Before any meal, Muslims recognize that all of their blessings come from Allah. Around the world, Muslims say a personal prayer (Du’a) before and after their meals. The Islamic Du’a intercession for meals is not communal, unlike most of the “grace” prayers said before meals in many cultures and religions. Each Muslim can say his/her personal Du’a silently, whether eating alone or in a group. This type of Du’a is said whenever food or a drink pass a Muslim’s lips regardless if it is a sip of water, a full meal, or just a snack. The most common Du’a before food is “Bismillah”, which means “In the name of Allah”. Another one is “Bismillahi wa barakatillah”, which means “In the name of Allah and with the blessings of Allah”.
