Question

Kindly provide the explanation of the following Hadith:

عن عائشة، قالت: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: يا عائشة، بيت لا تمر فيه جياع أهله، يا عائشة، بيت لا تمر فيه جياع أهله

 

Answer

Imam Muslim (rahimahullah) has recorded two versions of this Hadith.

1. Sayyidatuna ‘Aaishah (radiyallahu ‘anha) reported that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “A house which has dates will never suffer hunger.”

(Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 2046)

 

2. Sayyidatuna ‘Aaishah (radiyallahu ‘anha) reported that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “O ‘Aaishah! That home which does not have dates, its people will be hungry.” Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) repeated this twice or thrice.

(Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 2046. See here)

 

 

‘Allamah Nawawi (rahimahullah) states that this Hadith explains the virtue of dates as well as clarifies that it is permissible to store [excess] dates for one’s family.

(Sahih Muslim with Al Minhaj, Hadith: 5305)

 

Other commentators have stated that this Hadith refers to those regions wherein the staple food is dates. That home which has dates stored, its people will not be hungry. Dates were the staple food of the Arabian Peninsula and were regarded to be among the most valuable of fruits due to its nutritional benefit. [Therefore, any home that had dates, in actual fact had nutritional food]. This meaning is further supported by another narration recorded in Sunan Ibn Majah which states that that home which has no dates is like a house that has no food. (Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith: 3328. See here)

(Refer: Faydul Qadir, Hadith: 3165 and Mirqat, Hadith: 4189)

 

‘Allamah Tibi (rahimahullah) has offered a third possible explanation. He states that this Hadith is in actual fact encouraging one to be content, especially if he is living in a region that produces dates. Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) informed them that if you have dates, you will not be hungry if you are content. The real hungry person is he who does not even have dates.

(Refer: Sharhut Tibi ‘Alal Mishkatil Masabih, Hadith: 4189

 

And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.

 

Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala

 

Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar