The dua after eating in Islam is a short phrase of praise said when you finish your meal. The best-known wording, reported from Mu’adh ibn Anas, is:
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَطْعَمَنِي هَذَا وَرَزَقَنِيهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ حَوْلٍ مِنِّي وَلَا قُوَّةٍ
Alhamdu lillahi alladhi at’amani hadha wa razaqanihi min ghayri hawlin minni wa la quwwa.
“Praise be to Allah who fed me this and provided it to me without any might or power from me.”
The hadith says that whoever says it after eating has his previous sins forgiven. That is the short answer.
The fuller picture is more interesting: the Sunnah gives several wordings, scholars grade some of them differently, and a few popular “after-eating duas” online have no source at all. Below, each dua comes with its Arabic, meaning and hadith reference, so you can see what is firmly established and where scholars differ.
Mu’adh ibn Anas al-Juhani reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«مَنْ أَكَلَ طَعَامًا فَقَالَ: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَطْعَمَنِي هَذَا وَرَزَقَنِيهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ حَوْلٍ مِنِّي وَلَا قُوَّةٍ، غُفِرَ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ»
“Whoever eats food and says, ‘Praise be to Allah who fed me this and provided it to me without any might or power from me,’ his previous sins are forgiven.”
Sources: Abu Dawud 4023, al-Tirmidhi 3458, Ibn Majah 3285 and Ahmad 15632, with slight differences in wording between them. It is dua no. 180 in Hisn al-Muslim (chapter 70).
What it teaches. The phrase “without any might or power from me” is an admission that the food reached you by Allah’s gift, not your own strength. Pure praise is joined to humility.
A small difference in wording. Some narrations and printed texts say “this food” (hadha at-ta’am) and others just “this” (hadha). The meaning is the same. Abu Dawud’s narration also adds “and what is to come” (wa ma ta’akhkhar) to the reward. Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah do not have that addition, so many writers mention only the forgiveness of previous sins. The next section explains why.
Scholars have differed on the grading of this hadith. The table sets out each view as it is reported.
| Verdict | Scholar | Reason or reference given |
|---|---|---|
| Hasan | al-Tirmidhi | Hasan gharib |
| Acceptable | Abu Dawud | He stayed silent about it, and in his letter to the people of Makkah said that whatever he was silent about is fit for use |
| Hasan | Ibn al-Qayyim | Zad al-Ma'ad, 2/365 |
| Hasan | Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani | al-Futuhat al-Rabbaniyya, 1/301 |
| Hasan | al-Albani | Sahih al-Tirmidhi, no. 3458 |
| Weak | Ibn Muflih | al-Adab al-Shar'iyya, 3/206: the chain contains 'Abd al-Rahim ibn Maymun (Abu Marhum al-Ma'afiri), whom Ibn Ma'in, Abu Hatim and others weakened |
| Weak | Sadr al-Din al-Munawi | Takhrij Ahadith al-Masabih, 4/18: Abu Marhum and Sahl ibn Mu'adh ibn Anas "both weak" |
| Weak | Shu'ayb al-Arna'ut | Takhrij Sunan Abi Dawud, no. 4023: the chain is weak, although he had graded it hasan earlier, in his edition of Zad al-Ma'ad |
The weakness, where it is claimed, sits in two narrators in the chain. The fatwa that lists these views adds that such a weakness is slight (da’f yasir), and that hadiths like this are tolerated in the chapters on virtues, supplications and adhkar. Its conclusion is that there is no harm in praising Allah with this wording.
The words “and what is to come” appear only in Abu Dawud’s narration, not in Tirmidhi or Ibn Majah. One fatwa quotes the longer text but says al-Albani graded the hadith hasan only without “and what is to come.” So the addition is found only in Abu Dawud and is not graded sound by al-Albani. The safest wording is the one all narrations share: forgiveness of previous sins.
A separate question is whether you may use words of praise that are not transmitted from the Prophet ﷺ. A fatwa on this says the best course after a meal is to use the transmitted words of praise, while other wordings are permitted. It quotes al-Munawi (Fayd al-Qadir) that the transmitted is better, and offers a rule of thumb, hedged with “perhaps”: where a specific dhikr is established for an occasion, it is better to keep to it. Another fatwa takes a stricter line on binding yourself to an unsourced formula, covered below.
The Prophet ﷺ did not use one fixed sentence. Ibn Baz describes several wordings as good, and one source suggests alternating between them so the dua does not become automatic.
1. When the table was lifted (Abu Umama)
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ حَمْدًا كَثِيرًا طَيِّبًا مُبَارَكًا فِيهِ غَيْرَ مَكْفِيٍّ وَلَا مُوَدَّعٍ وَلَا مُسْتَغْنىً عَنْهُ رَبَّنَا
Alhamdu lillahi hamdan kathiran tayyiban mubarakan fihi, ghayra makfiyyin wa la muwadda’in wa la mustaghnan ‘anhu, Rabbana.
