Waking — The Beginning of the Day
Sleeping on the right side: The Prophet (SAW) would sleep on his right side, facing the qibla, with his right hand under his right cheek.
Waking du’a: Upon waking, the Prophet (SAW) would say: “Alhamdulillahilladhi ahyana ba’da ma amatana wa ilayhin-nushur” — “All praise is due to Allah who gave us life after causing us to die, and to Him is the return.”
Beginning with the right hand and foot: For all acts of honor, entry, and beginning — dressing, entering the mosque, putting on shoes — the right side comes first.
Siwaak (Miswak) upon waking: The Prophet (SAW) used the miswak (tooth-cleaning twig) every time he woke up, before prayer, and whenever the opportunity arose. “If I had not thought it burdensome for my ummah, I would have commanded them to use the miswak before every prayer.” (Bukhari, Muslim)
Eating and Drinking — Prophetic Table Manners
Say Bismillah before eating: “Bismillah” at the beginning — if forgotten, when remembered: “Bismillah awwalahu wa akhirahu”.
Eat with the right hand: The Prophet (SAW): “Let none of you eat with his left hand or drink with it, for Shaytan eats with his left hand and drinks with it.” (Muslim)
Eat from what is nearest: In a shared dish, eat from the side closest to you rather than reaching across.
Do not blow on hot food or drink: Wait for it to cool. Do not blow into a vessel.
Praise Allah after eating: “Alhamdulillahilladhi at’amana wa saqana wa ja’alana muslimin” (Ahmad, Abu Dawud) — or the Surah al-Fatiha and related du’as.
Drink in three sips: The Prophet (SAW) drank in three breaths (three sips), not in one continuous gulp, removing the vessel from the lips between each.
Do not drink standing (per the stronger hadith tradition) — sit to drink when possible.
Dress and Appearance
Wear white clothing: “Wear white, for it is the purest and finest of your clothes, and shroud your dead in white.” (Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi)
Begin dressing from the right: Put on the right sleeve/trouser leg first; remove from the left first.
Say Bismillah when dressing and the du’a of clothing: “Bismillah, Allahumma inni as’aluka khayrah wa khayra ma huwa lahu, wa a’udhu bika min sharrihi wa sharri ma huwa lahu.”
Keep the beard: The Prophet (SAW) commanded letting the beard grow and trimming the moustache: “Differ from the mushrikin: trim closely the moustache and let the beard grow.” (Bukhari, Muslim) — The classical position is that the beard is sunnah mu’akkada; the Hanafi school holds trimming below a fist-length is impermissible.
Apply perfume: The Prophet (SAW) loved good fragrance — “From the things of your world, women and perfume have been made beloved to me, and my contentment is in prayer.” (Nasa’i, Ahmad — authentic)
Cut the nails: Among the acts of fitra (natural disposition) — cutting nails, trimming the moustache, removing armpit hair, removing pubic hair, and circumcision. See [[fitra]].
Greetings and Speech
Spread the salaam: “O people, spread the salaam, feed food, maintain family ties, and pray at night while people are sleeping — you will enter Paradise in peace.” (Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah) — Initiating assalamu alaykum is sunnah; returning it is fard kifaya.
Smile: The Prophet (SAW): “Your smiling at your brother is sadaqah.” (Tirmidhi)
Call people by their best name or kunya: Addressing people by their preferred name or title (“Abu so-and-so”, “Umm so-and-so”) was the prophetic practice of honoring them.
Say “InshAllah” for the future: “And never say of anything: I will do that tomorrow. Except [when adding]: ‘If Allah wills.’” (18:23-24)
Entering and Leaving the Home
Enter with the right foot and say “Bismillah, tawakkaltu ‘ala Allah”.
Greet your household: The Prophet (SAW) commanded greeting the household upon entering: “When you enter your homes, greet your families with salaam, for it is a blessing from Allah.” (Tirmidhi)
Leave with the left foot and the du’a: “Bismillah, tawakkaltu ‘ala Allah, wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah”.
The Collective Effect
Individually, each of these practices might seem minor. Collectively, they constitute a complete and coherent adab (culture of conduct) that transforms the mundane into the sacred — making every moment of the day an act of remembrance and alignment with the prophetic model. The classical scholars spoke of takhalluq bi-akhlaq al-nabi — adorning oneself with the character of the Prophet. These sunna practices are the daily infrastructure of that character.
See also: Prophet Muhammad, Seerah Youth, Akhlaq, Muslim Character, Fitra, Dhikr, Understanding Namaz, Sunnah Vs Fard