What supplications should be recited before and after a meal?

What dua should you say before eating?

Before beginning a meal, the formula to remember is very simple: “Bismillah”, meaning “In the name of Allah.” The Prophet ﷺ taught ‘Umar ibn Abi Salama to mention Allah’s name, eat with his right hand and eat from what was in front of him. This narration is reported in Sahih al-Bukhari (5376) and Sahih Muslim (2022a).

You therefore do not need to know a long supplication in order to follow this Sunnah. Two words are enough:

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ

Transliteration: Bismillāh.

Meaning: In the name of Allah.

This formula is often referred to as the “dua before eating”, although more precisely it is the tasmiyah: mentioning the name of Allah before the meal.

For someone beginning to learn daily supplications, it is also one of the easiest habits to put into practice. It occurs several times a day and can therefore be memorised naturally without a separate study session.

What should you say if you forgot Bismillah before eating?

Forgetting at the beginning of the meal does not prevent you from mentioning Allah as soon as you remember. A specific formula has been narrated from ‘Aishah in Sunan Abi Dawud (3767) and Jamiʿ at-Tirmidhi (1858).

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ أَوَّلَهُ وَآخِرَهُ

Transliteration: Bismillāhi awwalahu wa ākhirahu.

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

In other words, if someone starts eating and then realises after a few bites that they did not say Bismillah, they can simply recite this formula and continue their meal.

This is useful to know because memorising everyday supplications should not become a source of anxiety. The habit develops gradually: when you forget, you simply correct it as soon as you remember.

What dua should you recite after eating?

After a meal, a Muslim thanks Allah for the food that has been provided. The simplest formula is naturally:

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ

Transliteration: Al-ḥamdu lillāh.

Meaning: Praise be to Allah.

A longer supplication is also reported in Jamiʿ at-Tirmidhi (3458):

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَطْعَمَنِي هَذَا وَرَزَقَنِيهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ حَوْلٍ مِنِّي وَلَا قُوَّةٍ

Transliteration: Al-ḥamdu lillāhi alladhī aṭʿamanī hādhā wa razaqanīhi min ghayri ḥawlin minnī wa lā quwwah.

Meaning: Praise be to Allah who gave me this food and provided it for me without any power or strength on my part.

This supplication highlights an essential idea: eating is not only a physical need. The believer also recognises food as a blessing and provision granted by Allah.

Meal dua: the essentials to memorise

For someone who wants to start simply, three situations are enough to remember:

• Before eating: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ — Bismillāh.
• If you forgot at the beginning: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ أَوَّلَهُ وَآخِرَهُ — Bismillāhi awwalahu wa ākhirahu.
• After eating: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ — Al-ḥamdu lillāh, or the longer supplication reported after a meal.

It is better to master these formulas first than to accumulate many supplications without being able to use them at the right time. Daily repetition then takes care of memorisation.

Why say Bismillah before a meal?

Saying Bismillah before eating is first and foremost a way of following an explicit teaching of the Prophet ﷺ. The hadith of ‘Umar ibn Abi Salama combines three manners: mentioning Allah, eating with the right hand and eating from what is closest.

The formula is short, but it gives a spiritual dimension to a very ordinary act. The meal is no longer something done mechanically: the believer begins by mentioning Allah and ends by praising Him.

This alternation between Bismillah and Al-ḥamdu lillāh is particularly easy to include in a daily dhikr routine. It also helps explain why Muslim supplications are often connected to practical situations such as sleep, travel, meals, leaving the home and other recurring moments.

How can you learn the dua before and after eating?

These supplications are short, but the main difficulty is often not pronunciation; it is remembering to recite them at the right time. To build the habit, connect each formula directly to the corresponding action.

Instead of memorising a separate list of duas, you can decide that sitting down in front of a meal always triggers “Bismillah”. Likewise, finishing the meal or leaving the table becomes the cue to say “Al-ḥamdu lillāh”.

This association between a situation and a formula makes memorisation easier. After a while, reciting it requires much less conscious effort.

Those who want to expand this practice gradually can then learn daily supplications for sleep, the home, travel and other everyday situations.

How can you teach the meal dua to a child?

Mealtimes are one of the best opportunities to teach a child a first supplication: the situation occurs every day and “Bismillah” is very short.

There is no need to teach several texts immediately. It is usually more effective to start with Bismillah, explain its meaning in simple words and repeat it together before meals.

Once this first habit is established, you can add “Al-ḥamdu lillāh” at the end of the meal and then introduce other supplications gradually. This follows a sound learning principle: one supplication that is understood and actually used is better than a long list memorised mechanically.

Parents who want to go further can also consult our guide to easy supplications for Muslim children to learn.

Understanding what you recite

Transliteration is useful at the beginning, especially if you cannot yet read Arabic. It remains an approximation, however: some Arabic consonants and sounds have no exact equivalent in English.

Understanding a few words also changes the way you recite. Bismillah literally means that you begin “in the name of Allah”, while al-ḥamdu lillāh expresses praise directed to Allah.

Over time, learning to read Arabic allows you to rely less on transliteration and recognise expressions that recur in supplications, prayer and religious texts.

From mealtime to other daily supplications

The dua before and after eating is often one of the first practices people memorise because it is short and directly connected to everyday life. It can then become a starting point for discovering other authentic supplications.

Al-Dirassa provides several resources on supplications as well as a broader article on supplications to integrate into daily life. The aim is not to learn every formula at once, but to introduce them gradually while understanding their meaning.

For those who wish to study these practices in a more structured framework and deepen their religious knowledge, it is also possible to follow online Islamic Studies courses.

FAQ about dua before and after eating

What exactly should you say before eating in Islam?

The taught formula is simply “Bismillah” — بِسْمِ اللَّهِ — meaning “In the name of Allah”. Mentioning Allah’s name before eating is reported in Sahih al-Bukhari 5376 and Sahih Muslim 2022a.

What should I say if I forgot Bismillah at the start of the meal?

When you remember during the meal, you can say: “Bismillāhi awwalahu wa ākhirahu” — بِسْمِ اللَّهِ أَوَّلَهُ وَآخِرَهُ — meaning “In the name of Allah, at its beginning and at its end”. This formula is reported in Sunan Abi Dawud 3767 and Jamiʿ at-Tirmidhi 1858.

Can I simply say Alhamdulillah after eating?

Yes. Saying Al-ḥamdu lillāh is a way to praise and thank Allah. A longer supplication after eating is also reported in Jamiʿ at-Tirmidhi 3458.

Is the dua before eating long?

No. “Bismillah” is sufficient at the beginning of the meal. You therefore do not need to memorise a long supplication before putting this practice into effect.

How can I easily teach the meal dua to a child?

Start only with “Bismillah” before each meal. Once the child uses it spontaneously, add “Al-ḥamdu lillāh” after eating. Connecting the formula to an action repeated every day makes it easier to remember.