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Ruling on blowing into hot food

Question

assalamualaikum is it allowed to blow on the food if its too hot

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and messenger.

It is authentically reported in a Hadeeth that it is forbidden to blow into food. It is narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him said: "The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, forbade blowing into food and drink.” [Ahmad] Shaykh Shu‘ayb Al-Arnaa’oot said: “Its chain of transmitters is Saheeh (sound) according to the criteria of Al-Bukhari.”

The reason for the prohibition is that when one blows in the food he pollutes it with the saliva.

However, some scholars maintained that blowing into food and drink is permissible if one does it in order to cool the food, especially if one is eating alone. Some other scholars tend to favor the view that it is disliked to blow into food in order to cool it down. Al-Baaji said in his Muntaqa: "Maalik said in Al-‘Utbiyyah: ‘It is disliked to blow into food, in the same way it is disliked to blow into a drink. This means – in my view – that the saliva of the person who blows gets into the food unintentionally and this pollutes that food as well as that drink.” [End of quote]

Al-Buhooti said in Al-Kash-shaaf: “It is disliked to blow into food or drink to cool it down. He (As-Saamiri) said in Al-Mustaw‘ib: ‘Blowing into the food, drink, and the Book is disliked.’ Al-Aamidi said: ‘It is not disliked to blow into food when it is hot.’ The author of Al-Insaaf said: ‘This is the correct view, if there is a need to eat immediately.’” [End of quote]

An-Nafraawi said: “It is disliked [i.e. not prohibited] to blow into food and drink for someone who is eating or drinking for fear of affecting the rest of the food and drink with the saliva. However, they differed in opinion about the reason for the prohibition. It was said that blowing into food and drink involves disrespect for the food, so it is disliked to blow into it even if the person is eating alone. It was also said that the reason for the prohibition is to avoid affecting the remainder of the food as in this way it will affect other people who eat from it. So, it is disliked only if other people share the food with him.” [End of quote]

Accordingly, if the food is very hot as you mentioned, and the person needs to eat immediately, and he is eating alone, then we hope that there is nothing wrong with it, Allaah willing.

Allaah Knows best.

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