The Book of Miscellany

كتاب المقدمات

Chapter 54: Excellence of Leading an Ascetic Life, and Virtues of Simple Life

Sahl bin Sa'd (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Were this world worth a wing of mosquito, He would not have given a drink of water to an infidel."[At- Tirmidhi, who classified it as Hadith Hasan Sahih].

'Abdullah bin Mughaffal (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

A man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, "O Messenger of Allah! By Allah, I love you." He (ﷺ) said, "Think about what you are saying." The man repeated thrice, "I swear by Allah that I love you." He (Prophet (ﷺ)) said, "If you love me, you should be ready for acute poverty; because poverty comes to those who love me, faster than a flood flowing towards its destination."[At-Tirmidhi, who classified it as Hadith Hasan].

K'ab bin Malik (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Two hungry wolves sent in the midst of a flock of sheep are no more destructive to them than a man's greed for wealth and fame is to his Deen."[At- Tirmidhi, who classified it as Hadith Hasan Sahih].

Chapter 55: Excellence of Simple Living and being Content with Little

'Urwah from 'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported that she used to say to Urwah (May Allah be pleased with him)

"O son of my sister, by Allah, I used to see the new moon, then the new moon, then the new moon, i.e., three moons in two months, and a fire was not kindled in the house of Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). "I ('Urwah) said, "O my aunt, what were your means of sustenance?" She said; "Dates and water. But it (so happened) that Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had some Ansar neighbours who had milch animals. They used to send Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) some milk of their (animals) and he gave that to us to drink."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

The Prophet (ﷺ) neither ate on a dining cloth, nor ate soft bread throughout his life.[Al-Bukhari].One narration adds: He (ﷺ) never even saw a Samit lamb.Samit is an animal prepared for food by removing its hair by boiling water, and then roasted without being skinned. This type of food is preferred by wealthy people. (Editor's Note)

Sa'd bin Abu Waqqas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

By Allah, I am the first Arab who shot an arrow in the Cause of Allah. We fought along with Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) when our food was only the leaves of Hublah and Samur trees (wild trees) until one of us would defecate like the droppings of sheep.[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

The Prophet (ﷺ) mortgaged his armour for a quantity of barley, and I took to him some barley bread and rancid fat. I heard him saying: "The family of Muhammad never possessed a measure of wheat from dawn to dusk although they were nine houses (to feed)."[Al- Bukhari].

Ibn 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported

We were once sitting in the company of Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) when a man from the Ansar came and greeted. As he was leaving, Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to him, "O brother of the Ansar, how is my brother Sa'd bin 'Ubadah?" He replied, "He is well." Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) asked, "Which of you is desirous of visiting him?" Having said this he got up and we followed him. We were ten and odd in number and we had neither shoes nor light boots nor caps nor shirts. We walked on foot through the barren plain till we came to the residence of Sa'd (May Allah be pleased with him). His people made way and Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) along with those who accompanied him went up to him.[Muslim].

'Imran bin Husain (May Allah be pleased with them) reported

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The best of you, are my contemporaries, then those who follow them, then those who will come after them. ('Imran said, I do not know if he said this twice or thrice). Then, they will be followed by those who will testify but will not be called upon to testify; they will betray the trust, and will not be trusted. They will make vows but will not fulfill them, and obesity will prevail among them."[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Abu Umamah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "O son of Adam, if you spend the surplus, it will be better for you; and if you retain it, it will be evil for you. You will not be reprimanded for storing what is enough for your need. First of all spend upon those who are your dependents."[At- Tirmidhi, who classified it as Hadith Hasan Sahih].

Ibn 'Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) reported

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went to bed hungry for several successive nights, nor did his family have a thing for supper for many consecutive nights; and their bread was mostly of barley.[At- Tirmidhi, who classified it as Hadith Hasan Sahih].

Abu Umamah bin Tha'labah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

The Companions of Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) mentioned the life of the world before him. He (ﷺ) said, "Do you not hear? Do you not hear? Simplicity (in life) is part of Faith, simplicity is part of Faith."[Abu Dawud].

Jabir (May Allah be pleased with him) 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 Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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 (ﷺ) 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 (ﷺ). 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 (ﷺ), the Muhajirun, the Ansar and the whole company are coming." She said, "Did he (ﷺ) ask you?" I replied in the affirmative. (When they arrived) Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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 (ﷺ). 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 (ﷺ)." 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 (ﷺ), my wife said to me, "Do not embarass me before Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) 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 (ﷺ), we have slaughtered a small lamb and have ground a Sa' of barley. Please accompany me with a few of your Companions." Thereupon he (ﷺ) 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 (ﷺ) 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.

Chapter 56: Contentment and Self-esteem and avoidance of unnecessary begging of People

Samurah bin Jundub (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Begging is a cut that a person inflicts upon his face; except for asking a ruler, or under the stress of circumstances from which there is no escape."[At- Tirmidhi, who classified it as Hadith Hasan Sahih].

Chapter 58: Encouraging Livelihood by (working with) Hands and Abstaining from Begging

Zubair bin 'Awwam (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "It is far better for you to take your rope, go to the mountain, (cut some firewood) carry it on your back, and sell it and thereby save your face than begging from people whether they give you or refuse."[Al-Bukhari].

Chapter 59: Excellence of Generosity and Spending in a Good cause with Reliance on Allah

Ibn Mas'ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Envy is permitted only in two cases: A man whom Allah gives wealth, and he disposes of it rightfully, and a man to whom Allah gives knowledge which he applies and teaches it."[Al- Bukhari and Muslim].

Ibn Mas'ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) asked, "Who of you loves the wealth of his heir more than his own wealth?" The Companions said: "O Messenger of Allah! There is none of us but loves his own wealth more." He (ﷺ) said, "His wealth is that which he has sent forward, but that which he retains belongs to his heir."[Al-Bukhari].

'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported

Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had slaughtered a sheep and distributed major portions of its meat. Then he (ﷺ) asked, "Is there anything left?" She replied, "Nothing, except the shoulder." Thereupon he said, "All of it is left except its shoulder."[At-Tirmidhi, who classified it as Hadith Sahih].

Chapter 61: Selflessness and Sympathy

Sahl bin Sa'd (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

A woman brought a woven piece of cloth to Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said to him: "I have woven this sheet with my own hands for you to wear." He accepted it as he was in need of it. He later came out wearing it as a lower garment. Someone said: "How nice it is! Kindly give it to me." Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Very well." He remained in our company for some time, then he went back, folded it and sent it to the man. The people said (to that man): "You did not do well. Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) wore it and he was in need of it, and you asked him for it when you are well aware that he (ﷺ) never refuses a request." He said: "I swear by Allah that I did not ask it for wearing. I asked him for it so that it might be my shroud after my death." Sahl (the narrator of this Hadith) said: And in fact it was used as his shroud.[Al-Bukhari].

Chapter 62: Competition in matters of the Hereafter

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "While Ayyub (ﷺ) the Prophet was taking a bath, naked, a large number of gold locusts fell on him. He tried to collect them in a piece of cloth, when he heard his Rubb (Allah) calling him: 'O Ayyub ! Have I not sufficed you to care for what you see (the worldly possessions)?' Ayyub (ﷺ) said: 'Indeed by Your Power, but I can never do away with Your Blessings."'[Al- Bukhari].