Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.

One should eat only what is sufficient for his well-being

tirmidhi:2380Sūwayd b. Naṣr > ʿAbdullāh b. al-Mubārak > Ismāʿīl b. ʿAyyāsh > Abū Salamah al-Ḥimṣī and Ḥabīb b. Ṣāliḥ > Yaḥyá b. Jābir al-Ṭāʾī > Miqdām b. Maʿdīkarib

I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, "The human being does not fill any vessel that is worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Adam to eat what will support his back. If this is not possible, then a third for food, a third for drink, and third for his breath."  

Ḥasan b. ʿArafah > Ismāʿīl b. ʿAyyāsh narrated the same. It is also narrated by Miqdām b. Maʿdīkarib from the Prophet ﷺ and "I heard from the Prophet ﷺ" is not mentioned in that narration. Abū ʿĪsá said that this Ḥadīth is Ḥasan-Ṣaḥīḥ.
الترمذي:٢٣٨٠حَدَّثَنَا سُوَيْدُ بْنُ نَصْرٍ أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ عَيَّاشٍ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو سَلَمَةَ الْحِمْصِيُّ وَحَبِيبُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ جَابِرٍ الطَّائِيِّ عَنْ مِقْدَامِ بْنِ مَعْدِيكَرِبَ قَالَ

سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ: «مَا مَلأَ آدَمِيٌّ وِعَاءً شَرًّا مِنْ بَطْنٍ: بِحَسْبِ ابْنِ آدَمَ أُكُلاَتٌ يُقِمْنَ صُلْبَهُ؛ فَإِنْ كَانَ لاَ مَحَالَةَ، فَثُلُثٌ لِطَعَامِهِ، وَثُلُثٌ لِشَرَابِهِ، وَثُلُثٌ لِنَفَسِهِ۔»  

حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَرَفَةَ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ عَيَّاشٍ نَحْوَهُ وَقَالَ الْمِقْدَامُ بْنُ مَعْدِيكَرِبَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ فِيهِ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ

See similar narrations below:

Collected by Ibn Mājah, Aḥmad, Ḥākim, Ibn Ḥibbān, Ṭabarānī, Nasāʾī's Kubrá, Suyūṭī
ibnmajah:3349Hishām b. ʿAbd al-Malik al-Ḥimṣī > Muḥammad b. Ḥarb from my mother from her mother > al-Miqdām b. Maʿdīkarib

“I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: ‘A human being fills no worse vessel than his stomach. It is sufficient for a human being to eat a few mouthfuls to keep his spine straight. But if he must (fill it), then one third of food, one third for drink and one third for air.’”  

ابن ماجة:٣٣٤٩حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ الْحِمْصِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ حَدَّثَتْنِي أُمِّي عَنْ أُمِّهَا أَنَّهَا سَمِعَتِ الْمِقْدَامَ بْنَ مَعْدِيكَرِبَ يَقُولُ

سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ مَا مَلأَ آدَمِيٌّ وِعَاءً شَرًّا مِنْ بَطْنٍ حَسْبُ الآدَمِيِّ لُقَيْمَاتٌ يُقِمْنَ صُلْبَهُ فَإِنْ غَلَبَتِ الآدَمِيَّ نَفْسُهُ فَثُلُثٌ لِلطَّعَامِ وَثُلُثٌ لِلشَّرَابِ وَثُلُثٌ لِلنَّفَسِ  

ahmad:17186Abū al-Mughīrah > Sulaymān b. Sulaym al-Kinānī > Yaḥyá b. Jābir al-Ṭāʾī > al-Miqdām b. Maʿdī Karib al-Kindī

I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, "The human being does not fill any vessel that is worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Adam to eat what will support his back. If this is not possible, then a third for food, a third for drink, and third for his breath."  

أحمد:١٧١٨٦حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْمُغِيرَةِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ سُلَيْمٍ الْكِنَانِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ جَابِرٍ الطَّائِيُّ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ الْمِقْدَامَ بْنَ مَعْدِي كَرِبَ الْكِنْدِيَّ قَالَ

سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ: «مَا مَلَأَ ابْنُ آدَمَ وِعَاءً شَرًّا مِنْ بَطْنٍ: حَسْبُ ابْنِ آدَمَ أُكُلَاتٌ يُقِمْنَ صُلْبَهُ؛ فَإِنْ كَانَ لَا مَحَالَةَ فَثُلُثُ طَعَامٍ، وَثُلُثُ شَرَابٍ، وَثُلُثٌ لِنَفْسِهِ۔»  

hakim:7945Abū al-ʿAbbās Muḥammad b. Yaʿqūb > Muḥammad b. ʿAwf > Abū al-Mughīrah > Sulaymān b. Sulaym Abū Salamah al-Kinānī > Yaḥyá b. Jābir al-Ṭāʾī > al-Miqdām b. Maʿdī Karib al-Kindī

[Machine] I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, saying, "No human being has filled a container worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Adam to eat a few bites that keep his spine upright, but if he cannot, then one-third for his food, one-third for his drink, and one-third for his breath."  

الحاكم:٧٩٤٥حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ ثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَوْفٍ ثَنَا أَبُو الْمُغِيرَةِ ثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ سُلَيْمٍ أَبُو سَلَمَةَ الْكِنَانِيُّ حَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَى بْنُ جَابِرٍ الطَّائِيُّ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ الْمِقْدَامَ بْنَ مَعْدِي كَرِبَ الْكِنْدِيَّ يَقُولُ

سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ «مَا مَلَأَ آدَمِيٌّ وِعَاءً شَرًّا مِنْ بَطْنِهِ حَسْبُ ابْنِ آدَمَ ثَلَاثُ أَكَلَاتٍ يُقِمْنَ صُلْبَهُ فَإِنْ كَانَ لَا مَحَالَةَ فَثُلُثٌ طَعَامٌ وَثُلُثٌ شَرَابٌ وَثُلُثٌ لِنَفْسِهِ»  

هَذَا حَدِيثٌ صَحِيحُ الْإِسْنَادِ وَلَمْ يُخَرِّجَاهُ صحيح
hakim:7139Abū al-ʿAbbās Muḥammad b. Yaʿqūb > Muḥammad b. ʿAbdullāh b. ʿAbd al-Ḥakam > Ibn Wahb > Muʿāwiyah b. Ṣāliḥ > Yaḥyá b. Jābir > al-Miqdām b. Maʿdī Karib

[Machine] The Prophet ﷺ said, "Indeed, the son of Adam does not fill any vessel worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Adam to eat a few bites that will keep his back straight. If he must eat more, then let it be: one-third for his food, one-third for his drink, and one-third for his breath." Sahih.  

الحاكم:٧١٣٩حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ أَنْبَأَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْحَكَمِ أَنْبَأَ ابْنُ وَهْبٍ قَالَ وَأَخْبَرَنِي مُعَاوِيَةُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ يَحْيَى بْنَ جَابِرٍ يُحَدِّثُ عَنِ الْمِقْدَامِ بْنِ مَعْدِي كَرِبَ

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ قَالَ «مَا وَعَى ابْنُ آدَمَ وِعَاءً شَرًّا مِنْ بَطْنٍ حَسْبُ الْمُسْلِمِ أُكُلَاتٌ يُقِمْنَ صُلْبَهُ فَإِنْ كَانَ لَا مَحَالَةَ فَثُلُثٌ لِطَعَامِهِ وَثُلُثٌ لِشَرَابِهِ وَثُلُثٌ لِنَفَسِهِ» صحيح  

ذِكْرُ الْإِخْبَارِ عَمَّا يَجِبُ عَلَى الْمَرْءِ مِنْ تَرْكِ الْفُضُولِ فِي قُوَّتِهِ رَجَاءَ النَّجَاةِ فِي الْعُقْبَى، مِمَّا يُعَاقِبُ عَلَيْهِ أَكَلَةُ السُّحْتِ

ibnhibban:674Muḥammad b. al-Ḥasan b. Qutaybah > Ḥarmalah b. Yaḥyá > Ibn Wahb > Muʿāwiyah b. Ṣāliḥ > Yaḥyá b. Jābir > al-Miqdām b. Maʿdī Karib

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "There is no vessel that the son of Adam fills worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Adam to eat a few morsels that will keep his spine straight. However, if he must eat, then one-third for food, one-third for drink, and one-third for air."  

ابن حبّان:٦٧٤أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ قُتَيْبَةَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا حَرْمَلَةُ بْنُ يَحْيَى قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مُعَاوِيَةُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ جَابِرٍ عَنِ الْمِقْدَامِ بْنِ مَعْدِي كَرِبَ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ «مَا مِنْ وِعَاءٍ مَلَأَ ابْنُ آدَمَ وِعَاءً شَرًّا مِنْ بَطْنٍ حَسْبُ ابْنِ آدَمَ أَكَلَاتٌ يُقِمْنَ صُلْبَهُ فَإِنْ كَانَ لَا بُدَّ فَثُلُثٌ لِطَعَامِهِ وَثُلُثٌ لِشَرَابِهِ وَثُلُثٌ لِنَفَسِهِ»  

