Food for the masses

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي طَلْحَةَ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَنَسَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ، يَقُولُ قَالَ أَبُو طَلْحَةَ لأُمِّ سُلَيْمٍ لَقَدْ سَمِعْتُ صَوْتَ، رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ضَعِيفًا، أَعْرِفُ فِيهِ الْجُوعَ فَهَلْ عِنْدَكِ مِنْ شَىْءٍ قَالَتْ نَعَمْ‏.‏ فَأَخْرَجَتْ أَقْرَاصًا مِنْ شَعِيرٍ، ثُمَّ أَخْرَجَتْ خِمَارًا لَهَا فَلَفَّتِ الْخُبْزَ بِبَعْضِهِ، ثُمَّ دَسَّتْهُ تَحْتَ يَدِي وَلاَثَتْنِي بِبَعْضِهِ، ثُمَّ أَرْسَلَتْنِي إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ فَذَهَبْتُ بِهِ، فَوَجَدْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي الْمَسْجِدِ وَمَعَهُ النَّاسُ، فَقُمْتُ عَلَيْهِمْ فَقَالَ لِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ آرْسَلَكَ أَبُو طَلْحَةَ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَقُلْتُ نَعَمْ‏.‏ قَالَ بِطَعَامٍ‏.‏ فَقُلْتُ نَعَمْ‏.‏ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِمَنْ مَعَهُ ‏"‏ قُومُوا ‏"‏‏.‏ فَانْطَلَقَ وَانْطَلَقْتُ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ حَتَّى جِئْتُ أَبَا طَلْحَةَ فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ‏.‏ فَقَالَ أَبُو طَلْحَةَ يَا أُمَّ سُلَيْمٍ، قَدْ جَاءَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِالنَّاسِ، وَلَيْسَ عِنْدَنَا مَا نُطْعِمُهُمْ‏.‏ فَقَالَتِ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ‏.‏ فَانْطَلَقَ أَبُو طَلْحَةَ حَتَّى لَقِيَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم، فَأَقْبَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَأَبُو طَلْحَةَ مَعَهُ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ هَلُمِّي يَا أُمَّ سُلَيْمٍ مَا عِنْدَكِ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَأَتَتْ بِذَلِكَ الْخُبْزِ، فَأَمَرَ بِهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَفُتَّ، وَعَصَرَتْ أُمُّ سُلَيْمٍ عُكَّةً فَأَدَمَتْهُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِيهِ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَقُولَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏"‏ ائْذَنْ لِعَشَرَةٍ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَأَذِنَ لَهُمْ، فَأَكَلُوا حَتَّى شَبِعُوا ثُمَّ خَرَجُوا، ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏"‏ ائْذَنْ لِعَشَرَةٍ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَأَذِنَ لَهُمْ، فَأَكَلُوا حَتَّى شَبِعُوا ثُمَّ خَرَجُوا، ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏"‏ ائْذَنْ لِعَشَرَةٍ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَأَذِنَ لَهُمْ، فَأَكَلُوا حَتَّى شَبِعُوا ثُمَّ خَرَجُوا ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏"‏ ائْذَنْ لِعَشَرَةٍ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَأَكَلَ الْقَوْمُ كُلُّهُمْ وَشَبِعُوا، وَالْقَوْمُ سَبْعُونَ ـ أَوْ ثَمَانُونَ ـ رَجُلاً‏.‏

Narrated Anas bin Malik: Abu Talha said to Um Sulaim, "I have noticed feebleness in the voice of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) 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 (ﷺ). I went carrying it and found Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in the Mosque sitting with some people. When I stood there, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) asked, "Has Abu Talha sent you?" I said, "Yes". He asked, "With some food? I said, "Yes" Allah's Apostle 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 Um Sulaim! Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) is coming with the people and we have no food to feed them." She said, "Allah and His Apostle know better." So Abu Talha went out to receive Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). Allah's Apostle came along with Abu Talha. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "O Um Sulaim! Bring whatever you have." She brought the bread which Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) ordered to be broken into pieces. Um Sulaim poured on them some butter from an oilskin. Then Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) 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 another ten do the same." They were admitted, ate their fill and went out. Then he again said, '"'Let another ten persons (do the same.)" They were admitted, ate their fill and went out. Then he said, "Let another ten persons come." In short, all of them ate their fill, and they were seventy or eighty men.

