Sahih Muslim , Hadith 2057 ⓘ

'Abd al-Rabman b. Abu Bakr reported that the people of Suffa were very poor. Once the Messenger of Allah said (to his Companions): He who amongst you has food for two persons should take three (guests with him). and he who has with him food for four persons should take five or six (guests with him for entertaining them). It was (in accordance with these instructions of the Holy Prophet) that Abu Bakr brought three persons, and the Messenger of Allah brought ten persons (as guests to their respective houses). Abu Bakr had brought three persons (he himself, and myself), my father and my mother (along with therm). He (the narrator) said: I do not know whether he also said: My wife and one servant who was common between our house and that of Abu Bakr. Abu Bakr had had his evening meal with Allah's Apostle. He stayed here until night prayer had been offered. He then came back (to the house of Allah's Apostle) and stayed there until Allah's Messenger felt drowsy and (Abu Bakr) then came (back to his own house) when (a considerable) part of the night had been over, as Allah had desired. His wife said to him: What held you back from your guests? He said: Oh! have you not served them the evening meal (by this time)? She said: It was in fact served to them. but they refused to eat until you came. He ('Abd al-Rahman) said: I slunk away and bid myself. He (Abu Bakr) said: O, you stupid fellow, and he reprimanded me, and said to the guests: Eat, though it may not be pleasant now. He said: By Allah. I will never eat it He ('Abd al-Rahman) said: By Allah. we did not take a morsel when from beneath that (there appeared) more until they had eaten to their fill, and lo! it was more than what it was before. Abu Bakr saw that and found that it was so or more than that. He said to his wife: Sister of Band Firis, what is th-is? She said: By the coolness of my eyes. it is in excess by three times over the previous one. Then Abu Bakr ate saying: That was from the Satan (viz. his vow for not eating the food). He then took a morsel out of that and then took it (the rest) to the Messenger of Allah, and it was kept there until morning, and during (those days) there was a covenant between us and some other people, and the period of covenant was over, and we had appointed twelve officials with every person amongst them. It is Allah only Who knows as to how many people were there with each of them. He sent (this food to them) and all of them ate out of it.

حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ الْعَنْبَرِيُّ، وَحَامِدُ بْنُ عُمَرَ الْبَكْرَاوِيُّ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الأَعْلَى، الْقَيْسِيُّ كُلُّهُمْ عَنِ الْمُعْتَمِرِ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لاِبْنِ مُعَاذٍ - حَدَّثَنَا الْمُعْتَمِرُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، قَالَ قَالَ أَبِي حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عُثْمَانَ، أَنَّهُ حَدَّثَهُ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ، أَنَّ أَصْحَابَ الصُّفَّةِ، كَانُوا نَاسًا فُقَرَاءَ وَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ مَرَّةً ‏ "‏ مَنْ كَانَ عِنْدَهُ طَعَامُ اثْنَيْنِ فَلْيَذْهَبْ بِثَلاَثَةٍ وَمَنْ كَانَ عِنْدَهُ طَعَامُ أَرْبَعَةٍ فَلْيَذْهَبْ بِخَامِسٍ بِسَادِسٍ ‏" ‏ ‏.‏ أَوْ كَمَا قَالَ ‏.‏ وَإِنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ جَاءَ بِثَلاَثَةٍ وَانْطَلَقَ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِعَشَرَةٍ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ بِثَلاَثَةٍ - قَالَ - فَهُوَ وَأَنَا وَأَبِي وَأُمِّي - وَلاَ أَدْرِي هَلْ قَالَ وَامْرَأَتِي وَخَادِمٌ بَيْنَ بَيْتِنَا وَبَيْتِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ - قَالَ وَإِنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ تَعَشَّى عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏.‏ ثُمَّ لَبِثَ حَتَّى صُلِّيَتِ الْعِشَاءُ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ فَلَبِثَ حَتَّى نَعَسَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَجَاءَ بَعْدَ مَا مَضَى مِنَ اللَّيْلِ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ قَالَتْ لَهُ امْرَأَتُهُ مَا حَبَسَكَ عَنْ أَضْيَافِكَ - أَوْ قَالَتْ - ضَيْفِكَ قَالَ أَوَمَا عَشَّيْتِهِمْ قَالَتْ أَبَوْا حَتَّى تَجِيءَ قَدْ عَرَضُوا عَلَيْهِمْ فَغَلَبُوهُمْ - قَالَ - فَذَهَبْتُ أَنَا فَاخْتَبَأْتُ وَقَالَ يَا غُنْثَرُ ‏.‏ فَجَدَّعَ وَسَبَّ وَقَالَ كُلُوا لاَ هَنِيئًا ‏.‏ وَقَالَ وَاللَّهِ لاَ أَطْعَمُهُ أَبَدًا - قَالَ - فَايْمُ اللَّهِ مَا كُنَّا نَأْخُذُ مِنْ لُقْمَةٍ إِلاَّ رَبَا مِنْ أَسْفَلِهَا أَكْثَرُ مِنْهَا - قَالَ - حَتَّى شَبِعْنَا وَصَارَتْ أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا كَانَتْ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ فَنَظَرَ إِلَيْهَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَإِذَا هِيَ كَمَا هِيَ أَوْ أَكْثَرُ ‏.‏ قَالَ لاِمْرَأَتِهِ يَا أُخْتَ بَنِي فِرَاسٍ مَا هَذَا قَالَتْ لاَ وَقُرَّةِ عَيْنِي لَهِيَ الآنَ أَكْثَرُ مِنْهَا قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ بِثَلاَثِ مِرَارٍ - قَالَ - فَأَكَلَ مِنْهَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَقَالَ إِنَّمَا كَانَ ذَلِكَ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ - يَعْنِي يَمِينَهُ - ثُمَّ أَكَلَ مِنْهَا لُقْمَةً ثُمَّ حَمَلَهَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَصْبَحَتْ عِنْدَهُ - قَالَ - وَكَانَ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ قَوْمٍ عَقْدٌ فَمَضَى الأَجَلُ فَعَرَّفْنَا اثْنَا عَشَرَ رَجُلاً مَعَ كُلِّ رَجُلٍ مِنْهُمْ أُنَاسٌ اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ كَمْ مَعَ كُلِّ رَجُلٍ إِلاَّ أَنَّهُ بَعَثَ مَعَهُمْ فَأَكَلُوا مِنْهَا أَجْمَعُونَ ‏.‏ أَوْ كَمَا قَالَ ‏.‏

