55. Asceticism and Softening of Hearts
٥٥۔ كتاب الزهد والرقائق
I and my father set out in search of knowledge to a tribe of the Ansar before their death (i. e. before the Companions of the Prophet left the world) and I was the first to meet Abu Yasar, a Companion of Messenger of Allah ﷺ and there was a young man with him who carried the record of letters with him and there was a mantle prepared by the tribe of Ma'afiri upon him. And his servant too had a Ma'afiri mantle over him. My father said to him: My uncle, I see the signs of anger or that of agony on your face. He said: Yes, such and such person, the son of so and so, of the tribe of Harami owed me a debt. I went to his family, extended salutations and said: Where is he? They said: He is not here. Then came out to me his son who was at the threshold of his youth. I said to him: Where is your father? He said: No sooner did he hear your sound than he hid himself behind my mother's bedstead. I said to him: Walk out to me, for I know where you are. He came out. I said to him: What prompted you to hide yourself from me? He said: By God, whatever I would say to you would not be a lie. By Allah, I fear that I should tell a lie to you and in case of making promise with you I should break it, as you are the Companion of Messenger of Allah ﷺ. The fact is that I was hard up in regard to money. I said: Do you adjure by Allah? He said: I adjure by Allah. I said: Do you adjure by Allah? He said: I adjure by Allah. I said: Do you adjure by Allah? He said: I adjure by Allah. Then he brought his promissory note and he wrote off (the debt) with his hand and said: Make payment when you find yourself solvent enough to pay me back; if you are not, then there is no liability upon you. These two eyes of mine saw, and he (Abu'I-Yasar) placed his fingers upon his eyes and these two ears of mine heard and my heart retained, and he pointed towards his heart that Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: He who gives time to one who is financially hard up (in the payment of debt) or writes off his debt, Allah will provide him His shadow. I said to him: My uncle, if you get the cloak of your servant and you give him your two clothes, or take his two clothes of Ma'afir and give him your cloak, then there would be one dress for you and one for him. He wiped my head and said: O Allah, bless the son of my brother. O, son of my brother, these two very eyes of mine saw and these two ears of mine listened to and this heart of mine retained this, and he pointed towards the heart that Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Feed them (the servants) and clothe them (the servants) what you wear, and if I give him the goods of the world, it is easy for me than this that he should take my virtues on the Day of Resurrection. We went on till we came to Jabir b. Abdullah in the mosque and he was busy in observing prayer in one cloth which he had joined at its opposite ends. I made my way through the people till I sat between him and the Qibla and I said: May Allah have mercy upon you. Do you observe prayer with one cloth on your body whereas your mantle is lying at your side? He pointed me with his hand towards my breast just like this and he separated his fingers and bent them in the shape of a bow. And (he said): I thought