The 365 · Sunnah · Day 89 · Food
Reciting the Prophetic Duʿāʾ for the Host After Eating Their Food
The hadith
اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لَهُمْ فِيمَا رَزَقْتَهُمْ، وَاغْفِرْ لَهُمْ وَارْحَمْهُمْ
The Prophet ﷺ, after eating at someone's home: 'Allāhumma bārik lahum fīmā razaqtahum, wa-ghfir lahum wa-rḥamhum' (O Allah, bless them in what You have provided them, forgive them, and have mercy on them). (Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2042, ʿAbdullāh ibn Bisr.) Cross-ref the additional phrase: 'Aftara ʿindakumu aṣ-ṣāʾimūn, wa-akala ṭaʿāmakumu al-abrār, wa-ṣallat ʿalaykumu al-malāʾikah.' (Abū Dāwūd 3854, ṣaḥīḥ.)
Svenska: Profeten ﷺ, efter att ha ätit hos någon, sade: 'Allahumma barik lahum fima razaqtahum, wa ghfir lahum wa rhamhum.' (O Allah, välsigna dem i det Du har givit dem, förlåt dem och ha förbarmande över dem.) (Sahih Muslim 2042.)
Sahih Muslim 2042 (ʿAbdullāh ibn Bisr), Abu Dawud 3854
The story
The Companions modeled this consistently. ʿAbdullāh ibn Bisr's narration is the template: the Prophet ﷺ ate at his family's home and pronounced this duʿāʾ. The host's family treasured this as a structural blessing on their household. Modern guest-etiquette (a thank-you note, a return invitation) is operationally insufficient compared to the Prophetic duʿāʾ which invokes divine blessing.
Why it's here
The host has invested time, money, and effort in preparing food for the guest. The Prophetic discipline is to convert this material gift into a duʿāʾ. The duʿāʾ asks for three structural blessings: barakah in their provision, forgiveness, and mercy. The discipline integrates the social act with the spiritual act.
Try it today
1. Memorize the duʿāʾ. About 15 seconds. 2. Recite at the conclusion of any meal at someone else's home. 3. Add the additional Prophetic phrase when appropriate. 4. The recitation can be silent or aloud (so the host hears the named blessing). Both are sunnah; aloud is operationally encouraging for the host.
In your day
Apply when invited for any meal: friend's home, family gathering, ʿaqīqah, walīmah, daʿwah dinner. The discipline elevates the eating-together from social act to social-spiritual act.
A reflection to carry
The duʿāʾ for the host (revisit): 'Allāhumma bārik lahum fīmā razaqtahum, wa-ghfir lahum wa-rḥamhum.' (Muslim 2042.) Three structural blessings invoked: barakah in provision, forgiveness, mercy.
Read the longer reflection
The host invests time, money, effort; the Prophetic discipline converts the material gift into a divine duʿāʾ. Cure: memorize (15 seconds); recite at the conclusion of any meal at someone else's home; can be silent or audible; add the additional Prophetic phrase when appropriate ('Aftara ʿindakumu aṣ-ṣāʾimūn, wa-akala ṭaʿāmakumu al-abrār, wa-ṣallat ʿalaykumu al-malāʾikah,' Abū Dāwūd 3854). Modern guest-etiquette (thank-you note, return invitation) is operationally insufficient compared to the Prophetic duʿāʾ that invokes structural divine blessing on the host's household.
Sources: Sahih Muslim, Abu Dawud. The Qur'an and its translation are verified; the scholarship is retold faithfully in our own words and credited to its sources, never reproduced verbatim.
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