QUESTION:
Is it Sunnah to use a round Dastarkhaan? Someone mentioned that Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam used to use a round, red Dastarkhaan; sometimes leather and at other times material; is this correct?
ANSWER:
It is recorded in Tuhfatul Ahwazi which is the commentary of Tirmidhi Sharif that the Dastarkhaan used by Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam was referred to as ‘Sufrah.’ ‘Sufrah’ refers to the food which the travellers used to carry. It was mostly carried in leather that was round in shape. This name was then transferred to the leather. In conclusion, the leather Dastarkhaan referred to as ‘Sufrah’ was round.
عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ: «مَا أَكَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي خُوَانٍ، وَلَا فِي سُكُرُّجَةٍ، وَلَا خُبِزَ لَهُ مُرَقَّقٌ» قَالَ: فَقُلْتُ لِقَتَادَةَ: فَعَلَامَ كَانُوا يَأْكُلُونَ؟ قَالَ: «عَلَى هَذِهِ السُّفَرِ»…(عَلَى هَذِهِ السُّفَرِ) بِضَمٍّ فَفَتْحٍ جَمْعُ سُفْرَةٍ فِي النِّهَايَةِ السُّفْرَةُ الطَّعَامُ يَتَّخِذُهُ الْمُسَافِرُ وَأَكْثَرُ مَا يُحْمَلُ فِي جِلْدٍ مُسْتَدِيرٍ فَنَقَلَ اسْمَ الطَّعَامِ إِلَى الْجِلْدِ وَسُمِّيَ بِهِ كَمَا سُمِّيَتِ المزادة رواية وَغَيْرُ ذَلِكَ مِنَ الْأَسْمَاءِ الْمَنْقُولَةِ انْتَهَى
ثُمَّ اشْتُهِرَتْ لِمَا يُوضَعُ عَلَيْهِ الطَّعَامُ جِلْدًا كَانَ أَوْ غَيْرَهُ مَا عَدَا الْمَائِدَةُ لِمَا مَرَّ مِنْ أَنَّهُ شِعَارُ الْمُتَكَبِّرِينَ غَالِبًا (تحفة الأحوذي 5/398)
ALLAH TA’ALA IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!
ANSWERED BY:
Maulana Abdul Kader Fazlani
Date: 17 Muharram 1446 / 24 July 2024
CHECKED AND APPROVED BY:
Mufti Mohammed Desai
