Hadithcore
Riyad as-Salihin, 563

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

A man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said; "I am hard pressed by hunger." He (ﷺ) sent a word to one of his wives who replied: "By Him Who has sent you with the Truth, I have nothing except water." Then he sent the same message to another (wife) and received the same reply. He sent this message to all of them (i.e., his wives) and received the same reply. Then he (ﷺ) said, "Who will entertain this (man) as guest?" One of the Ansar said: "O Messenger of Allah, I will." So he took him home and said to his wife: "Serve the guest of Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)." Another narration is: The Ansari asked his wife: "Have you got anything?" She answered: "Nothing, except a little food for the children." He said: "Keep them busy with something, and when they ask for food put them to sleep. When the guest enters, extinguish the light and give him the impression that we are also eating." So they sat down and the guest ate and they passed the night hungry. When he came to the Prophet (ﷺ) in the morning, he said to him, "Allah admired what you did with your guest last night." <b>[Al- Bukhari and Muslim]</b>.

وعن أبي هريرة رضي الله عنه قال‏:‏ جاء رجل إلى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال‏:‏ إنى مجهود، فأرسل إلى بعض نسائه، فقالت‏:‏ والذى بعثك بالحق ما عندى إلا ماء، ثم أرسل إلى أخرى، فقالت مثل ذلك، حتى قلن كلهن مثل ذلك‏:‏ لا والذى بعثك بالحق ما عندى إلا ماء‏.‏ فقال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم “ من يضيفه هذا الليلة‏؟‏” فقال رجل من الأنصار‏:‏ أنا يا رسول الله، فانطلق به إلى رحله ، فقال لامرأته‏:‏ أكرمي ضيف رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وفى رواية قال لامرأته ‏:‏ هل عندك شئ‏؟‏ قالت‏:‏ لا، إلا قوت صبيانى‏.‏ قال‏:‏ فعلليهن بشئ‏.‏وإذا أرادوا العشاء فنوميهم‏.‏ وإذا دخل ضيفنا فأطفئ السراج وأريه أنا نأكل، فقعدوا وأكل الضيف وبات طاويين، فلما أصبح ، غدا على النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال‏:‏ “لقد عجب الله من صنيعكما بضيفكما الليلة” ‏(‏‏(‏متفق عليه‏)‏‏)‏ ‏.‏

References1 variant
In-Book Reference
Introduction, Hadith 563
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
<b>Guidance from the Hadith:</b><br> 1) It shows the great altruism exhibited by the Ansāri Companion (may Allah be pleased with him), when he and his family passed the night without eating in order to honor the guest sent by the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him). From these noble manners and behaviors, let us take example.<br> 2) It is permissible that a person prefers the guest and the like over himself and his family. This applies in occasional circumstances only, because the priority is for taking care of one’s dependents first (Start with yourself then your dependents).<br> <br> <b>Benefit:</b><br> - This story is the reason for which the following verse was revealed: {But they give [them] preference over themselves, even though they are in privation. And whoever is protected from the stinginess of his soul - it is those who will be the successful.}<br> - Al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: “The scholars unanimously agreed on the virtue of altruism in food and other similar worldly matters and personal desires. But when it comes to acts of piety, there should be no altruism, because the right in them belongs to Allah Almighty.” [Commentary on Sahih Muslim]<br> Other scholars, however, held that it is permissible to prefer others over oneself in acts of piety. We will mention that in connection with Hadith No. 761.<br> <br> <b>Words in the Hadith:</b><br> Keep them busy with something: That is, distract them and divert their attention from food.
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