Generosity & Hospitality

At the time of his migration towards Medina, as the Holy Prophet (sa) was passing by the houses of Banu Sa‘idah, Hazrat Sa‘d (ra) bin Ubadah, Hazrat Munzir (ra) bin Amr and Hazrat Abu Dujana (ra) submitted to the Holy Prophet (sa), “O Messenger (sa) of Allah! Please come to us. We have honour, wealth, strength and power.”

Hazrat Sa‘d (ra) bin Ubadah also said, “O Messenger (sa) of Allah! There is nobody in my nation who would have more date orchards or more wells than me along with wealth, power and large numbers.”

Upon hearing this, the Holy Prophet (sa) replied, “O Abu Thabit! Make way for the camel. It has been ordered to follow a certain path. Thus, it will go where it pleases.”

(Subul al-Hudaa Wa al Rashaad, Vol. 3, Ch. 6, Fi Qudumuhi Batin al-Madinah…, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1993)

It is said that there was no house in the tribe of Aus and Khazraj where four consecutive generations of their men had displayed such high levels of generosity and open heartedness, except for Dulaim, then his son Ubadah, then his son Sa‘d, then his son Qais. There were many famous accounts about the generosity of Dulaim and his family.

(Usdul Ghabah, Vol. 2, p. 441, Sa‘d bin Ubadah (ra), Dar-ul-Kutub al Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 2003)

When the Holy Prophet (sa) came to Medina, Sa‘d (ra) used to send a big bowl daily for the Holy Prophet (sa) of either meat or thareed. The thareed which would consist of pieces of bread cooked in meat. The thareed would also be made of milk or from vinegar and olives. Hazrat Sa‘d (ra) also used to send a bowl of fat/tallow, but most often the bowl would consist of meat. Hazrat Sa‘d(ra) would also send the bowl of food to the houses of the wives of the Holy Prophet (sa).

(Al-Tabaqaat-ul-Kubra li ibn Sa‘d, Vol. 3, p. 461, Sa‘d bin Ubadah, Darul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1990)

According to some narrations, there were some days where there would be no food in the household of the Holy Prophet (sa).

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitabul Hibati wa Fadliha…, Bab Fadlul Hibati, Hadith 2567)

Thus, it may well be that Hazrat Sa‘d (ra) would send food majority of the time rather than on a daily basis, or that he used to send the food in the early days, or that perhaps, out of his generosity and concern for the poor, the Holy Prophet (sa) would distribute the food amongst the less-privileged or offer it to his guests, which is why no food would remain in his home. In any case, there is another narration in which Hazrat Zaid (ra) bin Thabit states:

“When the Holy Prophet (sa) stayed at the home of Hazrat Abu Ayyub Ansari (ra), he had nothing to offer. So the first thing I presented myself to the Holy Prophet (sa) was a bowl of thareed, consisting of wheat-bread, meat and milk. I presented it to the Holy Prophet (sa) and said, ‘O Messenger (sa) of Allah, my mother has sent this bowl for you’. The Holy Prophet (sa) replied, ‘May Allah grant His blessings upon it’. The Holy Prophet (sa) then called his companions (ra) and they also ate from it. I had only just reached the door when Hazrat Sa‘d (ra) bin Ubadah also came with a bowl, which was being carried upon the head of one of his servants, as if it was a large bowl. I stood at the door of Hazrat Aby Ayyub (ra) and I lifted the cloth from the bowl to see what was inside. I saw a bowl of thareed which also contained bones, which the servant then presented before the Holy Prophet (sa).”

Hazrat Zaid (ra) further narrates:

“We lived in the neighbourhood of Banu Malik bin Najjar and three or four of us would take turns to bring food every evening to the Holy Prophet (sa) during the seven months that the Holy Prophet(sa) resided in the house of Hazrat Abu Ayyub Ansari (ra). In that period, food would arrive to the Holy Prophet (sa) on a daily basis without fail from Hazrat Sa‘d (ra) bin Ubadah and from Hazrat Asad (ra) bin Zurarah.”

This particular narration has also clarified somewhat that food was brought to the Holy Prophet (sa) every day for the first seven months. It was no doubt also sent after that period, but perhaps without the same regularity. Hazrat Zaid (ra) then further states:

“Seeing as the Holy Prophet (sa) had stayed at the house of Umme Ayyub for seven months, when asked with regard to which of the food was the favourite of the Holy Prophet (sa), she answered, ‘I never witnessed the Holy Prophet (sa) ever requesting for something specific to be prepared for him. Similarly, I never saw the Holy Prophet (sa) criticise the food that was brought to him.’ Hazrat Ayyub (ra) told me that one night, Hazrat Sa‘d (ra) bin Ubadah sent a bowl for the Holy Prophet (sa) which contained tafaishal (a type of broth) which he drank to his fill. Apart from that occasion, I never once saw the Holy Prophet (sa) eating to his fill. Following this, we would also prepare the same dish for the Holy Prophet(sa).”

If food was ever brought to the Holy Prophet (sa), he would never request for anything, or ask for anything specific to be prepared or criticise the food in any way, nevertheless, he really liked this particular dish that was sent and enjoyed eating it. Thereafter, when the companions (ra) learnt that the Holy Prophet (sa) enjoyed this meal, they would prepare their food accordingly. Hazrat Zaid (ra) then states:

“We would also prepare harees, a well-known dish made from wheat and meat, which the Holy Prophet (sa) also enjoyed. For the evening meal, there would always be between five to sixteen companions (ra) with the Holy Prophet (sa), depending on the amount of food prepared.”

(Subul al Hudaa Wa al-Rashaad, Vol. 3, p. 275, Fi Qudumuhi Batin al-Madinah…, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1993) (Subul al-Hudaa Wa al-Rashaad, Vol. 3, p. 279, Fi Qudumuhi Batin al-Madinah…, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1993) (Lughaatul-Hadith, Vol. 1, p. 82, Awqiyah, Vol. 4, p. 572, Ali Asif Printers, Lahore, 2005)

Whilst mentioning the time the Holy Prophet (sa) resided at the home of Hazrat Abu Ayyub Ansari (ra), Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad Sahib (ra) writes:

“The Holy Prophet (sa) stayed in this home for seven months, or according to Ibni Ishaq, he remained here until the month of Safar 2 AH. In other words, the Holy Prophet (sa) remained here until the construction of Masjid-e-Nabawi, and the adjacent living-quarters of the Holy Prophet (sa). Abu Ayyub (ra) would present food to the Holy Prophet (sa), and then, whatever would remain of it, he would eat himself. Due to his love and sincerity, he would eat from where the Holy Prophet (sa) had taken his food. Other companions (ra) would also present food to the Holy Prophet (sa). As such, among these people the name of Sa‘d (ra) bin Ubadah, chieftain of the Khazraj tribe, has been mentioned particularly in history.”

(Sirat Khatamun-Nabiyyin, Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra), p. 268)

Hazrat Anas (ra) relates that Hazrat Sa‘d (ra) bin Ubadah said to the Holy Prophet (sa), “O Messenger (sa) of Allah, come and visit our home”.

So the Holy Prophet (sa) went with Hazrat Sa‘d (ra) to his house. Hazrat Sa‘d (ra) brought dates and sesame seeds for the Holy Prophet (sa), then a bowl of milk, which the Holy Prophet (sa) drank.”

(Subul al Hudaa Wa al-Rashaad, Vol. 7, p. 200, Ch. 4, Fi Aklihi At‘imah Mukhtalifah, Dar-ul-Kutub al-Ilmiyyah, Beirut, 1993)