We don’t
have a dining table, but eat our meals on the floor with the food placed on
this blue cloth which we use as our table spread:
We eat in this way because it is the sunnah of the beloved Prophet
(sallallahu alaihi wasallam) to sit on the
floor to eat:
It was narrated that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) used to eat (sitting) on the ground. And it was narrated that he said: “I eat as a slave eats and I sit as a slave sits.” (Narrated by Abu Ya’laa, 8/318).
It is narrated that Anas ibn Malik (RA) said: “The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) never ate at a khiwaan or a sikrujjah, and he never had any soft bread.” I said to Qutaadah: “What did he used to eat from?” He said, “A cloth (spread on the floor).” (-Bukhaari, 5099 - a khiwaan is a kind of tray on which food is placed and a sikrujjah is a vessel in which appetizers are placed).
It was narrated that the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) used to eat (sitting) on the ground. And it was narrated that he said: “I eat as a slave eats and I sit as a slave sits.” (Narrated by Abu Ya’laa, 8/318).
It is narrated that Anas ibn Malik (RA) said: “The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) never ate at a khiwaan or a sikrujjah, and he never had any soft bread.” I said to Qutaadah: “What did he used to eat from?” He said, “A cloth (spread on the floor).” (-Bukhaari, 5099 - a khiwaan is a kind of tray on which food is placed and a sikrujjah is a vessel in which appetizers are placed).
It also works for us because we have small children and it feels easier for us to clean up spills and mess than it might be from on a table. You can just throw the cloth in the washing machine whenever you need to.
On our table spread this Ramadan we have tried to keep it healthy and avoid fried food and junk food, although it does creep in. We have fruit salad, dates and water every day and lime juice (or shekanjavin, recipe here) on some days. I have been trying out different things most days without straying from my rough meal plan too much. Dishes I have tried include pakoray (potato and spinach fritters), roast chicken, tandoori chicken, sweet dahi phulki’s (dumplings in sweet creamy, yoghurt), potato wedges, potato cutlets, lamb kebabs, chicken pasties, macaroni salad, channa chaat, mince lamb samosa’s and chicken and potato spring rolls.
We are also blessed with wonderful neighbours and friends so most days someone has sent us something to add to our iftar meal which always feels like such a treat. Today's spread below is a mixture of leftovers from the fridge, leftovers from the kid’s fish finger and chips dinner and food sent by both neighbours alhamdulillah:
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