Is washing hands before and after eating mandatory or recommended?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Hunting and Slaughter
Primary text
Washing hands before and after eating is recommended. This practice is supported by the hadith narrated from the Prophet (peace be upon him): "The blessing of food is ablution before and after it." Yahya ibn Ma'in affirmed the excellence of washing before and after eating.
Supporting text
Sufyan disliked washing hands for eating, viewing it as a custom of the non-Arabs (Ajam). Ahmad ibn Hanbal considered the hadith supporting the washing to be rejected (munkar al-hadith) because it was only narrated by Qays ibn al-Rabi'.