desired it he ate it, and if not he left it without finding fault with it. For example, suppose a man is offered dates that happen to be of poor quality; he should not say, “These dates are bad.” Rather it should be said to him, “If you would like them, then eat; otherwise, do not eat.” To disparage them—when they are a blessing Allah has granted and made easy for you—is inappropriate. The same applies when a cooked dish is set before someone yet he does not care for it; he must not condemn it. Instead one says, “If this dish suits your taste, then eat; if not, leave it.”

With regard to praising and commending food, the author cites the hadith of Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him): the Prophet ﷺ asked his household for some idam (relish). They answered, “We have nothing except vinegar.” Vinegar is water into which dates are placed until it turns sweet. It was brought to him and he used it as a relish—dipping his bread into it and eating while repeating, “What an excellent relish vinegar is! What an excellent relish vinegar is!” This is genuine praise of the food. Even though vinegar is technically a drink, a drink is still referred to as ṭaʿām (food). Allah the Exalted says, “Whoever drinks from it is not of me, but whoever does not taste it is surely of me.” It is called food because it possesses a flavor that one tastes.