36/39. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 2367 — Abu Hurairah’s Hunger
What Has Been Related About The Subsistence Of The Companions Of The Prophet (s.a.w) And His Family
Hadith About Abu Hurairah and Hunger
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 2367
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 2367
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ أَيُّوبَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِيرِينَ، قَالَ كُنَّا عِنْدَ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ وَعَلَيْهِ ثَوْبَانِ مُمَشَّقَانِ مِنْ كَتَّانٍ فَتَمَخَّطَ فِي أَحَدِهِمَا ثُمَّ قَالَ بَخٍ بَخٍ يَتَمَخَّطُ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ فِي الْكَتَّانِ لَقَدْ رَأَيْتُنِي وَإِنِّي لأَخِرُّ فِيمَا بَيْنَ مِنْبَرِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَحُجْرَةِ عَائِشَةَ مِنَ الْجُوعِ مَغْشِيًّا عَلَىَّ فَيَجِيءُ الْجَائِي فَيَضَعُ رِجْلَهُ عَلَى عُنُقِي يُرَى أَنَّ بِيَ الْجُنُونَ وَمَا بِي جُنُونٌ وَمَا هُوَ إِلاَّ الْجُوعُ . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ غَرِيبٌ مِنْ هَذَا الْوَجْهِ.
Muhammad bin Sirin Narrated from:
We Were With Abu Hurairah And He Was Wearing Two Linen Garments Dyed With Red Ochre. He Blew His Nose In One Of Them And Said: 'Excellent! Abu Hurairah Blows His Nose In Linens! I Saw A Time When I Would Pass Out Between The Mimbar Of The Messenger Of Allah (S.A.W) And The Dwelling Of 'Aishah From Overwhelming Hunger. Someone Came And Placed His Foot On My Neck Thinking That I Was A Mad Man, But I Was Not Crazy, It Was Nothing But Hunger. (Sahih)
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2367In-book reference : Book 36, Hadith 64English translation : Vol. 4, Book 10, Hadith 2367
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 2367
This hadith about Abu Hurairah and hunger shows a powerful memory from his life. Muhammad bin Sirin saw Abu Hurairah wearing two linen garments and blowing his nose into one of them. Abu Hurairah then remembered a time when hunger was so strong that he would pass out between the mimbar of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) and the dwelling of Aishah. Some people thought he was mad and even placed a foot on his neck, but he explained that it was only hunger. The narration teaches gratitude by showing the difference between later ease and earlier hardship. It also warns us not to quickly judge a person’s condition from the outside.
What we learn from this hadith
- Severe hunger was a real hardship faced by some companions.
- A person’s outward state can be misunderstood by others.
- Remembering past hardship can help a person stay grateful in times of ease.
