عَنْ وَحْشِيِّ بْنِ حَرْبٍ رَضيَ اللهُ عنه: أَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، إِنَّا نَأْكُلُ وَلَا نَشْبَعُ، قَالَ: «فَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَأْكُلُونَ مُتَفَرِّقِينَ؟» قَالُوا: نَعَمْ. قَالَ: «فَاجْتَمِعُوا عَلَى طَعَامِكُمْ، وَاذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ، يُبَارَكْ لَكُمْ فِيهِ».
Wahshiyy ibn Harb (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: They said: O Messenger of Allah, we eat but we do not get satiated. He said: "Perhaps you eat separately." They said: Yes. He then said: "Get together over your food and mention the name of Allah, so that it will be blessed for you."
Narrated by Abu Dāwūd, Ibn Mājah, and AhmadGradeHasan
Explanation
Some of the Companions asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), saying: We eat, but we do not get satiated. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to them: Perhaps you eat separately, and each of you eats alone. They said: Yes. He said: Gather together and do not eat separately, and mention the name of Allah when eating by saying: Bismillāh—it will be blessed for you, and you will feel satisfied.
Benefits
- Gathering for food and saying the name of Allah before eating are means of bringing blessings to the food and feeling satisfied with it.
- Division is entirely evil, and unity is entirely good.
- Encouragement to eat together and to mention Allah's name before eating food.
- As-Sindi said: Through gathering (to eat), blessings descend upon the food provisions; and by mentioning the name of Allah Almighty, the devil is prevented from reaching the food.
Reference
سنن أبي داود (5/ 588) (3764). سنن ابن ماجه (4/ 418) (3286). مسند أحمد (25/ 485) (16078). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (4/ 217). نزهة المتقين بشرح رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (1/ 607). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (2/ 59).