Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) wasn’t a person who would gorge. He wasn’t a person who would chug, he was a person who would sip. He taught us to breath-in-between our sips of water.
When we eat, we would eat a third for our food, a third for our drink, and a third for our breathing.
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) taught us that food is one of the primary reasons for illness if we eat too much of it or if we eat the wrong types.
Prophet Muhammad was a very organic eater. He ate dates, he drank water and he drank fresh milk. And he was a person who would enjoy the luxuries of Allah. He loved tharid (a meat filled dish on buttered bread with broth).
He taught us not to blow on our food; not to be so greedy that we can’t wait until it cools down a little bit. He taught us that the person who serves others should be the last to eat; and therefore, it was an honor to make sure that everyone was well-fed and watered before a person considered their own needs.
The holistic approach of Prophet Muhammad is really what is key. Refer to these important verses that are of benefit when it comes to how we should eat.
Eat and drink but don’t be excessive. (7:31)
We’ve made the night a place of repose and rest and made the day for livelihood. (78:10-11)
… and made from water every living thing. (21:30)
Bismillah
When he put his hand in the food, he would say, “Bismillaah (in the Name of Allaah), and he told people to say this when eating. He said, “When any one of you eats, let him mention the name of Allaah. If he forgets to mention the name of Allaah at the beginning, let him say Bismillaahi fi awwalihi wa aakhirihi (in the name of Allaah at its beginning and at its end).”
The Right Hand
He commanded people to eat with their right hands and forbade them to eat with their left hands. He said, “The Shaytaan eats with his left hand and drinks with his left hand.” This implies that eating with the left hand is haraam, and this is the correct view, because the one who eats with his left hand is either a shaytaan (a devil), or he is imitating the Shaytaan.
Moderation
He used to eat enough to keep him going, but no so much as to make him fat. Ibn ‘Umar narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The believer eats in one stomach whilst the kaafir eats in seven.”
Never ate alone
Prophet Muhammad was a person who was a healthy eater. He never ate alone, and that’s a really important thing; he was so social in his eating. There is no hadith where you ever hear that at any time he ever had a meal that wasn’t shared with others.
His Fasting
There were times when Prophet Muhammad taught us to restrict food; he would fast every Monday and Thursday, the 13th, 14th, 15th of every lunar calendar, and of course the month of Ramadan and other special days in the month of Muharram.
Source: AboutIslam.net
