55/0. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 2977a — Inferior Dates and Desire
The Book of Zuhd and Softening of Hearts
Hadith About Inferior Dates and the Prophet’s Hunger
Sahih Muslim : 2977a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 2977a
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، وَأَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الأَحْوَصِ، عَنْ سِمَاكٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ النُّعْمَانَ بْنَ بَشِيرٍ، يَقُولُ أَلَسْتُمْ فِي طَعَامٍ وَشَرَابٍ مَا شِئْتُمْ لَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ نَبِيَّكُمْ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَمَا يَجِدُ مِنَ الدَّقَلِ مَا يَمْلأُ بِهِ بَطْنَهُ . وَقُتَيْبَةُ لَمْ يَذْكُرْ بِهِ .
Nu'man b. Bashir said: Don't you eat and drink according to your heart's desire, whereas I saw that your Prophet (ﷺ) (at times) could not find even an inferior quality of the dates with which he could fill his belly? Qutaiba, however, did not make a mention of It.
[1] Inferior-quality dates.Reference : Sahih Muslim 2977aIn-book reference : Book 55, Hadith 43USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 42, Hadith 7099
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 2977a
This hadith about inferior dates is a sober reminder from Nu‘man b. Bashir. He addresses people who eat and drink according to their desire, then says he saw their Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم at times unable to find even low-quality dates enough to fill his belly. The narration does not ban good food or drink. It places comfort beside the Prophet’s hunger so people can check their hearts. If someone searches for a hadith about eating to desire or the Prophet’s hunger, this report gives a simple warning against taking ease for granted. It asks the listener to remember that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم knew hunger even when others later had wider choices.
What we learn from this hadith
- Nu‘man compared people’s food choices with what he had seen of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم sometimes could not find even low-quality dates to fill his belly.
- The narration encourages self-checking when comfort becomes normal.
- Good food should not make a person forget gratitude.
