Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.

ذِكْرُ مَا يُسْتَحَبُّ لِلْمَرْءِ إِيثَارُ الْأَضْيَافِ عَلَى إِشْبَاعِ عِيَالِهِ إِذَا عَلِمَ أَنَّ ذَلِكَ لَا يَضُرُّهُمْ

ibnhibban:5286Abū Yaʿlá > Abū Khaythamah > Jarīr b. ʿAbd al-Ḥamīd > Fuḍayl b. Ghazwān > Abū Ḥāzim > Abū Hurayrah

I am hard pressed by hunger. He sent (message) to one of his wives (to procure food for him). but she said: By Him Who has sent you with Truth, thrre is nothing with me (to serve him) but only water. He (the Holy Prophet) then sent the (same) message to another, and she gave the same reply, until all of them gave the same reply: By Him Who has sent thee with the Truth, there is nothing with me but only water, whereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: Allah would show mercy to him who will entertain this guest tonight. A person from the Ansar stood up and said: Messenger of Allah, I (am ready to entertain). He took him to his house and said to his wife: Is there anything with you (to serve the gdest)? She said: No, but only a subsistence for our children. He said: Distract their attention with something, and when the guest enters extinguish the lamp and give him the impression that we are eating. So they sat down. and the guest had his meal. When it was morning he went to Allah's Apostle ﷺ who said: Allah was well pleased with what you both did for your guest this night. (Using translation from Muslim 2054a)  

ابن حبّان:٥٢٨٦أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو يَعْلَى قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو خَيْثَمَةَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرُ بْنُ عَبْدٍ الْحَمِيدِ عَنْ فُضَيْلِ بْنِ غَزْوَانَ عَنْ أَبِي حَازِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ

جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ إِنِّي مَجْهُودٌ فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَى بَعْضِ نِسَائِهِ فَقَالَتْ وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ نَبِيًّا مَا عِنْدِي إِلَّا مَاءٌ ثُمَّ أَرْسَلَ إِلَى أُخْرَى فَقَالَتْ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ حَتَّى قُلْنَ كُلُّهُنَّ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ «مَنْ يُضِيفُ هَذَا اللَّيْلَةَ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ» فَقَامَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ فَقَالَ أَنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَانْطَلَقَ بِهِ إِلَى رَحْلِهِ فَقَالَ لِامْرَأَتِهِ هَلْ عِنْدَكِ شَيْءٌ؟ قَالَتْ لَا إِلَّا قُوتُ صِبْيَانِي قَالَ فَعَلِّلِيهِمْ بِشَيْءٍ فَإِذَا دَخَلَ ضَيْفُنَا فَأَضِيئِي * السِّرَاجَ وَأَرِيهِ أَنَّا نَأْكُلُ فَإِذَا أَهْوَى لِيَأْكُلَ قَوْمِي إِلَى السِّرَاجِ حَتَّى تُطْفِئِيهِ قَالَ فَقَعَدُوا وَأَكَلَ الضَّيْفُ فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ غَدَا عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَقَالَ «لَقَدْ عَجِبَ اللَّهُ مِنْ صَنِيعِكُمَا اللَّيْلَةَ»  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Bukhārī, Muslim, Ḥākim, Ibn Ḥibbān
bukhari:4889Yaʿqūb b. Ibrāhīm b. Kathīr > Abū Usāmah > Fuḍayl b. Ghazwān > Abū Ḥāzim al-Ashjaʿī > Abū Hurayrah

A man came to Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! I am suffering from fatigue and hunger." The Prophet ﷺ sent (somebody) to his wives (to get something), but the messenger found nothing with them. Then Messenger of Allah ﷺ said (to his companions). "Isn't there anybody who can entertain this man tonight so that Allah may be merciful to him?" An Ansari man got up and said, "I (will, entertain him), O Messenger of Allah ﷺ!" So he went to his wife and said to her, "This is the guest of Messenger of Allah ﷺ, so do not keep anything away from him." She said. "By Allah, I have nothing but the children's food." He said, "When the children ask for their dinner, put them to bed and put out the light; we shall not take our meals tonight," She did so. In the morning the Ansari man went to Messenger of Allah ﷺ who said, "Allah was pleased with (or He bestowed His Mercy) on so-and-so and his wife (because of their good deed)." Then Allah revealed: 'But give them preference over themselves even though they were in need of that.' (59.9)  

البخاري:٤٨٨٩حَدَّثَنِي يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ كَثِيرٍ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ حَدَّثَنَا فُضَيْلُ بْنُ غَزْوَانَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو حَازِمٍ الأَشْجَعِيُّ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ؓ قَالَ

