Yet Satan adorns a man’s evil deed in his eyes until he imagines it to be good. Concerning such people Allah—mighty and exalted—says in reproach: “Is the one whose evil work has been made to seem fair to him so that he thinks it good (like one rightly guided)? Indeed, Allah leads astray whom He wills and guides whom He wills.” We ask Allah for safety.
Accordingly, it is absolutely forbidden for a Muslim to eat or drink with the left hand except in cases of genuine necessity—when the right hand is paralyzed, broken, missing fingers, and the like. Such situations are true necessities, and “Allah has not placed upon you any hardship in the religion.”
The Prophet ﷺ once saw a man eating with his left hand and forbade him. The man replied, “I cannot,” meaning he could not use his right hand. The Prophet ﷺ said, “May you be unable!” From that moment the man could no longer raise his right hand to his mouth; it became paralyzed because he had lied when he claimed he could not. The Prophet’s supplication against him is clear evidence that eating with the left hand is unlawful. Pride had prevented the man, but the Prophet’s prayer shows the act itself is forbidden—and that is indeed the ruling.
Among the ways one resembles Satan is also to take things with the left hand and to give with the left. Sadly, many people today—even students of sacred knowledge and devout worshippers—accept items with their left hand and pass them with their left. Someone hands something over with the left hand—glory be to Allah! Whoever receives and gives with the left hand is imitating Satan; it violates decorum and honorable conduct.
If you wish to hand something to another person, give it with your right hand; if you want to receive something, take it with your right hand—unless the right hand is occupied, such as when you are carrying something heavy that cannot be transferred to the left. Every situation has its own ruling, but without a valid reason do not give or take with the left hand if you truly seek the guidance of the Prophet ﷺ. We ask Allah to grant us and you success and right guidance.