Question:
Is there a supplication taught by the Prophet PBUH if a person forgets to recite the supplication before he eats?
Answer:
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
As a believer, we should always supplicate to Allah SWT for the attribute of a human is weak and always in need of his Creator in every situation and time. Thus, numerous du’a were taught by the Prophet PBUH to us for us to recite in our everyday lives so that we will have a blessed life.
According to the above question, there is a hadith narrated by Imam Abu Daud related to a supplication for a person who forgets to recite the supplication before eating.
- From Aisyah R.Anha, she said, the Prophet PBUH said:
إِذَا أَكَلَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَلْيَذْكُرِ اسْمَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى، فَإِنْ نَسِيَ أَنْ يَذْكُرَ اسْمَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى فِي أَوَّلِهِ فَلْيَقُلْ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ أَوَّلَهُ وَآخِرَهُ
When one of you eats, he should mention Allah's name; if he forgets to mention Allah's name at the beginning, he should say: "In the name of Allah at the beginning and at the end of it."
Sunan Abu Daud (3767) [Syeikh Syu’aib al-Arna’outh evaluate the hadith as sahih li ghairihi when he takhrij the hadiths in Sunan Abu Daud]
Furthermore, in Sahih Ibn Hibban, he cited another narration from Abdullah bin Mas’ud, where the Prophet PBUH said:
من نَسِيَ أَنْ يَذْكُرَ اللَّهَ فِي أَوَّلِ طَعَامِهِ, فَلْيَقُلْ حِينَ يَذْكُرُ: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ فِي أَوَّلِهِ وآخره
Whoever forgets to mention Allah's name at the beginning, he should say: "In the name of Allah at the beginning and at the end of it."
Narrated by Ibn Hibban (5213)
Imam al-Munawi stated that although the hadith only mentions about the act of eating, it also includes drinking. Furthermore, this supplication can also be recited after eating or drinking. (See Faidh al-Qadir, 1/296)
The above hadith is sahih and there is syawahid (supporting hadith) for it. Moreover, scholars state that it is sunnah to start every writing, learning, teaching, khutbah, speech and others (such as eating and drinking) that is considered as important with praise for Allah SWT. (See al-Majmu’, 1/73)
Conclusion
To conclude, let us all pray to Allah SWT in every matter that we do so that it will be blessed by Allah SWT. Lastly, may Allah SWT give us the strength to practise the sunnah of our beloved Prophet PBUH. Amin.
Wallahu a’lam.