Question:
During last year’s Ramadan lecture series about food, you did not explain the ruling regarding sipping or sucking drinks. Is it permissible to drink by sucking (such as using a straw)?
Answer:
When we eat or drink liquids, there are different ways of drinking. Traditionally, people drink by placing the cup to their mouth and drinking. Sometimes, if it is in a plate or bowl, they may sip it by pulling the liquid toward the mouth. In modern times, people also drink using straws, such as when drinking juice. The question is whether drinking by sucking (using a straw or sipping) is permissible in Islam.
Drinking by sucking can have two meanings: one is drinking through a straw, and the other is sipping directly from a vessel by pulling the liquid into the mouth. From an Islamic perspective, Allahﷻ has commanded people to eat and drink. Therefore, eating or drinking in any normal manner is permissible. Whether someone drinks lying down, pours the drink into the mouth, or drinks in any other manner, it is allowed unless there is clear evidence prohibiting it.
If someone claims that a particular method of drinking is forbidden, they must show proof from the Qur’an or Hadith. There is no need to prove permissibility when Allahﷻ has already allowed drinking. As long as the drink itself is halal—such as buttermilk, juice, tea, or coffee—it is permissible to drink it in any manner. There is no evidence that sucking or sipping drinks is prohibited. Therefore, drinking through a straw or by sipping is allowed.