Military Expeditions led by the Prophet (pbuh) (Al-Maghaazi)
Sahih
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
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.
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 onethousand
(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.
Narrated by Narrated Jabir bin `Abdullah:
Context
During the digging of the Trench, Jabir bin Abdullah observed the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) in a state of severe hunger. Concerned for the Prophet's well-being, Jabir returned home to ask his wife for food. They prepared a meal with limited resources, and when Jabir invited the Prophet (ﷺ) and others to join, the Prophet (ﷺ) blessed the food, allowing it to feed a large number of people despite its small quantity.
Modern Application
This hadith illustrates the importance of hospitality and sharing resources, even in times of scarcity. In today's world, it encourages us to invite others to share meals and foster community, reminding us that generosity can lead to unexpected blessings.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Hospitality in Islam and Blessings in Food because it emphasizes the act of inviting others to share a meal and highlights the miraculous increase in food when blessed by the Prophet (ﷺ).
And [recall] when you said, "O Moses, we can never endure one [kind of] food. So call upon your Lord to bring forth for us from the earth its green herbs and its cucumbers and its garlic and its lentils and its onions." [Moses] said, "Would you exchange what is better for what is less? Go into [any] settlement and indeed, you will have what you have asked." And they were covered with humiliation and poverty and returned with anger from Allah [upon them]. That was because they [repeatedly] disbelieved in the signs of Allah and killed the prophets without right. That was because they disobeyed and were [habitually] transgressing.
O you who have believed, do not enter the houses of the Prophet except when you are permitted for a meal, without awaiting its readiness. But when you are invited, then enter; and when you have eaten, disperse without seeking to remain for conversation. Indeed, that [behavior] was troubling the Prophet, and he is shy of [dismissing] you. But Allah is not shy of the truth. And when you ask [his wives] for something, ask them from behind a partition. That is purer for your hearts and their hearts. And it is not [conceivable or lawful] for you to harm the Messenger of Allah or to marry his wives after him, ever. Indeed, that would be in the sight of Allah an enormity.
So when they had passed beyond it, [Moses] said to his boy, "Bring us our morning meal. We have certainly suffered in this, our journey, [much] fatigue."
O Prophet, why do you prohibit [yourself from] what Allah has made lawful for you, seeking the approval of your wives? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
This hadith is #3930 from Sahih al-Bukhari, in the Book of Military Expeditions led by the Prophet (pbuh) (Al-Maghaazi). It is graded Sahih and narrated by Narrated Jabir bin `Abdullah:.