Food, Meals
كتاب الأطعمة
Chapter 32: Sweet edible things and honey.
I used to accompany Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) to fill my stomach; and that was when I did not eat baked bread, nor wear silk. Neither a male nor a female slave used to serve me, and I used to bind stones over my belly and ask somebody to recite a Qur'anic Verse for me though I knew it, so that he might take me to his house and feed me. Ja`far bin Abi Talib was very kind to the poor, and he used to take us and feed us with what ever was available in his house, (and if nothing was available), he used to give us the empty (honey or butter) skin which we would tear and lick whatever was in it.
Chapter 33: Ad-Dubba' (gourd)
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) went to (the house of) his slave tailor, and he was offered (a dish of) gourd of which he started eating. I have loved to eat gourd since I saw Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) eating it.
Chapter 34: To prepare a meal for (Muslim) brethren
There was a man called Abu Shu'aib, and he had a slave who was a butcher. He said (to his slave), "Prepare a meal to which I may invite Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) along with four other men." So he invited Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and four other men, but another man followed them whereupon the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "You have invited me as one of five guests, but now another man has followed us. If you wish you can admit him, and if you wish you can refuse him." On that the host said, "But I admit him." Narrated Muhammad bin Isma`il: If guests are sitting at a dining table, they do not have the right to carry food from other tables to theirs, but they can pass on food from their own table to each other; otherwise they should leave it.
Chapter 35: Whoever invited a man to a meal and then went to carry on his job.
I was a young boy when I once was walking with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) . Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) entered the house of his slave tailor and the latter brought a dish filled with food covered with pieces of gourd. Allah's Apostle started picking and eating the gourd. When I saw that, I started collecting and placing the gourd before him. Then the slave returned to his work. Anas added: I have kept on loving gourd since I saw Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) doing what he was doing.
Chapter 36: Soup
A tailor invited the Prophet (ﷺ) to a meal which he had prepared, and I went along with the Prophet (ﷺ) . The tailor presented barley bread and soup containing gourd and cured meat. I saw the Prophet (ﷺ) picking the pieces of gourd from around the dish, and since then I have kept on liking gourd.
Chapter 37: Cured meat.
I saw the Prophet (ﷺ) being served with soup and containing gourd and cured meat, and I saw him picking and eating the pieces of gourd.
The Prophet (ﷺ) did not do that (i.e., forbade the storage of the meat of sacrifices for three days) except (he did so) so that the rich would feed the poor. But later we used to keep even trotters to cook, fifteen days later. The family of Muhammad did not eat wheat bread with meat or soup to their satisfaction for three successive days.
Chapter 38: To present something to the companion across the dining table.
A tailor invited Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) to a meal which he had prepared. I went with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) to that meal, and the tailor served the Prophet (ﷺ) with barley bread and soup of gourd and cured meat. I saw Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) picking the pieces of gourd from around the dish, and since then I have kept on liking gourd.
Chapter 39: The eating of snake cucumber with fresh dates
I saw Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) eating fresh dates with snake cucumber.
Chapter 40: Chapter
I was a guest of Abu Huraira for seven days. Abu Huraira, his wife and his slave used to get up and remain awake for one-third of the night by turns. Each would offer the night prayer and then awaken the other. I heard Abu Huraira saying, "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) distributed dates among his companions and my share was seven dates, one of which was a Hashafa (a date which dried on the tree before it was fully ripe).
The Prophet (ﷺ) distributed dates among us, and my share was five dates, four of which were good, and one was a ,Hashafa, and I found the Hashafa the hardest for my teeth.
Chapter 41: Fresh dates and dry dates
Chapter 42: The eating of a spadix of the palm tree.
Aishah (ra) said, "When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) died, we had been satisfied by the two black things, i.e., dates and water."
There was a Jew in Medina who used to lend me money up to the season of plucking dates. (Jabir had a piece of land which was on the way to Ruma). That year the land was not promising, so the payment of the debt was delayed one year. The Jew came to me at the time of plucking, but gathered nothing from my land. I asked him to give me one year respite, but he refused. This news reached the Prophet (ﷺ) whereupon he said to his companions, "Let us go and ask the Jew for respite for Jabir." All of them came to me in my garden, and the Prophet (ﷺ) started speaking to the Jew, but he Jew said, "O Abu Qasim! I will not grant him respite." When the Prophet (ﷺ) saw the Jew's attitude, he stood up and walked all around the garden and came again and talked to the Jew, but the Jew refused his request. I got up and brought some ripe fresh dates and put it in front of the Prophet. He ate and then said to me, "Where is your hut, O Jabir?" I informed him, and he said, "Spread out a bed for me in it." I spread out a bed, and he entered and slept. When he woke up, I brought some dates to him again and he ate of it and then got up and talked to the Jew again, but the Jew again refused his request. Then the Prophet (ﷺ) got up for the second time amidst the palm trees loaded with fresh dates, and said, "O Jabir! Pluck dates to repay your debt." The Jew remained with me while I was plucking the dates, till I paid him all his right, yet there remained extra quantity of dates. So I went out and proceeded till I reached the Prophet and informed him of the good news, whereupon he said, "I testify that I am Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)."
While we were sitting with the Prophet, fresh dates were brought to him. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "There is a tree among the trees which is as blessed as a Muslim" I thought that it was the date palm tree and intended to say, "It is the date-palm tree, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)!" but I looked behind to see that I was the tenth and youngest of ten men present there, so I kept quiet' Then the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "It is the datepalm tree."
Chapter 43: Al-'Ajwa (a special kind of date).
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "He who eats seven 'Ajwa dates every morning, will not be affected by poison or magic on the day he eats them."
Chapter 44: To eat two dates at a time
At the time of Ibn Az-Zubair, we were struck with famine, and he provided us with dates for our food. `Abdullah bin `Umar used to pass by us while we were eating, and say, "Do not eat two dates together at a time, for the Prophet (ﷺ) forbade the taking of two dates together at a time (in a gathering)." Ibn `Umar used to add, "Unless one takes the permission of one's companions."
Chapter 45: The snake cucumber
I saw the Prophet (ﷺ) eating fresh dates with snake cucumbers.
Chapter 46: The goodness of the date-palm tree.
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "There is a tree among the trees which is similar to a Muslim (in goodness), and that is the date palm tree."
Chapter 47: The taking of two kinds of fruit or food at a time.
I saw Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) eating fresh dates with snake cucumbers.