Home Hadith Hadith 3928
Al-Muhajirun (i.e. the Emigrants) and the Ansar were digging the trench around Medina and were
carrying the earth on their backs while saying, "We are those who have given the pledge of allegiance
to Muhammad for Islam as long as we live." The Prophet (ﷺ) said in reply to their saying, "O Allah!
There is no goodness except the goodness of the Hereafter; so please grant Your Blessing to the Ansar
and the Emigrants." The people used to bring a handful of barley, and a meal used to be prepared
thereof by cooking it with a cooking material (i.e. oil, fat and butter having a change in color and
smell) and it used to be presented to the people (i.e. workers) who were hungry, and it used to stick to
their throats and had a nasty smell.
Sahih al-Bukhari Book 64, Hadith 144
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Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) went out towards the Khandaq (i.e. Trench) and saw the Emigrants and the Ansar
digging the trench in the cold morning. They had no slaves to do that (work) for them. When the
Prophet saw their hardship and hunger, he said, 'O Allah! The real life is the life of the Hereafter, so
please forgive Ansar and the Emigrants." They said in reply to him, "We are those who have given the
Pledge of allegiances to Muhammad for to observe Jihad as long as we live."
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We were digging (the trench) on the day of (Al-Khandaq ( i.e. Trench )) and we came across a big
solid rock. We went to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, "Here is a rock appearing across the trench." He said, "I
am coming down." Then he got up, and a stone was tied to his belly for we had not eaten anything for
three days. So the Prophet (ﷺ) took the spade and struck the big solid rock and it became like sand. I said,
"O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Allow me to go home." (When the Prophet (ﷺ) allowed me) I said to my wife, "I saw
the Prophet (ﷺ) in a state that I cannot treat lightly. Have you got something (for him to eat?" She replied,
"I have barley and a she goat." So I slaughtered the she-kid and she ground the barley; then we put the
meat in the earthenware cooking pot. Then I came to the Prophet (ﷺ) when the dough had become soft and
fermented and (the meat in) the pot over the stone trivet had nearly been well-cooked, and said, "I
have got a little food prepared, so get up O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), you and one or two men along with you
(for the food)."
The Prophet (ﷺ) asked, "How much is that food?" I told him about it. He said, "It is abundant and good.
Tell your wife not to remove the earthenware pot from the fire and not to take out any bread from the
oven till I reach there." Then he said (to all his companions), "Get up." So the Muhajirn (i.e.
Emigrants) and the Ansar got up. When I came to my wife, I said, "Allah's Mercy be upon you! The
Prophet came along with the Muhajirin and the Ansar and those who were present with them." She
said, "Did the Prophet (ﷺ) ask you (how much food you had)?" I replied, "Yes." Then the Prophet (ﷺ) said,
"Enter and do not throng." The Prophet (ﷺ) started cutting the bread (into pieces) and put the cooked meat
over it. He covered the earthenware pot and the oven whenever he took something out of them. He
would give the food to his companions and take the meat out of the pot. He went on cutting the bread
and scooping the meat (for his companions) till they all ate their fill, and even then, some food
remained. Then the Prophet (ﷺ) said (to my wife), "Eat and present to others as the people are struck with
hunger."