The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to breathe three times when drinking from a vessel. In another narration, he said, "It is more quenching, more wholesome, and more satisfying."
أن رسول الله ﷺ كان يتنفس في الإناء ثلاثا. وفي رواية: ويقول: إنه أروى وأبرأ وأمرا.
Bukhari related it in the Book of Drinks (5631) and Muslim in the Book of Drinks (2028:122), both by way of Azra bin Thabit, from Thumama bin Abdullah bin Anas, from Anas, who said, and then he narrated it. The addition was related by Muslim in the Book of Drinks (2028:123) by way of Abu Isam, from Anas, with the same wording.There is a prohibition against breathing into the vessel, and what is meant by that is breathing inside the vessel so that the drink does not become contaminated. What Anas narrated here refers to breathing three times during drinking while outside the vessel, and this is supported by his saying at the end of the hadith, "it is more quenching, more wholesome, and more agreeable." His saying "more quenching" means providing more satisfaction of thirst. His saying "more agreeable" means quicker and easier to digest. His saying "more wholesome" means bringing more soundness and health to the body.As for what was narrated from Ibn Abbas, that the Prophet ﷺ used to breathe twice when he drank, this is daif. It was related by Tirmidhi in his Sunan (1886) and in Shamail (213), Ibn Majah (3417), and Ahmad (2578), all of them by way of Rushdin bin Kurayb, from his father, from Ibn Abbas, who said, and then he narrated it.Tirmidhi said, This is a gharib hadith we do not know except through the report of Rushdin bin Kurayb, meaning it is daif, because Rushdin bin Kurayb is daif by the unanimous agreement of the scholars.