أَتَى رَجُلٌ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَصَابَنِي الْجَهْدُ فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَى نِسَائِهِ فَلَمْ يَجِدْ عِنْدَهُنَّ شَيْئًا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَلاَ رَجُلٌ يُضَيِّفُ هَذِهِ اللَّيْلَةَ يَرْحَمُهُ اللَّهُ فَقَامَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ فَقَالَ أَنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَذَهَبَ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ فَقَالَ لاِمْرَأَتِهِ ضَيْفُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ لاَ تَدَّخِرِيهِ شَيْئًا قَالَتْ وَاللَّهِ مَا عِنْدِي إِلاَّ قُوتُ الصِّبْيَةِ قَالَ فَإِذَا أَرَادَ الصِّبْيَةُ الْعَشَاءَ فَنَوِّمِيهِمْ وَتَعَالَىْ فَأَطْفِئِي السِّرَاجَ وَنَطْوِي بُطُونَنَا اللَّيْلَةَ فَفَعَلَتْ ثُمَّ غَدَا الرَّجُلُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ لَقَدْ عَجِبَ اللَّهُ ﷻ أَوْ ضَحِكَ مِنْ فُلاَنٍ وَفُلاَنَةَ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ ﷻ {وَيُؤْثِرُونَ عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ}  

muslim:2054aZuhayr b. Ḥarb > Jarīr b. ʿAbd al-Ḥamīd > Fuḍayl b. Ghazwān > Abū Ḥāzim al-Ashjaʿī > Abū Hurayrah

I am hard pressed by hunger. He sent (message) to one of his wives (to procure food for him). but she said: By Him Who has sent you with Truth, thrre is nothing with me (to serve him) but only water. He (the Holy Prophet) then sent the (same) message to another, and she gave the same reply, until all of them gave the same reply: By Him Who has sent thee with the Truth, there is nothing with me but only water, whereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: Allah would show mercy to him who will entertain this guest tonight. A person from the Ansar stood up and said: Messenger of Allah, I (am ready to entertain). He took him to his house and said to his wife: Is there anything with you (to serve the gdest)? She said: No, but only a subsistence for our children. He said: Distract their attention with something, and when the guest enters extinguish the lamp and give him the impression that we are eating. So they sat down. and the guest had his meal. When it was morning he went to Allah's Apostle ﷺ who said: Allah was well pleased with what you both did for your guest this night.  

مسلم:٢٠٥٤aحَدَّثَنِي زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْحَمِيدِ عَنْ فُضَيْلِ بْنِ غَزْوَانَ عَنْ أَبِي حَازِمٍ الأَشْجَعِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ

جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ إِنِّي مَجْهُودٌ فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَى بَعْضِ نِسَائِهِ فَقَالَتْ وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ مَا عِنْدِي إِلاَّ مَاءٌ ثُمَّ أَرْسَلَ إِلَى أُخْرَى فَقَالَتْ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ حَتَّى قُلْنَ كُلُّهُنَّ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ لاَ وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ مَا عِنْدِي إِلاَّ مَاءٌ فَقَالَ مَنْ يُضِيفُ هَذَا اللَّيْلَةَ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ فَقَامَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ فَقَالَ أَنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَانْطَلَقَ بِهِ إِلَى رَحْلِهِ فَقَالَ لاِمْرَأَتِهِ هَلْ عِنْدَكِ شَىْءٌ قَالَتْ لاَ إِلاَّ قُوتُ صِبْيَانِي قَالَ فَعَلِّلِيهِمْ بِشَىْءٍ فَإِذَا دَخَلَ ضَيْفُنَا فَأَطْفِئِي السِّرَاجَ وَأَرِيهِ أَنَّا نَأْكُلُ فَإِذَا أَهْوَى لِيَأْكُلَ فَقُومِي إِلَى السِّرَاجِ حَتَّى تُطْفِئِيهِ قَالَ فَقَعَدُوا وَأَكَلَ الضَّيْفُ فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ غَدَا عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَقَالَ قَدْ عَجِبَ اللَّهُ مِنْ صَنِيعِكُمَا بِضَيْفِكُمَا اللَّيْلَةَ  

hakim:7176ʿAlī b. Ḥamshādh al-ʿAdl And ʿAbd Allāh b. al-Ḥusayn al-Qāḍī > al-Ḥārith b. Abū Usāmah > Abū al-Naḍr Hāshim b. al-Qāsim > Faḍl b. Marzūq > ʿAdī b. Thābit > Abū Ḥāzim > Abū Hurayrah

A man came to Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! I am suffering from fatigue and hunger." The Prophet ﷺ sent (somebody) to his wives (to get something), but the messenger found nothing with them. Then Messenger of Allah ﷺ said (to his companions). "Isn't there anybody who can entertain this man tonight so that Allah may be merciful to him?" An Ansari man got up and said, "I (will, entertain him), O Messenger of Allah ﷺ!" So he went to his wife and said to her, "This is the guest of Messenger of Allah ﷺ, so do not keep anything away from him." She said. "By Allah, I have nothing but the children's food." He said, "When the children ask for their dinner, put them to bed and put out the light; we shall not take our meals tonight," She did so. In the morning the Ansari man went to Messenger of Allah ﷺ who said, "Allah was pleased with (or He bestowed His Mercy) on so-and-so and his wife (because of their good deed)." Then Allah revealed: 'But give them preference over themselves even though they were in need of that.' (59.9) (Using translation from Bukhārī 4889)  

