Using Your Left Hand in Islam

In Islam, why is the right hand preferred over the left hand when greeting and eating? What is the problem with using your left hand for certain things? All human actions are classified in five categories in Islam:

1.Halal (lawful/allowed)
2.Haram (unlawful/forbidden
3. Mustahab (highly recommended)
4 Makruh (abominable)
5. Mubah (of no importance: do what you want) 

Eating with your left hand is makruh. The reason being is that the left hand is used for cleaning oneself in the lavatory. So although we wash our hands and they are both clean, it is recommended to use the right hand to eat.

One of the obligations of people is to practice what is called "amr-bil- ma'ruf and nahi 'anilmunkar" (enjoining good and forbidding wrong/evil"). However this has to be practiced with wisdom and certainly not in a way that may hurt/humiliate/embarrass a person in public. 

There are certain behaviors and standards that one needs to respect when living in a society. 

If you are in a community that sees eating with left as ill-mannered and you are sharing food with them and you insist you want to eat with your left (because it is your freedom!) you cannot expect them to look on you favourably. 

Just like you would not blow your nose into your napkin, then put it on the table when you are with guests or you are the host,in the same way you need to be respectful and sensitive of the code of behavior of a community.

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