What is the wisdom behind entering the restroom with the left foot and eating with the right hand, and is the left-handed person exempted from this?
The principle in Islamic law is to prioritize the right for matters of honor and reverence, and the left for their opposite. This is supported by the hadith of Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, "used to love to start with the right in all his affairs as much as he could."
This principle is consistently applied in many matters within Islamic law. It is recommended to use the right for noble actions such as bathing and wearing clothes, and to use the left for actions that are contrary to this, such as entering the restroom.
Therefore, a person should accustom themselves to eating with the right hand, especially since eating and drinking with the left hand is considered forbidden by many scholars, except in cases of necessity.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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