The Book of Drinks

Abu Huraira reported that a man came to Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) so that he should entertain him as a guest, but he had nothing with which he could entertain him. He, therefore, asked if there was any person who would entertain him (assuring the audience) that Allah would show mercy to him. A person from the Ansar who was called Abu Talha stood up and he took him to his house. The rest of the hadith is the same and mention is (also) made in that about the revelation of the verse as narrated by Waki'.

Miqdad reported: I and two of my companions were so much afflicted by hunger that we had lost our power of seeing and hearing. We presented ourselves (as guests) to the Companions of the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him), but none amongst them would entertain us. So we came to Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him), and he took us to his residence and there were three goats. Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) said: Milk these for us. So we milked them and every person amongst us drank his share and we set aside the share of Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him). (It was his habit) to come during the night and greet (the people present there) in a manner that would not wake up one in sleep but make one who was awake hear it. He would then go to the mosque and say prayer, then go to the milk and drink it. Miqdad added: One night the Satan came to me when I had taken my share, and he said: Muhammad has gone to the Ansar, who would offer him hospitality and he would get what is with them, and he has no need for this draught (of milk). So I took (that milk) and drank it, and when it had penetrated deeply in my stomach and I was certain that there was no way out (but to digest it), the Satan aroused (my sense of) remorse and said: Woe be to thee! what have you done? You have taken the drink reserved for Muhammad! When he would come and he would not find it, he would curse you, and you would be ruined, and thus there would go (waste) this world and the Hereafter (for) you. There was a sheet over me; as I placed (pulled) it upon my feet, my head was uncovered and as I placed it upon my head, my feet were uncovered, and I could not sleep, but my two companions had gone to sleep for they had not done what I had done. There came Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him), and he greeted as he used to greet (by saying as-Salamu 'Alaikum). He then came to the mosque and observed prayer and then came to his drink (milk) and uncovered it, but did not find anything in it. He raised his head towards the sky, and I said (to myself) that he (the Holy Prophet) was going to invoke curse upon me and I would be thus ruined; but he (the Holy Prophet) said: Allah, feed him who fed me and give drink to him who provided me drink. I held tight the sheet upon myself (and when he had supplicated), I took hold of the knife and went to the goats (possessed by the Holy Prophet) so that I may slauhter one for Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) which was the fattest amongst them, and in fact all of them were milch goats; then I took hold of the vessel which belonged to the family of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) in which they used to milk and drink therefrom, and milked them in that until it swelled up with foam. I came to Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) and he said: Have you taken your share of the milk during the night? I said: Drink it. and he drank it; he then handed over (the vessel) to me and I said: Allah's Messenger, drink it, and he drank it and handed over (the vessel) to me again, I then perceived that Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) had been satiated and I had got his blessings. I burst into laughter (so much) so that I fell upon the ground, whereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: Miqdad, it must be one of your mischiefs. I said: Allah's Messenger, this affair of mind is like this and this. and I have done so. Thereupon. Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) said: This is nothing but a mercy from Allah. Why is it that you did not give me an opportunity so that we should have awakened our two friends and they would have got their share (of the milk)? I said: By Him Who has sent you with Truth. I do not mind whatever you give (to them), and whatever the (other) people happen to get, when I had got it along with you from among the people.

This hadith has been reported on the authority of Mughira with the same chain of transmitters.

'Abd al-Rahman b. Abu Bakr reported: We were one hundred and thirty (persons) with Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him). Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) said: Does any one of You possess food? There was a person with (us) who had a sa' of flour or something about that, and it was kneaded. Then a tall polytheist with dishevelled hair came driving his flock of sheep. Thereupon Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) said: Would you like to sell it (any one of these goats) or offer it as a gift or a present? He said: No, (I am not prepared to offer as a gift), but I would sell it. He (the Holy Prophet) bought a sheep from him, and it was slaughtered and its meat was prepared, and Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) commanded that its liver should be roasted. He (the narrator) said: By Allah, none among one hundred and thirty persons was left whom Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) had not given a part out of her liver; if anyone was present he gave it to him. but if he was absent it was set aside for him. And he (the Holy Prophet) filled two bowls (one with soup and the other with mutton) and we all ate out of them to our hearts' content, but (still) some part was (left) in (those) two bowls, and I placed it on the camel- (or words to the same effect).

