increase was obtained that if the whole world had come, the food still would have been sufficient.”1
F o u r t h E x a m p l e : As recorded in all of the six books including Bukhari and Muslim, ‘Abd al-Rahman b. Abu Bakr al-Siddiq relates: “We, one hundred and thirty Companions, were with the Noble Messenger (UWBP) on an expedition. About four handfuls of dough were prepared and a goat was slaughtered and cooked, and its liver and kidneys roasted. I swear by God that from that roasted meat (the liver and kidneys) God’s Messenger (UWBP) gave a small piece to each and put the cooked meat into two large bowls. After we had all eaten until we were filled there was still some left over, which I loaded onto a camel.”2
F i f t h E x a m p l e : As is recorded in the six books, Jabir al-Ansari related under oath: “During the Ahzab expedition on the celebrated day of Khandaq, about a thousand people ate from four handfuls of rye bread and a young cooked goat; yet food was still left over. That day the food had been cooked in my house, and after the one thousand people had left, the pot was still boiling with meat in it, and bread was being made from the dough; for the Noble Messenger (UWBP) had wetted the dough and the pot with his blessed mouth, beseeching God for plenty.”3
S i x t h E x a m p l e : According to an authentic narration from Abu Talha, the uncle of Anas who served God’s Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace), the Messenger (UWBP) fed seventy to eighty men with a small amount of rye bread that Anas had brought under his arm. The Messenger (UWBP) ordered: “Break the bread into small pieces!”, and prayed for increase. Because the house was small, they came ten at a time, and left having filled themselves.4
S e v e n t h E x a m p l e : It is related as authentic in accurate books such as al-Shifa’ al-Sharif and Muslim that Jabir al-Ansari narrated: “Once a man asked the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) for food for his household. The Messenger (UWBP) gave him a half load of barley. For a long time he ate of the barley together with his family and guests. From time to time they would take a look at it, but it never finished. Then they measured it to see how much it had decreased. After that the
Bukhari, Sharika, 1; Jihad, 123; Muslim, Iman, 44, 45; Musnad, iii, 11, 418.
Bukhari, Hiba, 28; At’ima, 6; Muslim, Ashriba, 175; Musnad, i, 197, 198; al-Sa’ati, al-Fath al-Rabbani, xx, 55.
Bukhari, Maghazi, 29; Muslim, Ashriba, 141; al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, iii, 31; ‘Ali al-Qari, Sharh al-Shifa’, i, 290; Suyuti, Kanz al-‘Ummal, xii, 409, 424.
Bukhari, At’ima, 6, 48; Muslim, Ashriba, 142, 143; Musnad, iii, 218; ‘Ali al-Qari, Sharh al-Shifa’, i, 291, 297; al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, iii, 31.