that a fool like you should come to me so that he should see me as I do and he should then also do like it. Messenger of Allah ﷺ came to us in this very mosque and he had in his hand the twig of the palm-tree and he saw mucus towards the Qibla of the mosque and he erased it with the help of the twig. He then came to us and said: Who amongst you likes that Allah should turn His face away from him? We were afraid. He then again said: Who amongst you likes that Allah should turn His face away from him? We were afraid. He again said: Who amongst you likes that Allah should turn His face away from him? We said: Messenger of Allah, none of us likes it. And he said: If one amongst you stands for prayer, Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, is before him he should not spit in front of him, or on his right side, but should spit on his left side beneath his left foot and if he is impelled to do so all of a sudden (in spite of himself) he should then spit in his cloth and fold it in some part of it. (and he further said: ) Bring some sweet-smelling thing. A young man who belonged to our tribe stood up, went and brought scent in his palm. Messenger of Allah ﷺ took that and applied it to the end of that twig and then touched the place where there had been mucus. Jabir said: This is why you should apply scent to your mosques. It is reported on the same authority: We set out along with Messenger of Allah ﷺ on an expedition of Batn Buwat. He (the Holy Prophet) was in search of al-Majdi b. 'Amr al-Juhani. (We had so meagre equipment) that five. six or seven of us had one camel to ride and so we mounted it turn by turn. Once there wan. the turn of an Ansari to ride upon the camel. He made it kneel down to ride over it (and after having. mounted it), he tried to raise it up but it hesitated. So he said. May there be curse of Allah upon you! Thereupon Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Who is there to curse his camel? He said: Messenger of Allah, it' is I. Thereupon he said: Get down from the camel and let us not have in our company the cursed one. Don't curse your own selves, nor your children. nor your belongings. There is the possibility that your curse may synchronies with the time when Allah is about to confer upon you what you demand and thus your prayer may be readily responded. It is reported on the same authority: We set out on an expedition along with Messenger of Allah ﷺ until it was evening, and we had been near a. water reservoir of Arabia. Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Who would be the person who would go ahead and set right the reservoir and drink water himself and serve us with it? Jabir said: I stood up and said: Messenger of Allah, it is I who am ready to do that. Thereupon Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Who is the person to accompany Jabir? And then Jabbar b. Sakhr stood up. So we went to that well and poured in that tank a bucket or two of water and plastered it with clay and then began to fill it (with water) until it was filled to the brim. Messenger of Allah ﷺ was the first who appeared before us, and he said: Do you (both) permit me to drink water out of it? We said: Yea, Messenger of Allah. He led his camel to drink water and it drank. He then pulled its rein and it stretched