Good manners for kids · At the table

Drinking manners

Islamic drinking manners for kids: sit down, say “Bismillah”, hold the cup in your right hand, drink in three sips breathing away from the cup, and say “Alhamdulillah”.

Ages 2–8SongTalk promptsFamily activity

Teacher review under way.

Read it together

What it means for little ones

When we drink, we sit down, say “Bismillah” and hold the cup in our right hand. We drink in three small sips, taking the cup away from our mouth to breathe in between. Then we say “Alhamdulillah”.

From the Sunnah

Where it comes from

Our Prophet (peace be upon him) used to drink in three breaths, taking the cup away from his mouth to breathe, and he taught us not to breathe into the cup.

Sahih Muslim 2028

Sing itSit, Sip, SmileSing it first — the song gives your child the words and the moves.Watch on YouTube ↗

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ

Bismillah

“In the name of Allah”

Learn more: Bismillah

Little habits

What it looks like

Sit down to drink
Say “Bismillah”
Hold the cup in the right hand
Three sips, breathing away from the cup
Say “Alhamdulillah”

Talk about it

Questions to ask

Where does water come from before it reaches our tap?
Why do you think we breathe away from the cup?
How does a cool drink feel when you're really thirsty?

Family activity · 5 minutes, after playing

Three-sip water break

Step 1: Pour two cups of water and sit down together.
Step 2: Say “Bismillah” and hold the cups in your right hands.
Step 3: Count out loud: sip one — breathe, sip two — breathe, sip three — breathe.
Step 4: Finish with “Alhamdulillah!” and a big smile.

For parents: Sitting to drink is the habit we teach: the Prophet (peace be upon him) discouraged drinking while standing (Sahih Muslim 2024), and he was also seen drinking standing at times (Sahih al-Bukhari 5615). Scholars explain this in different ways — many say sitting is better and standing is still allowed. Ask your teacher about your family's way.

Habit chartMake a chart for the fridgeTry lines like “I sat down to drink”, “I drank in three sips”, “I said Alhamdulillah” — stars and moons, never crosses.Open Chart Studio →PlayWhat do we say?Before eating, after a sneeze, meeting a friend… listen to the little story and tap what Muslims say.Play free →All mannersMore good mannersEating, drinking, salaam, sharing, honesty and more.See them all →

Du'as and words for this: Bismillah — meaning · Alhamdulillah — meaning

Questions parents ask

Is drinking standing up wrong?

Sitting is the sunnah habit, and there are also authentic reports of the Prophet (peace be upon him) drinking standing. Many scholars say sitting is better and standing is allowed; some are stricter. Teach sitting as the habit, gently, and ask your teacher for details.

How do I teach three sips to a toddler?

Count out loud and breathe together — make it a little game rather than a rule.

Sources: Sahih Muslim 2028 · Sahih al-Bukhari 5630 · Sahih Muslim 2020 · Sahih Muslim 2024 · Sahih al-Bukhari 5615

Qur'an references are checked on quran.com and hadith on sunnah.com; a teacher review is under way. Families and madhhabs differ on some details — ask your teacher.

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جَزَاكَ اللَّهُ خَيْرًا

Islamic word