36/20. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 2040b — Small Food, Many Guests
It is permissible to take someone else to the house of one who you are certain will approve of that and will not mind. It is recommended to gather to eat
Hadith About Barakah in Small Food and Feeding Guests
Sahih Muslim : 2040b
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 2040b
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لَهُ - حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا سَعْدُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنِي أَنَسُ بْنُ مَالِكٍ، قَالَ بَعَثَنِي أَبُو طَلْحَةَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لأَدْعُوَهُ وَقَدْ جَعَلَ طَعَامًا - قَالَ - فَأَقْبَلْتُ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَعَ النَّاسِ فَنَظَرَ إِلَىَّ فَاسْتَحْيَيْتُ فَقُلْتُ أَجِبْ أَبَا طَلْحَةَ . فَقَالَ لِلنَّاسِ " قُومُوا " . فَقَالَ أَبُو طَلْحَةَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّمَا صَنَعْتُ لَكَ شَيْئًا - قَالَ - فَمَسَّهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَدَعَا فِيهَا بِالْبَرَكَةِ ثُمَّ قَالَ " أَدْخِلْ نَفَرًا مِنْ أَصْحَابِي عَشَرَةً " . وَقَالَ " كُلُوا " . وَأَخْرَجَ لَهُمْ شَيْئًا مِنْ بَيْنِ أَصَابِعِهِ فَأَكَلُوا حَتَّى شَبِعُوا فَخَرَجُوا فَقَالَ " أَدْخِلْ عَشَرَةً " . فَأَكَلُوا حَتَّى شَبِعُوا . فَمَا زَالَ يُدْخِلُ عَشَرَةً وَيُخْرِجُ عَشَرَةً حَتَّى لَمْ يَبْقَ مِنْهُمْ أَحَدٌ إِلاَّ دَخَلَ فَأَكَلَ حَتَّى شَبِعَ ثُمَّ هَيَّأَهَا فَإِذَا هِيَ مِثْلُهَا حِينَ أَكَلُوا مِنْهَا .
Anas bin Malik Narrated from:
Abu Talha sent me to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in order to invite him (for meal). She had prepared a meal. So I came and found Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) along with some people. He looked at me, and I felt shy and said: Accept the invitation of Abu Talha. He (the Holy Prophet) asked the people to get up. Thereupon Abu Talha said: Allah's Messenger, I have prepared something for you.Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) touched (the food) and invoked blessings upon it, and then said: Let ten persons from my Companions enter (the house). He then said: Eat, and (in the meanwhile) brought out something from between his fingers for them. They then began to eat until they had their fill and then went out.He then asked ten more men (to have the meal) and they ate to their fill, and the ten persons went on getting in (and eating the food) and then getting out until none was left amongst them who had not got in and eaten to his fill. He then collected (the remaining part of the food) and it (the quantity of the food) was the same (as it had been prior to the serving of guests).
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2040bIn-book reference : Book 36, Hadith 191USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 23, Hadith 5059
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 2040b
This narration gives another wording of Abu Talha’s meal. Anas was sent to invite the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, and he found him with people. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم told the people to get up. Abu Talha said he had only prepared something for the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم touched the food, invoked blessing over it, and told ten Companions to enter at a time. They ate until full, then left, and another ten entered. This continued until everyone had eaten. When the remaining food was gathered, it was like it had been before they ate. The core topic is barakah. The hadith about food blessing shows that a small meal, by Allah’s permission and the Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وسلم supplication, became enough for many guests.
What we learn from this hadith
- The food was originally prepared for the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم invoked blessing over the food.
- Guests entered in groups of ten and ate fully.
- The remaining food was described as the same as before eating.
