Is it permissible to sit on the floor and eat on a low table?
Published as Eating from a table while sitting on the floor
Question
Is it permissible to sit on the floor and eat on a low table? Will this be considered as upholding the sunnah or not?
Answer
It is contrary to the Sunnah to eat from a table that is laden with food, even though one may be seated on the floor. Allama Turbishti states that, eating on the table has always been the habit of the people of luxury and the oppressors, so that they do not have to lower themselves when eating. The pious would sit on the floor and eat in accordance to the Sunnah.
References (Arabic / Urdu sources)
قَوْله خوان بِكَسْر أَوله وضمه هُوَ الْمَائِدَة الْمعدة للْأَكْل (فتح الباري لابن حجر ص115 ج1)
وَقَدْ تَقَدَّمَ أَنَّهُ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَمْ يَأْكُلْ عَلَى خِوَانٍ قَطُّ وَقَدْ فَسَّرُوا الْمَائِدَةَ بِأَنَّهَا خِوَانٌ عَلَيْهِ طَعَام (فتح الباري لابن حجر ص580 ج9)
حدَّثنا عَبْدُ الله بنُ أبِي الأسْوَدِ حدَّثنا مُعاذٌ حدَّثني أبِي عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنْ قَتَادَةَ عَنْ أنَسٍ بنِ مَالِكٍ. قَالَ: مَا أكَلَ النبيُّ صلى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسلم، عَلَى خِوانٍ وَلا فِي سكُرُّجَةٍ وَلا خُبِزَ لَهُ مُرَقّقٌ.قُلْتُ لِقَتَادَةَ: عَلَى مَا يَأْكُلُونَ؟ قَالَ: عَلى السُّفَرِ. (عمدة القاري ص53 ج21)
عنْ أنَسٍ رَضِي الله عَنهُ، قَالَ: لَمْ يأكُلِ النبيُّ صلى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسلم عل خِوَانٍ حتَّى ماتَ، وَمَا أكَلَ خُبْزاً مُرَقَّقاً حتَّى ماتَ (عمدة القاري ص57 ج23)
قَالَ التُّورِبِشْتِيُّ الْخِوَانُ الَّذِي يُؤْكَلُ عَلَيْهِ مُعَرَّبٌ وَالْأَكْلُ عَلَيْهِ لَمْ يَزَلْ مِنْ دَأْبِ الْمُتْرَفِينَ وَصَنِيعِ الْجَبَّارِينَ لِئَلَّا يَفْتَقِرُوا إِلَى التَّطَأْطُؤِ عِنْدَ الْأَكْلِ كَذَا فِي الْمِرْقَاةِ (تحفة الاحوذي ص398 ج5)
- Answered by
- Mufti Mohammed Desai
Where scholars differ, it’s safer to take the more cautious view.
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Source: Darul Ifta Ibn Masood — https://fataawa.co.za/eating-from-a-table-whilst-sitting-on-a-floor/
Fatawa SA: https://fatawa.co.za/fatwa/ibnmasood-22337