Riyad as-Salihin, 744

'Abdullah bin Busr (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

The Prophet (ﷺ) had a large bowl called Al-Gharra', which would be carried by four men. One day, when the Companions finished their Duha (forenoon optional) prayer, Al-Gharra' was brought full of sopped bread, meat and broth, and they sat down around it. When their number increased, Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sat down on his knees and rested on the soles of his feet. A bedouin said to him: "What sort of sitting is that?" Thereupon Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Verily, Allah has made me a courteous slave not a fierce tyrant." Then he said, "Eat from the sides of the bowl and leave the central part of it so that your food will be blessed." [Abu Dawud].

وعن عبد الله بن بشر رضى الله عنه قال‏:‏ كان للنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قصعة يقال لها‏:‏ الغراء، يحملها أربعة رجال، فلما أضحوا وسجدوا الضحى أتى بتلك القصعة، يعنى وقد ثرد فيها، فالتقوا عليه ، فلما كثروا جثا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم‏.‏فقال أعرابي ‏:‏ ما هذه الجلسة‏؟‏ قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏:‏ إن الله جعلني عبداً كريماً، ولم يجعلني جباراً عنيداً، ثم قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏:‏‏

‏كلوا من حواليها، ودعوا ذروتها يبارك فيها‏

‏ .‏((رواه أبو داود))

References1 variant

In-Book Reference: Book 2, Hadith 18

Sharh · explanationclick to expand

Guidance from the Hadith: 1) It shows the Prophet’s generosity towards his Companions and his care for them and for those sitting with him, as well as his extreme modesty. 2) Blessing lies in the middle of the food and it affects the whole food. Benefit: Some people commonly believe that it is Sunnah to eat while sitting like the sitting for Tashahhud. This, however, is not Prophetic Sunnah. It is only permissible for anyone who wants to do it. But people should not be obliged to follow a certain opinion or action and treat this as a Prophetic practice unless it is clearly indicated by the Sunnah. The rule governing our following of the Prophet’s Sunnah is that we do what he did, in the manner he did it, and because he did it, and that we abandon what he abandoned, in the manner he abandoned it, and because he did it. Words in the Hadith: Al-Gharrā’: The bowl was called as such because of its white color.

Related hadiths2