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The miracles of increase in food and water
The Prophet (peace
be upon him) was sent with the Divine Message in an environment with little
food and water. He and his Companions would suffer from hard situations when
food and water were little or almost non-existent. Therefore, some of the
miracles Allah supported him with were concerned with increasing the small
amounts of food and water at his hand. With these miracles, he and his
Companions would, through the Power of Allah (SWT), overcome the conditions of
the severe desert environment, where they badly needed food and water, besides
their need for water for the purpose of ritual cleansing. Those became among
his miracles that had been witnessed by tens, if not hundreds and thousands of
his Companions, and were reported at his time and conveyed to us through the
most authentic routes. Following are some of such miracles: The miracles of
increasing food Among the miracles
of the Prophet (peace be upon him) is increasing the little food that is enough
for just a few persons. After being blessed by virtue of his supplication, it
would increase to be sufficient for tens, if not hundreds or even thousands.
This happened on several occasions, such as the event that occurred on digging
the trench. 1. The story of Jabir’s banquet Jabir Ibn
'Abdullah said: “We were digging (the trench) on the
day of (Al-Khandaq (i.e., Trench) and we came across a big solid rock. We went
to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and said: ‘Here is a rock appearing across
the trench.’ He said: ‘I am coming down.’ Then he got up, and a stone was tied
to his belly, for we had not eaten anything for three days. So the Prophet took
the spade and struck the big solid rock and it became like sand. I said: ‘O
Allah's Messenger! Allow me to go home.’ (When the Prophet allowed me) I said
to my wife: ‘Is there anything with you? I have seen Allah's Messenger (peace
be upon him) extremely hungry.’ She brought out a bag of provisions which
contained a sa' of barley. We had also with us a lamb. I slaughtered it. She
ground the flour. She finished (this work) along with me. I cut it into pieces
and put it in the earthen pot and then returned to Allah's Messenger (peace be
upon him) (for inviting him). She said: ‘Do not humiliate me in the presence of
Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) and those who are with him.’ When I came
to him I whispered to him saying: ‘O Allah's Messenger, we have slaughtered a
lamb for you and have ground a sa' of barley which we had with us. So would you
come along with a group of people?’ Thereupon Allah's Messenger (peace be upon
him) said loudly: ‘O people of the Trench, Jabir has arranged a feast for you,
so (come along).’ Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said: ‘Do not remove
your earthen pot from the hearth and do not bake the bread from the kneaded
flour until I come.’ So I came and Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) came
and he was ahead of the people; and I came to my wife and said: ‘Allah's Mercy
be upon you! The Prophet came along with the Muhajirin and the Ansar and those
who were present with them.’ She said
(to me): ‘You will be humbled.’ I said: ‘I did what you had asked me to do.’
She said: ‘Did he ask you?’ I said: ‘Yes.’ Then she brought out the kneaded
flour, and Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) put some saliva of his in that
and blessed it. He then put saliva in the earthen pot and blessed it and then
said: ‘Call another baker who can bake with you, and bring out the soup from
your pot, but do not remove it from the hearth.’ They were one thousand (who
took their meals), and by Allah, they all ate, and when they left the food and
went away, our earthenware pot was still bubbling (full of meat) as if it had
not decreased, and our dough was still being baked as if nothing had been taken
from it. Then the Prophet (peace be upon
him) said (to my wife): ‘Eat and present to others as the people are struck
with hunger.’”[82]
2.