ذِكْرُ وَصْفِ أَكْلِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ الَّذِي يَجِبُ عَلَيْهِمُ اسْتِعْمَالُهُ رَجَاءَ ثَوَابِ نَوَالِ الْخَيْرِ فِي الدَّارَيْنِ بِهِ

ibnhibban:5236Ibn Qutaybah > Ibn Abū al-Sarī > Muḥammad b. Ḥarb al-Abrash > Sulaymān b. Sulaym al-Kinānī > Ṣāliḥ b. Yaḥyá b. al-Miqdām b. Maʿdī Karib from his father from his grandfather al-Miqdām

[Machine] I have heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, "A human does not fill any vessel worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Adam to eat a few mouthfuls that will keep him upright. But if he must (eat more), then one third for his food, one third for his drink and one third for his breath."  

ابن حبّان:٥٢٣٦أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ قُتَيْبَةَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي السَّرِيِّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ الْأَبْرَشُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ سُلَيْمٍ الْكِنَانِيُّ عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ يَحْيَى بْنِ الْمِقْدَامِ بْنِ مَعْدِي كَرِبَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ الْمِقْدَامِ قَالَ

سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ «مَا مَلَأَ آدَمَيٌّ وِعَاءً شَرًّا مِنْ بَطْنٍ حَسْبُكَ يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ لُقَيْمَاتٌ يُقِمْنَ صُلْبَكَ فَإِنْ كَانَ لَا بُدَّ فَثُلُثٌ طَعَامٌ وَثُلُثٌ شَرَابٌ وَثُلُثٌ نَفَسٌ»  

tabarani:17842Aḥmad b. ʿAbd al-Wahhāb b. Najdah And ʾAḥmad b. Zayd al-Ḥawṭiyyān > Abū al-Mughīrah > Abū Salamah Sulaymān b. Sulaym al-Kittānī > Yaḥyá b. Jābir > al-Miqdām b. Maʿdī Karib al-Kindī

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "No human being has ever filled a container worse than his own stomach. The son of Adam only needs a few bites that keep his back straight. If there is no way out, then one-third for food, one-third for drink, and one-third for himself."  

الطبراني:١٧٨٤٢حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْوَهَّابِ بْنِ نَجْدَةَ وَأَحْمَدُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ الْحَوْطِيَّانِ قَالَا ثنا أَبُو الْمُغِيرَةِ ثنا أَبُو سَلَمَةَ سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ سُلَيْمٍ الْكِتَّانِيُّ حَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَى بْنُ جَابِرٍ عَنِ الْمِقْدَامِ بْنِ مَعْدِي كَرِبٍ الْكِنْدِيِّ قَالَ

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «مَا مَلَأَ آدَمِيٌّ وِعَاءً شَرًّا مِنْ بَطْنٍ حَسَبُ ابْنِ آدَمَ أُكُلَاتٍ يُقِمْنَ صُلْبَهُ فَإِنْ كَانَ لَا مَحَالَةَ فَثُلُثًا طَعَامًا وَثُلُثًا شَرَابًا وَثُلُثًا لِنَفْسِهِ»  

tabarani:17843Bakr b. Sahl > ʿAbdullāh b. Ṣāliḥ > Muʿāwiyah b. Ṣāliḥ > Yaḥyá b. Jābir > al-Miqdām b. Maʿdī Karib

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "The son of Adam does not fill any vessel worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Adam to eat a few morsels to keep his back straight. If he must, then one-third for his food, one-third for his drink, and one-third for his breath."  

الطبراني:١٧٨٤٣حَدَّثَنَا بَكْرُ بْنُ سَهْلٍ ثنا عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ صَالِحٍ حَدَّثَنِي مُعَاوِيَةُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ جَابِرٍ عَنِ الْمِقْدَامِ بْنِ مَعْدِي كَرِبٍ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ «مَا وَعَى ابْنُ آدَمَ وِعَاءً شَرًّا مِنْ بَطْنٍ بِحَسْبِ الْمُسْلِمِ أُكُلَاتٍ يُقِمْنَ صُلْبَهُ فَإِنْ كَانَ لَا مَحَالَةَ فَثُلُثًا لِطَعَامِهِ وَثُلُثًا لِشَرَابِهِ وَثُلُثًا لِنَفْسِهِ»  

nasai-kubra:6737ʿAmr b. ʿUthmān > Muḥammad b. Ḥarb > Abū Salamah > Ṣāliḥ b. Yaḥyá from his grandfather al-Miqdām b. Maʿdī Karib al-Kindī

“I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: ‘A human being fills no worse vessel than his stomach. It is sufficient for a human being to eat a few mouthfuls to keep his spine straight. But if he must (fill it), then one third of food, one third for drink and one third for air.’” (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 3349)   

