81/16. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 6451 — Barley and Simple Living
The superiority of being poor
Hadith About Barley and the Prophet’s Simple Home
Sahih Bukhari : 6451
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 6451
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ قَالَتْ لَقَدْ تُوُفِّيَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَمَا فِي رَفِّي مِنْ شَىْءٍ يَأْكُلُهُ ذُو كَبِدٍ، إِلاَّ شَطْرُ شَعِيرٍ فِي رَفٍّ لِي، فَأَكَلْتُ مِنْهُ حَتَّى طَالَ عَلَىَّ، فَكِلْتُهُ، فَفَنِيَ.
A'isha Narrated from:
When the Prophet (ﷺ) died, nothing which can be eaten by a living creature was left on my shelf except some barley grain. I ate of it for a period and when I measured it, it finished.
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 6451In-book reference : Book 81, Hadith 40USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 8, Book 76, Hadith 458
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 6451
This Hadith about the Prophet’s simple home gives a touching picture from Aisha رضي الله عنها. She said that when the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم died, there was nothing on her shelf that a living creature could eat except some barley grain. She ate from it for some time, but when she measured it, it finished. The Hadith teaches simple living, trust, and the reality of the Prophet’s household. It does not speak about luxury, storage, or wealth. It shows that the home of Allah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم was marked by modest food and limited worldly items. For those searching for hadith about barley, simple living in Islam, or Prophet Muhammad’s household, this narration gives a direct and powerful example.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet’s household lived with very little stored food.
- Aisha رضي الله عنها remembered the simplicity of that home clearly.
- The Hadith points to contentment with basic provision.
- Worldly abundance was not the focus of the Prophet’s family life.
