14/54. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 1288 — Eat What Falls
What Has Been Related About The Permission For Eating Fruit For The Passerby
Hadith About Hunger and Eating What Falls
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 1288
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 1288
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَمَّارٍ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ حُرَيْثٍ الْخُزَاعِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا الْفَضْلُ بْنُ مُوسَى، عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ أَبِي جُبَيْرٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ رَافِعِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، قَالَ كُنْتُ أَرْمِي نَخْلَ الأَنْصَارِ فَأَخَذُونِي فَذَهَبُوا بِي إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ " يَا رَافِعُ لِمَ تَرْمِي نَخْلَهُمْ " . قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ الْجُوعُ . قَالَ " لاَ تَرْمِ وَكُلْ مَا وَقَعَ أَشْبَعَكَ اللَّهُ وَأَرْوَاكَ " . هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ غَرِيبٌ .
Rafi' bin 'Amr Narrated from:
I Was Throwing Stones At A Date-Palm Belonging To Some Of The Ansar. They Took Me Along With Them To The Prophet (ﷺ). He Said: "O Rafi'! Why Were You Throwing Stones At Their Date-Palm?'" He Said: "I Said: 'Out Of Hunger, O Messenger Of Allah! He Said: 'Do Not Throw Stones At Them, Eat What Falls. May Allah Fill You And Quench Your Thirst.'" This Hadith Is Hasan Gharib Sahih.
[1] He was throwing stones at it to get its fruits to fall so he could eat them. See 'Awn Al-Ma'būd by Al-'Azīmābādī.Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1288In-book reference : Book 14, Hadith 90English translation : Vol. 1, Book 12, Hadith 1288
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 1288
This Hadith shows a kind but clear correction. Rafi bin Amr says he was throwing stones at date-palms belonging to the Ansar. When he was taken to the Prophet, the Prophet asked why he was doing it. Rafi said it was because of hunger. The Prophet did not ignore his need, but he also did not allow harm to the trees. He said not to throw stones and to eat what had fallen. Then he prayed that Allah fill him and quench his thirst. The main teaching is balanced: hunger is treated with mercy, while other people's property is still respected.
What we learn from this hadith
- Hunger is met with mercy in the Prophet's response.
- Need does not justify damaging another person's trees.
- The Prophet guided him to eat what had fallen instead of throwing stones.
