Chapter 56 -Excellence of Simple Living and being Content with Little

Miqdad bin Ma`dikarib reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah say:

"No man fills a container worse than his stomach. A few morsels that keep his back upright are sufficient for him. If he has to, then he should keep one-third for food, one-third for drink and one-third for his breathing.'' [At-Tirmidhi].



Commentary: This Hadith dissuades us from overeating as this causes laziness and affects one's health.

Abu Umamah bin Tha`labah reported: The Companions of Messenger of Allah mentioned the life of the world before him. He said,  

"Do you not hear? Do you not hear? Simplicity (in life) is part of Faith, simplicity is part of Faith.'' [Abu Dawud].


Commentary: This Hadith invites our attention to a simple way of living - ordinary dress and simple and non-rich food - and discourages us from being habitual of an affected life style - use of costly dress, delicious and rich food and other dainties of life. The more a man shuns the trappings and accessories of life, the better engaged will he be in being readied for the Hereafter. The increased degree of his involvement in worldly comforts and luxuries will keep decreasing his concern for the accountability of future life. We may keep it in mind that simplicity does not mean escape from cleanliness. Because cleanliness is in itself `half the Faith'. How can a believer ignore purity and cleanliness?

Jabir bin `Abdullah (Radhi Allahu Anhuma) reported: Messenger of Allah sent us in an expedition under the command of Abu Ubaidah to intercept a caravan of the Quraish. He provided us with a bag of dates, apart from which he found nothing for us. Abu Ubaidah   gave each of us one date (every day).

He (the narrator) was asked: "What did you do with that?'' He said: We sucked that just like a baby and then drank water over that, and it was sufficient for us for the day until night. We beat off leaves with the help of our sticks, then drenched them with water and ate them. We then went to the seaside, when there appeared before us something like a big mound. We came near it and we found that it was a beast called Al-Anbar.

Abu 'Ubaidah said: "It is dead (so it useless for us).'' He then said: "No (but it does not matter), we have been sent by Messenger of Allah  in the way of Allah and you are hard-pressed (on account of the scarcity of food), so you can eat that.'' We, three hundred in number, stayed there for a month until we fattened up (having plenty to eat of that fish). He (Jabir) said: I saw how we extracted pitcher after pitcher full of fat from the cavity of its eye, and sliced from it compact piece of meat equal to a bull or almost like a bull.

Abu 'Ubaidah called thirteen men from us and he made them sit in the cavity of its eye, and he held one of its ribs and raised it erect and then saddled the biggest of the camels we had with us and it passed through it (the arched rib), and we carried large pieces of meat for use in our journey. When we came back to Al-Madinah we went to Messenger of Allah and told him about that, whereupon he    said,

 "That was a sustenance Allah had brought forth for you. Do you have any piece of meat left with you, for us to eat.''

Jabir said: We sent to the Messenger of Allah some of that (meat) and he ate it. [Muslim].


Commentary: This Hadith also points to the economic pinch from which the Companions suffered in the early phase of Islam. They braved it patiently.

Secondly, The blessing came to them in the sense that each one of them was patient enough to live on a single date-fruit and water in twenty-four hours.

Thirdly, it emphasizes that according to the circumstances, there is always room for Ijtihad (independent juristic reasoning). First Abu 'Ubaidah hesitated, but later he established a different opinion on the basis of his Ijtihad and decided to use the body of the giant fish as food.

Fourthly, it provides us a proof of the sacrifice of the Companions that Allah miraculously granted them such a huge sea-fish that a group of three hundred people kept eating for one month.

Fifthly, it tells us that a sea-carrion is a lawful food as indicated in another Hadith: "The water of the sea and its carrion are both Halal.''

Sixthly, this particular fish, like the whale, is a gigantic phenomenon which is normally about 50 feet long.''

Asma' bint Yazid reported: The sleeves of the shirt of Messenger of Allah reached his wrists. [At-Tirmidhi].