its legs and began to urinate. He then took it aside and made it kneel down at another place and then came to the tank and performed ablution. I then got up and performed ablution like the ablution of Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and Jabbar b. Sakhr went in order to relieve himself and Messenger of Allah ﷺ got up to observe prayer and there was a mantle over me. I tried to invert its ends but it was too short (to cover my body easily). It had its borders. I then inverted it (the mantle) and drew its opposite ends and then tied them at my neck. I then came and stood upon the left side of Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He caught hold of me and made me go round behind him, until he made me stand on his right side. Then Jabbar b. Sakhr came. He performed ablution and then came and stood on the left side of Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Then Messenger of Allah ﷺ caught hold of our hands together, pushed us back and made us stand behind him. Then Messenger of Allah ﷺ began to look upon me with darting looks, but I did not perceive that. After that I became aware of it and he pointed with the gesture of his hand that I should wrap my loin-cloth. When Messenger of Allah ﷺ had finished the prayer, he said: Jabir! I said: Messenger of Allah, at thy beck and call. He said: When the cloth around you is inadequate, then tie the opposite ends but when it is small, tie it over the lower body. Jabir reported: We set out on an expedition with Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the only means of sustenance for every person amongst us was only one date for a day and we used to chew it. And we struck the leaves with the help of our bow and ate them until the sides of our mouths were injured. It so happened one day that a person was overlooked and not given a date. We carried that person and bore witness to the fact that he had not been given that date so he was offered that and he got up and received that. Jabir reported: We set out on an expedition along with Messenger of Allah ﷺ until we got down at a spacious valley and Messenger of Allah ﷺ went to relieve himself. I followed him with a bucket full of water and Messenger of Allah ﷺ looked about and he found no privacy but two trees at the end of the valley and Messenger of Allah (may. peace be upon him) went to one of them and took hold of one of its twigs and said: Be thou under my control by the permission of Allah, and so it came under his control like the camel who has its nosestring in the hand of its rider, and then he came to the second tree and took hold of a twig and said: Be thou under my control with the permission of Allah, and it came under his control, and when he came in the middle of the two trees he joined together the two twigs and said: join with the permission of Allah. Jabir said: I was afraid lest Messenger of Allah ﷺ should be aware of my nearness and go still farther. And Muhammad b. Abbad has used the word" faitab'd" and I began to talk to myself. And as I saw, I suddenly found Messenger of Allah ﷺ before me and the two trees were separated and each one of them was standing at its place. I saw Messenger of Allah ﷺ standing for a short time, nodding his head towards right and left. Isma'il pointed towards the right and left with the help of his head (in order to demonstrate how the Prophet had pointed). Then he (the Holy Prophet) came to me and said: Jabir did you see my place where I was standing? I said: Messenger of Allah, yes. He then said: Then you should go to those two trees and cut a twig from each of them and go to that place with them where I was standing and stand there where I was standing and place a twig on the right and a twig on the left. Jabir said: I set out and took hold of a stone and broke it and sharpened it and then I came to those trees and cut a twig from each one of them. I then came dragging them until I stood at the place where Messenger of Allah ﷺ had been standing and placed a twig on the right and a twig on the left. Then I met him and said: Messenger of Allah, I have done that, but (kindly) explain to me the reason for it. Thereupon he said: I passed by two graves the occupants of which had been undergoing torment. I liked to make intercession for them so that the might be relieved of this torment y as long as these twigs remain fresh. Jabir said: We came back to the (camp of the) army and Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Jabir, call people for per- forming wudu. I cried: Come and perform wudu, come and perform wudu, come and perform wudu. I said: Messenger of Allah, there is not even a drop of water in the army camp, and there. was a person who used to cool the water for Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the old water-skin which kept hanging by the twig. He asked me to go to such and such Ansari and ask him to see if there was any water in that skin. I went to him and cast a glance in it but did not find anything but a drop in the mouth of that water-skin and if I were to draw that, the water-skin's,. dried part would suck it up. I came to Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: Messenger of Allah, I have not found anything in it but a drop of water in the mouth of the water-skin and now if I were to draw that, it would be absorbed. He said: Go and bring that to me. I brought that to him. He took hold of it -and began to utter something which I could not understand and then pressed it with his hand and gave that to me and said: Jabir, announce for the tub to be brought. So I announced that the tub of the army (be brought). It was brought accordingly and I placed it before him (the Holy Prophet). Thereupon Messenger of Allah ﷺ placed his hands in the tub like this: with his fingers stretched out, and then he placed his fingers at the bottom of the tub and said: Jabir, take it (that waters-skin) and pour water over me, by reciting Bismillah, and I poured water and I said: Bismillah, and found water sprouting out between the fingers of Messenger of Allah ﷺ. Then that tub gushed forth until it was filled up and the Messenger ﷺ said: Jabir, make an announcement to the effect: He who needs water should take that. Jabir said: The people came and got water until they were all satiated. I said: Is there anyone left who wants to get it? And Messenger of Allah ﷺ then lifted up his hand from that tub and it was still full. Then the people made a complaint to Messenger of Allah ﷺ about hunger and he said: May Allah provide you food! We came to the bank of the ocean and the ocean was tossing and it