, pray for him and say : O God, give him abundant good and give him blessing in what Thou hast provided him. The Prophet said : Hell is better for the flesh which has been nourished by unlawful food. If you drink milk, say :
Give blessing in what Thou hast provided us and increase it for us. After meal, recite the following : All praise is due to God who provided us with food and drink sufficiently and gave shelter to our leader and chief. Then wash your hand with soap.
SECTION 2
RULES FOR EATING WITH OTHERS ,
(1) It there any elderly or honourable man with you, don't begin eating till he begins. (2) Don't remain silent at the time of eating and hold talks. (3) Don't wish to eat more than your friend.
It is not lawful for you to eat more when food is equally disturbed unless your friends give you out of their own accords. (4) Eat in such a way that there remains not necessity of saying to your . companion 'eat. eat.' Eat according to your habit. (5) It is no fault for one to wash hand in the dish and for all in the same pot. If the same pot is used by all for washing hands, the following rules shall be observed . There should be no spitting in the pot, the chief guest should be honoured, beginning should be made from the right hand side. A servant should pour water upon the hands and throwing water from the mouth should be slow. (6) One should not look at the eating of his companions and should withdraw his hand before his companions finish eating. (7) One should not do what appears bad to his companions and talk not such words as may offend them.
SECTION 3
HOSPITALITY
There is a great merit in showing hospitality and in entertainment of guests. Hazrat Jaffar Sadeq said : When you sit with guests in the dining cloth, sit for a long time as no account will be taken of that time. Hazrat Hasan Basar; said : Accounts will be taken of what one spends for himself, for his parents or for any other persons, but not account will be taken of what one
VoI-II The Book of Wordly Usages 1 1