Blowing on hot food and drinks to cool it down

Nasihah (Advice): Take the name of Allah when eating

Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said, “When anyone of you intends to eat, they should say Bismillah. If one forgets to do it in the beginning, one should recite Bismillahi awwalahu wa akhirahu (I begin with the Name of Allah at the beginning and at the end).” [Sunan Abi Dawud]

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Question and Answer:

1. Sometimes parents tell their children to blow on hot food or drinks to cool it down. Is this correct?

1. One should avoid blowing on food and drinks. It is against the etiquette of eating and drinking to do.

It would be better and closer to proper manners, to wait for one’s food or drink to cool down before eating/drinking.

Sayyiduna Abdullah Ibn Abbas Radiyallahu anhuma said that Rasulullah Sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam prohibited blowing into food and drink. [Musnad Ahmad #2819]

Allamah Munawi explains that blowing indicates excessive greediness and a lack of patience. [Munawi, Fayd al-Qadir Sharh al-Jami` al-Saghir 6/324]

And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best

Mufti Muhammed Hamza Farooqui

Mufti Taahir Hansa

(The answer hereby given is specifically based on the question asked and should be read together with the question asked. Islamic rulings on this Q&A newsletter are answered in accordance to the Hanafi Fiqh unless otherwise stated.) 

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