Riyad as-Salihin · Chapter 112

Undesirability of Drinking Directly from the Mouth of a Water-Skin

باب كراهة الشرب من فم القربة ونحوها وبيان أنه كراهة تنزيه لا تحريم

This short chapter is about a single refined habit: not tipping a water-skin straight to the lips to drink from its mouth. Pouring into a cup first is cleaner and lets you see what you are drinking, and the guidance here is one of preference and good manners rather than a hard prohibition.

The closing report shows the balance. The Prophet himself once drank straight from a hanging skin, which a companion treasured for its blessing, so the earlier reports point to what is finer and more complete while this one shows it remains permissible. As An-Nawawi notes, Allah knows best.

Hadith 761

Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

عن أبى سعيد الخدرى رضى الله عنه قال ‏:‏ نهى رسول الله عن اختناث الأسقية ‏:‏ يعنى‏:‏ أن تكسر أفواهها، ويشرب منها‏.‏((متفق عليه))

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forbade turning the water-skin upside down and drinking directly from its mouth. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

In plain words

He forbade turning a water-skin upside down to drink from its mouth. Pouring into a cup first is the cleaner, more careful way.

Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 761 In-book reference : Book 2, Hadith 35

Hadith 762

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

وعن أبى هريرة رضى الله عنه قال‏:‏ نهى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أن يشرب من في السقاء أو القربة.‏((متفق عليه))

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prohibited drinking directly out of the mouth of a water- skin. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

In plain words

Again he discouraged drinking straight from the mouth of a water-skin. The finer practice is to pour the water out first.

Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 762 In-book reference : Book 2, Hadith 36

Hadith 763

Umm Thabit Kabshah (May Allah be pleased with her), daughter of Thabit (May Allah be pleased with him) and the sister of Hassan bin Thabit, the Prophet's poet) reported:

وعن أم ثابت كبشة بنت ثابت أخت حسان بن ثابت رضى الله عنه وعنها قالت‏:‏ دخل عليَّ رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فشرب من فيّ قربة معلقة قائماً، فقمت إلى فيها فقطعته‏ ‏((رواه الترمذي وقال: حديث حسن صحيح)). وإنما قطعتها لتحفظ موضع فم رَسُول اللَّهِ ﷺ وتتبرك به وتصونه عن الابتذال. وهذا الحديث محمول على بيان الجواز، والحديثان السابقان لبيان الأفضل والأكمل، والله أعلم.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) visited me and drank some water from a hanging water-skin while he was in a standing posture. So, I stood up and cut off the mouth (of that water-skin). [At- Tirmidhi]. An-Nawawi said that the reason why she did this was to preserve the part of the water-skin which the lips of Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) touched, gain blessings from it, and preserve it from dishonor. This narration is understood to show permissibility whereas the previous two narrations are to show what is better and closer to perfection. Allah knows best.

In plain words

When he drank from a hanging water-skin, the woman cut off its mouth to treasure the spot his lips had touched. This shows drinking that way is allowed, while the earlier reports point to what is finer.

Reference : Riyad as-Salihin 763 In-book reference : Book 2, Hadith 37