may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when he returned after relieving himself. Food was brought to him, and he was asked, ‘Will you not perform ablution?’ He replied, ‘I am not about to pray, so why should I perform ablution?’”

This negates any obligation to perform ablution and any command to do so merely for the sake of eating. We know of no one who recommended ablution specifically for eating. As for washing before eating, whether it is disliked or recommended is the subject of two opinions, both reported from Ahmad. Those who recommended it cited the hadith in which Salmān said to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace:

“I read in the Torah that part of the blessing of food lies in washing before and after eating.”

Those who disliked it argued that it runs contrary to the practice of the Muslims, who did not wash before eating. Rather, this was a Jewish practice, and imitating them is disliked. As for the hadith of Salmān, some scholars graded it weak.

It may also be said that this was in the early days of Islam, when the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, liked to follow the practice of the People of the Book in matters concerning which he had received no command. Thus, he used to leave his hair unparted, in keeping with their practice, but later parted it. Likewise, he fasted on Āshūrā when he arrived in Medina, but before his death he said:

“If I live until next year, I will certainly fast on the ninth.”

He meant alongside the tenth, in order to differ from the Jews.