Question
Is there an incident which prompted Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (radiyallahu ‘anhuma) to narrate the following Hadith? I have heard this narration together with an incident.
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) is reported to have said:
“He who gives cloth to any destitute Muslim, remains in the security of Allah as long as a single piece remains on his body.”
Answer
Yes. The full narration as recorded in Sunan Tirmidhi is as follows:
A beggar once came to Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (radiyallahu ‘anhuma). Ibn ‘Abbas (radiyallahu ‘anhuma) asked him, ‘Do you testify that there is none worthy of worship but Allah’? He said, ‘Yes’. Ibn ‘Abbas (radiyallahu ‘anhuma) then asked, ‘Do you testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah’? He said, ‘Yes’. Ibn ‘Abbas (radiyallahu ‘anhuma) asked, ‘Do you fast in Ramadan’? When he replied in the affirmative, Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas (radiyallahu ‘anhuma) said, ‘You asked, and the beggar has a right. It is your right that I give you something.’
Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbas (radiyallahu ‘anhuma) then gave him a garment and said, ‘I heard Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) say, ‘He who gives cloth to any destitute Muslim, remains in the security of Allah as long as a single piece remains on his body.’
(Sunan Tirmidhi, Hadith: 2484. See here)
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.
Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala
Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar
Checked by: Moulana Haroon Abasoomar