threw out a big animal and we lit fire and cooked it and took it until we had eaten to our heart's content. Jabir said: I and such and such five persons entered Its socket and nobody could see us until we had come out, and we took hold of one of its ribs and twisted it into a sort of arch, then we called the tallest of the persons of the army and the hugest of the camels of the army and it had the big saddle over it, and it could easily pass through it without the rider having need to bend down.
خَرَجْتُ أَنَا وَأَبِي نَطْلُبُ الْعِلْمَ فِي هَذَا الْحَىِّ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَهْلِكُوا فَكَانَ أَوَّلُ مَنْ لَقِينَا أَبَا الْيَسَرِ صَاحِبَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَمَعَهُ غُلاَمٌ لَهُ مَعَهُ ضِمَامَةٌ مِنْ صُحُفٍ وَعَلَى أَبِي الْيَسَرِ بُرْدَةٌ وَمَعَافِرِيٌّ وَعَلَى غُلاَمِهِ بُرْدَةٌ وَمَعَافِرِيٌّ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبِي يَا عَمِّ إِنِّي أَرَى فِي وَجْهِكَ سَفْعَةً مِنْ غَضَبٍ قَالَ أَجَلْ كَانَ لِي عَلَى فُلاَنِ بْنِ فُلاَنٍ الْحَرَامِيِّ مَالٌ فَأَتَيْتُ أَهْلَهُ فَسَلَّمْتُ فَقُلْتُ ثَمَّ هُوَ قَالُوا لاَ فَخَرَجَ عَلَىَّ ابْنٌ لَهُ جَفْرٌ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ أَيْنَ أَبُوكَ قَالَ سَمِعَ صَوْتَكَ فَدَخَلَ أَرِيكَةَ أُمِّي فَقُلْتُ اخْرُجْ إِلَىَّ فَقَدْ عَلِمْتُ أَيْنَ أَنْتَ فَخَرَجَ فَقُلْتُ مَا حَمَلَكَ عَلَى أَنِ اخْتَبَأْتَ مِنِّي قَالَ أَنَا وَاللَّهِ أُحَدِّثُكَ ثُمَّ لاَ أَكْذِبُكَ خَشِيتُ وَاللَّهِ أَنْ أُحَدِّثَكَ فَأَكْذِبَكَ وَأَنْ أَعِدَكَ فَأُخْلِفَكَ وَكُنْتَ صَاحِبَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَكُنْتُ وَاللَّهِ مُعْسِرًا قَالَ قُلْتُ آللَّهِ قَالَ اللَّهِ قُلْتُ آللَّهِ قَالَ اللَّهِ قُلْتُ آللَّهِ قَالَ اللَّهِ قَالَ فَأَتَى بِصَحِيفَتِهِ فَمَحَاهَا بِيَدِهِ فَقَالَ إِنْ وَجَدْتَ قَضَاءً فَاقْضِنِي وَإِلاَّ أَنْتَ فِي حِلٍّ فَأَشْهَدُ بَصَرُ عَيْنَىَّ هَاتَيْنِ وَوَضَعَ إِصْبَعَيْهِ عَلَى عَيْنَيْهِ وَسَمْعُ أُذُنَىَّ هَاتَيْنِ وَوَعَاهُ قَلْبِي هَذَا وَأَشَارَ إِلَى مَنَاطِ قَلْبِهِ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ مَنْ أَنْظَرَ مُعْسِرًا أَوْ وَضَعَ عَنْهُ أَظَلَّهُ اللَّهُ فِي ظِلِّهِ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ أَنَا يَا عَمِّ لَوْ أَنَّكَ أَخَذْتَ بُرْدَةَ غُلاَمِكَ وَأَعْطَيْتَهُ مَعَافِرِيَّكَ وَأَخَذْتَ مَعَافِرِيَّهُ وَأَعْطَيْتَهُ بُرْدَتَكَ فَكَانَتْ عَلَيْكَ حُلَّةٌ وَعَلَيْهِ حُلَّةٌ فَمَسَحَ رَأْسِي وَقَالَ اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ فِيهِ يَا ابْنَ أَخِي بَصَرُ عَيْنَىَّ هَاتَيْنِ وَسَمْعُ أُذُنَىَّ هَاتَيْنِ وَوَعَاهُ قَلْبِي هَذَا وَأَشَارَ إِلَى مَنَاطِ قَلْبِهِ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ أَطْعِمُوهُمْ مِمَّا تَأْكُلُونَ وَأَلْبِسُوهُمْ مِمَّا تَلْبَسُونَ وَكَانَ أَنْ أَعْطَيْتُهُ مِنْ مَتَاعِ الدُّنْيَا أَهْوَنَ عَلَىَّ مِنْ أَنْ يَأْخُذَ مِنْ حَسَنَاتِي يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ثُمَّ مَضَيْنَا حَتَّى أَتَيْنَا جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فِي مَسْجِدِهِ وَهُوَ يُصَلِّي فِي ثَوْبٍ وَاحِدٍ مُشْتَمِلاً بِهِ فَتَخَطَّيْتُ الْقَوْمَ حَتَّى جَلَسْتُ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الْقِبْلَةِ فَقُلْتُ يَرْحَمُكَ اللَّهُ أَتُصَلِّي فِي ثَوْبٍ وَاحِدٍ وَرِدَاؤُكَ إِلَى جَنْبِكَ قَالَ فَقَالَ بِيَدِهِ فِي صَدْرِي هَكَذَا وَفَرَّقَ بَيْنَ أَصَابِعِهِ وَقَوَّسَهَا أَرَدْتُ أَنْ يَدْخُلَ عَلَىَّ الأَحْمَقُ مِثْلُكَ فَيَرَانِي كَيْفَ أَصْنَعُ فَيَصْنَعُ مِثْلَهُ أَتَانَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي مَسْجِدِنَا هَذَا وَفِي يَدِهِ عُرْجُونُ ابْنِ طَابٍ فَرَأَى فِي قِبْلَةِ الْمَسْجِدِ نُخَامَةً فَحَكَّهَا بِالْعُرْجُونِ ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ عَلَيْنَا فَقَالَ أَيُّكُمْ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يُعْرِضَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ فَخَشَعْنَا ثُمَّ قَالَ أَيُّكُمْ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يُعْرِضَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ فَخَشَعْنَا ثُمَّ قَالَ أَيُّكُمْ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يُعْرِضَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قُلْنَا لاَ أَيُّنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ فَإِنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ إِذَا قَامَ يُصَلِّي فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى قِبَلَ وَجْهِهِ فَلاَ يَبْصُقَنَّ قِبَلَ وَجْهِهِ وَلاَ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَلْيَبْصُقْ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ تَحْتَ رِجْلِهِ الْيُسْرَى فَإِنْ عَجِلَتْ بِهِ بَادِرَةٌ فَلْيَقُلْ بِثَوْبِهِ هَكَذَا ثُمَّ طَوَى ثَوْبَهُ بَعْضَهُ عَلَى بَعْضٍ فَقَالَ أَرُونِي عَبِيرًا فَقَامَ فَتًى مِنَ الْحَىِّ يَشْتَدُّ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ فَجَاءَ بِخَلُوقٍ فِي رَاحَتِهِ فَأَخَذَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَجَعَلَهُ عَلَى رَأْسِ الْعُرْجُونِ ثُمَّ لَطَخَ بِهِ عَلَى أَثَرِ النُّخَامَةِ فَقَالَ جَابِرٌ فَمِنْ هُنَاكَ جَعَلْتُمُ الْخَلُوقَ فِي مَسَاجِدِكُمْ سِرْنَا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فِي غَزْوَةِ بَطْنِ بُوَاطٍ وَهُوَ يَطْلُبُ الْمَجْدِيَّ بْنَ عَمْرٍو الْجُهَنِيَّ وَكَانَ النَّاضِحُ يَعْتَقِبُهُ مِنَّا الْخَمْسَةُ وَالسِّتَّةُ وَالسَّبْعَةُ فَدَارَتْ عُقْبَةُ رَجُلٍ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ عَلَى نَاضِحٍ لَهُ فَأَنَاخَهُ فَرَكِبَهُ ثُمَّ بَعَثَهُ فَتَلَدَّنَ عَلَيْهِ بَعْضَ التَّلَدُّنِ فَقَالَ لَهُ شَأْ لَعَنَكَ اللَّهُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَنْ هَذَا اللاَّعِنُ بَعِيرَهُ قَالَ أَنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ انْزِلْ عَنْهُ فَلاَ تَصْحَبْنَا بِمَلْعُونٍ لاَ تَدْعُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِكُمْ وَلاَ تَدْعُوا عَلَى أَوْلاَدِكُمْ وَلاَ تَدْعُوا عَلَى أَمْوَالِكُمْ لاَ تُوَافِقُوا مِنَ اللَّهِ سَاعَةً يُسْأَلُ فِيهَا عَطَاءٌ فَيَسْتَجِيبُ لَكُمْ سِرْنَا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَتْ عُشَيْشِيَةٌ وَدَنَوْنَا مَاءً مِنْ مِيَاهِ الْعَرَبِ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَنْ رَجُلٌ يَتَقَدَّمُنَا فَيَمْدُرُ الْحَوْضَ فَيَشْرَبُ وَيَسْقِينَا قَالَ جَابِرٌ فَقُمْتُ فَقُلْتُ هَذَا رَجُلٌ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَىُّ رَجُلٍ مَعَ جَابِرٍ فَقَامَ جَبَّارُ بْنُ صَخْرٍ فَانْطَلَقْنَا إِلَى الْبِئْرِ فَنَزَعْنَا فِي الْحَوْضِ سَجْلاً أَوْ سَجْلَيْنِ ثُمَّ مَدَرْنَاهُ ثُمَّ نَزَعْنَا فِيهِ حَتَّى أَفْهَقْنَاهُ فَكَانَ أَوَّلَ طَالِعٍ عَلَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ أَتَأْذَنَانِ قُلْنَا نَعَمْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَأَشْرَعَ نَاقَتَهُ فَشَرِبَتْ شَنَقَ لَهَا فَشَجَتْ فَبَالَتْ ثُمَّ عَدَلَ بِهَا فَأَنَاخَهَا ثُمَّ جَاءَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِلَى الْحَوْضِ فَتَوَضَّأَ مِنْهُ ثُمَّ قُمْتُ فَتَوَضَّأْتُ مِنْ مُتَوَضَّإِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَذَهَبَ جَبَّارُ بْنُ صَخْرٍ يَقْضِي حَاجَتَهُ فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لِيُصَلِّيَ وَكَانَتْ عَلَىَّ بُرْدَةٌ ذَهَبْتُ أَنْ أُخَالِفَ بَيْنَ طَرَفَيْهَا فَلَمْ تَبْلُغْ لِي وَكَانَتْ لَهَا ذَبَاذِبُ فَنَكَّسْتُهَا ثُمَّ خَالَفْتُ بَيْنَ طَرَفَيْهَا ثُمَّ تَوَاقَصْتُ عَلَيْهَا ثُمَّ جِئْتُ حَتَّى قُمْتُ عَنْ يَسَارِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَأَخَذَ بِيَدِي فَأَدَارَنِي حَتَّى أَقَامَنِي عَنْ يَمِينِهِ ثُمَّ جَاءَ جَبَّارُ بْنُ صَخْرٍ فَتَوَضَّأَ ثُمَّ جَاءَ فَقَامَ عَنْ يَسَارِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَأَخَذَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِيَدَيْنَا جَمِيعًا فَدَفَعَنَا حَتَّى أَقَامَنَا خَلْفَهُ فَجَعَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَرْمُقُنِي وَأَنَا لاَ أَشْعُرُ ثُمَّ فَطِنْتُ بِهِ فَقَالَ هَكَذَا بِيَدِهِ يَعْنِي شُدَّ وَسَطَكَ فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ يَا جَابِرُ قُلْتُ لَبَّيْكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ إِذَا كَانَ وَاسِعًا فَخَالِفْ بَيْنَ طَرَفَيْهِ وَإِذَا كَانَ ضَيِّقًا فَاشْدُدْهُ عَلَى حِقْوِكَ سِرْنَا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَكَانَ قُوتُ كُلِّ رَجُلٍ مِنَّا فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ تَمْرَةً فَكَانَ يَمَصُّهَا ثُمَّ يَصُرُّهَا فِي ثَوْبِهِ وَكُنَّا نَخْتَبِطُ بِقِسِيِّنَا وَنَأْكُلُ حَتَّى قَرِحَتْ أَشْدَاقُنَا فَأُقْسِمُ أُخْطِئَهَا رَجُلٌ مِنَّا يَوْمًا فَانْطَلَقْنَا بِهِ نَنْعَشُهُ فَشَهِدْنَا أَنَّهُ لَمْ يُعْطَهَا فَأُعْطِيَهَا فَقَامَ فَأَخَذَهَا سِرْنَا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ حَتَّى نَزَلْنَا وَادِيًا أَفْيَحَ فَذَهَبَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقْضِي حَاجَتَهُ فَاتَّبَعْتُهُ بِإِدَاوَةٍ مِنْ مَاءٍ فَنَظَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَلَمْ يَرَ شَيْئًا يَسْتَتِرُ بِهِ فَإِذَا شَجَرَتَانِ بِشَاطِئِ الْوَادِي فَانْطَلَقَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِلَى إِحْدَاهُمَا فَأَخَذَ بِغُصْنٍ مِنْ أَغْصَانِهَا فَقَالَ انْقَادِي عَلَىَّ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ فَانْقَادَتْ مَعَهُ كَالْبَعِيرِ الْمَخْشُوشِ الَّذِي يُصَانِعُ قَائِدَهُ حَتَّى أَتَى الشَّجَرَةَ الأُخْرَى فَأَخَذَ بِغُصْنٍ مِنْ أَغْصَانِهَا فَقَالَ انْقَادِي عَلَىَّ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ فَانْقَادَتْ مَعَهُ كَذَلِكَ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ بِالْمَنْصَفِ مِمَّا بَيْنَهُمَا لأَمَ بَيْنَهُمَا يَعْنِي جَمَعَهُمَا فَقَالَ الْتَئِمَا عَلَىَّ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ فَالْتَأَمَتَا قَالَ جَابِرٌ فَخَرَجْتُ أُحْضِرُ مَخَافَةَ أَنْ يُحِسَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِقُرْبِي فَيَبْتَعِدَ وَقَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبَّادٍ فَيَتَبَعَّدَ فَجَلَسْتُ أُحَدِّثُ نَفْسِي فَحَانَتْ مِنِّي لَفْتَةٌ فَإِذَا أَنَا بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ مُقْبِلاً وَإِذَا الشَّجَرَتَانِ قَدِ افْتَرَقَتَا فَقَامَتْ كُلُّ وَاحِدَةٍ مِنْهُمَا عَلَى سَاقٍ فَرَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَقَفَ وَقْفَةً فَقَالَ بِرَأْسِهِ هَكَذَا وَأَشَارَ أَبُو إِسْمَاعِيلَ بِرَأْسِهِ يَمِينًا وَشِمَالاً ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ فَلَمَّا انْتَهَى