The Ruling on eating something savoury or sweet at the start and end of a meal

The Ruling on eating something savoury or sweet at the start and end of a meal

Darulifta Ahlesunnat

(Dawateislami)

Question

   What do the scholars of Islam and the Muftis of Shari’ah say in relation to the following: Should something savoury or some salt be eaten at the start and end of a meal, or should something sweet also be eaten at the end?

بِسْمِ اللہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ

اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ

   At the start and end of a meal, something savoury or some salt should be consumed, as this is Sunnah and a means of protection from many illnesses. Imam Bayhaqi رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه mentions a narration in Shu’ab-ul-Iman that Sayyiduna Ali رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ stated: ‘من ابتدأ غداءه بالملح، أذهب عنه سبعين نوعا من البلاء’ Translation: ‘Whoever starts his meal with salt, 70 types of illnesses will be removed from him.’ (Shu’ab-ul-Iman, vol. 8, p. 100)

 

وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَرَسُوْلُہ اَعْلَم صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم

Answered by: Mufti Muhammad Hashim Khan Attari