The Excellence of Bread

“I once heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ‘I lick food from my fingers but I fear my servants’ seeing me and their thinking that I am greedy. That is not true. A people upon whom bounties were poured owned a very…

“It is a narration of abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), from the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause. He (the Messenger of Allah) once said, ‘You must…

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘A loaf of bread must not be placed under the dish.”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘You must treat bread with reverence.’ It was asked, ‘What is treating it with reverence?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘When it is made available one must not wait for others.’”

“He (the Imam) has said that the Messenger of Allah, once said, ‘You must treat bread with reverence.’ It was asked, ‘What is its reverence?’ He (the Messenger of Allah) said, ‘When it is made available one must not wait…

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘You must never smell bread like the beasts do. Bread…

“He (the Imam) has said that the Messenger of Allah has said, ‘When bread and meat is brought for you, eat bread first to stop the emptiness of hunger, then eat the meat.’”

“Abu al-Hassan, al-Rida’ ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘Make your bread of small loaves…

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that when ’Amir al-Mu’minin did not have curry; he would cut the bread with a knife.’”

10. Al-Sayyariy in a marfu‘ manner has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the least of curry is to cut the bread with a knife.’”

“I once had lunch with abu al-Hassan (a.s.), and the dish was brought with bread underneath the dish. He (the Imam) said, ‘You must revere bread and do not allow it to be placed under the dish.’ He (the Imam) then said…

foiiowing: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), disliked placing of the loaf of bread under the dish.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘Do not cut bread with knife but break it with your…

“Abu al-Hassan, al-Rida’ (a.s.), has said, ‘Do not cut bread with knife, instead break it with the hands and do the opposite of al-Ajam (non- Arabs).”’