Riyad Us-Saliheen (Gardens of the Righteous)
Chapter 111
Etiquette of Drinking Water
757. Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) used to breathe three times in the course of a drink (he used to drink in three gulps).
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Commentary: Water should be drunk in three breaths, that is one should breathe three times outside the drinking vessel one is drinking from. This habit has a salutary impact on one's character and helps one avoid doing things in haste.
758. Ibn `Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Do not drink in one gulp like a camel, but in two or three (gulps). Mention the Name of Allah (i.e., say Bismillah) when you start drinking and praise Him (i.e., say Al-hamdu lillah) after you have finished (drinking).''
[At-Tirmidhi].
Commentary: This Hadith, too, prohibits us from drinking water in a single breath. It is preferable to say Bismillah every time we drink, and Al-hamdu lillah every time we stop drinking.
759. Abu Qatadah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (PBUH) forbade breathing into the vessel while drinking.
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Commentary: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) prohibited us from breathing in the drinking vessel because the bad smell or spittle may flow into the drink. This is both loathsome as well as injurious to one's health.
760. Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: Milk mixed with water was brought to Messenger of Allah (PBUH). On his right side was sitting a bedouin and on his left was sitting Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him). He (PBUH) drank from it and handed the rest to the bedouin saying, "One who is on the right has preference, then again the one who is on the right.''
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
761. Sahl bin Sa`d (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: A drink was brought to Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and he drank (some) from it. On his right was a boy and on his left were some elderly people. He (PBUH) said to the boy, "Would you permit me to give rest of this drink to these on my left?'' The boy said: "O Messenger of Allah, I would certainly not give preference to anyone in anything that might come to me from you.'' So he (PBUH) handed over the rest of the drink to him.
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Commentary: This Hadith has already been mentioned earlier. Sheikh Al-Albani says: Some wrongly think that (in order to distribute something) in accordance with the Sunnah, a beginning should be made from an elderly person of the audience. Similarly, the view of Imam An-Nawawi is also not sound that the distribution should begin from his own person and then give it out to the gathering in the right order. Whereas the fact is, as mentioned in the Hadith, Messenger of Allah (PBUH) had demanded the drink for himself and, therefore, drunk it first of all. And if the situation is otherwise, the beginning should be made from the right side according to the Sunnah. Neither should the distributor give priority to himself nor to any elderly person from amongst the gathering. Rather, he should begin from the right side and then keep distributing in the serial order. Sheikh Al-Albani, therefore, says that Imam An-Nawawi is wrong to think that the distributor should begin after himself from the right side.