QUESTION:
What do the scholars of the Dīn and muftīs of the Sacred Law state regarding the following issue: What were the favourite dishes of the Noble Prophet ﷺ and what did he ﷺ like to eat & drink so that we may also buy these for the home?
Questioner: Sister from UK
ANSWER:
بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم
الجواب بعون الملک الوھاب اللھم ھدایۃ الحق والصواب
Due to the fact that the blessed life of the Noble Prophet ﷺ was of utmost piety, patience and moderation, this is the reason why he ﷺ would never desire lavish & elaborate foods; he ﷺ had a great liking of simple foods, and there were some foods which he ﷺ would be greatly inclined to eat.
Favourite things to eat:
Hays – This was made from mixing clarified butter, cheese, and dates, and then cooked. The Beloved Prophet ﷺ would eat this with great inclination, which he ﷺ would eat with thick roti (bread) for food, meat in curry, vinegar, honey, olive oil, he ﷺ would eat pumpkin/courgettes a great deal. When there would be pieces of pumpkin with meat, he ﷺ would especially spot the pieces of pumpkin in the dish and thereby eat them.
It is mentioned by the respected Anas, may Allāh Almighty be pleased with him:
“أَنَّ خَيَّاطًا دَعَا النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لِطَعَامٍ صَنَعَهُ، فَذَهَبْتُ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَقَرَّبَ خُبْزَ شَعِيرٍ، وَمَرَقًا فِيهِ دُبَّاءٌ وَقَدِيدٌ، «رَأَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَتَتَبَّعُ الدُّبَّاءَ مِنْ حَوَالَيِ القَصْعَةِ» ، فَلَمْ أَزَلْ أُحِبُّ الدُّبَّاءَ بَعْدَ يَوْمِئِذٍ”
“A tailor invited the Noble Prophet ﷺ to a meal which he had prepared, and I went along with the Beloved Prophet ﷺ. The tailor presented barley bread and soup containing gourd and cured [i.e. salted] meat. I saw the Holy Prophet ﷺ picking the pieces of gourd from around the dish, and since then I have kept on liking gourd.”
[Sahīh al-Bukhārī, vol 3, pg 538, Hadīth no 5436]
Likewise, it is stated in Shamā’il Tirmidhī that he ﷺ would eat the meat of goat, ram, sheep, camel, rabbit, chicken, quail[1] and fish. Likewise, he ﷺ would also regularly consume dates and barley flour, he ﷺ would also sometimes eat dates alongside watermelon, dates alongside melon and roti with dates. He ﷺ would also eat grapes, pomegranate, and other fruits.
Favourited drinks:
He ﷺ would have more of a tendency of cold & sweet water, he ﷺ was very fond of this. And sometimes, he ﷺ would drink milk mixed alongside water or pure milk on its own, and sometimes had the juice made from mixing raisins & dates with water; whatever the Noble Prophet ﷺ drank, it would be in three sips.
[al-Shamā’il al-Muhammadiyyah, pg 95-114]
[1] A type of mid-sized bird.
واللہ تعالی اعلم ورسولہ اعلم صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم
کتبہ ابو الحسن محمد قاسم ضیاء قادری
Answered by Mufti Qasim Zia al-Qadri
Translated by Haider Ali
Read the original Urdu answer here: [Q-ID0792] What were the foods and drinks that our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ enjoyed eating and drinking?
