Seerah / Madinah
The guest, the hungry children and the lamp
- Date
- Madinan period · date unknown
- Location
- Madinah
- People
- An Ansari couple, Abu Huraira (RA)
Abu Huraira (RA) narrates in Sahih al-Bukhari that an Ansari couple fed the Prophet's ﷺ guest with the little they had, put out the lamp so he would not notice they were not eating, and 59:9 was revealed about preferring others.
As it was narrated
The story, in the words of those who were there
Read slowly. These are the Companions' own words, from the verified hadith collections.
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ دَاوُدَ، عَنْ فُضَيْلِ بْنِ غَزْوَانَ، عَنْ أَبِي حَازِمٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ أَنَّ رَجُلاً، أَتَى النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَبَعَثَ إِلَى نِسَائِهِ فَقُلْنَ مَا مَعَنَا إِلاَّ الْمَاءُ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَنْ يَضُمُّ، أَوْ يُضِيفُ هَذَا ". فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ أَنَا. فَانْطَلَقَ بِهِ إِلَى ام…
Narrated Abu Huraira:A man came to the Prophet. The Prophet (ﷺ) sent a messenger to his wives (to bring something for that man to eat) but they said that they had nothing except water. Then Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Who will take this (person) or entertain him as a guest?" An Ansar man said, "I." So he took him to his wife and said to her, "Entertain generously the guest of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) " She said, "We have got nothing except the meals of my children." He said, "Prepare your meal, light your lamp and let your children sleep if they ask for supper." So she prepared her meal, lighted her lamp and made her children sleep, and then stood up pretending to mend her lamp, but she put it…
What Allah revealed
وَٱلَّذِينَ تَبَوَّءُو ٱلدَّارَ وَٱلۡإِيمَٰنَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡ يُحِبُّونَ مَنۡ هَاجَرَ إِلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا يَجِدُونَ فِي صُدُورِهِمۡ حَاجَةٗ مِّمَّآ أُوتُواْ وَيُؤۡثِرُونَ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمۡ وَلَوۡ كَانَ بِهِمۡ خَصَاصَةٞۚ وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفۡسِهِۦ فَأُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُفۡلِحُونَ
And [also for] those who were settled in al-Madinah and [adopted] the faith before them. They love those who emigrated to them and find not any want in their breasts of what the emigrants were given but give [them] preference over themselves, even though they are in privation. And whoever is protected from the stinginess of his soul - it is those who will be the successful
Lessons
- Generosity is shown most when we have little.
- Hide your good deeds so the other person keeps their dignity.
Lessons are editorial reflections drawn from the event and its sources.
Pause for a moment
Which moment of your own life does this remind you of? Sit with it for a minute, then send salawat on the one who lived it ﷺ.
Send salawat ﷺBibliography
- Sahih al-Bukhari 3798 (Abu Huraira) · primary source
- Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri, Ar-Raheeq al-Makhtum (further reading)