Bread of Rasul-Allah (saw)

CHAPTER ON THE BREAD OF SAYYIDINA RASULULLAH SALLA LAHU ALAYHI WA’ALE HI WASALLAM

Hazrat Sheikh-ul Hadeeth Maulana Muhammad Zakariyya Kandhelwi (R.A.) explains;

The type of bread that Sayyidina Rasulullah Salla lahu 'Alayhi Wa’ale Hi Wasallam ate is mentioned here.

Eight ahaadith are mentioned in this chapter.

(135) Hadith Number 1.

Sayyidina'Aayeshah Radiyallahu 'Anha says: "Till the passing of Rasulullah salla lahu'Alayhi Wa’ale Hi Wasallam, their family never ate a full stomach of bread made of barley for two consecutive days".

Commentary

lt is possible that they may have eaten a full stomach of dates, but not of bread, where they did not eat it for two consecutive days. A question may arise, that it is evident from the ahaadith that Sayyidina Rasulullah Salla lahu 'Alayhi Wa’ale Hi Wasallam gave their wives their expenses for a year. There seems to be a contradiction between the two ahaadith. The 'ulama have explained it in various ways. Among these, one explanation is that, in the hadith the word 'Ahl' (family) is extra and means that the expenses were for their self. It also shows that Sayydina Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi wasallam) did not have any other provisions. A narration is related on this topic from Sayyidina 'Aayeshah Radiyallahu 'Anha at the end of the chapter. Some 'ulama have explained it in this manner, that Sayydina Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi wasallam) gave their wives provision, but they also, in wanting to gain thawaab (reward), gave it away in charity. According to this humble servant there are two other explanations that may be possible. Since it is not taken from the sayings of the great learned, it cannot be taken as an argument or proof, but can surely be assumed. The first is that the yearly expenses were only that much, that they did not cover the cost of continuously eating bread for two consecutive days, but of eating bread sometimes, dates sometimes, and at times remaining hungry. The second is that it may have been in the form of dates. This is not denied in this hadith but that of eating bread is.

(136) Hadith Number 2.

Hasrat Abu Umaamah Al-Baahili Radiyallahu 'Anhu says: "Bread made of barley was never left over in the house of Rasulullah Salla lahu 'Alayhi Wa’ale Hi Wasallam".

Commentary

Whenever bread made of barley was prepared, the quantity was so little that there were none left over. There was not enough to fill the stomach. Also Sayyidina Rasulullah Salla lahu 'Alayhi Wa’ale Hi Wasallam used to have many guests and the As-haabus Suffah were permanent guests of Sayyidina Rasulullah Salla lahu 'Alayhi Wa’ale Hi Wasallam.

(137) Hadith Number 3.

Hasrat lbn 'Abbaas Radiyallahu 'Anhu reports that: "Rasulullah Salla lahu 'Alayhi Wa’ale Hi Wasallam and their blessed family spent many consecutive nights without food, because there would be no supper. The bread of Rasulullah Salla lahu 'Alayhi Wa’ale Hi Wasallam was mostly made of barley". (Sometimes bread made of wheat was also available).

Commentary

Although there were among the Sahaabah Radiyallahu 'Anhum, a few who were wealthy, Sayyidina Rasulullah Salla lahu 'Alayhi Wa’ale Hi Wasallam did not let anyone know, nor did their blessed family members let anyone know, of their state.

(138) Hadith Number 4.

Someone asked Hasrat Sahl bin Sa'd Radiyallahu 'Anhu "Did Rasulullah Salla lahu 'Alayhi Wa’ale Hi Wasallam ever eat bread made of white (fine) flour?" He replied: White flour may not have come before Rasulullah Salla lahu 'Alayhi Wa’ale Hi Wasallam till their last days". The questioner then asked: "Did you people use sieved flour in the time of Rasulullah Salla lahu 'Alayhi Wa’ale Hi Wasallam?"
He replied: "No, it was not". The questioner then asked: "How was bread from barley prepared?" (because it has more particles in it). Hasrat Sahl Radiyallahu Anhu replied: "We used to blow into the flour and the big particles flew out. The rest was made into dough".

