Road Trips & Food (Ahadith 2619 – 2622)

Bismillah.

Volume 4, Book 52, Number 223 :
Narrated by Jabir bin ‘Abdullah (radiallaahu `anhu)
During the life-time of the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) we used to take the meat of sacrificed animals (as journey food) to Medina.

How they preserve that meat for the length of their travel, I have no idea! Lucky for us, we live in the age of coolers and ice packs.

Volume 4, Book 52, Number 224 :
Narrated by Suwaid bin An-Nu’man (radiallaahu `anhu)
That he went out in the company of the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) during the year of Khaibar (campaign till they reached a place called As-Sahba’, the lower part of Khaibar. They offered the ‘Asr prayer (there) and the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) asked for the food. Nothing but Sawiq was brought to the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam). So, they chewed it and ate it and drank water. After that the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) got up, washed his mouth, and they too washed their mouths and then offered the prayer.

Sawiq is a kind of barley porridge.

Volume 4, Book 52, Number 225 :
Narrated by Salama (radiallaahu `anhu)
Once the journey-food of the people ran short and they were in great need. So, they came to the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) to take his permission for slaughtering their camels, and he permitted them. Then ‘Umar (radiallaahu `anhu) met them and they informed him about it. He said, “What will sustain you after your camels (are finished)?” Then ‘Umar (radiallaahu `anhu) went to the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) and said, “O Allah’s Apostle! What will sustain them after their camels (are finished)?” Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “Make an announcement amongst the people that they should bring all their remaining food (to me).” (They brought it and) the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) invoked Allah and asked for His Blessings for it. Then he asked them to bring their food utensils and the people started filling their food utensils with their hands till they were satisfied. Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) then said, “I testify that None has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and I am His Apostle. “

Volume 4, Book 52, Number 226 :
Narrated by Wahb bin Kaisan
Jabir bin ‘Abdullah (radiallaahu `anhu) said, “We set out, and we were three-hundred men carrying our journey-food on our shoulders. Then we began to eat a single date each per day.” A man asked (Jabir), “O Abu ‘Abdullah! How could a person be satisfied with a single date?” Jabir (radiallaahu `anhu) replied, “We realized the value of that one date when we could not even have that much till we reached the sea-shore, when all of a sudden we saw a huge fish cast by the sea. So, we ate of it as much as we wished for eighteen days.”

Here are some tips on packing food for road trips.

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The Two-Belted Woman (Hadith No. 2618)

Bismillah.

When the time came for the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, to migrate from Mecca to Medina, a plan was devised for him to migrate in secret with his great and loyal companion Abu Bakr as-Siddique. Though she was just a young girl at the time, it was the courageous Asma’ who gathered food and water for the great journey her father and The Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, were about to make.

She was the sister of ‘Aishah bint Abu Bakr, the wife of the Prophet Muhammad, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. Her father Abu Bakr, her husband Az-Zubayr, and her son, Abdullah ibn Az-Zubayr were all famous companions of the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. After her parents accepted Islam, Asma’ and her siblings were raised in an atmosphere of Islamic faith and practice.

Volume 4, Book 52, Number 222 :
Narrated by Asma (radiallaahu `anhaa)
I prepared the journey-food for Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) in Abu Bakr’s (radiallaahu `anhu) house when he intended to emigrate to Medina. I could not find anything to tie the food-container and the water skin with. So, I said to Abu Bakr (radiallaahu `anhu), “By Allah, I do not find anything to tie (these things) with except my waist belt.” He said, “Cut it into two pieces and tie the water-skin with one piece and the food-container with the other (the sub-narrator added, “She did accordingly and that was the reason for calling her Dhatun-Nitaqain (i.e. two-belted woman)).”

The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) blessed her and said that in place of this one girdle that she sacrificed, she would get two in Paradise. So, he implied that she would go to Paradise. In this manner the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) gave the news of a glorious Hereafter to his faithful Companions.

In another narration, Aisha said about this time: “…One day, while we were sitting in Abu Bakr’s house, someone said to Abu Bakr, “This is Allah’s Apostle with his head covered coming at a time at which he never used to visit us before.” Abu Bakr said, “May my parents be sacrificed for him. By Allah, he has not come at this hour except for a great necessity.” So Allah’s Apostle came and asked permission to enter, and he was allowed to enter. When he entered, he said to Abu Bakr. “Tell everyone who is present with you to go away.” Abu Bakr replied, “There are none but your family. May my father be sacrificed for you, O Allah’s Apostle!” The Prophet said, “I have been given permission to migrate.” Abu Bakr said, “Shall I accompany you? May my father be sacrificed for you, O Allah’s Apostle!” Allah’s Apostle said, “Yes.” Abu Bakr said, “O Allah’s Apostle! May my father be sacrificed for you, take one of these two she-camels of mine.” Allah’s Apostle replied, “I will accept it with payment.” So we prepared the baggage quickly and put some journey food in a leather bag for them. Asma’, Abu Bakr’s daughter, cut a piece from her waist belt and tied the mouth of the leather bag with it, and for that reason she was named Dhat-un-Nitaqain (i.e. the owner of two belts)…”

It’s related in the Sahih of Bukhari that when Asma’ was married to Zubayr bin ‘Awam, he was a very pious but poor man.

