Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Review your information before emailing it to people. All of your other Hadiths were great. But this one is downright mis-informative.

It is NOT ABSOLUTELY prohibited to eat with your left hand.

Jabir (r.a.) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) as saying: "Do not eat with your left hand, because the Shaytaan eats and drinks with his left hand.``

Related by Muslim.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Not ‘absolutely’ prohibited to eat left hand

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Unless and until one does not have a right hand, or one’s right hand is injured or paralyzed and one is physically unable to lift one’s food or drink with one’s right hand unto one’s mouth…..the scholars and the jurists in Islam are absolutely unanimous in their opinion that the Command of the Messenger of Allah (saws) of ‘Do not eat with your left hand….’ should be taken as an absolute prohibition by the believers who sincerely fears Allah and the Last Day.

Respected brother in Islam, if you have any reason or evidence or endorsement from the Quran or the Sunnah to believe that it is permissible and not absolutely prohibited for the believers to eat with their left hand…..we humbly request you to present that evidence.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan