1254 – Ibn ʿAbbās (may Allah be pleased with them both) reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “When any one of you eats, he must not wipe his hand until he has licked it, or had it licked.” Agreed upon (1).

Vocabulary of the ḥadīth
• “yalaʿquhā or yulʿiquhā”: The first verb, yalaʿquhā, is from the triliteral root la-ʿa-qa and is read with an open yā’; it means that he licks it himself. The second, yulʿiquhā, is from the quadriliteral al-ʿaqa and is read with a ḍamma on the yā’; it means that he lets someone else—his wife, child, or servant—lick it. “Licking” refers to tracing whatever food remains on the hand with the tongue.

Points derived from the ḥadīth

1. The blessing Allah Most High has placed in food and drink deserves reverence and honor. Consequently, if the eater does not lick the remnants of food on his fingers or hand, he should not wash his hand, causing the food to mix with dirty water, filth, or urine. Such behavior constitutes ingratitude and disrespect for the blessing. Instead, he should lick his hand and fingers until no trace of food remains, or allow someone who has familiarity with him—such as a child, spouse, or servant—to do so.
2. If this Sunnah is not observed—as is often the case in our times, when many Sunnahs are neglected—the minimum the eater should do is to wipe the remaining food from his hand with tissues that are then placed in a clean, pure location, and only afterwards wash his hands. Adhering to the Sunnah is superior.
3. Some have assumed that licking the hand after eating was prescribed only because of water scarcity, making licking a substitute for washing so that no food residue would remain on the hand; however, the correct view is that