صحیح مسلم · Hadith 5365

Abd al-Rabman b. Abu Bakr reported that the people of Suffa were very poor. Once the Messenger of Allah ( ‌صلی ‌اللہ ‌علیہ ‌وسلم ‌ ) 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 ( ‌صلی ‌اللہ ‌علیہ ‌وسلم ‌ ) 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 ( ‌صلی ‌اللہ ‌علیہ ‌وسلم ‌ ). 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 ( ‌صلی ‌اللہ ‌علیہ ‌وسلم ‌ ) 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 ( ‌صلی ‌اللہ ‌علیہ ‌وسلم ‌ ), 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.

Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020