Increasing the food at Tabuk
Expedition Among the miracles
of increasing a small amount of food to become enough for thousands of the
followers of the Prophet (peace be upon him) was what occurred at Tabuk
Expedition, when the Muslims were stricken by a famine. The Companions
said: “O Allah’s Messenger! Would you permit us to slay our water-carrying
camels? We would eat their meat and use their fat.” Allah’s Messenger (peace be
upon him) said: “Do as you please.” He (the narrator) said: “Then ‘Umar came
there and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! If you did that (if you gave your
consent and the men began to slay their camels), we would run short of
transport. But (I suggest that you) summon them to bring the provisions left
with them and then invoke Allah's blessings on them (different items of
provisions). It is hoped that Allah will bless them.’” Allah’s Messenger (peace
be upon him) replied in the affirmative. (The narrator) said: “He sent for a
leather mat to be used as a table cloth and spread it out. Then he ordered the
men to bring what was left with them of the foodstuffs.” He (the narrator)
said: “Someone came with a handful of mote, another came with a handful of
dates, still another came with a piece of bread, till small quantities of these
things were collected on the table cloth.” He (the narrator said): “ Then
Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) invoked blessing (on them) and said:
‘Fill your vessels with these provisions.’” He (the narrator) said: “They
filled their vessels to the brim, leaving not a single vessel in the whole army
(of about 3000) empty.” He (the narrator) said: “They ate to their fill, and
there was still a surplus.” Upon this Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him)
said: “I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and I am the Messenger of
Allah. No bondsman meets Allah with these two affirmations without a trace of
doubt (in his heart) and is yet prevented from entering Paradise.”[83] Salamah Ibn
al-Akwa’ narrated a similar story on the authority of Iyas Ibn Salamah, quoting
his father, who said: “We set out with Allah’s
Messenger (peace be upon him) in a certain military expedition and we suffered
from hunger so much that we intended to slaughter our riding-camels. Allah’s
Prophet (peace be upon him) ordered us to collect our provisions and we spread
out a leather mat for him. The foodstuff of people was gathered on the mat and
I looked over it to guess how much it was. I guessed it was the size of a
sitting goat. We were then fourteen hundred. We all ate to our fill and filled
our vessels.”[84]
3.
The story of increasing the dates of
Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) Jabir Ibn
‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them both) said that when his father died
he owed a Jewish man 30 wasaqs[85]
(of dates). Jabir asked him to give him a respite, but the Jew refused to give
him a respite. Therefore, Jabir asked Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) to
intercede for him with the Jew. Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) went to
the Jew and told him to take the yield of Jabir’s date palms for his debt, but
the Jew refused. Jabir’s product of dates was not enough to repay the debt.
Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) entered the garden and walked all around
it and then said to Jabir: “Pluck dates to repay your
debt.” Jabir plucked the dates after Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon
him) returned. He paid the Jew 30 wasaqs (of dates) and yet there remained 17
surplus wasaqs. Jabir went to Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) to tell him
what had happened. He found him performing the ‘Asr prayer and when he finished,
Jabir told him the good news, whereupon the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “I testify that I am Allah's Messenger.” He added: “Tell Ibn al-Khattab of this.” Jabir went to ‘Umar
and told him. ‘Umar said to him: “When Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him)
walked around it, I knew that Allah would bless it.”[86]
Al-Hafiz Ibn
Kathir said: “This hadith has been narrated through various routes on the
authority of Jabir and in various expressions. The gist of all the narrations
is that through the blessing of Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him), his
prayer for Jabir and walking around his garden and sitting on his dates, Allah
repaid the debt of his father, who had died in the Battle of Uhud. Jabir did
not expect to be able to repay the debt that year or even the year after, yet
there remained of the dates a large amount exceeding what he had hoped for and
wished. Praise and thanks be to Allah![87] 4. The Prophet’s feeding 130 men with
one sheep ‘Abd Al-Rahman Ibn Abu Bakr (may Allah be
pleased with them both) said that Allah’s Messenger
(peace be upon him) fed one hundred and thirty men from a single sheep and one
sa’ of foodstuff, and he gave every one of them a piece of its liver till they
were all satiated and then they carried what remained with them.[88] Al-Nawawi said:
“In his hadith there are two obvious miracles related to Allah’s Messenger
(peace be upon him): first, increasing the liver till it became enough to feed
so many men; second, increasing the sa’ of foodstuff and the meat of the sheep till
that satiated all of them. Yet there remained a surplus that they carried away
with them for they did not need it then.[89] 5.
Blessing the Haisah of Umm Sulaim: On the
occasion of marrying Zainab Bint Jahsh, Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him)
fed about three hundred men from hais prepared by Umm Sulaim. When Anas lifted
the hais after all those men had eaten, he said: “I do not know whether it
(hais) was more when it was placed or when it was lifted.”
