What do I say before and after eating?

Before you begin

The Prophet ﷺ instructed that Allah's name be mentioned at the start of the meal:

"When one of you eats, let him mention the name of Allah the Most High."— Sunan Abu Dawud 3767, from Umm Kulthum, from 'A'ishah رضي الله عنها

So the words are simply Bismillah. This is not a formality: the naming of Allah is described as a protection, a barrier between the eater and the shaytan's sharing in his food and drink. The scholars of the Sunnah count it among the adkhar (remembrances) that fortify a Muslim, and the hadith of Jabir رضي الله عنه in Sahih Muslim makes the point vividly — when a man enters his home and mentions Allah at his entry and at his food, the shaytan says to his companions, "No lodging for you and no supper."

If you forget at the start

The Sunnah does not leave you stuck. If you have already begun and remember mid-meal, you say:

"In the name of Allah at its beginning and at its end."— Sunan Abu Dawud 3767, from 'A'ishah رضي الله عنها

The Prophet ﷺ gave the reason in the narration of the bedouin who ate in two mouthfuls what six companions could not finish:

"Had he said Bismillah, it would have sufficed you. So when one of you eats food, let him say Bismillah; and if he forgets to say Bismillah at its beginning, let him say: Bismillah at its beginning and at its end."— Sunan Ibn Majah 3264, from 'A'ishah رضي الله عنها

The lesson the scholars draw is that the blessing (barakah) in the food is tied to the name of Allah being upon it — the bedouin's speed was not mere hunger, but food from which the blessing had been withdrawn.

After you finish

The basic word of thanks is Alhamdulillah. The Sunnah then gives a fuller praise, and the scholars of hadith report a great reward attached to it:

"Whoever eats food and says: 'Praise be to Allah who has fed me this and provided it for me without any strength or power on my part' — his previous sins are forgiven."— Sunan Abu Dawud 4023, from Mu'adh ibn Anas رضي الله عنه

Imam at-Tirmidhi recorded the same narration and graded it hasan gharib (good, but narrated through a single chain). The wording matters: the servant acknowledges that the food did not come by his own hawl (strength) or quwwah (power), but by Allah's provision alone.

When the food is milk

The Prophet ﷺ distinguished milk from other food. The wording is given in the collection of du'as:

"O Allah, bless us in it and give us more of it."— reported in the du'a collections, on the authority of the Prophet ﷺ

For food generally, the corresponding du'a is:

"O Allah, bless us in it and feed us something better than it."— reported in the du'a collections, on the authority of the Prophet ﷺ

The distinction is that milk is a complete food in itself, so the request is for increase; other foods can be improved upon, so the request is for something better.

Key takeaways

• Before eating: say Bismillah. It is a protection and a means of blessing in the food.
• If you forget: say Bismillahi awwalahu wa akhirahu as soon as you remember, even mid-meal.
• After eating: say Alhamdulillah, and preferably the fuller form: Alhamdulillahi alladhi at'amani hadha wa razaqanihi min ghayri hawlin minni wa la quwwah.
• For milk specifically: ask for blessing and increase; for other food, ask for blessing and something better.
• The reward is tied to the wording: the hadith attaches forgiveness of sins to the praise said after eating, so say it consciously rather than by habit.

And Allah knows best.