الكبرى للنسائي:٦٧٣٧أَخْبَرَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عُثْمَانَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو سَلَمَةَ عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ جَدِّهِ الْمِقْدَامِ بْنِ مَعْدِي كَرِبَ الْكِنْدِيِّ قَالَ

سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ «مَا مَلَأَ آدَمِيٌّ وِعَاءً شَرًّا مِنْ بَطْنٍ حَسْبُ الْآدَمِيِّ لُقْمَاتٌ يُقِمْنَ صُلْبَهُ فَإِنْ غَلَبَتْهُ نَفْسُهُ» ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ كَلِمَةً مَعْنَاهَا فَثُلُثٌ طَعَامٌ وَثُلُثٌ شَرَابٌ وَثُلُثٌ لِلنَّفَسِ خَالَفَهُ بَقِيَّةُ بْنُ الْوَلِيدِ  

nasai-kubra:6738ʿAmr b. ʿUthmān > Baqiyyah > Abū Salamah Sulaymān b. Sulaym > Yaḥyá b. Jābir > al-Miqdām b. Maʿdī Karib

I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: "A human being fills no worse vessel than his stomach. It is sufficient for a human being to eat a few mouthfuls to keep his spine straight. But if he must (fill it), then one third of food, one third for drink and one third for air."  

الكبرى للنسائي:٦٧٣٨أَخْبَرَنِي عَمْرُو بْنُ عُثْمَانَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا بَقِيَّةُ عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ سُلَيْمٍ عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ جَابِرٍ عَنِ الْمِقْدَامِ بْنِ مَعْدِي كَرِبَ

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ «مَا مَلَأَ آدَمِيٌّ وِعَاءً شَرًّا مِنْ بَطْنٍ حَسْبُ ابْنِ آدَمَ لُقْمَاتٌ يُقِمْنَ صُلْبَهُ فَإِنْ غَلَبَتْهُ نَفْسُهُ فَثُلُثٌ طَعَامٌ وَثُلُثٌ شَرَابٌ وَثُلُثٌ لِلنَّفَسِ»  

nasai-kubra:6739Muḥammad b. Salamah > Ibn Wahb > Muʿāwiyah b. Ṣāliḥ > Yaḥyá b. Jābir > al-Miqdām b. Maʿdī Karib

[Machine] The Prophet ﷺ said, "There is no worse vessel than a stomach that is full from a Muslim's meals that make him vigorous. But if there is no choice, then one third for his food, one third for his drink, and one third for his breath."  

الكبرى للنسائي:٦٧٣٩أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي مُعَاوِيَةُ بْنُ صَالِحٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ يَحْيَى بْنَ جَابِرٍ يُحَدِّثُ عَنِ الْمِقْدَامِ بْنِ مَعْدِي كَرِبَ

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ قَالَ «مَا وِعَاءٌ شَرَّ مِنْ بَطْنٍ حَسْبُ الْمُسْلِمِ أُكُلَاتٌ يُقِمْنَ صُلْبَهُ فَإِنْ كَانَ لَا مَحَالَةَ فَثُلُثٌ لِطَعَامِهِ وَثُلُثٌ لِشَرَابِهِ وَثُلُثٌ لِنَفَسِهِ»  

suyuti:19709a
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السيوطي:١٩٧٠٩a

"مَا مَلأَ آدَمِيٌّ وعَاءً شَرًا مِنْ بَطْنِه، بِحَسْبِ ابْنِ آدَمَ أكَلاتٌ يُقِمْنَ صُلبَهُ، فإِنْ كَان لَا مَحَالةَ فَثُلُثٌ لِطَعَامِهِ وَثُلُثٌ لِشَرَابِهِ وَثُلُثٌ لِنَفَسِهِ".  

ابن المبارك، [حم] أحمد [ت] الترمذي حسن، [هـ] ابن ماجة وابن سعد، وابن جرير، [طب] الطبرانى في الكبير [هب] البيهقى في شعب الإيمان [ك] الحاكم في المستدرك عن المقدام بن معدى كرب
suyuti:19710a
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السيوطي:١٩٧١٠a

"مَا مَلأَ آدميٌّ وَعَاءً شَرًّا مِنْ بَطنٍ حَسْبُكَ يَا بْنَ آدَمَ لُقيمَات يُقِمْنَ صُلبَكَ، فإِنْ كَان لابُدَّ فَثُلُثٌ طَعَامٌ وَثُلُثٌ شَرابٌ وَثُلُثٌ نَفَسٌ".  

[حب] ابن حبّان [هب] البيهقى في شعب الإيمان عنه