Eating & Drinking

When Forgetting Bismillah

A eating & drinking supplication recorded in the Abu Dawud 3767 tradition.

Bismillahi awwalahu wa akhirahu

Meaning

In the name of Allah, at its beginning and at its end.

Reference

Source: Abu Dawud 3767. Sunan Abi Dawud is one of the six canonical hadith collections; most of its supplication narrations are authentic or hasan.

When to recite

Say this dua at iftar, right as you break your fast. The hadith places it at the moment the thirst is gone and the body is refreshed — a small acknowledgment that the reward is with Allah.

About this dua

Sunan Abi Dawud is one of the six canonical hadith collections (Kutub al-Sittah). Imam Abu Dawud as-Sijistani (d. 275 AH) focused on legal and devotional hadith. Most narrations are sound; he noted weak ones explicitly when included. The Prophetic etiquette around food is detailed: name Allah at the start, eat with the right hand, eat from what's in front of you, and thank Allah at the end. The supplications are short — they're meant to be habit-sized, not ritual-sized.

Arabic text and references are presented as recorded in the source collections. For detailed authenticity grading or in-depth tafsir, consult a qualified scholar.

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