only a single morsel remained, he remembered and pronounced the name of Allah. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ laughed and explained that Satan had been eating with him, but when he mentioned Allah, Satan vomited up everything he had swallowed. This is one of Allah’s favors: when we invoke His name at the start of a meal, Satan is barred from eating with us, and even if we remember only at the end and say, “In the name of Allah, at its beginning and at its end,” whatever Satan has consumed he must disgorge and is thus deprived of it.

This ḥadīth is proof that Satan does eat and drink, for he partook of that very food. He therefore shares the meal or drink of anyone who fails to mention Allah’s name over it.

The report from ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her) relates that the Prophet ﷺ was eating with six of his Companions when a Bedouin arrived, joined them, and in just two bites finished what remained. He was apparently very hungry—Allah knows best—so he plunged in and consumed the rest in two mouthfuls. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Had he pronounced the basmalah, it would have been enough for all of you; but because he did not, he devoured everything in two bites, and it still did not satisfy him.”

This shows that when a person neglects to say the basmalah, the blessing is withdrawn from his food because Satan eats with him. As a result, food that would ordinarily be sufficient proves inadequate once its blessing has been removed.

The remaining aḥādīth indicate that after eating one should praise Allah and say, “All praise is for Allah who fed me this and provided it for me without any power or might on my part.” The sense is that, had Allah not made this food readily available to you, you would never have been able to obtain it.