FatwaPerlisFood & Halal
Benarkah Nabi SAW Pernah Makan Dengan Tangan Kiri?
Did the Prophet SAW ever eat with his left hand, implying that eating with the left hand is permissible?
Short answer
The claim that the Prophet SAW ate dates with his left hand is stated to be untrue.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Perlis State Mufti Department
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Panduan Hukum
- Topic
- Food & Halal
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
The claim that the Prophet SAW ate dates with his left hand is stated to be untrue. There are prohibitions and commands from him to eat and drink with the right hand, and some scholars such as Dr. Yusuf al-Qaradawi hold that eating and drinking with the left hand is prohibited. The claim likely stems from a weak hadith of Abdullah bin Jaafar reported by al-Tabarani. Even if it were authentic, it is understood to mean he took the dates from his left hand and ate them with his right hand.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Tentang dakwaan Nabi SAW pernah makan kurma dengan tangan kiri adalah tidak benar.
Read the full fatwa on the Perlis website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Perlis State Mufti Department. “Benarkah Nabi SAW Pernah Makan Dengan Tangan Kiri?”, 9 August 2023. https://muftiperlis.gov.my/index.php/panduan-hukum/799-benarkah-nabi-saw-pernah-makan-dengan-tangan-kiri. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/did-prophet-eat-with-left-hand/