Ahmad 7173

Its isnad is sahih. Bukhari related it, 11:251, and Muslim, 2:387, through Muhammad bin Fudayl, from his father, with this isnad, in similar wording. Muslim also related it through Amash, from Umara bin Qaqa. Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah also related it, as noted in Targheeb wa Tarheeb, 4:100.Regarding his saying "sustenance," Ibn Athir said, that is, an amount of food that keeps a person's life going.Al-Hafiz mentioned in Fath al-Bari, quoting Ibn Battal, who said, this shows the merit of being content with sufficiency, taking only what is enough from this world, and abstaining from anything beyond that, out of a desire for the abundant bliss of the hereafter and a preference for what endures over what passes away. His nation should therefore follow his example in this.Qurtubi said, the meaning of the hadith is that he sought only sufficiency, for sustenance is what keeps the body going and meets its need. In this state lies safety from the harms of both wealth and poverty.