1. The manner of eating of Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam)
Kaa'b bin Maalik Radiyallahu 'Anhu says: "Rasulullah Sallallabu 'Alayhi Wasallam licked his fingers thrice (after eating)".
Anas Radiyallahu 'Anhu says: "Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam used to lick his three fingers after having eaten".
Abu Juhayfah Radiyallahu 'Anhu says: "Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallain said: 'I do not lean and eat"'.
Ka'b bin Maalik Radiyallahu 'Anhu says: "It was the noble habit of Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallamn to use three fingers whilst eating and-he also licked them".
Abu Ayyub Ansaari Radiyallahu'Anhu reports: "We were once present in the assembly of Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam. Food was brought to him. 1 did not observe any food that had so much barakah at the beginning and at the end of which there was no barakah left in the food. We therefore asked Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam reason?. He replied: 'In the beginning we all recited 'Bismillah' before we began eating. Then someone in the end joined us, and did not recite ''Bismillah'. The shayiaan ate with him"'.
Aayeshah radiyallahu 'Anha says: "Rasulullah Sallallahli 'Alayi Wasallam said: 'When one eats and has forgotten to recite 'Bismillah', then when one remembers while eating, one should recite 'Bismillahi awwalahu wa aa-khirahu' ".
Umar bin Abi Salamah Radiyallahu 'Anbu came to Rasululah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam while food had been served to him. Rasulullah Saliallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam said: "O my Son come near, recite Bismillah, and eat with your right hand from that portion which is in front of you".
Abu Sa'eed Khudari Radiyallahu 'Anhu says: "After eating Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam read this du'aa:
Alhamdulillaahil-ladhi at-amanaa wa-saqaa-naa wa-ja-a-lanaa muslimeen
Translation: Praise be to Allah who fed us, and gave us drink and made us muslims".
Abu Umaamah Radiyallahu-'Anhu says: "When the dastarkhaan (table cloth) was being removed in the presence of Rasulullah Sallailahu 'Alayhi Wasallam, Rasulullah Saliallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam recited this du'aa:
Alhamdulillaahi hamdan kathiran tayyiban mubaarakan fihi-ghayra mu-wadda-in wa-laa mus-taghnan 'anhu rabbuna
Translation: Praise be to Allah, abundant, excellent, blessed praise! Unceasing, never parting, indispensable (praise), Lord of us".
Aayeshah Radiyallahu 'Anha relates that while Rasulullah Saliallahu aIayhi Wasallam and six of the Sahaabah were having meals, a badawi came. He ate all the food up in two bites. Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam said: "If he had read 'Bismillah' it should have been sufficient for all"
Anas Radiyallahu 'Anhu relates from Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam that, Allah Ta'aala is pleased with that servant who eats one morsel (bite) or drinks one sip and gives thanks to Him.
'Aayeshah Radiyallahu 'Anha says: "Till the demise of Rasulullah sallallahu'Alayhi Wasallam, his family never ate a full stomach of bread made of barley for two consecutive days".
Abu Umaamah Al-Baahili Radiyallahu 'Anhu says: "Bread made of barley was never left over in the house of Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam".
lbn 'Abbaas Radiyallahu 'Anhu reports that: "Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam and his family spent many consecutive nights without food, because there would be no supper. The bread of Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam was mostly made of barley". (Sometimes bread made of wheat was also available).
Someone asked Sahl bin Sa'd Radiyallahu 'Anhu "Did Rasulullah Sallailahu 'Alayhi Wasallam ever eat bread made of white (fine) flour?" He replied: White flour may not have come before Rasulullah Sallailahu 'Alayhi Wasallam till his last days". The questioner then asked: "Did you people use sieved flour in the time of Rasulullah Sallailahu 'Alayhi Wasallam?"
He replied: "No, it was not". The questioner then asked: "How was bread from barley prepared?" (because it has more particles in it). Sahl Radiyallahu Anhu replied: "We used to blow into the flour and the big particles flew out. The rest was made into dough".
Anas Radiyallahu 'Anhu reports that.. "Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam never ate food from a table, nor from small plates, nor was chapaati (a type of thin bread) ever made for him. Yunus Radiyallahu 'Anhu says, I asked Qataadah: 'Then on what did Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam put and eat his food'?'. He replied: on this leather dastarkhaan"'.
Masruq says. "I went to 'Aayeshah (Radiyallahu 'Anha). She ordered' food for me and began saying 'I never eat a stomachful but feel like crying, then I do cry'. Masruq asked: 'Why do you feel like crying?'. She replied: 'I remember that condition of Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam on which he left us for the next world. I swear by Allah that, he never filled his stomach twice in one day with meat or bread"'.
'Aayeshah Radiyallahu 'Anha says: "Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam never filled his stomach with bread made of barley for two consecutive days till he passed away".
