Obligatory: the measure whereby destruction is averted by it, and with it one can pray standing.
تحفة الملوكZayn al-Dīn al-Rāzīفصل الأكل على ثلاث مراتب :
Chapter on eating in three ranks
Permissible: the lowest [degree] of satiety with intention that one gain strength for worship; and one is taken to account for it an easy reckoning if it be from lawful [food].
Unlawful: what exceeds that, except for fasting on the morrow or to join the guest [in eating].
ولا الرياضة تَحِلّ بتقليل الأكل إلى أن يضعفَ عن أداء العبادات.
Neither does training become lawful by reducing food until one is too weak to perform acts of worship.
ولو واصل أربعين يوماً فمات مات عاصياً.
If one continued [fast] forty days and died, he died an offender.
ولو مرض فترك المعالجة توكلاً على الله فمات لم يمت عاصياً.
If he fell ill and forsook treatment relying on Allāh and died, he did not die an offender.
والتنعّم بأَنواع الفاكهةِ مباحٌ، وتركه أَفضل.
Indulging in various fruits is permissible; forsaking that is better.
والجمع بين أَنواع الأَطعمة حرام.
Combining types of food is unlawful.
وكذا وضع الخبز على المائدة أضعاف ما يحتاج إليه الآكلون.
Likewise placing bread on the table at multiples of what the diners need.
وكذا رفع الخبز على الخِوان، ووضعه تحت القصعةِ لتعتدل.
Likewise raising bread onto the low table, and placing it under the bowl so it sits level.
وكذا مسح الأصابع والسكين في الخبز وإن أكلَها جاز، أو وضع المملحة عليه، وأكل وجهه خاصّة.
Likewise wiping fingers and the knife on bread—even if eating them is lawful—or placing the salt cellar on it, and eating its face [crust] in particular.
ومن سنن الأكل: غسل اليدين قبله وبعده، والتسمية قبله، والشكر بعده.
Among the sunnas of eating: washing both hands before and after it, naming [Allāh] before it, and giving thanks after it.
ومَن اشتدَّ جوعه وعجز عن كسب قوته يجب على كلِّ مَن عَلِمَ بحاله إطعامَه، وإن لم يَعْلَمْ به أَحَدٌ يجب عليه أن يَسَأَلَ ويعْلِمَ بحاله، فإن لم يفعل حتى مات كان قاتل نفسه.
Whoever is overcome by hunger and is unable to earn his sustenance—feeding him is obligatory on everyone who knows his situation; and if no one knows of him, he must ask and inform [people] of his situation; if he does not until he dies, he is as one who killed himself.
ومَن له قوت يومه لا يَحِلّ له السّؤال ويباح له الأخذ.
Whoever has his day's sustenance, begging is not lawful for him, but receiving [gifted] is permissible for him.
والسائل في المسجدِ قيل: يَحْرم إعطاؤه، والمختار أنَّه إذا كان لا يتخطَّى رقاب الناس، ولا يمرّ بين يدي المصلين، ولا يسأل الناس إلحافاً يباح إعطاؤه، وإن كان يفعل واحدةً من هذه الثلاثةِ يحرم إعطاؤه.
The beggar in the mosque: it was said, giving him is unlawful; the chosen [view] is that when he does not step over people's necks, pass in front of those praying, nor beseech people importunately—giving him is permitted; if he does one of these three, giving him is unlawful.
والمعطي للصدقة أَفضل من آخذها ويده هي العليا.
The giver of charity is better than its taker, and his hand is the upper.
والفقير الصابر أَفضل من الغني الشاكر، وقيل: لا على العكس، والأول عندي أصح.
The patient poor is better than the grateful rich; and it was said: no—the opposite; the first is sounder in my view.
واختلفَ الصحابة في جواز قَبول هدية الأمراء الظلمة، وأكل طعامهم، والمختار: أنه إذا كان أكثر ماله حلالاً حَلَّ قَبول هديته، وأَكل طعامه، وإلا حَرم.
The Companions differed on the permissibility of accepting gifts of oppressive rulers and eating their food; the chosen [view]: if most of his wealth is lawful, accepting his gift and eating his food are lawful; otherwise they are unlawful.
وطعام الولادة، والعقيقة، والختان، وقدوم المسافر، والموت ليس بسنّة.
Meals for birth, the ʿaqīqa, circumcision, arrival of a traveller, and death are not sunna.
وطعام العرس سنة.
The wedding meal is sunna.
وتكره الضيافة بعد الثلاث في الموت.
Entertaining guests after the third [day] for a death is disliked.
ويكره رفع الزلّة إلا بإذن المضيف.
Clearing away the course [before others finish] is disliked except by the host's leave.
ويَحِلّ للضيفِ في الأَصحِّ أن يطْعِمَ ضَيفاً آخر، وأن يطعمَ الخادمَ الواقفَ على المائدة.
The more sound [view] permits the guest to feed another guest, and to feed the servant standing by the table.
ولا يَحِلّ له أن يعطي سائلاً، أو داخلاً لحاجة، أو كلباً، أو هرةً للمضيف، فإن أَطعمَ الكلبَ أو الهِرة خبزاً محترقاً أو فتات المائدة حَلَّ ذلك.
It is not lawful for him to give to a beggar, or to one who enters [needing something], or a dog, or a cat—for the host; if he fed the dog or the cat burnt bread or table crumbs, that is lawful.