ALMISKEENAH

 

 

 

 Ayeshah RadhiAllahu anha says: "Till the demise of Rasulullah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam, his family never ate a full stomach of bread made of barley for two consecutive days". From the moving chapter on the bread of Rasulullah SallAllahu alaihi wasallam in Tirmidhi’s Shamaa-il.

 
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Nawfal ibn Ilyas al-Hathli narrated that Abdur Rahman ibn Awf RadhiAllahu anhu used to frequent his circle. One day, after sitting with him and with his guests for awhile, Abdur Rahman excused himself for a short while, he went to his house, took his ablution and when he returned, he brought back with him a large tray of bread and meat. When the tray was placed in the middle, Abdur Rahman cried, so the people asked him: “O Abu Muhammad, why are you crying like this?” he replied: “A thought came to me, and I suddenly remembered that Allah’s Messenger SallAllahu alaihi wasallam died having not satisfied his basic hunger or that of his family, not even eating just barley bread, and I do not think that Allah Almighty has kept us alive after him for better times than the days of His Messenger SallAllahu alaihi wasallam.”

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Salim ibn ‘Abdullah RadhiAllahu anhu narrated that Umar RadhiAllahu anhu said: “By Allah, we do not care much for the pleasures of this world. We ask for the most inferior of goats to be prepared for food when we are hungry, and we ask for wheat husk and oats’ pith to be grounded for our bread, and we prefer raisins for our vinegar. We want to save our pleasures and comfort for the Hereafter, for we have heard Allah Almighty say:

You have wallowed in your satisfaction during your life in the world and sought comfort therein.  (46:20)

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Ja’far ibn Muhammad ibn al-Fadhl narrated that Uthman RadhiAllahu anhu used to feed the people the best of food, and later on, he would enter his house to partake of a modest meal of some bread which he dipped in a little oil and vinegar.

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Abi Burda narrated that when Abu Musa al-Ashari RadhiAllahu anhu was dying, he called his children to his bedside and said to them: “My dear children! Remember the story of ‘The Man with a Loaf of Bread.’ Listen carefully to his story: Once upon a time there lived a man in a hermitage who for seventy years had dedicated his entire existence to worshipping Almighty Allah, and he only left his cell one day a week to acquire his basis needs. One day while in the market, Shaytan made an attractive woman steal his attention, whereupon he was lured to be with her for seven days and seven nights. On the seventh day, the veil of darkness that had shrouded his clarity was lifted, and the man left repenting to Allah Almighty. With every step he took he prayed and prostrated to Allah, ashamed of himself, fearful of the consequences of his sin, and he kept on imploring for forgiveness. By nightfall his steps led him to a shop, near which sat twelve paupers.

In that town, there lived a monk who daily sent these twelve paupers a loaf of bread each. That night, his servant carried the twelve loaves of bread and brought them for distribution, and in the dark, the servant distributed a loaf of bread for each indigent, and when he reached the extra man who sat in their midst, not counting their number, the servant thought him to be one of the indigents, and handed him a loaf of bread. As he was leaving, the one pauper who did not receive his share for that night said, ‘Why have you not given me my usual loaf of bread? You have not done that before!’ The servant who had not realized what had happened became upset, replying, ‘Do you think that I have kept anything away from you, or do you think I have kept it for myself? Ask around you, did I give any one sitting here two loaves of bread instead of one?’ They all replied no. The servant then said, ‘You are probably accusing me of keeping it for myself! I swear by Allah that I will not give you anything for tonight.’ Immediately the repenting man revealed what had happened and he handed his loaf of bread over to the person who did not get his share for the night.

By sunrise the repenting man was found dead in the street near that shop. When the Angels came and weighed his deeds, the seventy years of worship he had offered did not measure up to the weight of his sin during the last seven nights of his life, but when the Angels weighed the sin of the last seven nights and his last peace offering of the single loaf of bread he gave to that pauper, his charity weighed heavier, and thus he was saved from eternal damnation.”

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One day two holy men came to visit Rabi’a, hoping to get something to eat; they were sure that whatever food she gave them would be ritually pure since it was “obtained in a lawful manner.”

After they had seated themselves, a cloth containing tow loaves of bread was laid before them. Eagerly they reached for the food.

But before they could get it to their mouths, a hungry beggar appeared at the door. Rabi’a immediately gave him both loaves of bread.

This really bothered the two holy men, but they kept it to themselves.

Pretty soon a slave girl arrived, carrying a load of freshly baked bread. “My mistress sent this.:

Rabi’a counted the loaves. “I don’t think so,” she said. “There are only eighteen here.” Protets, denials, whatever the girl said, Rabi’a would not believe her.

(What’d happened was that the slave girl had taken two loaves for herself.)

So she went away and came back with the full twenty loaves. Rabi’a counted them again: “That’s more like it.”

So Rabi’a served the hungry holy men with twenty loaves instead of two. They were really baffled. “Two loaves, no loaves, twenty loaves, what does it all mean?” they asked.

“As soon as I saw you,” said Rabi’a, “I could tell you were hungry. Two little loaves of bread, how could that be enough for two holy men? Then I remembered the Promise: ‘You give one; I give ten.’ So I gave two to the beggar.

“But when only eighteen came back, I knew that there was either something wrong with my prayer, or that somebody had sticky fingers.”

Rabi’a al-Adawiyya

 

 

 

 

All good is from Allah Ta’ala whereas mistakes are from this humble speck. May Allah Ta’ala Bless all readers, bringing you all closer to Him and His Rasul SallAllahu alaihi wasallam.  May He accept our humble efforts and grant us the capacity to be good and do good. Ameen.