Letters ( revised ) | THE NINETEENTH LETTER | 142
(111-259)
The Messenger (UWBP) told him: “Go and invite so-and-so (naming some persons), and also invite whomever you encounter on your way.” Anas invited those named and those he met. About three hundred Companions came and filled the Messenger’s (UWBP) room and anteroom. He said: “Make circles of ten.” He placed his blessed hand on that little amount of food, uttered supplications, and told them to help themselves. All of them ate and were fully satisfied. Afterwards the Messenger (UWBP) asked Anas to remove the food. Anas later related: “I could not tell if there was more of it when I set it down, or when I removed it.” [96]

S e c o n d  E x a m p l e : Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, the Prophet’s (UWBP) host, relates  that  when  the  Noble  Messenger  (Upon  whom  be  blessings  and  peace) honoured  his  house,  he  had  prepared  a  meal  for  two,  which  would  suffice  the Messenger  (UWBP) and Abu Bakr. But the Messenger  (UWBP)  told him: “Invite thirty men from among the distinguished  Ansar!”[97]  Abu Ayyub said: “Thirty men came and ate. He then said: ‘Invite sixty men,’ which I did, and they also came and ate.  The Prophet  (UWBP)  said  again: ‘Invite  seventy more.’  I invited  them;  they came, and when they finished eating, there was still food left in the bowls. All who came embraced Islam and took the oath of allegiance after witnessing this miracle. One hundred and eighty men ate the food of two men.” [98]

T h i r d  E x a m p l e : It is reported through many chains of transmission from ‘Umar  b. al-Khattab,  Abu  Hurayra,  Salama  b.  Akwa‘,  Abu  ‘Amrat  al-Ansari  and others that on one expedition, the army went hungry. They referred themselves to the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace), and he told them: “Gather whatever food is left in your saddle-bags.” Everyone brought a few pieces of dates and put them on a mat. The most they could put together was four handfuls. Salama related:  “I  estimated  it  amounted  to  the  size  of  a  sitting  goat.”  Then  the  Noble Messenger  (Upon whom be blessings  and peace) announced:  “Everyone  bring his dish!” They pressed forward, and no one in the whole army remained with an empty dish,  all  the  dishes  were  filled.  There  was  even  some  left  over.  One  of  the Companions later said: “I realized from the way that increase was obtained that if the whole world had come, the food still would have been sufficient.” [99]

 

 

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[96] Bukhari, Nikah, 64; Muslim, Nikah, 94, 95; Tirmidhi, 33:21; Nasa’i, Nikah, 84; Abu Da’ud, Adab, 95; Musnad, iii, 29; v, 462; Qadi Iyad, al-Shifa’, i, 294.

[97] Ansar–Helpers: those of the Medinan Companions who had the migrants from Mecca to stay in their houses. (Tr.)

[98] Qadi Iyad, al-Shifa’, i, 292; al-Haythami, al-Majma’ al Zawa’id, vii, 303; al-Khafaji, Sharh al- Shifa’, iii, 33; ‘Ali al-Qari, Sharh al-Shifa’, i, 604.

[99] Bukhari, Sharika, 1; Jihad, 123; Muslim, Iman, 44, 45; Musnad, iii, 11, 418.

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Letters ( revised )