Asma’ narrated: “When Az-Zubayr married me, he had neither land, nor wealth, nor slave, nor anything else like it, except a camel to get water and his horse. I used to graze his horse, provide fodder for it, look after it and ground dates for his camel. Besides this, I grazed the camel, made arrangements for providing it with water and patching up his leather bucket and kneading the flour. I was not very good at baking the bread, so my female neighbors used to bake bread for me and they were sincere women. And I used to carry on my head, the date-stones from the land of az-Zubayr which the Prophet sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam had endowed him and it was a distance of two miles from Madinah.

One day, as I was carrying the date-stones upon my head, I happened to meet Allah’s Messenger, sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, along with a group of his Companions. He called me and told the camel to sit down so that he could make me ride behind him. I felt shy to go with men and I remembered Az-Zubayr and his ghirah (ghirah is the sense of pride that a man has which causes him to dislike his wives, daughters or sisters from being seen or heard by strangers – it is this ghirah which makes a man protective about his women) and he was a man having the most ghirah. The Messenger sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam understood my shyness and left.

I came to Az-Zubayr and said, ‘The Messenger of Allah met me as I was carrying date-stones upon my head and there was with him a group of his Companions. He told the camel to kneel so that I could mount it but I felt shy from him and I remembered your ghirah.’ Upon this Az-Zubayr said, ‘By Allah, the thought of you carrying date-stones upon your head is more severe a burden to me than you riding with him.’

I led this life of hardship until Abu Bakr sent me a female servant who took upon herself the responsibility of looking after the horse and I felt as if she had emancipated me.”

Abdullah ibn Az-Zubayr grew to become a great man and a noble companion, known for his fortitude and accomplishments on the battlefield. Towards the end of his life, the Muslims were split over who should take khalifa. Abdullah ibn Az-Zubayr refused to accept the caliphate of Bani Umayyah and rose his own army in Mecca to fight against Hajjaj. But the army of Hajjaj surrounded Mecca, refused to allow food to enter, and laid siege to the city with catapults, greatly weakening and eventually defeating ibn Az-Zubayr’s army.
As Hajjaj’s forces entered into Mecca, they gave Abdullah ibn Az-Zubayr three choices: (1) be taken into custody and delivered to the khalifa in Damascus; (2) leave Mecca and surrender all the lands that he had overcome such as Egypt, Iraq and Yemen; and (3) try to continue fighting.
At this critical time, Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr decided to seek advice from none other than his mother, Asma’ bint Abu Bakr, who at this time was over 100 years old mashaAllah.
Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr said to his mother: “So the people have left me by myself, even my own son. No one is with me except a handful of people, all I have is an hour of patience and then death and if I were to do what the people want me to do then I will be free.”
This was her response.

Read more on her piety, patience and courage here.

A Sheep for 130 Men (Hadith No. 2285)

Bismillah.

Volume 3, Book 47, Number 787:
Narrated ‘Abdur-Rahman bin Abu Bakr (radiallaahu `anhumaa):
We were one-hundred and thirty persons accompanying the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) who asked us whether anyone of us had food. There was a man who had about a Sa of wheat which was mixed with water then. A very tall pagan came driving sheep. The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) asked him, “Will you sell us (a sheep) or give it as a present?” He said, “I will sell you (a sheep).” The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) bought a sheep and it was slaughtered. The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) ordered that its liver and other abdominal organs be roasted. By Allah, the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) gave every person of the one-hundred-and-thirty a piece of that; he gave all those of them who were present; and kept the shares of those who were absent.The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) then put its meat in two huge basins and all of them ate to their fill, and even then more food was left in the two basins which were carried on the camel (or said something like it).

This was one of the miracles of the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam). It wouldn’t take a believer to see it.

Did Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) Die a Martyr? (Hadith No. 2284)

Bismillah.

Volume 3, Book 47, Number 786:
Narrated Anas bin Malik (radiallaahu `anhu):
A Jewess brought a poisoned (cooked) sheep for the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) who ate from it. She was brought to the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) and he was asked, “Shall we kill her?” He said, “No.” I continued to see the effect of the poison on the palate of the mouth of Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam).

Al-Nawawi said: It is as if the poison still left some trace of blackness etc.

The name of this woman was Zaynab bint al-Haarith, the wife of Salaam ibn Mashkam, one of the leaders of the Jews.

The reports differ as to whether or not she was killed. It seems that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not kill her at first, but when Bishr ibn al-Bara’ ibn Ma’roor died as a result of the effects of this food, then he executed her as a qisaas punishment.

Al-Bukhaari (5777) narrated that Abu Hurayrah said:  When Khaybar was conquered, a roasted poisoned sheep was presented to the Prophet as a gift (by the Jews). The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Let all the Jews who have been here, be assembled before me.” The Jews were gathered and the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Will you now tell me the truth, if I ask you about something?” They replied, “Yes.” He asked, “Have you poisoned this sheep?” They said, “Yes.” He asked, “What made you do that?” They said, “We wanted to know if you were a liar in which case we would have got rid of you, and if you are a Prophet then the poison would not harm you.”

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to feel ill because of this food, and he would be treated with cupping for that.

That had an impact in causing his death, so he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) died as a martyr (shaheed), as Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) said:

“If I were to swear by Allaah nine times that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was killed, that is more beloved to me than swearing once, because Allaah made him a Prophet and made him a martyr.” Narrated by Ahmad, 3617. The editors said, its isnaad is saheeh according to the conditions of Muslim.

Al-Sindi said: The words “he was killed” mean by the poison in the meat of the sheep’s foreleg that he ate, when the effects of that appeared when he was dying.

Quoted from Haashiyat al-Musnad, 6/116.

Al-Bukhaari narrated in his Saheeh, in a mu’allaq report, and al-Haakim narrated in his Mustadrak in a mawsool report, that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to say, in the illness which would be his last, ‘O ‘Aa’ishah, I still feel the pain of the food that I ate in Khaybar, and this time I feel that my aorta is being cut from that poison.”

The aorta is the vein that is towards the back and is connected to the heart; if it is cut then the person will die.

The conquest of Khaybar took place in Muharram or Rabee’ al-Awwal of the year 7 AH. So this event took place four years before the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) died.

Taken from IslamQA.

Rabbit (Hadith No. 2244)

Bismillah.

Ahadith 2241 – 224 (below) are repeats. See linked text for related posts.

Volume 3, Book 47, Number 743:
Narrated Sahl (radiallaahu `anhu):
The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) sent for a woman from the emigrants and she had a slave who was a carpenter. The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said to her “Order your slave to prepare the wood (pieces) for the pulpit.” So, she ordered her slave who went and cut the wood from the tamarisk and prepared the pulpit, for the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam). When he finished the pulpit, the woman informed the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) that it had been finished. The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) asked her to send that pulpit to him, so they brought it. The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) lifted it and placed it at the place in which you see now.”

Volume 3, Book 47, Number 744:
Narrated ‘Abdullah bin Abu Qatada Al-Aslami:
That his father said, “One day I was sitting with some of the Prophet’s (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) companions on the way to Mecca. Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) was ahead of us. All of my companions were in the state of Ihram while I was a non-Muhrim. They saw an onager while I was busy repairing my shoes, so they did not tell me about it but they wished I had seen it. By chance I looked up and saw it. So, I turned to the horse, saddled it and rode on it, forgetting to take the spear and the whip. I asked them if they could hand over to me the whip and the spear but they said, ‘No, by Allah, we shall not help you in that in any way.’ I became angry and got down from the horse, picked up both the things and rode the horse again. I attacked the onager and slaughtered it, and brought it (after it had been dead). They took it (cooked some of it) and started eating it, but they doubted whether it was allowed for them to eat it or not, as they were in the state of Ihram. So, we proceeded and I hid with me one of its fore-legs. When we met Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) and asked him about the case, he asked, ‘Do you have a portion of it with you?’ I replied in the affirmative and gave him that fleshy fore-leg which he ate completely while he was in the state of Ihram.

Volume 3, Book 47, Number 745:
Narrated Anas (radiallaahu `anhu):
Once Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) visited us in this house of ours and asked for something to drink. We milked one of our sheep and mixed it with water from this well of ours and gave it to him. Abu Bakr (radiallaahu `anhu) was sitting on his left side and ‘Umar (radiallaahu `anhu) in front of him and a bedouin on his right side. When Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) finished, ‘Umar (radiallaahu `anhu) said to Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam), “Here is Abu Bakr (radiallaahu `anhu).” But Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) gave the remaining milk to the bedouin and said twice, “The (persons on the) right side! So, start from the right side.” Anas (radiallaahu `anhu) added, “It is a Sunnah (the Prophet’s traditions)” and repeated it thrice.

Today’s Hadith:

Volume 3, Book 47, Number 746:
Narrated Anas (radiallaahu `anhu):
We chased a rabbit at Mar-al-Zahran and the people ran after it but were exhausted. I overpowered and caught it, and gave it to Abu Talha (radiallaahu `anhu) who slaughtered it and sent its hip or two thighs to Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam). (The narrator confirms that he sent two thighs). The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) accepted that. (The sub-narrator asked Anas (radiallaahu `anhu), “Did the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam); eat from it?” Anas (radiallaahu `anhu) replied, “He ate from it.”)

Basically all animals are Halal except those that are made unlawful in Shari’a.
Allah says (interpretation of meaning): {Say (O Muhammad SAW): “I find not in that which has been inspired to me anything forbidden to be eaten by one who wishes to eat it, unless it be Maytah (a dead animal) or blood poured forth (by slaughtering or the like), or the flesh of swine (pork, etc.) for that surely is impure, …} [6: 145].

The Hadith establishes a rule concerning the birds and animals that are Haram, the Hadith reads: “Eating of all fanged beasts of prey, and all the birds having talons is forbidden”. [Reported by Imam Muslim ].

Therefore, eating a rabbit is permissible, and it is proved in Sahihain that “the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) and his companions ate its meat” .
Rabbit is Halal and no one from Muslim scholars opposed this ruling.