36/30. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 2052d — Sharing Bread and Praising Vinegar
The virtue of vinegar and using it as a condiment
Hadith About Vinegar: Sharing Food with Good Manners
Sahih Muslim : 2052d
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 2052d
وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ، أَخْبَرَنَا حَجَّاجُ بْنُ أَبِي، زَيْنَبَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو سُفْيَانَ، طَلْحَةُ بْنُ نَافِعٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ كُنْتُ جَالِسًا فِي دَارِي فَمَرَّ بِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَشَارَ إِلَىَّ فَقُمْتُ إِلَيْهِ فَأَخَذَ بِيَدِي فَانْطَلَقْنَا حَتَّى أَتَى بَعْضَ حُجَرِ نِسَائِهِ فَدَخَلَ ثُمَّ أَذِنَ لِي فَدَخَلْتُ الْحِجَابَ عَلَيْهَا فَقَالَ " هَلْ مِنْ غَدَاءٍ " . فَقَالُوا نَعَمْ . فَأُتِيَ بِثَلاَثَةِ أَقْرِصَةٍ فَوُضِعْنَ عَلَى نَبِيٍّ فَأَخَذَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قُرْصًا فَوَضَعَهُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَأَخَذَ قُرْصًا آخَرَ فَوَضَعَهُ بَيْنَ يَدَىَّ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ الثَّالِثَ فَكَسَرَهُ بِاثْنَيْنِ فَجَعَلَ نِصْفَهُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَنِصْفَهُ بَيْنَ يَدَىَّ ثُمَّ قَالَ " هَلْ مِنْ أُدُمٍ " . قَالُوا لاَ . إِلاَّ شَىْءٌ مِنْ خَلٍّ . قَالَ " هَاتُوهُ فَنِعْمَ الأُدُمُ هُوَ " .
Jabir bin `Abdullah Narrated from:
While I was sitting in my house there happened to pass by me Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). He made a gesture to me and I stood up for him. He took hold of my hand until we came to one of the apartments of his wives. He entered and then asked me to get in. So I entered and there was hanging a curtain beside her. He (the Holy Prophet) said: Is there any food (with you)? They (the members of the household) said: Yes And then there were brought three loaves of bread for him (the Holy Prophet) and placed in the basket of palm leaves.Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) picked up one loaf and placed that before him, and then picked up another one and placed it before me. He then picked up the third one and broke it into two parts, and kept the one-half before him and the other half before me, and then said: Is there any condiment? They (the members of the household) said: There is nothing (in the form of condiment) but some vinegar only. He said: Bring that, for vinegar is a good condiment.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2052dIn-book reference : Book 36, Hadith 229USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 23, Hadith 5096
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 2052d
This narration gives a detailed picture of food manners. Jabir was sitting at home when the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم gestured to him, took his hand, and brought him to one of the apartments of his wives. Food was brought: three loaves of bread. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم placed one before himself, one before Jabir, and divided the third between them. He then asked for a condiment, and when only vinegar was available, he asked for it and said it was a good condiment. The main lesson is not luxury. It is sharing, simple food, and kind speech about what is present on the table.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم shared the loaves with Jabir.
- He asked for a condiment and accepted what was available.
- Vinegar was praised as a good condiment.
