When your servant brings you your food, if you do not ask him to join you, then (at least) give him a bite or two, or a mouthful or two, for he was in charge of preparing it

Chapter: The Excellence of Kind Attitude towards Slaves

Authentic Riyad as-Salihin 1361

وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال‏:‏ ‏"‏إذا أتى أحدكم خادمه بطعامه، فإن لم يجلسه معه فليناوله لقمة أو لقمتين أو أُكلة أو أُكلتين فإنه ولي علاجه‏"‏ ‏(‏‏(‏رواه البخاري‏)‏‏)‏‏.‏ (9)

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: “When your servant brings you your food, if you do not ask him to join you, then (at least) give him a bite or two, or a mouthful or two, for he was in charge of preparing it.”

Reported by Al-Bukhari (No. 2557, 5460), Ahmad (No. 8901, 8939, 9191, 9605, 9741) and Ad-Darimi (No. 1985). Cited in Riyad as-Salihin (No. 1361).

Explanation

This Hadīth encourages good conduct and generosity with slaves and servants who prepare one's food and serve it. The master should feed his servant from that food as he (the servant) made effort to cook and serve that food. It is unfit for a generous and magnanimous person to deprive his servant from the food he has prepared and served; rather, he should give him some of it to satisfy his longing and ward off his possible resentment if he is not given from it.

Explanation in Arabic

في هذا الحديث أن الخادم أو المملوك إذا أصلح طعاماً لسيده، فمن المروءة وحسن المعاملة أن يُطعمَه سيده من هذا الطعام ولا يحرمُه منه وقد تعب فيه، وقد أصلحه وأحضره، فلا يليق بالمروءة والكرم وحُسن المعاملة أن هذا المملوك لا يذوق من الطعام، بل يعطيه منه ما يُطيِّبُ نفسَه ويردُّ تطلُّعه.

الحث على مكارم الأخلاق, والأمر بالتواضع وترك التكبر على العبد والخادم.
الأفضل لصاحب البيت أن يؤاكل خدمه، ومماليكه، وضيوفه الصغار، ولا يترفَّع، ولا يتكبَّر عن مؤاكلتهم ومؤانستهم، وأن يكون ذلك باحتشام.
الأفضل والأكمل أن يكون طعام المخدوم والخادم واحدًا.
جواز استخدام الغير.
أن الخادم مؤتمن على طعام السيد.

Scholars’ grades

Original grading term, without a named scholar: صحيح

Other versions

Authentic Sahih al-Bukhari 2557

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "When your servant brings your meals to you then if he does not let him sit and share the meals, then he should at least give him a mouthful or two mouthfuls of that meal or a meal or two meals, as he has prepared it."

إِذَا أَتَى أَحَدَكُمْ خَادِمُهُ بِطَعَامِهِ، فَإِنْ لَمْ يُجْلِسْهُ مَعَهُ، فَلْيُنَاوِلْهُ لُقْمَةً أَوْ لُقْمَتَيْنِ أَوْ أُكْلَةً أَوْ أُكْلَتَيْنِ، فَإِنَّهُ وَلِيَ عِلاَجَهُ ‏"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Authentic Sahih al-Bukhari 5460

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "When your servant brings your food to you, if you do not ask him to join you, then at least ask him to take one or two handfuls, for he has suffered from its heat (while cooking it) and has taken pains to cook it nicely."

أَتَى أَحَدَكُمْ خَادِمُهُ بِطَعَامِهِ، فَإِنْ لَمْ يُجْلِسْهُ مَعَهُ فَلْيُنَاوِلْهُ أُكْلَةً أَوْ أُكْلَتَيْنِ، أَوْ لُقْمَةً أَوْ لُقْمَتَيْنِ، فَإِنَّهُ وَلِيَ حَرَّهُ وَعِلاَجَهُ ‏"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Not graded Musnad Ahmad 8901