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GIVING CHARITY IN DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES

566

“A man came to the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, saying, ‘I am very hungry.’ So the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, sent a message to one of his wives and she sent back the message, ‘By Him who has sent you with the truth, I have nothing but water.’ So he sent a message to another of his wives and received the same reply. He sent messages to each one of his wives in turn and they all gave the same reply. Then he asked, ‘Who will take this person to be his guest?’ One of the Ansar replied, ‘O Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, I will.’ So he took him home and said to his wife, ‘Honor the guest of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him.’

He asked his wife, ‘Have you anything?’ She replied, ‘Nothing, except a little food for the children.’ He said, ‘Distract them with something, and when they ask for food put them to bed. When our guest comes extinguish the light, and let him feel that we are also eating.’

So they sat down, their guest ate and they went to bed hungry. In the morning he (the Ansar) went to the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, who said to him, ‘Allah, the Exalted is very pleased with your behavior towards your guest last night.’"

Bukhari and Muslim with a chain up to Abu Hurairah who related this hadith