37/34. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 2475 — One Date a Day on Expedition
The Ahadith of Aishah, Anas, Ali, and Abu Hurairah
Hadith About One Date a Day and Allah's Provision
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 2475
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 2475
حَدَّثَنَا هَنَّادٌ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدَةُ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ وَهْبِ بْنِ كَيْسَانَ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ بَعَثَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَنَحْنُ ثَلاَثُمِائَةٍ نَحْمِلُ زَادَنَا عَلَى رِقَابِنَا فَفَنِيَ زَادُنَا حَتَّى إِنْ كَانَ يَكُونُ لِلرَّجُلِ مِنَّا كُلَّ يَوْمٍ تَمْرَةٌ . فَقِيلَ لَهُ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَأَيْنَ كَانَتْ تَقَعُ التَّمْرَةُ مِنَ الرَّجُلِ فَقَالَ لَقَدْ وَجَدْنَا فَقْدَهَا حِينَ فَقَدْنَاهَا وَأَتَيْنَا الْبَحْرَ فَإِذَا نَحْنُ بِحُوتٍ قَدْ قَذَفَهُ الْبَحْرُ فَأَكَلْنَا مِنْهُ ثَمَانِيَةَ عَشَرَ يَوْمًا مَا أَحْبَبْنَا . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ صَحِيحٌ وَقَدْ رُوِيَ مِنْ غَيْرِ وَجْهٍ عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ . وَرَوَاهُ مَالِكُ بْنُ أَنَسٍ عَنْ وَهْبِ بْنِ كَيْسَانَ أَتَمَّ مِنْ هَذَا وَأَطْوَلَ .
Jabir bin `Abdullah Narrated from:
The Messenger Of Allah (S.A.W) Dispatched Us, And There Were Three-Hundred Of Us. We Were Carrying Our Provisions On Our Shoulders. Then Our Provisions Ran Out Such That Each Man Among Us Could Eat Only A Date Per Day. It Was Said To Him: "O Abu 'Abdullah! How Could One Date Be Enough For A Man?'" He Said: "We Realized Its Value When We Did Not Even Have That. Then We Came To The Sea Where We Saw A Whale That The Sea Had Tossed (On The Shore). So We Ate As Much As We Liked From It For Eighteen Days." Other Chains Report Similar Narrations.
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2475In-book reference : Book 37, Hadith 61English translation : Vol. 4, Book 11, Hadith 2475
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 2475
This hadith about one date a day and Allah's provision describes a difficult journey. Jabir said the Messenger of Allah sent out a group of three hundred men. They carried their provisions on their shoulders, but the food ran out until each man could eat only one date per day. When someone asked how one date could be enough for a man, Jabir said they realized its value when even that was gone. Later they reached the sea and found a whale that the sea had thrown onto the shore, and they ate from it for eighteen days as much as they liked. The hadith shows hardship, the value of small food, and relief after shortage.
What we learn from this hadith
- The group faced a serious shortage of provisions.
- One date became valuable when food was scarce.
- People often realize a blessing more when it is lost.
- After hunger, Allah provided food from the sea.
