Hadith # 1503
'Abdur-Rahman bin Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Companions of As-Suffah were poor people. The Prophet (PBUH) said, "Whoever has food enough for two people, should take a third one (from among them), and whoever has food enough for four persons, should take a fifth or sixth (or said something similar)." Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) took three people with him while Messenger of Allah (PBUH) took ten. Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) took his supper with the Prophet (PBUH) and stayed there till he offered the 'Isha' prayers. After a part of the night had passed, he returned to his house. His wife said to him: "What has detained you from your guests?" He said: "Have you not served supper to them?" She said: "They refused to take supper until you come." [Abdur-Rahman (Abu Bakr's son) or the servants] presented the meal to them but they refused to eat. I (the narrator) hid myself out of fear. Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) (my father) rebuked me. Then he said to them: "Please eat. By Allah! I will never eat the meal." 'Abdur-Rahman added: Whenever we took a morsel of the meal, the meal grew from underneath more than that morsel we had till everybody ate to his satisfaction; yet the remaining food was more than what was in the beginning. On seeing this, Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) called his wife and said: "O sister of Banu Firas! What is this?" She said: "O pleasure of my eyes! The food has increased thrice in quantity." Then Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with him) started eating. He said: "My oath not to take the meal was because of Satan." He took a morsel handful from it and carried the rest to the Prophet (PBUH). That food remained with him. In those days there was a treaty between us and the pagans and when the period of that treaty elapsed, he (PBUH) divided us into twelve groups and every group was headed by a man. Allah knows how many men were under the command of each leader. Anyhow, all of them ate of that meal.
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
Commentary
There are some more narrations in both Al-Bukhari and Muslim with very minor differences in wordings and in details. Commentary: We learn the following points from this Hadith: 1. It is permissible to take students of religious schools home for meals, as was the practice in certain areas in the past. 2. A father can admonish his children for disciplinary purposes. 3. If a better situation develops, one can break his vow and go for the new and better choice. It is, however, necessary to expiate for breaking the vow. 4. This Hadith affirms miracles. This is evident from the fact that a small quantity of food was so blessed by Allah that all the members of the family, guests, the Prophet (PBUH) and twelve "Arif" (leader) along with their companions took that food. (Gist of the text of Hadith from Fath Al-Bari, Kitab Al-Manaq.)
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