[90]
6. The Prophet’s feeding 70 or 80 men
with Umm Sulaim’s loaves Umm Sulaim (may
Allah be pleased with her) broke a few loaves of barley into pieces and added
some butter to them. Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon
him) supplicated Allah for blessing (the meal). About 70 or 80 men ate from
these loaves till they got satiated.[91] 7. Increasing half a wasaq[92]
of barley through the blessing of the Prophet (peace be upon him) Jabir
reported that a man came to Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him)) and asked
for food. He gave him half a wasq of barley, and the man, his wife and their
guests kept on making use of it (as food) until he weighed it (in order to find
out the actual quantity, and it was no more). He came to Allah’s Messenger
(peace be upon him) (and informed him about it). The Prophet (peace be upon
him) said: “Had you not weighed it, you would be eating out of it and it would
have remained intact for you.”[93] 8. The appearance of the effect of
blessing in half a wasaq of barley belonging to Umm al-Mu’minin, ‘Aisha (may
Allah be pleased with her) ‘Aisha (May Allah
be pleased with her) said: “When the Prophet
died, nothing which can be eaten by a living creature was left on my shelf
except some barley grain. I ate of it for a period and when I measured it, it
finished.”[94]
9.The story of the dates of Abu
Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) Abu Hurairah (may
Allah be pleased with him) said: “I brought the
Prophet (peace be upon him) some dates and said ‘O Allah’s Messenger! Invoke
Allah for blessing them.’ He took hold of them and invoked (Allah) for my sake
for blessing them. He said: ‘Take them and keep them in your food bag (or this
food bag.) Whenever you want to take anything out of it put your hand into it
and take it, but do not empty out the bag of its contents.’ I offered a large
number of wassqs of those dates in the Cause of Allah. We used to eat of them
and feed others. The bag was always in my lap till the day when ‘Uthman was
killed, whereupon they were finished.”[95] 10. The meal of tharid (pieces of bread mixed with soup and maybe some
meat) that was being supplied (continuously) Samurah Ibn Jundub
said: “While we were with the Prophet (peace be upon
him) a meal of tharid was brought to him.” He added: “He ate and the people ate
and they continued eating from it successively till about noon. A group of them
would eat to be followed by another group.” A man asked the narrator: “Was it
supplied with food (continuously)?” He said: “It was definitely not supplied
from earth. But perhaps it was supplied from heaven.”[96] 11. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) fed 400 persons from Muzyanah
from a little amount of dates: Al-Nu’man Ibn
Muqrin said: “We came to Allah’s Messenger (peace be
upon him) with 400 persons from Muzyanah. Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him)
gave us his instructions. Some of the people said: ‘O Allah’s Messenger, we are
short of food.’ The Prophet (peace be upon him)
said to ‘Umar: ‘Provide them with food.’ ‘Umar said: ‘I have nothing but a
little amount of residual dates, which, I think, will be of little avail to
them.’ He said: ‘Go and provide them (with food).’ He then took us to his room
upstairs, where there was (a heap) of dates looking like a camel tinted with
white and black colors. He said: ‘Take!’ Everybody took what he needed and I
was the last among the people. So I turned to see that not a single date had
been removed (from the heap) although 400 men had taken (their shares) from
it.”[97] 12. Milking a sheep with his hand although it was not (biologically)
due to yield milk. ‘Abdullah Ibn
Mas’ud said: “I was grazing some sheep belonging to
‘Uqbah Ibn Abi Mu’ait when Allah’s Apostle (peace upon him) and Abu Bakr passed
by me. He said: ‘O boy! Do you have a sheep that has not been made pregnant by
a ram (i.e. does not yield milk)?’ I fetched him a sheep and he passed his hand
over its udder, whereupon milk flowed and he milked it in a bowl. He drank and
gave some to Abu Bakr to drink and then said to the udder: ‘Stop yielding
milk!’ It did.”[98] Qais Ibn al-Nu’man narrated a similar story,
is which the shepherd is said to be a slave.[99]
Once Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with
him) got very hungry. The Prophet (peace be upon him)
passed by him and invited him to his house, where he found a bowl of milk. He
ordered Abu Hurairah to call the people of Suffa,[100]
who then took their seats in the house. Then he ordered him to serve them with
the milk till they all drank to their fill. Then the Prophet (peace be upon him)
ordered him to drink and he did. The Prophet continued saying to him: “Drink,”
till Abu Hurairah said: “No more! By Him Who has sent you with the Truth, I can
drink no more!” Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) took the bowl from him,
pronounced Alla’s Name and drank the remaining (milk).”