'Abd al-Rahman b. Abd Bakr reported: There came to our house some guests. It was a common practice with my father to (go) and talk to Allah's Messenger during the night. While going he said: 'Abd al-Rahman, entertain the guests. When it was evening we served the food to them, but they refused saying: So long as the owner of the house does not come and join us, we would not take the meal. I said to them: He ('Abd Bakr) is a stern person, and if you would not do that (if you do not take the food). I fear, I may be harmed by him, but they refused. As he (my father) came, the first thing he asked was: Have you served the guests? They (the peopleof the household) said: We have not served them sofar. He said: Did I not command 'Abd al-Rahman (to do this)? He ('Abd al-Rahman) said: I slunk away and kept myself away by that time. He again said: O stupid fellow, I ask you on oath that In case you hear my voice you come to me. I came and said: By Allah, there is no fault of mine. These are your guests; you may ask them. I provided them with food but they refused to eat until you came. He said to them: Why is it that you did not accept our food? By Allah, I shall not even take food tonight (as you have not taken). They said: By Allah, we would not take until you join us. Thereupon he Abu Bakr) said: I have never seen a more unfortunate night than this. Woe be to thee! that you do not accept from us food prepared for you. He again said: What I did first (that is the taking of vow for not eating the food) was prompted by the Satan. Bring the food. The food was brought, and he ate by reciting the name of Allah and they also ate, and when it was morning he came to Allah's Apostle and said: Allah's Messenger, their oath (that of the guests) came to be true, but mine was not true, and after that he informed him of the whole incident. He said: Your oath came to be the most true and you are the best of them. He (the narrator) said. I do not know whether he made an atonement for it.

حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا سَالِمُ بْنُ نُوحٍ الْعَطَّارُ، عَنِ الْجُرَيْرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي عُثْمَانَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ، قَالَ نَزَلَ عَلَيْنَا أَضْيَافٌ لَنَا - قَالَ - وَكَانَ أَبِي يَتَحَدَّثُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنَ اللَّيْلِ - قَالَ - فَانْطَلَقَ وَقَالَ يَا عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ افْرُغْ مِنْ أَضْيَافِكَ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَلَمَّا أَمْسَيْتُ جِئْنَا بِقِرَاهُمْ - قَالَ - فَأَبَوْا فَقَالُوا حَتَّى يَجِيءَ أَبُو مَنْزِلِنَا فَيَطْعَمَ مَعَنَا - قَالَ - فَقُلْتُ لَهُمْ إِنَّهُ رَجُلٌ حَدِيدٌ وَإِنَّكُمْ إِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلُوا خِفْتُ أَنْ يُصِيبَنِي مِنْهُ أَذًى - قَالَ - فَأَبَوْا فَلَمَّا جَاءَ لَمْ يَبْدَأْ بِشَىْءٍ أَوَّلَ مِنْهُمْ فَقَالَ أَفَرَغْتُمْ مِنْ أَضْيَافِكُمْ قَالَ قَالُوا لاَ وَاللَّهِ مَا فَرَغْنَا ‏.‏ قَالَ أَلَمْ آمُرْ عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ قَالَ وَتَنَحَّيْتُ عَنْهُ فَقَالَ يَا عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَتَنَحَّيْتُ - قَالَ - فَقَالَ يَا غُنْثَرُ أَقْسَمْتُ عَلَيْكَ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَسْمَعُ صَوْتِي إِلاَّ جِئْتَ - قَالَ - فَجِئْتُ فَقُلْتُ وَاللَّهِ مَا لِي ذَنْبٌ هَؤُلاَءِ أَضْيَافُكَ فَسَلْهُمْ قَدْ أَتَيْتُهُمْ بِقِرَاهُمْ فَأَبَوْا أَنْ يَطْعَمُوا حَتَّى تَجِيءَ - قَالَ - فَقَالَ مَا لَكُمْ أَلاَ تَقْبَلُوا عَنَّا قِرَاكُمْ - قَالَ - فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَوَاللَّهِ لاَ أَطْعَمُهُ اللَّيْلَةَ - قَالَ - فَقَالُوا فَوَاللَّهِ لاَ نَطْعَمُهُ حَتَّى تَطْعَمَهُ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَمَا رَأَيْتُ كَالشَّرِّ كَاللَّيْلَةِ قَطُّ وَيْلَكُمْ مَا لَكُمْ أَنْ لاَ تَقْبَلُوا عَنَّا قِرَاكُمْ قَالَ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَمَّا الأُولَى فَمِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ هَلُمُّوا قِرَاكُمْ - قَالَ - فَجِيءَ بِالطَّعَامِ فَسَمَّى فَأَكَلَ وَأَكَلُوا - قَالَ - فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ غَدَا عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ بَرُّوا وَحَنِثْتُ - قَالَ - فَأَخْبَرَهُ فَقَالَ ‏ "‏ بَلْ أَنْتَ أَبَرُّهُمْ وَأَخْيَرُهُمْ ‏" ‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ وَلَمْ تَبْلُغْنِي كَفَّارَةٌ ‏.‏