Home Hadith Hadith 4172
We set out in the army of Al-Khabt and Abu Ubaida was the commander of the troops. We were
struck with severe hunger and the sea threw out a dead fish the like of which we had never seen, and it
was called Al-`Anbar. We ate of it for half a month. Abu Ubaida took (and fixed) one of its bones and
a rider passed underneath it (without touching it). (Jabir added:) Abu 'Ubaida said (to us), "Eat (of that
fish)." When we arrived at Medina, we informed the Prophet (ﷺ) about that, and he said, "Eat, for it is
food Allah has brought out for you, and feed us if you have some of it." So some of them gave him (of
that fish) and he ate it.
Sahih al-Bukhari Book 64, Hadith 388
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Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) sent us who were three-hundred riders under the command of Abu Ubaida bin Al-
Jarrah in order to watch the caravan of the Quraish pagans. We stayed at the seashore for half a month
and were struck with such severe hunger that we ate even the Khabt (i.e. the leaves of the Salam, a
thorny desert tree), and because of that, the army was known as Jaish-ul-Khabt. Then the sea threw
out, an animal (i.e. a fish) called Al-`Anbar and we ate of that for half a month, and rubbed its fat on
our bodies till our bodies returned to their original state (i.e. became strong and healthy). Abu Ubaida
took one of its ribs, fixed it on the ground; then he went to the tallest man of his companions (to let
him pass under the rib). Once Sufyan said, "He took a rib from its parts and fixed it, and then took a
man and camel and they passed from underneath it (without touching it). " Jabir added: There was a
man amongst the people who slaughtered three camels and then slaughtered another three camels and
then slaughtered other three camels, and then Abu 'Ubaida forbade him to do so.
Narrated Abu Salih: Qais bin Sa`d said to his father. "I was present in the army and the people were
struck with severe hunger." He said, "You should have slaughtered (camels) (for them)." Qais said, "I
did slaughter camels but they were hungry again. He said, "You should have slaughtered (camels)
again." Qais said, "I did slaughter (camels) again but the people felt hungry again." He said, "You
should have slaughtered (camels) again." Qais said, "I did slaughter (camels) again, but the people
again felt hungry." He said, "You should have slaughtered (camels) again." Qais said, "But I was
forbidden (by Abu 'Ubaida this time).
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That during the Hajj in which the Prophet (ﷺ) had made Abu Bakr As Siddiq as chief of the, Hajj before
the Hajj-ul-Wida,' on the day of Nahr, Abu Bakr sent him along with a group of persons to announce
to the people. "No pagan is permitted to perform Hajj after this year, and nobody is permitted to
perform the Tawaf of the Ka`ba naked."