'Abd al-Rabman b. Abu Bakr reported that the people of Suffa were very poor. Once the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said (to his Companions): He who amongst you has food for two persons should take three (guests with him). and he who has with him food for four persons should take five or six (guests with him for entertaining them). It was (in accordance with these instructions of the Holy Prophet) that Abu Bakr brought three persons, and the Apostle of Allah (may peace be upon him) brought ten persons (as guests to their respective houses). Abu Bakr had brought three persons (he himself, and myself), my father and my mother (along with therm). He (the narrator) said: I do not know whether he also said: My wife and one servant who was common between our house and that of Abu Bakr. Abu Bakr had had his evening meal with Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him). He stayed here until night prayer had been offered. He then came back (to the house of Allah's Apostle) and stayed there until Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) felt drowsy and (Abu Bakr) then came (back to his own house) when (a considerable) part of the night had been over, as Allah had desired. His wife said to him: What held you back from your guests? He said: Oh! have you not served them the evening meal (by this time)? She said: It was in fact served to them. but they refused to eat until you came. He ('Abd al-Rahman) said: I slunk away and bid myself. He (Abu Bakr) said: O, you stupid fellow, and he reprimanded me, and said to the guests: Eat, though it may not be pleasant now. He said: By Allah. I will never eat it He ('Abd al-Rahman) said: By Allah. we did not take a morsel when from beneath that (there appeared) more until they had eaten to their fill, and lo! it was more than what it was before. Abu Bakr saw that and found that it was so or more than that. He said to his wife: Sister of Band Firis, what is th-is? She said: By the coolness of my eyes. it is in excess by three times over the previous one. Then Abu Bakr ate saying: That was from the Satan (viz. his vow for not eating the food). He then took a morsel out of that and then took it (the rest) to the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him), and it was kept there until morning, and during (those days) there was a covenant between us and some other people, and the period of covenant was over, and we had appointed twelve officials with every person amongst them. It is Allah only Who knows as to how many people were there with each of them. He sent (this food to them) and all of them ate out of it.

'Abd al-Rahman b. Abd Bakr reported: There came to our house some guests. It was a common practice with my father to (go) and talk to Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) during the night. While going he said: 'Abd al-Rahman, entertain the guests. When it was evening we served the food to them, but they refused saying: So long as the owner of the house does not come and join us, we would not take the meal. I said to them: He ('Abd Bakr) is a stern person, and if you would not do that (if you do not take the food). I fear, I may be harmed by him, but they refused. As he (my father) came, the first thing he asked was: Have you served the guests? They (the peopleof the household) said: We have not served them sofar. He said: Did I not command 'Abd al-Rahman (to do this)? He ('Abd al-Rahman) said: I slunk away and kept myself away by that time. He again said: O stupid fellow, I ask you on oath that In case you hear my voice you come to me. I came and said: By Allah, there is no fault of mine. These are your guests; you may ask them. I provided them with food but they refused to eat until you came. He said to them: Why is it that you did not accept our food? By Allah, I shall not even take food tonight (as you have not taken). They said: By Allah, we would not take until you join us. Thereupon he Abu Bakr) said: I have never seen a more unfortunate night than this. Woe be to thee! that you do not accept from us food prepared for you. He again said: What I did first (that is the taking of vow for not eating the food) was prompted by the Satan. Bring the food. The food was brought, and he ate by reciting the name of Allah and they also ate, and when it was morning he came to Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) and said: Allah's Messenger, their oath (that of the guests) came to be true, but mine was not true, and after that he informed him of the whole incident. He said: Your oath came to be the most true and you are the best of them. He (the narrator) said. I do not know whether he made an atonement for it.

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Food for two persons suffices three persons and food for three persons suffices four persons.

Jabir b. 'Abdullah reported: I heard Allah'. s Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Food for one person suffices two persons and food for two persons suffices four persons, and food for four persons suffices eight persons; and in the tradition transmitted on the authority of Ishaq there is no mention of the fact that he heard it directly (from the Holy Prophet).

A hadith like this is reported on the authority of Jabir but with a different chain of transmitters.

Jabir reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Food for one suffices two and food for two suffices for four.

Jabir reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Food for one (person) suffices two, and food for two (persons) suffices four persons and food for four persons suffices eight persons.

Ibn 'Umar reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying that a non-Muslim eats in seven intestines whereas a Muslim eats in one intestine.

This hadith has been reported on the authority of Ibn 'Umar but with a different chain oi transmitters.

Nafi' reported that Ibn 'Umar saw a poor man. He placed food before him and he ate much. He (Ibn 'Umar) said: He should not come to me. for I heard Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying that the non-Muslim eats in seven intestines.

Ibn 'Umar reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: A believer eats in one intestine, whereas a non-believer eats in seven intestines.

This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Jabir.

Abu Musa reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: A believer eats in one intestine, whereas a non-believer eats in seven intestines.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira with a different chain of transmitters.

Abu Huraira reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) invited a non-Muslim. Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) commanded that a goat be milked for him. It was milked and he drank its milk. Then the second one was milked and he drank its milk, and then the other one was milked and he drank its milk. till he drank the milk of seven goats. On the next morning he embraced Islam. And Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) commanded that a goat should be milked for him and he drank its milk and then another was milked but he did not finish it, whereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: A believer drinks In one intestine whereas a non-believer drinks in seven intestines.

Abu Huraira reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) never found fault with food (served to him). If he liked anything, he ate it and if he did not like it he left it.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of A'mash with the same chain of transmitters.

A hadith like this has been narrated on the authority of A'mash.

Abu Huraira reported: I never saw Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) finding fault with food (served to him) ; if he liked it he ate it, and if did not like it he kept silent.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira through a different chain of transmitters.