“Praise be to Allah, abundant, good and blessed praise; praise that is never enough, never abandoned and never done without, our Lord.”
The Arabic above is the Hisn al-Muslim and Tirmidhi form, with hamdan.
Source:
2. Satisfied and quenched (Abu Umama)
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي كَفَانَا وَأَرْوَانَا، غَيْرَ مَكْفِيٍّ، وَلَا مَكْفُورٍ
Alhamdu lillahi alladhi kafana wa arwana, ghayra makfiyyin wa la makfur.
“Praise be to Allah who satisfied us and quenched our thirst, and whose favour is not denied.”
Source: al-Bukhari 5459, from the same Abu Umama. It was said when he finished eating, and the previous one when the table was lifted.
3. After eating or drinking (Abu Ayyub al-Ansari)
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَطْعَمَ وَسَقَى وَسَوَّغَهُ وَجَعَلَ لَهُ مَخْرَجًا
Alhamdu lillahi alladhi at’ama wa saqa wa sawwaghahu wa ja’ala lahu makhraja.
“Praise be to Allah who fed, gave drink, made it easy to swallow and made an exit for it.”
Source: Abu Dawud 3851, graded sahih by al-Albani; al-Nawawi’s al-Adhkar also cites Abu Dawud and al-Nasa’i with a sound chain. It praises Allah for the whole journey of the food.
4. “He sufficed us and sheltered us” (Anas)
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَطْعَمَنَا وَسَقَانَا وَكَفَانَا وَآوَانَا، فَكَمْ مِمَّنْ لَا كَافِيَ لَهُ وَلَا مُؤْوِي
Alhamdu lillahi alladhi at’amana wa saqana wa kafana wa awana, fakam mimman la kafiya lahu wa la mu’wi.
“Praise be to Allah who fed us, gave us drink, sufficed us, and sheltered us; how many have no one to suffice or shelter them.”
Source: It is reported from Anas ibn Malik and found in Sahih Muslim. Ibn Baz also lists it among the praises the Prophet ﷺ said.
5. Praise alone is enough (Muslim 2734)
Anas ibn Malik reported that the Prophet ﷺ said:
«إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَيَرْضَى عَنِ الْعَبْدِ أَنْ يَأْكُلَ الْأَكْلَةَ فَيَحْمَدَهَا عَلَيْهَا، أَوْ يَشْرَبَ الشَّرْبَةَ فَيَحْمَدَهَا عَلَيْهَا»
“Allah is pleased with the servant who eats a morsel and praises Him for it, or drinks a drink and praises Him for it.”
This is a general hadith rather than a fixed dua, so even a simple “Alhamdulillah” reaches this pleasure. Ibn Baz also gives the short “Alhamdu lillahi Rabbi l-‘alamin” as an option.
6. Wordings in Musnad Ahmad
اللَّهُمَّ أَطْعَمْتَ، وَأَسْقَيْتَ، وَأَغْنَيْتَ، وَأَقْنَيْتَ، وَهَدَيْتَ، وَأَحْيَيْتَ، فَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ عَلَى مَا أَعْطَيْتَ
Allahumma at’amta wa saqayta wa aghnayta wa aqnayta wa hadayta wa ahyayta, fa-laka l-hamdu ‘ala ma a’tayt.
“O Allah, You fed, gave drink, enriched, gave contentment, guided and gave life; to You is praise for what You have given.”
Reported by Ahmad; al-Albani said its chain is sahih, with narrators trusted and from the men of Muslim. The same text is in al-Nasa’i’s al-Kubra and Ibn al-Sunni with a hasan chain, from a man who served the Prophet ﷺ for eight years and is not named. In that report, he said, “Bismillah,” when food was brought near.
Another Ahmad wording, graded sahih li-ghayrihi by Shu’ayb al-Arna’ut, reads:
اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَطْعَمْتَ وَسَقَيْتَ، وَأَشْبَعْتَ وَأَرْوَيْتَ، فَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ غَيْرَ مَكْفُورٍ، وَلَا مُوَدَّعٍ، وَلَا مُسْتَغْنًى عَنْكَ
Allahumma laka l-hamdu at’amta wa saqayta, wa ashba’ta wa arwayta, fa-laka l-hamdu ghayra makfurin wa la muwadda’in wa la mustaghnan ‘anka.
“O Allah, to You is praise: You fed and gave drink, satisfied and quenched; to You is praise, never denied, never abandoned, never done without.”
