The Prophet (s.a.w.) Miraculously Provided Food

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Dr. Muhammad Muswthafa al-Badawi said, that Sayyidina Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah (r.a.) recalled, “As the trench was being dug, I noticed that the Prophet (s.a.w.) suffered from severe hunger.  I returned to my wife saying, ‘Do you have anything, for I have noticed that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) suffers severe hunger.’  She brought out a bag with some barley in it and we had a small sheep in the house.  We slaughtered the animal and ground the barley, then I returned to the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) and spoke to him secretly, ‘O Messenger of Allah, we have slaughtered an animal we had and have ground a measure of barley.  Please come with a few people!’ 

The Prophet (s.a.w.) raised his voice saying, ‘O People of the Trench!  Jabir has prepared some food; you are all welcome!’  Then he said, ‘Do not take the pot off the fire, and do not bake your dough until I come!’  When he arrived, he proceeded to break the bread, and put the meat on it.  He took some food out of the pot, and served his companions, keeping both the pot and the oven covered.  He went on breaking the bread, putting the meat on top of it and serving his companions until they were all satiated.  Then he said, ‘Eat and give to other people for they have suffered hunger!’”  This is recorded in the Shaykhayn. 

Sayyidina Watsilah ibn al-Aswqa’ (r.a.) said that he had been one of Ahl asw-Swuffah.  They were hungry and delegated him to go to the Prophet (s.a.w.) and inform him about it.  This he did and the Prophet (s.a.w.) turned to Sayyidatina ‘Aishah bint Abu Bakr (r.a.).  “Do you have anything?” he asked. 

She replied, “O Messenger of Allah, I have nothing but a few crumbs of bread.” 

“Bring them!” he said.   He emptied the crumbs into a plate, and went on arranging them with his hand while they increased until the plate was full.  “O Watsilah!” he said, “Go and fetch ten of my companions, you being the tenth!” 

Sayyidina Watsilah (r.a.) called his companions.  The Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “Sit and eat in the Name of Allah.  Take from the edges, and do not take from the top, for barakah descends on the top!”  They ate to satiety, then rose leaving the plate as full as when they sat down.  The Prophet (s.a.w.) kept on handling the food then said, “O Watsilah, go and fetch another ten of your companions!”  After these ten ate to satiety the whole sequence was repeated once more, after which the Prophet (s.a.w.) asked, “Anyone left?” 

“Yes, ten more,” replied Sayyidina Watsilah (r.a.). 

“Go fetch them!” he said.  When these were finished, the plate was still as full as at the beginning, and the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “O Watsilah, take this to ‘Aishah!”  This is recorded in Majma’ az-Zawa’id wa Manba’ al-Fawa’id. 

Sayyidina Abu Thalhah Zayd ibn Sahl (r.a.) said, “I once entered the mosque and recognised hunger in the face of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.).  I left and went to Umm Salim, Anas ibn Malik’s mother, and said, ‘O Umm Salim, I have recognised hunger in the face of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.).  Do you have anything?’ 

‘I have something,’ she said, showing her palm, meaning that it was only a little. 

‘Prepare it and do it well!’ I said.  Then I sent Anas to the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) saying, ‘Speak secretly into his ear and invite him!’ 

As soon as Anas arrived, the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) said, ‘My son, your father has sent you to invite us!’  Then he said to his companions, ‘Come, in the Name of Allah!’” 

Anas hastened back to me saying, ‘Here comes the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) with the people!’ 

I came out and met the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) at the door, on the landing, and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, what have you done to us?  It is but that I recognised hunger in your face, so we prepared something for you to eat!’ 

He said, ‘Go in and be of good cheer!’  The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) took whatever was there, he gathered it in the plate with his hand, arranged it, then asked, ‘Is there any?’ meaning fat.  We brought him our container, where there may or may not have been something.  The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) squeezed it with his hand then poured fat from it saying, ‘Send in ten after ten!’  They all ate to satiety, then the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) said about what remained, ‘Eat together with your children!’  So, we ate and were satiated.”  This is also recorded in Majma az-Zawa’id wa Manba’ al-Fawa’id. 

Sayyidatina Swafiyyah bint Huyay (r.a.), the Prophet's (s.a.w.) wife, said, “The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) came one day and asked, ‘O Daughter of Huyay, do you have anything, for I am hungry.’ 

I said, ‘No by Allah, O Messenger of Allah, save two measures of flour.’ 

‘Cook it!’ he said.  I put it in the pot, cooked it, then said, ‘It is cooked, O Messenger of Allah!’ 

He said, ‘Do you know if there is anything in the fat container of the daughter of Abu Bakr?' 

I said, ‘I know not, O Messenger of Allah!’ 

He went himself to her house and said, ‘Anything in your fat container, O daughter of Abu Bakr?’ 

‘Nothing but a little,’ she said. 

He brought it back, squeezed it into the pot until I saw something coming out.  He put his hand on it, saying, ‘In the Name of Allah, invite your sisters for I know they feel as I do!’  I invited them, and we ate until satiated.  Then Abu Bakr came and entered, then ‘Umar came and entered, then a man came.  They all ate to satiety and some still remained.”  This is also recorded in Majma az-Zawa’id wa Manba’ al-Fawa’id. 

Sayyidina Abu Hurayrah ‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Sakhr ad-Dawsi az-Zahrani al-Azdi (r.a.) said, “One night, I missed supper with the Prophet (s.a.w.), and also missed being invited by one of our companions.  I prayed ‘isha’ then tried to sleep but could not.  Then I tried to pray, but could not.  There was a man standing near the apartment of the Prophet (s.a.w.).  I walked up to him, and it was the Prophet (s.a.w.) praying.  He prayed, then, leaning against the palm trunk he had been praying toward, said, ‘Who is this?  Abu Hurayrah?’ 

I said, ‘Yes!’ 

He said, ‘You missed supper with us tonight?’ 

I said, ‘Yes!’  He said, ‘Go to the house and say, ‘Bring the food you have!’’  I did and they gave me a plate in which was a paste made with dates.  I took it to the Prophet (s.a.w.) and placed it before him.  He said, ‘Call those in the mosque!’ 

I said to myself, ‘Woe to me, for I can see the food is so little, and woe to me from disobedience!’ 

I came to men asleep, and awakened them saying, ‘Respond!’ and I came to men praying and said, ‘Respond!’ until they all gathered near the Prophet (s.a.w.). 

He thrust his fingers into it, and pressed around the edge, then said, ‘Eat in the Name of Allah!’  They ate to satiety, and I ate to satiety.  Then he said, ‘Take it, Abu Hurayrah, and return it to the family of Muhammad, for there is no food with the family of Muhammad that one possessed of a liver can eat but this.  It was offered to us by one of the Answar.’  I took the plate and lifted it up, and it was as it had been when I had placed it there, except for the marks of the fingers of the Prophet (s.a.w.).”  This is also recorded in Majma az-Zawa’id wa Manba’ al-Fawa’id.


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