The Difficulties Experienced at the Prophet’s Table and Eating Manners:

Having been assigned with the most difficult task, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his family often experienced problems filling their table. Since he was spreading the revelation, Prophet Muhammad did not have the opportunity to work for his or his family's sustenance. The people helping him with his holy duty also experienced these hardships. The initial hardship was undoubtedly the issue of not being able to provide adequate food. Prophet Muhammad had to try to obtain subsistence for his family with inadequate means.

There are numerous hadiths (sayings of the Prophet) in relation to the hardships experienced by Prophet Muhammad's family in terms of the provision of food. Among these hardships was the time when the Prophet had to tie a stone on his stomach to stop his hunger pains. His wife Aisha, who provided comprehensive information about the Prophet's household, speaks of the Prophet's frugal use of food:

"The Prophet never ate two different types of food in a single day. When he ate meat, he didn't add any other food to it. When he ate dates, he never mixed anything with them, when he ate bread, he did not add anything to it."

There is no question that there should be a great variety of foods eaten in a single meal. However, the reason why Prophet Muhammad ate of a single type of food was due to a shortage of food. Anas presents the following information as to the quality of the Prophet's bread:

"The Prophet (pbuh) never ate fried mutton or bread made of thin flour until he reached Allah."

It is understood from some hadiths that the family ate whole-wheat bread; as the Prophet's wives did not have any sieves they were only able to partially clean the chaff by blowing at the flour. It is understood that in these periods the Muslims were not able to reach the areas mentioned in the Holy Quran where olives, pomegranates and figs grew.

As for kitchen tasks in the house of Prophet Muhammad, his wives cooked the meals themselves. For instance: Safiyya was famous for her cooking. Aisha once said; "I have not seen a person who can cook like her". In the sources there is no information of slaves working in the kitchen. Prophet Muhammad acquired some slaves, all of whom he later freed. These people were employed for short periods of time in the garden and to tend the cattle. Since the sources do not provide much information about the services provided by the slaves, the Prophet must have kept those slaves who were assigned to work outside the house for only a very short period of time. Although Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) did not have a cook, some people from the Companions had cooks or bakers. For instance, even Anas, who served the Prophet for ten years, later acquired a baker.

Prophet Muhammad's wives were probably grinding the flour for bread themselves, using hand mills. We can arrive at this conclusion if we examine the incident in which his daughter Fatima requested a servant as her hands had been greatly calloused; Prophet Muhammad refused her request, telling her that it was more beneficial to count her beads and go to bed tired because of the needs of the poor.

Anas, who served the Prophet for a period of ten years when he was young, provides information about how the Prophet's table was prepared; gold or silver pot and pans were banned and never used:

"I do not know of an incident where the Prophet ate from small plates or any time when they baked for him from refined flour or when he ate at a table" And when they asked him "Where did they eat their meals?" Anas answered; "They ate on the (floor) cloth." 

In the Prophet's house, the family would eat meals on a woven mate of date branches and leaves. In general, plates, cans and other kitchen utensils were used. In accordance with the Prophet's advice, the hands were wiped with napkins and towels after the meal.