Sahih al-Bukhari 3578 https://sunnah.com/bukhari:3578

*****

حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا مُعْتَمِرٌ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عُثْمَانَ، أَنَّهُ حَدَّثَهُ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ أَنَّ أَصْحَابَ، الصُّفَّةِ كَانُوا أُنَاسًا فُقَرَاءَ، وَأَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ مَرَّةً ‏ "‏ مَنْ كَانَ عِنْدَهُ طَعَامُ اثْنَيْنِ فَلْيَذْهَبْ بِثَالِثٍ، وَمَنْ كَانَ عِنْدَهُ طَعَامُ أَرْبَعَةٍ فَلْيَذْهَبْ بِخَامِسٍ أَوْ سَادِسٍ ‏"‏‏.‏ أَوْ كَمَا قَالَ، وَأَنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ جَاءَ بِثَلاَثَةٍ وَانْطَلَقَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِعَشَرَةٍ، وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ وَثَلاَثَةً، قَالَ فَهْوَ أَنَا وَأَبِي وَأُمِّي ـ وَلاَ أَدْرِي هَلْ قَالَ امْرَأَتِي وَخَادِمِي ـ بَيْنَ بَيْتِنَا وَبَيْنَ بَيْتِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ، وَأَنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ تَعَشَّى عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ثُمَّ لَبِثَ حَتَّى صَلَّى الْعِشَاءَ، ثُمَّ رَجَعَ فَلَبِثَ حَتَّى تَعَشَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَجَاءَ بَعْدَ مَا مَضَى مِنَ اللَّيْلِ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ، قَالَتْ لَهُ امْرَأَتُهُ مَا حَبَسَكَ عَنْ أَضْيَافِكَ أَوْ ضَيْفِكَ‏.‏ قَالَ أَوَ عَشَّيْتِهِمْ قَالَتْ أَبَوْا حَتَّى تَجِيءَ، قَدْ عَرَضُوا عَلَيْهِمْ فَغَلَبُوهُمْ، فَذَهَبْتُ فَاخْتَبَأْتُ، فَقَالَ يَا غُنْثَرُ‏.‏ فَجَدَّعَ وَسَبَّ وَقَالَ كُلُوا وَقَالَ لاَ أَطْعَمُهُ أَبَدًا‏.‏ قَالَ وَايْمُ اللَّهِ مَا كُنَّا نَأْخُذُ مِنَ اللُّقْمَةِ إِلاَّ رَبَا مِنْ أَسْفَلِهَا أَكْثَرُ مِنْهَا حَتَّى شَبِعُوا، وَصَارَتْ أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا كَانَتْ قَبْلُ، فَنَظَرَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَإِذَا شَىْءٌ أَوْ أَكْثَرُ قَالَ لاِمْرَأَتِهِ يَا أُخْتَ بَنِي فِرَاسٍ‏.‏ قَالَتْ لاَ وَقُرَّةِ عَيْنِي لَهْىَ الآنَ أَكْثَرُ مِمَّا قَبْلُ بِثَلاَثِ مَرَّاتٍ‏.‏ فَأَكَلَ مِنْهَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ، وَقَالَ إِنَّمَا كَانَ الشَّيْطَانُ ـ يَعْنِي يَمِينَهُ ـ ثُمَّ أَكَلَ مِنْهَا لُقْمَةً، ثُمَّ حَمَلَهَا إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَصْبَحَتْ عِنْدَهُ‏.‏ وَكَانَ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ قَوْمٍ عَهْدٌ، فَمَضَى الأَجَلُ، فَتَفَرَّقْنَا اثْنَا عَشَرَ رَجُلاً مَعَ كُلِّ رَجُلٍ مِنْهُمْ أُنَاسٌ‏.‏ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ كَمْ مَعَ كُلِّ رَجُلٍ، غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ بَعَثَ مَعَهُمْ، قَالَ أَكَلُوا مِنْهَا أَجْمَعُونَ‏.‏ أَوْ كَمَا قَالَ‏.‏ وَغَيْرُهُ يَقُولُ فَعَرَفْنَا مِنْ الْعِرَافَةِ

Narrated Abdur-Rahman bin Abi Bakr: The companions of Suffa were poor people. The Prophet (ﷺ) once said, "Whoever has food enough for two persons, should take a third one (from among them), and whoever has food enough for four persons, should take a fifth or a sixth (or said something similar)." Abu Bakr brought three persons while the Prophet (ﷺ) took ten. And Abu Bakr with his three family member (who were I, my father and my mother) (the sub-narrator is in doubt whether Abdur-Rahman said, "My wife and my servant who was common for both my house and Abu Bakr's house.") Abu Bakr took his supper with the Prophet (ﷺ) and stayed there till he offered the `Isha' prayers. He returned and stayed till Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) took his supper. After a part of the night had passed, he returned to his house. His wife said to him, "What has detained you from your guests?" He said, "Have you served supper to them?" She said, "They refused to take supper until you come. They (i.e. some members of the household) presented the meal to them but they refused (to eat)" I went to hide myself and he said, "O Ghunthar!" He invoked Allah to cause my ears to be cut and he rebuked me. He then said (to them): Please eat!" and added, I will never eat the meal." By Allah, whenever we took a handful of the meal, the meal grew from underneath more than that handful till everybody ate to his satisfaction; yet the remaining food was more than the original meal. Abu Bakr saw that the food was as much or more than the original amount. He called his wife, "O sister of Bani Firas!" She said, "O pleasure of my eyes. The food has been tripled in quantity." Abu Bakr then started eating thereof and said, "It (i.e. my oath not to eat) was because of Sa all." He took a handful from it, and carried the rest to the Prophet. So that food was with the Prophet (ﷺ) . There was a treaty between us and some people, and when the period of that treaty had elapsed, he divided US into twelve groups, each being headed by a man. Allah knows how many men were under the command of each leader. Anyhow, the Prophet (ﷺ) surely sent a leader with each group. Then all of them ate of that meal.

