37/10. Chapter:
Sunan Ibn Majah 4147 — The Prophet’s Family Had Little Food
The livelihood of the family of Muhammad (saws)
The Prophet’s Family Had Little Food: A Hadith About Simplicity
Sunan Ibn Majah : 4147
Sunan Ibn MajahHadith Number 4147
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مَنِيعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ مُوسَى، أَنْبَأَنَا شَيْبَانُ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ يَقُولُ مِرَارًا " وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍ بِيَدِهِ مَا أَصْبَحَ عِنْدَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ صَاعُ حَبٍّ وَلاَ صَاعُ تَمْرٍ " . وَإِنَّ لَهُ يَوْمَئِذٍ تِسْعَ نِسْوَةٍ .
Anas bin Malik Narrated from:
I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say several times: ‘By the One in Whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad, the family of Muhammad does not have a Sa’ of food grains or a Sa’ of dates.’ And at that time he had nine wives.”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 4147In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 48English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4147
Summary of Sunan Ibn Majah Hadith 4147
This hadith about the Prophet’s family and food shows the simple and hard living condition in his home. Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) heard the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) say several times that the family of Muhammad did not have a Sa’ of food grains or a Sa’ of dates. The narration also says he had nine wives at that time. This makes the picture even clearer: the household was not small, yet the food was very limited. The hadith teaches us not to link honor with plenty of food or wealth. It also reminds us to be thankful for what we have and to notice families who may be quietly struggling.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet’s household sometimes had very little stored food.
- A large family can face real food limits.
- Honor is not measured by wealth or full storage.
- The hadith encourages gratitude and concern for families in need.