Commentary: Wearing long clothes is commonly known to be a sign of arrogance. Moreover, such type of dress retreads physical movement, whereas short clothes cause inconvenience to the wearer in summer and winter. Moderation, therefore, is the best way and therefore, the Prophetic example.

Jabir reported: On the day of the battle of Al-Khandaq (the Trench), we were digging the trench when a very hard boulder came in our way. The Companions went to the Messenger of Allah and told him about it. He   said,  

"I will go down the trench to see it.''  

He    stood up and it was noticed that he had tied a stone over his stomach due to intense hunger. We had not tasted anything for three days. He  took up a spade and struck the hard rock with it and it turned into sand. I sought his permission to go home, (after reaching home I) said to my wife, "I have seen the Prophet in a state that I am unable to endure. Have you got anything in the house?'' She said, "I have a small quantity of barley and a lamb.'' I slaughtered the lamb, ground the barley and put the meat in the cooking pot.

Then I went to the Prophet In the meantime the flour had been kneaded and the meat in the pot was nearly cooked. I said to him, "O Messenger of Allah, I have some food, will you come along with one or two Companions?'' He  asked,

"How many men should go there?''  

I told him the number. He  said,

"It will be better if they are more in number. Tell your wife not to remove the pot from the hearth nor the bread from the oven till I arrive.''  

Then he   said to the Muhajirun and the Ansar:  

"Let us go (to eat).''  They all rose (and went with him). I went to my wife and said, "Bless you, the Prophet , the Muhajirun, the Ansar and the whole company are coming.'' She said, "Did he ask you?'' I replied in the affirmative. (When they arrived) the Messenger of Allah said to his Companions,

"Enter, but do not crowd in.''  

Then he    started breaking up the bread and putting meat on it. He  would take from the pot and the oven then would cover them up, approach his Companions and hand it over to them. He    would then go back and uncover the pot and the oven. He continued to break up the bread and put meat on it till all had eaten to their fill and still some of the food remained. Then he   said to my wife,

"Eat from it, and send it as a present, for the people have been afflicted with severe hunger.'' [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].


Another narration is: Jabir   said: When the trench was being dug, I noticed the signs of hunger on the face of the Prophet .  I returned to my wife and said to her, "Have you got anything in the house? I have seen the signs of severe hunger on the face of Messenger of Allah .'' She brought out a bag which contained a Sa` (a measure that equals approximately 3kg.) of barley. We had a lamb which was reared in the home. I slaughtered the lamb and she ground the flour for baking bread. I then cut the meat and put it in the cooking pot. When I was returning to Messenger of Allah , my wife said to me, "Do not embarrass me before Messenger of Allah and his Companions.'' (She said this because she thought that the food would not be enough for everyone, for how can very little food cater for a thousand people?)

When I came to him, I said to him   in a low tone, "O Messenger of Allah we have slaughtered a small lamb and have ground a Sa` of barley. Please accompany me with a few of your Companions.'' Thereupon he announced in a loud voice,  

"O people of the Trench, Jabir has arranged a feast for you, so all of you are welcome.' '

And addressing me he   said, "Do not take the pot off the fire, nor bake the kneaded flour till I arrive.''  

So I came home and he came ahead of the people. My wife said, "It will be a matter of disgrace for you (because there is not enough food).'' I said, "I did only what you told me.'' She brought out the kneaded flour and Messenger of Allah spat into it, and invoked the blessing of Allah on it, and then he spat into the cooking pot and invoked the blessing of Allah on it. Then he  said,

"Call another woman to help bake bread and let her take out from the cooking pot, but do not take it off the fire.''  

There were about a thousand guests. All of them ate till they left the food and went off. Our pot still bubbled as before and the dough was being baked as before.


Commentary: This Hadith throws light on the simple life style which the Prophet and his Companions led. It also throws light on the miracle of the augmentation of food. Besides, it highlights the humbleness of the Prophet that he, side by side with his Companions, also did hard and arduous jobs. Also we are informed that it is preferable to make an offering, particularly to a needy and hungry person.

Anas reported: Abu Talhah said to (to his wife) Umm Sulaim , "I noticed some weakness in the voice of Messenger of Allah and I feel it was due to hunger. Have you got any food?'' She said, "Yes.'' So she brought out barley loaves, took off her head covering, in a part of which she wrapped these loaves and then put them beneath my mantle and covered me with a part of it. She then sent me to Messenger of Allah . I set forth and found Messenger of Allah sitting in the masjid in the company of some people. I stood near them whereupon Messenger of Allah asked,

"Has Abu Talhah sent you?''

I said, "Yes.'' Thereupon he said to those who were with him to get up (and follow him). He went forth and so did I, ahead of them until I came to Abu Talhah and informed him. Abu Talhah said, "O Umm Sulaim, here comes Messenger of Allah along with the people and we do not have enough (food) to feed them.'' She said, "Allah and His Messenger know better.'' Abu Talhah  went out (to receive him) until he met Messenger of Allah , and he came forward along with him until they both (Messenger of Allah and Abu Talhah came in. Then the Messenger of Allah said,

"O Umm Sulaim, bring forth what you have with you.''  

So she brought the bread. Messenger of Allah commanded that the bread be broken into small pieces and after Umm Sulaim    had squeezed clarified butter out of a butter container and made it just like soup. Messenger of Allah recited over it what Allah wished him to recite. He   then said,

"Allow ten guests to come in.''

They ate until they had their fill. They then went out. He (Messenger of Allah ) again said,

"Allow ten (more to come in)'',

and he (the host) ushered them in. They ate to their fill. Then they went out. He again said,

 "Allow ten (more),''

until all the people ate to their fill. They were seventy or eighty persons. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].


Another narration is: Anas  said: When all had eaten, the remaining food was collected. It was as much as there was in the beginning.


Yet another narration is: Anas   said: The groups of ten people ate by turn. After eighty persons had eaten, the Messenger of Allah and the family of that house ate, and there was still a quantity left over.


Another narration is: Anas said: I visited Messenger of Allah one day, and found him sitting in the company of his companions, with a belt tied over his waist. I asked, "Why has Messenger of Allah tied the belt on his waist?'' I was told, "Due to hunger.'' I went to Abu Talhah    the husband of Umm Sulaim   and said, "O father, I have seen Messenger of Allah with a belt tied over his waist. I asked one of his Companions about the reason of it and he said that it was on account of severe hunger.'' Abu Talhah went to my mother and asked, "Have you got anything?'' She said, "Yes. I have a piece of bread and some dry dates. Were the Messenger of Allah to come alone, we could feed him his fill, but if he comes along with others, there would not be enough food.'' Anas   then narrated the Hadith in full.


Commentary: This Hadith mentions the same things we have seen in the previous one. Yet, in this latter one, there is an elucidation that the Prophet and the host-family took meal after everybody had taken it. Imam An- Nawawi said: This shows that it is desirable that hosts should take meal after guests have taken it.

Secondly, Anas addressed Abu Talhah as father and he did so out of respect. Abu Talhah was the step-father of Anas His real father was Malik bin An-Nadir and mother was Umm Sulaim  She embraced Islam but her husband remained a non-believer. He left his Muslim wife and migrated to Syria where he died. Afterwards she married Abu Talhah  

Thirdly, the events of ascetic, contented and destitute life as experienced by the Prophet and his Companions are unthinkable today. But these are such facts, reported most authentically, as can be hardly refuted by being labelled as myths. Yet, some scholars say that it was a particular phase of time when there existed a conflict between Islam and paganism. It demanded that Muslims, by being indifferent to the world and its comforts, should be engaged day and night in uprooting disbelief, and paving the way for the predominance of Islam.