Jabir bin Abdullah [رضى الله عنه] reported Allah's Messenger صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ as saying: When any one of you drops a mouthful he should pick it up and remove any of the filth on it, and then eat it, and should not leave it for the Satan, and should not wipe his hand with towel until he has licked his fingers, for he does not know in what portion of the food the blessing lies.
Ref: Sahih Muslim 2033b
In-book ref: Book 36, Hadith 175
Eng: Book 23, Hadith 5044
It is recommended to lick one's fingers and wipe the bowl, and to eat a piece of food that is dropped after removing any dirt on it. It is disliked to wipe one's hand before licking it, because of the possibility that the blessing of the food may be in that remaining part. The Sunnah is to eat with three fingers.
We have bacteria, known as normal flora, found on the palm and fingers of the hand. It is not harmful to humans, it in fact protects us from many damaging microbes in the environment. When you eat with your hands, the flora in the fingers is swallowed. It is beneficial for health and various parts of the body, and it promotes healthy digestion in the gut.
Those elements are not present when using cutlery which is why it's called "finger lickin good"!
Ref: Sahih Muslim 2033b
In-book ref: Book 36, Hadith 175
Eng: Book 23, Hadith 5044
It is recommended to lick one's fingers and wipe the bowl, and to eat a piece of food that is dropped after removing any dirt on it. It is disliked to wipe one's hand before licking it, because of the possibility that the blessing of the food may be in that remaining part. The Sunnah is to eat with three fingers.
We have bacteria, known as normal flora, found on the palm and fingers of the hand. It is not harmful to humans, it in fact protects us from many damaging microbes in the environment. When you eat with your hands, the flora in the fingers is swallowed. It is beneficial for health and various parts of the body, and it promotes healthy digestion in the gut.
Those elements are not present when using cutlery which is why it's called "finger lickin good"!