Anas Radiyallahu 'Anhu says: "Till the end of his life Rasulullah Sallallahu 'Alayhi Wasallam never ate on a table and never ate a chapaati".
2. The manner of Drinking of Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam)
Thaabit radiyallahu anhu relates that Anas radiyallahu anhu showed us a large wooden cup, which was lined with metal, and said, “O’ Thaabit, this is the cup of Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam.”
Anas radiyallahu anhu says, “I gave Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam to drink from this cup all those things which are drunk; Nabeedh, milk, etc.”
Aisha radiyallahu anha says, “The drink most liked by Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam was that which was sweet and cold.”
Ibn Abbas radiyallahu anhu reports, “Khalid ibn Waleed and I both accompanied Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam to the house of Maymunah. (Ummul Mu’mineen, Maymunah radiyallahu anha was the maternal aunt of both). She served milk in a vessel. Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam drank from it. I was on his right and Khalid ibn Waleed on his left. Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam said the right of drinking is now yours (as you are on the right). If you so wish you could give your right to Khalid. I replied that I would give no one preference from your left over. After that Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam said, Whenever Allah feeds one something, this du’aa should be recited:
Allahumma baarik lanaa fihi wa-at’imanaa khayram minhu
(Translation: O’ Allah grant us barakah in it, and feed us something better than it.)
Whenever Allah gives someone milk to drink one should read:
Allahumma baarik lanaa fihi wa-zidnaa minhu
(Translation: O’ Allah grant us barakah in it and increase it for us.)
Sayyidinaa Ibn Abbas radiyallahu anhu says that after having something Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam made du’aa for something better than it. And after drinking milk he taught to make du’aa for the increase of it, becuase Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam said, There is nothing that serves both as food and water excepting milk.”
Ibn Abbas radiyallahu anhu says, “Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam drank Zam-zam water while he was standing.”
Amr ibn Shu’aib radiyallahu anhu relates from his father, and he from his (Amr’s) grandfather, that he said, “I had seen Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam drinking water whilst standing and also whilst sitting.”
Sayyidina Anas ibn Malik radiyallahu anhu relates that Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam drank water in three breaths (i.e. in three gulps/sips) and used to say, “It is more pleasing and satisfying in this manner.”
Sayyidina Ibn Abbas radiyallahu anhu says, “Whenever Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam drank water, he drank it in two breaths.”
3. Fruits eaten by Rasulallah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam)
Abdullah ibn Jaafar radiyallahu anhu says, “Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam ate Qith’thaa (cucumbers) with dates.”
Aisha radiyallah anha reports that, “Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam ate watermelon with fresh dates.”
Anas radiyallahu anhu says, “I saw Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam eat together musk-melon and dates.”
Abu Hurairah radiyallahu anhu reports, “When the people saw (picked their) new fruit, they used to come and present it to Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam. Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam then recited this du’aa:-
Transliteration: Allahumma baarik lana fi thimaa-rina wa-baarik lanaa fi madinatinaa wa-baarik lanaa fi saa-'i-naa wa-fi muddinaa-Allahumma-inna Ebraahima 'ab-duka wa-kha-li-luka wa-nabiy-yuka wa-inna ab-duka wa-nabiy-yuka wa-in-nahu da'aa-ka li-makkata wa-inni ad'u-ka lil-madinati bi-mith-li maa da'aaka bihi li-makkata wa-mith-lahu ma'a-hu
Translation: O Allah! Bless us in our fruits. Bless us in our city. Bless us in our Saa’, and bless us in our Mudd’ (these are two measures used in Madinah to measure dates, etc.). O Allah verily Ibrahim alaihis salaam is Your servant, friend and Nabi (since it was an occasion for humbleness Sayyidina Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam did not mention here his being the habib - beloved - of Alah.) And (whatever) he has supplicated to You for (colonising) Makkah. (Which is metioned in the aayah, “...so incline some hearts of men that they may yearn towards them, and provide Thou them with fruits in order that they may be thankful.”- Surah Ibrahim, 37) I supplicate the same to You for Madinah.’
He then called a small child, to whom he gave that fruit.”
Rubayyi bint Mu’awwidh ibn Afraa radiyallahu anha says, “My uncle Mu’aadh ibn Afraa sent me with a plate of fresh dates, which had small cucumbers on it, to Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam. Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam relished cucumbers. I took this to him. At that time some jewelery had been sent to Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam from Bahrain. He took a handful from it and gave it to me.”
Rubayyi bint Mu’awwidh ibn Afraa radiyallahu anha said, “I took a plate of fresh dates and small cucumbers to Rasoolullah sallallahu alaihe wasallam. He gave me a handful of jewelery, or a handful of gold.”
Taken from: Classic Book of Hadeeth by Imaam Abi 'Eesaa Muhammad bin 'Eesah bin Sorah At-Tirmidhi R.A.(209-279A.H.)
Commentary by Shaykhul-Hadith Maulana Muhammad Zakariyya Muhajir Madni (R.A)