[101] Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar
said: “In this there is a great miracle. We have already seen similar signs of
Prophethood, such as increasing food and drink through the blessing of the
Prophet (peace be upon him).[102] 14. Increasing
the milk (the story of al-Miqdad and his two companions) Another story almost like that of Abu Hurairah with the
Messenger (peace be upon him) is the story of al-Miqdad. But the blessing in
the story of al-Miqdad was the lot of the udders of a sheep that were filled
with abundant milk when they were not due to be milked.[103] 15. Increasing the butter for Umm Malik Jabir reported that Umm Malik used to send clarified butter in a small skin to Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him). Her sons would come to her and ask for seasoning when they had nothing with them (in the form of condiments) and she would go to that (skin) in which she offered (clarified butter) to Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him), and she would find clarified butter in it and it kept providing her with seasoning for her household until she had (completely) squeezed it. She came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and (informed him about it). Thereupon, he (the Holy Prophet) said: “Did you squeeze it?” She said: “Yes.” Thereupon he said: “ If you had left it in that very state, it would have kept on providing you (with the clarified butter) on end.”[104]
[82] The wording of the story is the outcome of combining two narrations: of al-Imam al-Bukhari in his Sahih, Book/ al-Maghazi, Section/ Ghazwat al-Khandaq; Muslim, Book/ drinks, Section/ the permissibility of following someone else to the home of somebody who he thinks will be willing (to receive him); Ahmad in his Musnad, 3/377; al-Baihaqi in al-Sunnan al-Kubra, 7/274; al-Darimi in his Sunnan, 1/33; Abu ‘Awanah in his Musnad ,5/177; Ibn Abi Shaibah in al-Musannaf, 6/314; al-Firabi in Dala’il al-Nubuwah, p. 53; al-Asbahani in Dala’il al-Nubuwah also, 1/208. [83] Muslim, Book/ al-Iman, Section/ the evidence that whoever dies as a monotheist will certainly enter Paradise; Ibn Hibban in his Sahih, 14/465; Ahmad in al-Musnad, 3/11; Abu Ya’la in his Musnad, 2/412; Ibn Mandah in al-Iman, 1/178; al-Firabi in Dala’il al-Nubuwah, p.33. [84] Muslim, Book/ al-Luqata, Section/ recommending mixing provisions when insufficient and pleasing others with them. [85] “Wasaq” is a known measure that is equal to sixty sa’, the sa’ being four muds and a mud is equal to two handfuls of an average man. [86]Al-Bukhari, Book/ borrowing and paying debts, Section/ if one pays dates for the borrowed dates; Ibn Majah, Book/ Sadaqat, Section/ paying debts on behalf of the deceased; Abu ‘Awanah in his Musnad, 3/604; al-Tabarani in al-Mu’jam al-Awsat, 9/68; al-Firabi in Dala’il al-Nubuwah, p. 83; al-Asbahani in Dala’il al-Nubuwah, 1/35, and the saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him): “I testify that I am Allah's Messenger.” Narrated by al-Bukhari , Book/ victuals, Section/ fresh and ripe dates. See Fath al-Bari for some of the words of the various narrations, 6/594. [87] Al-Bidayah wal-Nihayah, 6/121. [88] Al-Bukhari, Book/ the gift, Section/ accepting a gift from a polytheist; Muslim, Book/ drinks, Section/ entertaining the guest and the merit of favoring him; Abu ‘Awanah in his Musnad, 5/204-205; Ahmad in his Musnad, 1/197; al-Baihaqi in al-Sunan al-Kubra, 9/215. [89] Sharh Sahih Muslim, 14/16. [90] Al-Bukhari, Book/ al-Nikah, Section/ the gift for the bride; Muslim, Book/ al-Nikah, Section/ the marriage of Zainab Bint Jahsh and the revelation of enjoining hijab. The wording of the hadith is his; al-Tirmidhi, Book/ Tafsir, Section/ from Surat al-Ahzab ; al-Nasa’i, Book/ al-Nikah, Section/ the gift for one who marries; Ahmad in his Musnad, 3/163; Abu Ya’la in his Musnad in brief, 7/315; al-Tabarani in al-Mu’jam al-Kabir, 2446.
