70/37. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 5438 — Feeding the Poor in a Year of Hunger
Cured meat.
Hadith About Qurbani Meat: Feeding the Poor in Hard Times
Sahih Bukhari : 5438
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 5438
حَدَّثَنَا قَبِيصَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَابِسٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ قَالَتْ مَا فَعَلَهُ إِلاَّ فِي عَامٍ جَاعَ النَّاسُ، أَرَادَ أَنْ يُطْعِمَ الْغَنِيُّ الْفَقِيرَ، وَإِنْ كُنَّا لَنَرْفَعُ الْكُرَاعَ بَعْدَ خَمْسَ عَشْرَةَ، وَمَا شَبِعَ آلُ مُحَمَّدٍ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَنْ خُبْزِ بُرٍّ مَأْدُومٍ ثَلاَثًا.
A'isha Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) did not do that (i.e., forbade the storage of the meat of sacrifices for three days) except (he did so) so that the rich would feed the poor. But later we used to keep even trotters to cook, fifteen days later. The family of Muhammad did not eat wheat bread with meat or soup to their satisfaction for three successive days.
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 5438In-book reference : Book 70, Hadith 66USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 7, Book 65, Hadith 349
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 5438
This hadith about Qurbani meat repeats Aisha's explanation in a shorter form. She says the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did not make that restriction except in a year when people were hungry, and he wanted the rich to feed the poor. She also says they later kept a sheep's trotter for fifteen days, and that the family of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم did not eat wheat bread with meat or soup to satisfaction for three days. This is a careful answer to searches like storing sacrifice meat hadith and rich feed poor Eid hadith. The main message is not waste, not hoarding during need, and not forgetting the poor when food is available.
What we learn from this hadith
- The stated reason was feeding the poor during a hunger year.
- The later practice included keeping even trotters for later use.
- The report mentions the simple food situation of the Prophet's صلى الله عليه وسلم family.
- The teaching should be tied to the text, not broad claims beyond it.
