Boasting with One’s Food and Spreading It on Social Media

31-1-2019 | IslamWeb

Question:

Assalamu alykum warahmatal Allah. The Permisibilty or otherwise for a muslim to be showing the food he/she eate on whatapps status to other poeple to view and know his life standard?. Jazakumullah bi khair

Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger. {C}

In principle, there is nothing wrong in sending the picture of ones food to his friend or relative. However, sending these images on social media is something that has become widespread now among the people. If this is done just for people to know the social status of the one sending the food picture and so on, then this is a dispraised matter because posting these images may result in envy. People could envy the one sending the food pictures because of the blessings Allah has bestowed upon him.

Moreover, spreading those images may break the hearts of the poor and destitute when they see those pictures.

Additionally, the one spreading those images may start to boast [about the quality of his food] and his food will be like the food of two contestants whom the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) forbade us from eating their food. Ibn ‘Abbaas  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him narrated: “The Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) forbade the food of the two contestants to be eaten." [Abu Daawood; Al-Albaani classified as authentic]

‘Awn Al-Ma’bood reads:

Al-Khattaabi said: ‘The two contestants are two persons competing against each other with their act. It is said that two people compete with each other if each one of them does the same act as his opponent, in order to see who will win. This is disliked because of the show off and boastfulness that this involves.” [End of quote]

Al- Manawi  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him said in Faydh Al-Qadeer:

The two contestants are two persons competing with each other in food to see who will win. Their invitation should not be responded to, and their food should not be eaten. It is disliked to honor their invitation and eat their food, as this food involves boasting and showing off. It is for this reason that some scholars were invited to a Waleemah (marriage banquet) and they did not honor the invitation. It was said to them: the Salaf used to honor such invitations. They replied: “People (at that time) used to invite others as a way of keeping ties of brotherhood and for friendship while you invite people for boasting and recompense (to be praised).

Allah knows best.

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