إِلَىَّ قَالَ يَا جَابِرُ هَلْ رَأَيْتَ مَقَامِي قُلْتُ نَعَمْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ فَانْطَلِقْ إِلَى الشَّجَرَتَيْنِ فَاقْطَعْ مِنْ كُلِّ وَاحِدَةٍ مِنْهُمَا غُصْنًا فَأَقْبِلْ بِهِمَا حَتَّى إِذَا قُمْتَ مَقَامِي فَأَرْسِلْ غُصْنًا عَنْ يَمِينِكَ وَغُصْنًا عَنْ يَسَارِكَ قَالَ جَابِرٌ فَقُمْتُ فَأَخَذْتُ حَجَرًا فَكَسَرْتُهُ وَحَسَرْتُهُ فَانْذَلَقَ لِي فَأَتَيْتُ الشَّجَرَتَيْنِ فَقَطَعْتُ مِنْ كُلِّ وَاحِدَةٍ مِنْهُمَا غُصْنًا ثُمَّ أَقْبَلْتُ أَجُرُّهُمَا حَتَّى قُمْتُ مَقَامَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَرْسَلْتُ غُصْنًا عَنْ يَمِينِي وَغُصْنًا عَنْ يَسَارِي ثُمَّ لَحِقْتُهُ فَقُلْتُ قَدْ فَعَلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَعَمَّ ذَاكَ قَالَ إِنِّي مَرَرْتُ بِقَبْرَيْنِ يُعَذَّبَانِ فَأَحْبَبْتُ بِشَفَاعَتِي أَنْ يُرَفَّهَ عَنْهُمَا مَا دَامَ الْغُصْنَانِ رَطْبَيْنِ قَالَ فَأَتَيْنَا الْعَسْكَرَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَا جَابِرُ نَادِ بِوَضُوءٍ فَقُلْتُ أَلاَ وَضُوءَ أَلاَ وَضُوءَ أَلاَ وَضُوءَ قَالَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا وَجَدْتُ فِي الرَّكْبِ مِنْ قَطْرَةٍ وَكَانَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ يُبَرِّدُ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ الْمَاءَ فِي أَشْجَابٍ لَهُ عَلَى حِمَارَةٍ مِنْ جَرِيدٍ قَالَ فَقَالَ لِيَ انْطَلِقْ إِلَى فُلاَنِ بْنِ فُلاَنٍ الأَنْصَارِيِّ فَانْظُرْ هَلْ فِي أَشْجَابِهِ مِنْ شَىْءٍ قَالَ فَانْطَلَقْتُ إِلَيْهِ فَنَظَرْتُ فِيهَا فَلَمْ أَجِدْ فِيهَا إِلاَّ قَطْرَةً فِي عَزْلاَءِ شَجْبٍ مِنْهَا لَوْ أَنِّي أُفْرِغُهُ لَشَرِبَهُ يَابِسُهُ فَأَتَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي لَمْ أَجِدْ فِيهَا إِلاَّ قَطْرَةً فِي عَزْلاَءِ شَجْبٍ مِنْهَا لَوْ أَنِّي أُفْرِغُهُ لَشَرِبَهُ يَابِسُهُ قَالَ اذْهَبْ فَأْتِنِي بِهِ فَأَتَيْتُهُ بِهِ فَأَخَذَهُ بِيَدِهِ فَجَعَلَ يَتَكَلَّمُ بِشَىْءٍ لاَ أَدْرِي مَا هُوَ وَيَغْمِزُهُ بِيَدَيْهِ ثُمَّ أَعْطَانِيهِ فَقَالَ يَا جَابِرُ نَادِ بِجَفْنَةٍ فَقُلْتُ يَا جَفْنَةَ الرَّكْبِ فَأُتِيتُ بِهَا تُحْمَلُ فَوَضَعْتُهَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِيَدِهِ فِي الْجَفْنَةِ هَكَذَا فَبَسَطَهَا وَفَرَّقَ بَيْنَ أَصَابِعِهِ ثُمَّ وَضَعَهَا فِي قَعْرِ الْجَفْنَةِ وَقَالَ خُذْ يَا جَابِرُ فَصُبَّ عَلَىَّ وَقُلْ بِاسْمِ اللَّهِ فَصَبَبْتُ عَلَيْهِ وَقُلْتُ بِاسْمِ اللَّهِ فَرَأَيْتُ الْمَاءَ يَتَفَوَّرُ مِنْ بَيْنِ أَصَابِعِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ ثُمَّ فَارَتِ الْجَفْنَةُ وَدَارَتْ حَتَّى امْتَلأَتْ فَقَالَ يَا جَابِرُ نَادِ مَنْ كَانَ لَهُ حَاجَةٌ بِمَاءٍ قَالَ فَأَتَى النَّاسُ فَاسْتَقَوْا حَتَّى رَوَوْا قَالَ فَقُلْتُ هَلْ بَقِيَ أَحَدٌ لَهُ حَاجَةٌ فَرَفَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَدَهُ مِنَ الْجَفْنَةِ وَهِيَ مَلأَى وَشَكَا النَّاسُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ الْجُوعَ فَقَالَ عَسَى اللَّهُ أَنْ يُطْعِمَكُمْ فَأَتَيْنَا سِيفَ الْبَحْرِ فَزَخَرَ الْبَحْرُ زَخْرَةً فَأَلْقَى دَابَّةً فَأَوْرَيْنَا عَلَى شِقِّهَا النَّارَ فَاطَّبَخْنَا وَاشْتَوَيْنَا وَأَكَلْنَا حَتَّى شَبِعْنَا قَالَ جَابِرٌ فَدَخَلْتُ أَنَا وَفُلاَنٌ وَفُلاَنٌ حَتَّى عَدَّ خَمْسَةً فِي حِجَاجِ عَيْنِهَا مَا يَرَانَا أَحَدٌ حَتَّى خَرَجْنَا فَأَخَذْنَا ضِلَعًا مِنْ أَضْلاَعِهِ فَقَوَّسْنَاهُ ثُمَّ دَعَوْنَا بِأَعْظَمِ رَجُلٍ فِي الرَّكْبِ وَأَعْظَمِ جَمَلٍ فِي الرَّكْبِ وَأَعْظَمِ كِفْلٍ فِي الرَّكْبِ فَدَخَلَ تَحْتَهُ مَا يُطَأْطِئُ رَأْسَهُ