“Wa ja’alana muslimin”: a famous dua with a disputed grade
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَطْعَمَنَا وَسَقَانَا وَجَعَلَنَا مُسْلِمِينَ
Alhamdu lillahi alladhi at’amana wa saqana wa ja’alana muslimin.
“Praise be to Allah who fed us, gave us drink, and made us Muslims.”
This is probably the dua most children learn. It is reported from Abu Sa’id al-Khudri in Abu Dawud 3850 and Tirmidhi 3457, and al-Nawawi’s al-Adhkar also lists it. The sources differ sharply on its grade:
These views are not reconciled in the sources, and this article does not pick between them. The words themselves are simply praise and thanks to Allah. What is disputed is whether they can be presented as an established Prophetic dua.
The long dua attributed to Abu Hurayra. One source says that after the Prophet ﷺ ate and washed his hands, he said:
الْحَمْدُ لله الَّذِي يُطْعِمُ وَلَا يُطْعَمُ، مَنَّ عَلَيْنَا فَهَدَانَا وَأَطْعَمَنَا وَسَقَانَا، وَكُلَّ بَلَاءٍ حَسَنٍ أَبْلَانَا
Alhamdu lillahi alladhi yut’imu wa la yut’am, manna ‘alayna fa-hadana wa at’amana wa saqana, wa kulla bala’in hasanin abkana…
It goes on to thank Allah who fed, gave drink, clothed us from nakedness, guided us from misguidance, gave sight from blindness and favoured us over many of His creation, ending “Alhamdu lillahi Rabbi l-‘alamin.”
It is attributed to Abu Dawud and graded hasan by al-Albani on one page. The page that names Abu Hurayra gives no collection, so the link between the two is worth verifying.
The report of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As (Ibn al-Sunni).
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي مَنَّ عَلَيْنَا وَهَدَانَا، وَالَّذِي أَشْبَعَنَا وَأَرْوَانَا، وَكُلُّ الإِحْسَانِ آتَانَا
“Praise be to Allah who favoured us and guided us, who satisfied our hunger and quenched our thirst, and who gave us all good.”
The page that lists it gives no grading. A report with similar wording (“yamunnu ‘alayna fahadana…”) is judged very weak: citing Ibn Hajar, one fatwa says it was narrated by Ibn al-Sunni through a narrator whom al-Bukhari called munkar al-hadith jiddan (extremely objectionable), and whom Ibn ‘Adi and Ibn Hibban also criticised. Ibn Hajar called the hadith gharib.
The athar of ‘Ali (Musnad Ahmad 1313) gives “Alhamdu lillahi alladhi at’amana wa saqana” as thanks for food.
It is a Companion’s statement with a weak chain. It also covers what to say before eating, so see our guide to “Dua Before Eating in Islam: Bismillah, Barik Lana and What the Scholars Say.”
Practice of the Salaf (Ibn Abi Shaybah, al-Musannaf). These are reports of what early Muslims said, not hadith:
After drinking. Several wordings already cover drink. Abu Ayyub’s dua (“at’ama wa saqa…”) is for “when he ate or drank,” and the hadith of Muslim 2734 praises Allah for “a drink” as well as a meal. A fatwa also asked whether the Mu’adh dua can be said after water. It answered that, if saying it after food is recommended, drink appears to be the same. It cites Ibn Raslan’s commentary on Abu Dawud and Badhl al-Majhud, who see praise after eating, drinking and dressing as recommended. Its conclusion is that there is no harm in using this wording after food or drink. One hadith, reported in Tirmidhi from Ibn ‘Abbas, also tells the drinker to say “Bismillah” when starting and “Alhamdulillah” when finished.
A note on timing. Some lists print “Allahumma barik lana fihi wa at’imna khayran minhu” and the milk dua as after-meal duas. Whether they are said before or after eating is covered in our guide to “Dua Before Eating in Islam: Bismillah, Barik Lana and What the Scholars Say.”
Hisn al-Muslim chapter 70. Hisn al-Muslim (Fortress of the Muslim) places the after-meal duas in chapter 70, “Upon completing the meal.” The dua at breaking the fast is in chapter 68.
| Hisn no. | Dua | Main references |
|---|---|---|
| 180 | Alhamdu lillahi alladhi at'amani hadha... | Tirmidhi 3458, Ibn Majah 3285, Abu Dawud |
| 181 | Alhamdu lillahi hamdan kathiran tayyiban... | al-Bukhari 5458, Tirmidhi 3456 |
The collection includes two duas in this chapter and does not include the “wa ja’alana muslimin” wording above. Different websites number the same duas differently, so check the book itself if you need an exact number. For the dua a guest makes for the host, see our guide to “Dua for the Host and Guest in Islam: What to Say When You Eat at Someone’s House.”