[91] Al-Bukhari, Book/ al-Manaqib, Section/ the signs of
Prophethood in Islam; Muslim, Book/ drinks, Section/ the permissibility of following someone else to the
home of somebody who he thinks will be willing (to receive him); al-Tirmidhi in
his Sunan, Book/ al-Manaqib, Section/ concerning the signs of proving the Prophethood
of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his special characteristics; Ibn Hibban
in his Sahih, 14/469; Asbu ‘Awanah in his Musnad, 5178; Malik in al-Muwatta’,
2927: ‘Abd Ibn humaid in his Musnad, 1/371 from al-Muntakhab, and others.
Following is the full story: Anas Ibn Malik said: “Abu Talha said to Umm
Sulaim: ‘I have noticed feebleness in the voice of Allah's Messenger (peace be
upon him), which I think, is caused by hunger. Have you got any food?’ She
said: ‘Yes.’ She brought out some loaves of barley and took out a veil
belonging to her, and wrapped the bread in part of it and put it under my arm
and wrapped part of the veil round me and sent me to Allah's Messenger (peace
be upon him). I went carrying it and found Allah's Messenger (peace be upon
him) in the Mosque sitting with some people. When I stood there, Allah's
Messenger (peace be upon him) asked: ‘Has Abu Talha sent you?’ I said: ’Yes.’
He asked: ‘With some food?’ I said: ‘Yes’ Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him)
then said to the men around him: ‘Get up!’ He set out (accompanied by them) and
I went ahead of them till I reached Abu Talha and told him (of the Prophet's
visit). Abu Talha said: ‘O Umm Sulaim! Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) is
coming with the people and we have no food to feed them.’ She said, "Allah
and His Messenger know better.’ So Abu Talha went out to receive Allah's
Messenger (peace be upon him). Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) came along
with Abu Talha. Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said: ‘O Umm Sulaim!
Bring whatever you have.’ She brought the bread that Allah’s Messenger (peace
be upon him) ordered to be broken into pieces. Umm Sulaim poured on it some
butter from an oilskin. Then Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) recited what
Allah wished him to recite, and then said: ‘Let ten persons come (to share the
meal).’ Ten persons were admitted, ate their fill and went out. Then he again
said: ‘Let other ten do the same.’ They were admitted, ate their fill and went
out. Then he again said: ‘Let other ten (do the same.)’ They were admitted, ate
their fill and went out. Then he said: ‘Let another ten come.’ In short, all of
them ate their fill, and they were seventy or eighty men. [92] See footnote 71. [93] Muslim, Book/ al-Fada’il, Section/ the miracles of the Prophet (peace be upon him); Ahmad, 3/347. [94] Al-Bukhari, Book/ al-Riqaq, Section/ the merit of being poor; Muslim, Book/ al-Zuhd wa al-Riqaq; Ibn Majah, Book/ victuals, Section/ barley bread; Ahmad in his Musnad, 6/108; al-Baihaqi in al-Sunan al-Kubra, 7/47; Ibn Abi Shaibah in al-Musannaf, 7/132. [95] Al-Tirmidh in al-Manaqib/ the virtues of Abu Hurairah. Al-Albani said in Sahih Sunan al-Tirmidhi, 3/235: with good isnad; Al-Arna’ut said in Takhrij Jami’ al-Usul, 11/364: It is a good hadith. Ahmad narrated it, 2/352; al-Baihaqi in al-Dala’il, 6/109; Abu Nu’aim combined in two narrations, 2/588-589; Ibn Hibban in his Sahih, 14/467; Ishaq Ibn Rahawaih in his Musnad, 1/75. [96] Ahmad in his Musnad, 5/12; al-Tirmithi in al-Manaqib, Section/ concerning the signs of the Prophethood of the Prophet (peace be upon him). He said: It is a good authentic hadith. Al-Arna’ut Takhrij Jami’ al-Usul, 11/363: “It is as he has said”; al-Nasa’i in al-Sunan al-Kubra, 4/170; al-Hakim in al-Mustadrak, 2/675, and he said: authentic according to the criterion of al-Shaikhain and they did not narrate it. Al-Dhahabi agreed with him. Al-Baihaqi in al-Dala’il with two isnads in one of which he said it was an authentic isnad, 6/93; Abu Nu’aim in al-Dala’il, 7/232; Ibn Hibban as in Mawarid al-Zam’an, p.527. [97] Ahmad, 5/445; Abu Nu’aim in al-Dala’il, 2/548-549; Ibn Hibban in his Sahih, 4/462. Al-Haithami said in al-Majma’, 8/304: “It is narrated by Ahmad and al-Tabarani and the narrators of Ahamad are the narrators of authentic hadiths.” Abu Dawud narrated part of it, like this: “We came up to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and asked him for food. He said: ‘O ‘Umar! Go and provide them (with food).’ He took us to a room upstairs and took out a key from his pouch and opened.” See: Sahih Sunan Abu Dawud, al-Albani, 3 /983. Abu Abdullah al-Maqdisi said: “Its isnad agrees with the criterion of authentic hadiths.” See: al-Jawab al-Sahih, 6/254. [98] Ahmad in al-Musnad, 1/397, 462; Ibn Hiban in his Sahih, 14/433; Abu Dawud al-Tayalisi, 1/47; Ibn Abi Shaibah in al-Musannaf; Abu Ya’la in his Musnad, 8/403; al-Tabarani in al-Mu’jam al-Kabir, 9/79 verified as authentic by Ahmad Shakir in his comments on the Musnad, 6/190. [99] Al-Hakin in al-Mustadrak, 3/9. He said it is of authentic isnad and they did not narrate it. [100] The people of suffa were a group of poor Companions who used to take the mosque for their residence.
[101] Narrated by al-Bukhari, Book/ al-Riqaq, Section/ how
the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his Companions lived and their disinterest
in worldly pleasures. Al-Tirmidhi in al-Sunan, Book/ the description of the Day
of Judgment and al-Riqaq wa al-Wara’; Ibn Hibban in his Sahih, 4/472; Ahmad in
al-Musnad, 2/515; al-Baihaqi in al-Sunan al-Kubra, 2/446; Hannad in al-Zuhd,
2/394. Following is the full story: Mujadid said that Abu Hurairah used to say:
“By Allah except Whom none has the right to be worshipped, (sometimes) I used
to lie on the ground on my liver (abdomen) because of hunger, and (sometimes) I
used to bind a stone to my belly because of hunger. One day I sat by the way
from where they (the Prophet and his companions) used to come out. When Abu
Bakr passed by, I asked him about a Verse from Allah's Book and I asked him
that only that he might satisfy my hunger, but he passed by and did not do so.
Then ‘Umar passed by me and I asked him about a Verse from Allah's Book, and I
asked him that only that he might satisfy my hunger, but he passed by without
doing so. Finally Abu al-Qasim (the Prophet peace be upon him) passed by me and
he smiled when he saw me, for he knew what was in my heart and on my face. He
said: ‘O Aba Hirr (Abu Hurairah)!’ I replied: ‘Labbaik, O Allah's Messenger!’
He said to me: ‘Follow me.’ He left and I followed him. Then he entered the
house and I asked permission to enter and was admitted. He found milk in a bowl
and said: ‘From where is this milk?’ They said: ‘It has been presented to you
by such-and-such man (or by such and such woman).’ He said: ‘O Aba Hirr!’ I
said: ‘Labbaik, O Allah's Messenger!’ He said: ‘Go and call the people of Suffa
to me.’ These people of Suffa were the guests of Islam who had no families, no
money, and nobody to depend upon, and whenever an object of charity was brought
to the Prophet, he would send it to them and would not take anything from it,
and whenever any present was given to him, he used to send some for them and
take some of it for himself. The order of the Prophet upset me, and I said to
myself: ‘How will this little milk be enough for the people of Suffa?’ I
thought I was more entitled to drink from that milk in order to strengthen
myself, but behold! The Prophet came to order me to give that milk to them. I
wondered what would remain of that milk for me. Anyway, I could not but obey
Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) so I went to the people of Suffa
and called them, and they came and asked permission to enter. They were
admitted and took their seats in the house. The Prophet said: ‘O Aba-Hirr!’ I
said: ‘Labbaik, O Allah's Messenger!’ He said: ‘Take it and give it to them (to
drink).’ So I took the bowl (of Milk) and started giving it to one man who
would drink his fill and return it to me, whereupon I would give it to another
man who, in his turn, would drink his fill and return it to me, and I would
then offer it to another man who would drink his fill and return it to me.
