Licking Fingers after Eating

Licking fingers after eating

From Ibn Abbas RA, that the Prophet SAW said:

إِذَا أَكَلَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَلاَ يَمْسَحْ يَدَهُ حَتَّى يَلْعَقَهَا أَوْ يُلْعِقَهَا

"When one of you eats, he should not wipe his hands except after he has licked it or been licked by it."

(Narrated by al-Bukhari (5456) and Muslim (2031)

Hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah RA, that the Prophet SAW said:

إِذَا أَكَلَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَلْيَلْعَقْ أَصَابِعَهُ، فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَدْرِي فِي أَيَّتِهِنَّ الْبَرَكَةُ

"When one of you eats, lick his fingers because he does not know where the blessed place is."

(Narrated by Muslim (2035)

The way to lick the fingers is to start with the middle finger, then the index finger and then the thumb. This is based on the actions of the Prophet SAW as narrated by Imam al-Tabarani:

رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَأْكُلُ بِأَصَابِعِهِ الثَّلَاثِ: بِالْإِبْهَامِ، وَالَّتِي تَلِيهَا، وَالْوُسْطَى، ثُمَّ رَأَيْتُهُ يَلْعَقُ أَصَابِعَهُ الثَّلَاثَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَمْسَحَهَا، وَيَلْعَقُ الْوُسْطَى، ثُمَّ الَّتِي تَلِيهَا، ثُمَّ الْإِبْهَامَ

"I have seen the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) eat using three fingers, namely the thumb, index and middle finger. Then, I also saw him lick his three fingers before wiping them (cleaning them). His Majesty SAW licked the middle finger, then after that (the index finger) and also the thumb.”
(Al-Tabarani's narration in al-Awsath (1649) 

[See: 'Umdah al-Qari, 76-77/21]