The sources reviewed describe praising Allah after a meal as a sunnah or recommended act, not an obligation. Ibn Baz says the Sunnah for the believer is to name Allah at the start of the meal and praise Him at the end. A scholar-reviewed Islamic Relief page calls it recommended, and a fatwa on the Mu’adh dua uses the same word. None of the sources reviewed says leaving it out is sinful.
The virtue rests on two things. First is the hadith of Muslim 2734 above: Allah is pleased with the servant who praises Him for a meal. Second is the promise of forgiveness in the Mu’adh hadith, whose grading is discussed earlier.
Gratitude is also a Quranic theme:
«وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِنْ شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ وَلَئِنْ كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِي لَشَدِيدٌ»
(Ibrahim 14:7)
“If you are grateful, I will surely give you more; but if you are ungrateful, My punishment is severe.”
Some writers list further benefits of the habit, such as pleasing Allah, protection from pride and a sense of contentment. These are general reflections, and the pages that offer them attach no hadith to them.
Practical points from the sources
Social media has popularised a dua that someone asked IslamQA about:
“Allahumma laka l-hamdu hatta tarda, wa laka l-hamdu idha radiyta, wa laka l-hamdu ba’da r-rida, wa laka l-hamdu ‘ala kulli hal; Allahumma adimha ni’matan, wa zidha, wa-hfazha min az-zawal”
(O Allah, to You be praise until You are pleased, and when You are pleased, and after the pleasure, and in every condition; keep this blessing, increase it and guard it from vanishing).
In the question it was said before eating, and the person’s child refused to eat until saying it.
The answer was direct:
Two things are not addressed in that answer: whether saying the words once, without binding yourself to them, is sinful, and any improvised dua after the meal. The earlier fatwa on devised wording (see the scholarly differences section) says that new words of praise are permitted, though transmitted ones are better. Read together, the two replies deal with different questions. One is about creating your own words of thanks, the other about treating an unreported formula as required. Neither source calls plain Alhamdulillah into question.
Some pages list the iftar dua under “dua when finished eating,” but it is a different supplication. When he broke his fast the Prophet ﷺ used to say:
ذَهَبَ الظَّمَأُ، وَابْتَلَّتِ الْعُرُوقُ، وَثَبَتَ الْأَجْرُ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَهُ
Dhahaba z-zama’u, wa btallati l-‘uruqu, wa thabata l-ajru in sha’a Allah.
The thirst has gone, the veins are moist, and the reward is established, if Allah wills.”
It is commonly cited to Abu Dawud and appears in Hisn al-Muslim chapter 68. A longer wording beginning “Allahumma laka sumtu wa bika amantu…” is also widely repeated; the sources reviewed give no grading for it. Neither is an after-meal dua.
Many online lists mix reported duas with unsourced ones. These are the main ones to treat with caution. Most come with no hadith number or grading on the pages where they appear.
One page, from the Arabic service of Tehran Radio, gives after-meal duas from al-Sahifa al-Sadiqiyya, attributed to the sixth Imam of the Twelver Shia, Ja’far al-Sadiq. It gives no chain, no number and no grading, and it is not part of the Sunni hadith collections used above. It is included only so readers who meet these texts know where they come from:
None of these texts appears in the Sunni collections cited in this article.
Yes. The hadith in Muslim 2734 says Allah is pleased with the servant who praises Him after a meal or a drink, and Ibn Baz also gives "Alhamdu lillahi Rabbi l-'alamin" as a short option. The longer duas add reward and meaning.
No. Every source reviewed treats it as a sunnah or recommended act, with no ruling of obligation.
A fatwa says there is no harm in using the Mu'adh wording after food or drink. For drinking manners, see our guide to "Islamic Eating Etiquette: Sunnah Manners and Eating Duas at a Glance."
Scholars named in one source, including al-Albani and Shu'ayb al-Arna'ut, weakened it, while other pages call it sound without naming a chain. See the section above for the views.
Discover the dua after eating in Islam with Arabic text, transliteration, and English meaning. Explore authentic Sunnah supplications, hadith references from Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, and Tirmidhi, scholarly differences in hadith grading, and the virtues of praising Allah after meals.
Istikhara is the prayer Muslims turn to when they need Allah’s guidance in a decision — big or small. This guide gives you the full dua in Arabic, its transliteration and meaning, and a clear, step-by-step method for praying it correctly. Every hadith-based claim below is marked with a numbered citation — see the Sources & References list at the end for the full reference and link.
The dua before eating is simple: Bismillah. This guide explains the hadith behind it, whether it is obligatory or Sunnah, the “Allahumma barik lana fihi” dua, and the popular wordings that have no sound source.
