Question
If a person gives feedback to someone who cooked for them, e.g. one’s wife, about their food, will that be considered finding faults with food and criticizing it which is against the Sunnah?
Answer:
ﺑﺴﻢ اﷲ اﻟﺮﺣﻤﻦ اﻟﺮﺣﯿﻢ
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
It is mentioned in a Hadith that the Prophet ﷺ never found fault in food. When he desired to eat something, he would eat it, and if he disliked something, he would abstain from it. (Sahih Muslim: Hadith 5375). If it is a natural food (it was not prepared or processed by a human, e.g. a fruit or vegetable), it is disliked to criticize it because one should not find fault with the creation of Allah ﺗﻌﺎﻟﻰ.
As for that food which was prepared by human beings, it is disliked to find fault with such food because it would cause pain to the one who made it. On the basis thereof, if someone, e.g. one’s wife, appreciates feedback and constructive criticism regarding her food, then this would not be considered disliked on the condition that it does not offend her. Rather, it would come under the category of wishing well for another Muslim because you want that individual to excel in cooking. [1]
Only Allah knows best
Written by Maulana Mohammad Ahsan Osmani Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah Darul Ifta Birmingham
[1] Sharhul Nawawi li Sahih Muslim: v. 6, p. 179 (Bushra); Fathul Bari: v. 12, p. 331 (Dar Tayyibah); Awnul M’abood: v. 1 , p. 1716 (Dar Ibn Hazm)