Sahih al-Bukhari 3581 https://sunnah.com/bukhari:3581

*****

حَدَّثَنِي عَمْرُو بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَاصِمٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا حَنْظَلَةُ بْنُ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ، أَخْبَرَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ مِينَاءَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ لَمَّا حُفِرَ الْخَنْدَقُ رَأَيْتُ بِالنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم خَمَصًا شَدِيدًا، فَانْكَفَأْتُ إِلَى امْرَأَتِي فَقُلْتُ هَلْ عِنْدَكِ شَىْءٌ فَإِنِّي رَأَيْتُ بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم خَمَصًا شَدِيدًا‏.‏ فَأَخْرَجَتْ إِلَىَّ جِرَابًا فِيهِ صَاعٌ مِنْ شَعِيرٍ، وَلَنَا بُهَيْمَةٌ دَاجِنٌ فَذَبَحْتُهَا، وَطَحَنَتِ الشَّعِيرَ فَفَرَغَتْ إِلَى فَرَاغِي، وَقَطَّعْتُهَا فِي بُرْمَتِهَا، ثُمَّ وَلَّيْتُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَتْ لاَ تَفْضَحْنِي بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَبِمَنْ مَعَهُ‏.‏ فَجِئْتُهُ فَسَارَرْتُهُ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ذَبَحْنَا بُهَيْمَةً لَنَا وَطَحَنَّا صَاعًا مِنْ شَعِيرٍ كَانَ عِنْدَنَا، فَتَعَالَ أَنْتَ وَنَفَرٌ مَعَكَ‏.‏ فَصَاحَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ ‏"‏ يَا أَهْلَ الْخَنْدَقِ، إِنَّ جَابِرًا قَدْ صَنَعَ سُورًا فَحَىَّ هَلاً بِكُمْ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ لاَ تُنْزِلُنَّ بُرْمَتَكُمْ، وَلاَ تَخْبِزُنَّ عَجِينَكُمْ حَتَّى أَجِيءَ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَجِئْتُ وَجَاءَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقْدُمُ النَّاسَ حَتَّى جِئْتُ امْرَأَتِي، فَقَالَتْ بِكَ وَبِكَ‏.‏ فَقُلْتُ قَدْ فَعَلْتُ الَّذِي قُلْتِ‏.‏ فَأَخْرَجَتْ لَهُ عَجِينًا، فَبَصَقَ فِيهِ وَبَارَكَ، ثُمَّ عَمَدَ إِلَى بُرْمَتِنَا فَبَصَقَ وَبَارَكَ ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏"‏ ادْعُ خَابِزَةً فَلْتَخْبِزْ مَعِي وَاقْدَحِي مِنْ بُرْمَتِكُمْ وَلاَ تُنْزِلُوهَا‏"‏، وَهُمْ أَلْفٌ، فَأُقْسِمُ بِاللَّهِ لَقَدْ أَكَلُوا حَتَّى تَرَكُوهُ وَانْحَرَفُوا، وَإِنَّ بُرْمَتَنَا لَتَغِطُّ كَمَا هِيَ، وَإِنَّ عَجِينَنَا لَيُخْبَزُ كَمَا هُوَ‏.‏

Narrated Jabir bin `Abdullah: When the Trench was dug, I saw the Prophet (ﷺ) in the state of severe hunger. So I returned to my wife and said, "Have you got anything (to eat), for I have seen Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in a state of severe hunger." She brought out for me, a bag containing one Sa of barley, and we had a domestic she animal (i.e. a kid) which I slaughtered then, and my wife ground the barley and she finished at the time I finished my job (i.e. slaughtering the kid). Then I cut the meat into pieces and put it in an earthenware (cooking) pot, and returned to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) . My wife said, "Do not disgrace me in front of Allah's Apostle and those who are with him." So I went to him and said to him secretly, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I have slaughtered a she-animal (i.e. kid) of ours, and we have ground a Sa of barley which was with us. So please come, you and another person along with you." The Prophet (ﷺ) raised his voice and said, "O people of Trench! Jabir has prepared a meal so let us go." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said to me, "Don't put down your earthenware meat pot (from the fireplace) or bake your dough till I come." So I came (to my house) and Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) too, came, proceeding before the people. When I came to my wife, she said, "May Allah do so-and-so to you." I said, "I have told the Prophet (ﷺ) of what you said." Then she brought out to him (i.e. the Prophet (ﷺ) the dough, and he spat in it and invoked for Allah's Blessings in it. Then he proceeded towards our earthenware meat-pot and spat in it and invoked for Allah's Blessings in it. Then he said (to my wife). Call a lady-baker to bake along with you and keep on taking out scoops from your earthenware meat-pot, and do not put it down from its fireplace." 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.

Sahih al-Bukhari 4102 https://sunnah.com/bukhari:4102

*****