Finally, after the whole group had drunk their fill, I reached the Prophet
(peace be upon him), who took the bowl and put it on his hand, looked at me,
and smiling, said: ‘O Aba Hirr!’ I replied: ‘Labbaik, O Allah's Messenger!’ He
said: ‘There remain you and I.’ I said: ‘You have said the truth, O Allah's
Messenger!’ He said: ‘Sit down and drink.’ I sat down and drank. He said:
‘Drink,’ and I drank. He kept on telling me repeatedly to drink, till I said:
‘No. By Allah Who sent you with the Truth, I have no space for it (in my
stomach).’ He said: ‘Hand it over to me.’ When I gave him the bowl, he praised
Allah and pronounced Allah's Name on it and drank the remaining milk.” [102] Fath al-Bari, 1/288
[103] Muslim, Book/ drinks, Section/ entertaining guests and
the virtue of favoring them; Ahmad in his Musnad, 6/2; al-Tirmidhi in brief,
Book/ asking permission, Section/ How to greet; al-Baihaqi in al-Sunan
al-Kubra, 6/88; al-Nasa’i in the practices during daytime and at night, p. 283;
al-Bazzar in his Musnad, 6/42; al-Asbahani in Dala’il al-Nubuwah, 1/134.
Following is the full story: Al-Miqdad said: “I and two of my companions were
so much afflicted by hunger that we had lost our power of seeing and hearing.
We presented ourselves (as guests) to the Companions of Allah’s Messenger
(peace be upon him), but none amongst them would entertain us. So we came to
Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him), and he took us to his residence and
there were three goats. Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said: ‘Milk these
for us.’ So we milked them, and every person amongst us drank his share and we
set aside the share of Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him). (It was his
habit) to come during the night and greet (the people present there) in a
manner that would not wake up those who were asleep but make those who were
awake hear him. He would then go to the mosque and perform the prayer, then go
to his drink (of milk) to drink it.” Miqdad added: “One night Satan came to me
when I had taken my share, and he said: ‘Muhammad has gone to the Ansar, who
will entertain him and he will get what is with them, and he has no need for
this draught (of milk).’ So I took (that milk) and drank it, and when it had
penetrated deeply in my stomach and I was certain that there was no way out
(but to digest it), Satan aroused (my sense of) remorse and said: ‘Woe be to
you! What have you done? You have taken the drink reserved for Muhammad! When
he comes and does not find it, he will curse you, and you will be ruined, and
thus you will lose this world and the Hereafter.’ There was a sheet over me: If
I covered my feet with it, my head was uncovered, and if I covered my head with
it, my feet were uncovered. I could not sleep, but my two companions had slept
for they had not done what I had done. Then came Allah's Messenger (peace be
upon him), and he greeted (us) as he
used to do. He then came to the mosque and performed the prayer and then came
to his drink (of milk) and uncovered it (the bowl), but did not find anything
in it. He raised his head towards the sky, and I said (to myself) that he was
going to invoke curse upon me and I would be thus ruined; but he said: ‘O
Allah, feed him who fed me and give drink to him who provided me with drink.’ I
tied the sheet around myself tightly and took hold of the knife and went to the
goats (possessed by the Holy Prophet) so that I may slaughter for Allah's
Messenger (peace be upon him) the fattest one amongst them. But I found it full
of milk and in fact all of them were full of milk. So I took a vessel that
belonged to the family of Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) and that they
were not ambitious to milk (their goats) in, and milked (them) in it until it
swelled up with foam. I came to Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) and he
said: ‘Have you taken your share of the milk during the night?’ I said:
‘Drink,’ and he drank it. He then handed over (the vessel) to me and I said: ‘O
Allah's Messenger, drink,’ and he drank and handed over (the vessel) to me
again, whereupon I perceived that Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) had
been satiated and I had got his blessings. I burst into laughter (so much) so
that I fell onto the ground, whereupon Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him)
said: ‘O Miqdad, it must have been one of your mischievous tricks.’ I said: ‘O
Allah's Messenger, my affair has been so and so, and I have done so and so.’
Thereupon Allah's Messenger (peace be
upon him) said: ‘This is nothing but mercy from Allah. Why have you not asked
my permission to awaken our two friends to drink (of the milk)?’ I said: ‘By
Him Who has sent you with Truth, since you have got your share of it and I have
got mine with you, I do not mind whoever else will take his share of it.’” |