37/12. Chapter:
Sunan Ibn Majah 4159 — One Date and a Whale
The livelihood of the companions of the Prophet (saws)
Hadith About Provision: One Date a Day and Food from the Sea
Sunan Ibn Majah : 4159
Sunan Ibn MajahHadith Number 4159
حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدَةُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ وَهْبِ بْنِ كَيْسَانَ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ بَعَثَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ وَنَحْنُ ثَلاَثُمِائَةٍ نَحْمِلُ أَزْوَادَنَا عَلَى رِقَابِنَا فَفَنِيَ أَزْوَادُنَا حَتَّى كَانَ يَكُونُ لِلرَّجُلِ مِنَّا تَمْرَةٌ . فَقِيلَ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَأَيْنَ تَقَعُ التَّمْرَةُ مِنَ الرَّجُلِ فَقَالَ لَقَدْ وَجَدْنَا فَقْدَهَا حِينَ فَقَدْنَاهَا وَأَتَيْنَا الْبَحْرَ فَإِذَا نَحْنُ بِحُوتٍ قَدْ قَذَفَهُ الْبَحْرُ فَأَكَلْنَا مِنْهُ ثَمَانِيَةَ عَشَرَ يَوْمًا .
Jabir bin `Abdullah Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sent us, (we were) three hundred men, carrying our provisions on our necks. Our provisions ran out until there would be for (every) man among us one date (a day).” Then it was said: “O Abu ‘Abdullah, how can one date satisfy a man?” He said: “When we no longer had it, we realized how much it was worth. Then we came to the sea and found a whale that had been thrown up by the sea, and we ate from it for eighteen days.”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 4159In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 60English translation : Vol. 5, Book 37, Hadith 4159
Summary of Sunan Ibn Majah Hadith 4159
This hadith about provision tells of a group of three hundred men sent by the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم). They carried their supplies, but those supplies ran out until each man had only one date a day. When someone asked how one date could satisfy a man, Jabir said they only realized its worth when they no longer had it. Then they reached the sea and found a whale thrown up by the sea, and they ate from it for eighteen days. The hadith shows the value of small food during hardship. It also shows how relief came after scarcity. The lesson should stay close to the narration: food can feel small until it is gone, and provision may come after difficulty.
What we learn from this hadith
- One date became valuable when food was scarce.
- The companions faced a serious shortage of provisions.
- Relief came after hardship through food found at the sea.
- The hadith encourages gratitude for even small daily food.