الحاكم:٧١٧٦حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ حَمْشَاذٍ الْعَدْلُ وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ الْقَاضِي قَالَا ثَنَا الْحَارِثُ بْنُ أَبِي أُسَامَةَ ثَنَا أَبُو النَّضْرِ هَاشِمُ بْنُ الْقَاسِمِ ثَنَا فَضْلُ بْنُ مَرْزُوقٍ ثَنَا عَدِيُّ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ عَنْ أَبِي حَازِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ

أَتَى رَجُلٌ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَصَابَنِي الْجَهْدُ فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَى نِسَائِهِ فَلَمْ يَجِدْ عِنْدَهُنَّ شَيْئًا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ «أَلَا رَجُلٌ يُضِيفُ هَذَا اللَّيْلَةَ يَرْحَمُهُ اللَّهُ» فَقَامَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ فَقَالَ أَنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَذَهَبَ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ فَقَالَ لِامْرَأَتِهِ ضَيْفُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَا نَدَّخِرُ مِنْهُ شَيْئًا قَالَتْ وَاللَّهِ مَا عِنْدِي إِلَّا قُوتُ الصِّبْيَةِ قَالَ فَإِذَا أَرَادَ الصِّبْيَةُ الْعَشَاءِ فَنَوِّمِيهِمْ وَتَعَالَيْ فَأَطْفِئِي السِّرَاجَ وَنَطْوِي بُطُونَنَا اللَّيْلَةَ فَفَعَلَتْ ثُمَّ غَدَا الرَّجُلُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَقَدْ عَجِبَ اللَّهُ أَيْ لَقَدْ ضَحِكَ اللَّهُ ﷻ مِنْ فُلَانٍ وَفُلَانَةَ وَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى {وَيُؤْثِرُونَ عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ} [الحشر 9]  

«هَذَا حَدِيثٌ صَحِيحٌ عَلَى شَرْطِ مُسْلِمٍ وَلَمْ يُخَرِّجَاهُ» على شرط مسلم

ذِكْرُ الْخَبَرِ الْمُدْحِضِ قَوْلَ مَنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّ قَوْلَهُ جَلَّ وَعَلَا: {وَيُؤْثِرُونَ عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ} نَزَلَ فِي بَنِي هَاشِمٍ

ibnhibban:7264Muḥammad b. Isḥāq b. Ibrāhīm a freed slave of Thaqīf > Ibrāhīm b. Saʿīd al-Jawharī > Abū Usāmah > Yazīd b. Kaysān > Abū Ḥāzim > Abū Hurayrah

A man came to Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! I am suffering from fatigue and hunger." The Prophet ﷺ sent (somebody) to his wives (to get something), but the messenger found nothing with them. Then Messenger of Allah ﷺ said (to his companions). "Isn't there anybody who can entertain this man tonight so that Allah may be merciful to him?" An Ansari man got up and said, "I (will, entertain him), O Messenger of Allah ﷺ!" So he went to his wife and said to her, "This is the guest of Messenger of Allah ﷺ, so do not keep anything away from him." She said. "By Allah, I have nothing but the children's food." He said, "When the children ask for their dinner, put them to bed and put out the light; we shall not take our meals tonight," She did so. In the morning the Ansari man went to Messenger of Allah ﷺ who said, "Allah was pleased with (or He bestowed His Mercy) on so-and-so and his wife (because of their good deed)." Then Allah revealed: 'But give them preference over themselves even though they were in need of that.' (59.9) (Using translation from Bukhārī 4889)  

ابن حبّان:٧٢٦٤أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ مَوْلَى ثَقِيفٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ الْجَوْهَرِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ كَيْسَانَ عَنْ أَبِي حَازِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ

أَتَى النَّبِيَّ ﷺ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَصَابَنِي الْجَهْدُ فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَى نِسَائِهِ فَلَمْ يَجِدْ عِنْدَهُمْ شَيْئًا فَقَالَ «أَلَا رَجُلٌ يُضَيِّفُهُ هَذِهِ اللَّيْلَةَ؟ » فَقَامَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ فَقَالَ أَنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَذَهَبَ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ فَقَالَ لِامْرَأَتِهِ ضَيْفُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ لَا تَدَّخِرِي عَنْهُ شَيْئًا فَقَالَتْ وَاللَّهِ مَا عِنْدِي إِلَّا قُوتُ الصِّبْيَةِ قَالَ فَإِذَا أَرَادَ الصِّبْيَةُ الْعَشَاءَ فَنَوِّمِيهِمْ وَتَعَالِي فَأَطْفِئِي السَّرَّاجَ وَنَطْوِي بُطُونَنَا اللَّيْلَةَ فَفَعَلَتْ ثُمَّ غَدَا الرَّجُلُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ ﷺ «لَقَدْ عَجِبَ اللَّهُ أَوْ ضَحِكَ اللَّهُ مِنْ فُلَانٍ وَفُلَانَةَ» فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ {وَيُؤْثِرُونَ عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ بِهِمْ خَصَاصَةٌ}