Commentary

Allah! Allah is Everlasting. Today it is difficult for us to eat even wheat flour that is not sifted. Whereas unsifted flour is good for digestion. Bread made of fine flour although being heavy (and difficult to digest) has become common. Many homes, because of luxury have kept up this wasteful practice. Some 'ulama have written that the first bid'ah - innovation that crept into Islaam was the use of a sieve. This bid'ah should not be confused with shar'ee bid'ah, which is against the Sunnah. It is being called bid'ah in view of new trends. It is undoubtedly jaa iz (permissible).

(139) Hadith Number 5.

Hasrat Anas Radiyallahu 'Anhu reports that: "Rasulullah Salla lahu 'Alayhi Wa’ale Hi Wasallam never ate food from a table, nor from small plates, nor was thin bread ever made for Rasulullah Salla Lahu Alayhi’ Wa’ale Hi Wasallam. Hasrat Yunus Radiyallahu 'Anhu says, I asked Qataadah: 'Then on what did Rasulullah Salla lahu 'Alayhi Wa’ ale Wasallam put and eat their food'? He replied: ‘On this leather cloth’.

Commentary

Sayyidina Yunus Radiyallahu 'Anhu and Sayyidina Qataadah Radiyallahu 'Anhu who are mentioned in the translation are two narrators in the chain of this hadith. 'Allaamah Munaawi and Mulla 'Ali Qaari say that it has always been the custom of proud people to eat on a table. It has been stated in the 'Kaukabe Durri' that in our times because it is also an imitation of the Christians, therefore it is makruh tahreermi. The question of imitating others is very important. We have been warned many a time in the hadith (under different headings) about it. We have been prohibited from imitating others in the manner of eating, drinking, mode of dress and even that of worship. The subject of imitating others has been mentioned many a time in the ahaadith of the saum (fast) of 'Aa-shura and adhaan. We consider it an insignificant thing and do not take special care of it. To Allah is our complaint.

(140) Hadith Number 6.

Masruq says. "I went to Sayyidina 'Aayeshah (Radiyallahu 'Anha). She ordered' food for me and began saying 'I never eat a stomachful but feel like crying, then I do cry'. Masruq asked: 'Why do you feel like crying?'. She replied: 'I remember that condition of Rasulullah Salla lahu 'Alayhi Wa’ale Hi Wasallam on which they left us for the next world. I swear by Allah that, they never filled their stomach twice in one day with meat or bread"'.

(141) Hadith Number 7.

'Aayeshah Radiyallahu 'Anha says: "Rasulullah Salla lahu 'Alayhi Wa’ale Hi Wasallam never filled their stomach with bread made of barley for two consecutive days till they passed away".

Commentary

This is the same hadith that was mentioned in the beginning of the chapter. The only difference is, there the whole household was mentioned, here only Sayyidina Rasulullah Salla lahu 'Alayhi Wa’ale Hi Wasallam is mentioned. The aim is the same. Sayyidina Rasulullah Salla lahu 'Alayhi Wa’ale Hi Wasallam preferred a simple life for them self and their family. There was not so much, that all could fill their stomachs. Even if there was something available it was given to the poor.

(142) Hadith Number 8.

Hasrat Anas Radiyallahu 'Anhu says: "Till the time when Rasulullah Salla lahu 'Alayhi Wa’ale Hi Wasallam departed, they never ate on a table and never ate thin bread".

