The people of the Suffah were guests of the Muslim community. They had no family to shelter with and no wealth to rely on. By Allah, beside whom there is no god, hunger would force me to press my belly against the ground, and I would tie a stone over my stomach to ease the pangs of hunger.One day I sat by the path the companions used to take when going out. Abu Bakr passed by, and I asked him about a verse from the Book of Allah, asking him only so that he might feed me. But he passed on without doing so.Then Umar passed by, and I asked him about a verse from the Book of Allah, asking him only so that he might feed me. But he too passed on without doing so.Then Abu Qasim ﷺ passed by. He smiled when he saw me and said, "Abu Hurayrah."I replied, "At your service, Messenger of Allah."He said, "Come along," and continued on his way. I followed him, and he entered his home. I asked permission to enter, and he granted it. He found a cup of milk inside and asked, "Where did this milk come from?"He was told, "So-and-so gave it to us as a gift."The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Abu Hurayrah."I replied, "At your service."He said, "Go to the people of the Suffah and call them to me."Now the people of the Suffah were the guests of Islam, with no family to shelter with and no wealth. Whenever charity came to the Prophet, he would send it to them and take none of it for himself. Whenever a gift came to him, he would send for them, partake of it, and share it with them.This troubled me. I thought to myself, "What good is this single cup among all the people of the Suffah? I am his messenger to them, and he will surely command me to pass it around among them. What share will be left for me? I had been hoping to get something from it that would satisfy my hunger." But there was no escape from obeying Allah and obeying His Messenger.So I went to them and called them. When they came in to him and took their seats, he said, "Abu Hurayrah, take the cup and give it to them."I took the cup and began handing it to one man after another. Each would drink until he was full and then return it. I would pass it to the next, until I finally brought it back to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ after every one of them had drunk his fill.The Messenger of Allah ﷺ took the cup, placed it on his hand, then raised his head, smiled, and said, "Abu Hurayrah, drink."I drank.Then he said, "Drink." So I kept drinking, and he kept saying, "Drink," until I said, "By the One who sent you with the truth, I can find no place left for it."So he took the cup, praised Allah, pronounced His name, and drank.
حدثنا هناد حدثنا يونس بن بكير حدثني عمر بن ذر حدثنا مجاهد
كان أهل الصفة أضياف أهل الإسلام لا يأوون على أهل ولا مال والله الذي لا إله إلا هو إن كنت لأعتمد بكبدي على الأرض من الجوع وأشد الحجر على بطني من الجوع ولقد قعدت يوما على طريقهم الذي يخرجون فيه فمر بي أبو بكر فسألته عن آية من كتاب الله ما أسأله إلا ليشبعني فمر ولم يفعل ثم مر بي عمر فسألته عن آية من كتاب الله ما أسأله إلا ليشبعني فمر ولم يفعل ثم مر أبو القاسم ﷺ فتبسم حين رآني وقال أبا هريرة قلت لبيك يا رسول الله قال الحق ومضى فاتبعته ودخل منزله فاستأذنت فأذن لي فوجد قدحا من لبن فقال من أين هذا اللبن لكم قيل أهداه لنا فلان فقال رسول الله ﷺ أبا هريرة قلت لبيك فقال الحق إلى أهل الصفة فادعهم وهم أضياف الإسلام لا يأوون على أهل ولا مال إذا أتته صدقة بعث بها إليهم ولم يتناول منها شيئا وإذا أتته هدية أرسل إليهم فأصاب منها وأشركهم فيها فساءني ذلك وقلت ما هذا القدح بين أهل الصفة وأنا رسوله إليهم فسيأمرني أن أديره عليهم فما عسى أن يصيبني منه وقد كنت أرجو أن أصيب منه ما يغنيني ولم يكن بد من طاعة الله وطاعة رسوله فأتيتهم فدعوتهم فلما دخلوا عليه فأخذوا مجالسهم فقال أبا هريرة خذ القدح وأعطهم فأخذت القدح فجعلت أناوله الرجل فيشرب حتى يروى ثم يرده فأناوله الآخر حتى انتهيت به إلى رسول الله ﷺ وقد روى القوم كلهم فأخذ رسول الله ﷺ القدح فوضعه على يديه ثم رفع رأسه فتبسم فقال أبا هريرة اشرب فشربت ثم قال اشرب فلم أزل أشرب ويقول اشرب حتى قلت والذي بعثك بالحق ما أجد له مسلكا فأخذ القدح فحمد الله وسمى ثم شرب