This hadith describes some matters of etiquette when eating:

Messenger of Allah, said to me, "Mention Allah's Name (i.e., say Bismillah before starting eating), eat with your right hand, and eat from what is near you." -- 'Umar bin Abu Salamah (sunnah.com)

This has been interpreted to mean what's on your plate:

Recite “Bismillah” and eat from the side of the plate which is closer to you, leave the middle. Abundance stands in the middle. (Ibn Majah) -- Islam.ru

 

Eat from the corner of the plate from your side (for one dish communal eating), don't eat from the middle or the other side of the dish. -- Islamic Bulletin

 

"...eat from that part of the plate which is closest to you" -- Daily Sunnah

 

Eat from the portion of food that is nearest to you, i.e. do not eat from all sides of the plate. (Bukhari, Muslim) -- EverydayMuslim.net

and what's shared on your table:

This advice does not mean that when we are eating from our own personal plates, we have to start from the nearest corner and work our way across. That would be a serious misunderstanding of the Prophet's advice. -- IslamToday

 

It is Sunnah for a person to eat from the food that is directly in front of him, and not reach out to take food that is directly in front of others, or from the middle of the platter -- Islam Q&A 13348

 

Use your right hand while eating, and eat from what has been assigned to you or from which is directly in front of you. Don’t eat from what has been assigned to others or from which is direct to them. -- Aljazeerah.info

 

(7) To eat from what is in front of one if there are a number of people around the table spread and not to take food from what is immediately in front of others. -- Islamic-Laws.com

It's not clear to me which is the correct interpretation, so I'm seeking clarification.

Question: Does "...eat from what is near you" refer to what's on your plate, or what's shared on your table?

Presumably it doesn't mean this: Did the Saudi Mufti issue a fatwa saying that men can eat their wives? (To avoid Poe's Law: this was meant as a lighthearted joke.)

This hadith describes some matters of etiquette when eating:

Messenger of Allah, said to me, "Mention Allah's Name (i.e., say Bismillah before starting eating), eat with your right hand, and eat from what is near you." -- 'Umar bin Abu Salamah (sunnah.com)

This has been interpreted to mean what's on your plate:

Recite “Bismillah” and eat from the side of the plate which is closer to you, leave the middle. Abundance stands in the middle. (Ibn Majah) -- Islam.ru

Eat from the corner of the plate from your side (for one dish communal eating), don't eat from the middle or the other side of the dish. -- Islamic Bulletin

"...eat from that part of the plate which is closest to you" -- Daily Sunnah

Eat from the portion of food that is nearest to you, i.e. do not eat from all sides of the plate. (Bukhari, Muslim) -- EverydayMuslim.net

and what's shared on your table:

This advice does not mean that when we are eating from our own personal plates, we have to start from the nearest corner and work our way across. That would be a serious misunderstanding of the Prophet's advice. -- IslamToday

It is Sunnah for a person to eat from the food that is directly in front of him, and not reach out to take food that is directly in front of others, or from the middle of the platter -- Islam Q&A 13348

Use your right hand while eating, and eat from what has been assigned to you or from which is directly in front of you. Don’t eat from what has been assigned to others or from which is direct to them. -- Aljazeerah.info

(7) To eat from what is in front of one if there are a number of people around the table spread and not to take food from what is immediately in front of others. -- Islamic-Laws.com

It's not clear to me which is the correct interpretation, so I'm seeking clarification.

Question: Does "...eat from what is near you" refer to what's on your plate, or what's shared on your table?

Presumably it doesn't mean this: Did the Saudi Mufti issue a fatwa saying that men can eat their wives? (To avoid Poe's Law: this was meant as a lighthearted joke.)

This hadith describes some matters of etiquette when eating:

Messenger of Allah, said to me, "Mention Allah's Name (i.e., say Bismillah before starting eating), eat with your right hand, and eat from what is near you." -- 'Umar bin Abu Salamah (sunnah.com)

This has been interpreted to mean what's on your plate:

Recite “Bismillah” and eat from the side of the plate which is closer to you, leave the middle. Abundance stands in the middle. (Ibn Majah) -- Islam.ru

Eat from the corner of the plate from your side (for one dish communal eating), don't eat from the middle or the other side of the dish. -- Islamic Bulletin

"...eat from that part of the plate which is closest to you" -- Daily Sunnah

Eat from the portion of food that is nearest to you, i.e. do not eat from all sides of the plate. (Bukhari, Muslim) -- EverydayMuslim.net

and what's shared on your table:

This advice does not mean that when we are eating from our own personal plates, we have to start from the nearest corner and work our way across. That would be a serious misunderstanding of the Prophet's advice. -- IslamToday

It is Sunnah for a person to eat from the food that is directly in front of him, and not reach out to take food that is directly in front of others, or from the middle of the platter -- Islam Q&A 13348

Use your right hand while eating, and eat from what has been assigned to you or from which is directly in front of you. Don’t eat from what has been assigned to others or from which is direct to them. -- Aljazeerah.info

(7) To eat from what is in front of one if there are a number of people around the table spread and not to take food from what is immediately in front of others. -- Islamic-Laws.com

It's not clear to me which is the correct interpretation, so I'm seeking clarification.

Question: Does "...eat from what is near you" refer to what's on your plate, or what's shared on your table?

Presumably it doesn't mean this: Did the Saudi Mufti issue a fatwa saying that men can eat their wives? (To avoid Poe's Law: this was meant as a lighthearted joke.)

This hadith describes some matters of etiquette when eating:

Messenger of Allah, said to me, "Mention Allah's Name (i.e., say Bismillah before starting eating), eat with your right hand, and eat from what is near you." -- 'Umar bin Abu Salamah (sunnah.com)

This has been interpreted to mean what's on your plate:

Recite “Bismillah” and eat from the side of the plate which is closer to you, leave the middle. Abundance stands in the middle. (Ibn Majah) -- Islam.ru

Eat from the corner of the plate from your side (for one dish communal eating), don't eat from the middle or the other side of the dish. -- Islamic Bulletin

"...eat from that part of the plate which is closest to you" -- Daily Sunnah

Eat from the portion of food that is nearest to you, i.e. do not eat from all sides of the plate. (Bukhari, Muslim) -- EverydayMuslim.net

and what's shared on your table:

This advice does not mean that when we are eating from our own personal plates, we have to start from the nearest corner and work our way across. That would be a serious misunderstanding of the Prophet's advice. -- IslamToday

It is Sunnah for a person to eat from the food that is directly in front of him, and not reach out to take food that is directly in front of others, or from the middle of the platter -- Islam Q&A 13348

Use your right hand while eating, and eat from what has been assigned to you or from which is directly in front of you. Don’t eat from what has been assigned to others or from which is direct to them. -- Aljazeerah.info

(7) To eat from what is in front of one if there are a number of people around the table spread and not to take food from what is immediately in front of others. -- Islamic-Laws.com

It's not clear to me which is the correct interpretation, so I'm seeking clarification.

Question: Does "...eat from what is near you" refer to what's on your plate, or what's shared on your table?

Presumably it doesn't mean this: Did the Saudi Mufti issue a fatwa saying that men can eat their wives? (To avoid Poe's Law: this was meant as a lighthearted joke.)