Commentary

This hadith is also mentioned in hadith number five of this chapter. It is clear from the narrations that Sayyidina Rasulullah Salla lahu 'Alayhi Wa’ale Hi Wasallam preferred a simple life. Whenever Allah Ta'aala sent an angel to ask Sayyidina Rasulullah Salla lahu 'Alayhi Wa’ale Hi Wasallam if they preferred to live a simple life with poverty and hunger or a life with wealth and pomp, Sayyidina Rasulullah Salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi wasallam always replied that they preferred the first (simple life). Many ahaadith are mentioned on this subject. The 'ulama give two explanations for this. The first is that because Sayyidina Rasulullah Salla lahu 'Alayhi Wa’ale Hi Wasallam preferred a simple way of life, only that much was made available as has been previously mentioned. Or that although it was available, in humbleness, Sayyidina Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi wasallam) did not consume it but distributed it.

Studying Ash-Shaam-il

The bread of Sayyidina Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi wasallam)

This chapter discusses the type of bread that was eaten by Sayydina Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi wasallam). Sayydina Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi wasallam) ate thick bread, which is still available in places such as Afghanistan. This type of bread is called ‘tameez’. Sayyidina Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi wasallam) did not have thin bread to eat, and did not eat flour in fact the hadeeth confirms that Sayyidina Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi wasallam) did not even see flour.

Sayyidina Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi wasallam) did not have enough Barley bread, which is the cheap bread for two days running. The authentic hadeeth confirms that Sayydina Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi wasallam) never had enough bread at any time, let alone have extra. In the household of our beloved Messenger (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi wasallam) there was always less than what was required. After the passing of Sayyidina Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi wasallam), Sayyidina Aayeshah (Ra) would cry when there would be enough in the house to eat, as she remembered the time of Sayyidina Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi wasallam).

The modest living of Sayydina Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi wasallam)

The modest lifestyle of Sayydina Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi wasallam) is striking and a lesson for the Ummah of the most elevated Messengers (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi wasallam). The authentic hadeeth confirms that Sayyidina Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi wasallam) would only have a maximum of one meal in any one day. Two meals were traditionally considered a sign of extravagance. Sayydina Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi wasallam) would sleep many nights without eating anything at all. The Sunnah also is to eat on the floor as Sayyidina Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi wasallam) throughout their worldly life, never ate on a table. Sayydina Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi wasallam) would eat on a ‘sufa’, which is a cloth.
In Islam, eating on a table is not haram - forbidden or makruh – undesirable but in light of the blessed Sunnah, eating on the floor should be followed. The blessed example of Sayyidina Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi wasallam) has countless benefits for mankind, for example eating on the floor prevents one from relaxing and over indulging.
In Islam, any type of greed is discouraged and therefore when we begin eating large portions, we will begin to have less regard for others. The noble practice of Sayyidina Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi wasallam) was to always eat with others, from one large plate not from a separate plate. This type of practice removes greed from our hearts and teaches to share. Sayyidina Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi wasallam) would not eat any appetizers, which has become the custom in recent times.

After the passing of Sayyidina Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi wasallam) as the Muslims began to migrate and as the centuries passed, these beautiful traditions of Sayyidina Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi wasallam) began to leave the Muslim Ummah. Migrating to other countries, meant that the Muslims began to bring a more sophisticated life.

Adopting the simple life of Sayyidina Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi wasallam)

The Ulama - scholars have strived to try to follow the blessed example of Sayyidina Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi wasallam) by adopting as many of the noble practices and explaining their benefits to the Muslim Ummah. Eating a moderate amount and going without food instills a discipline which benefits other areas of our life.

Scholars explain that when eating a modest amount this leads to sleeping less, which is beneficial. Modern culture is plagued by oversleeping which is discouraged by the Ulama. The scholars only sleep when they are overwhelmed by sleepiness, as having the intention to go to sleep is a sign of negligence. When we sleep more, we pray less. The Ulama explain that we should do something useful with our time such as pray naawafil, do more dhikr etc, not just sleep for the sake of it. The less we indulge in sleep, the more healthy our mind and body will be. Similarly we should only eat when our body is in need of food and we become hungry, not just because it is the meal time now. These are all the traditions of Islam based on the beautiful Sunnah of Sayyidina Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi wasallam) but unfortunately have been lost by the Ummah today.