Ahl al-Suffah in Hadith

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Bukhari on proto - Sufis

The ahl al-saffah
Volume 1, Book 10, Number 576:
Narrated Abu 'Uthman:
'Abdur Rahman bin Abi Bakr said, "The Suffa Companions were poor people and the Prophet said, 'Whoever
has food for two persons should take a third one from them (Suffa companions). And whosoever has food for
four persons he should take one or two from them' Abu Bakr took three men and the Prophet took ten of
them."
'Abdur Rahman added, my father my mother and I were there (in the house). (The sub-narrator is in doubt
whether 'Abdur Rahman also said, 'My wife and our servant who was common for both my house and Abu
Bakr's house). Abu Bakr took his supper with the Prophet and remained there till the 'Isha' prayer was
offered. Abu Bakr went back and stayed with the Prophet till the Prophet took his meal and then Abu Bakr
returned to his house after a long portion of the night had passed. Abu Bakr's wife said, 'What detained you
from your guests (or guest)?' He said, 'Have you not served them yet?' She said, 'They refused to eat until you
come. The food was served for them but they refused."
'Abdur Rahman added, "I went away and hid myself (being afraid of Abu Bakr) and in the meantime he (Abu
Bakr) called me, 'O Ghunthar (a harsh word)!' and also called me bad names and abused me and then said (to
his family), 'Eat. No welcome for you.' Then (the supper was served). Abu Bakr took an oath that he would
not eat that food. The narrator added: By Allah, whenever any one of us (myself and the guests of Suffa
companions) took anything from the food, it increased from underneath. We all ate to our fill and the food
was more than it was before its serving.
Book 23, Number 3409:
Narrated Ubaydah ibn as-Samit:
I taught some persons of the people of Suffah writing and the Qur'an. A man of them presented to me a bow. I
said: It cannot be reckoned property; may I shoot with it in Allah's path? I must come to the Apostle of of
Allah (peace_be_upon_him) and ask him (about it). So I came to him and said : Apostle of Allah
(peace_be_upon_him), one of those whom I have been teaching writing and the Qur'an has presented me a
bow, and as it cannot be reckoned property, may I shoot with it in Allah's path? He said: If you want to have a
necklace of fire on you, accept it.

Volume 8, Book 76, Number 459:

Narrated Abu Huraira:
By Allah except Whom none has the right to- be worshipped, (sometimes) I used to lay (sleep) on the ground
on my liver (abdomen) because of hunger, and (sometimes) I used to bind a stone over my belly because of
hunger. One day I sat by the way from where they (the Prophet and h is companions) used to come out. When
Abu Bakr passed by, I asked him about a Verse from Allah's Book and I asked him only that he might satisfy
my hunger, but he passed by and did not do so. Then Umar passed by me and I asked him about a Verse from
Allah's Book, and I asked him only that he might satisfy my hunger, but he passed by without doing so.

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Finally Abu-l-Qasim (the Prophet ) passed by me and he smiled when he saw me, for he knew what was in
my heart and on my face. He said, "O Aba Hirr (Abu Huraira)!" I replied, "Labbaik, O Allah's Apostle!" He
said to me, "Follow me." He left and I followed him.
Then he entered the house and I asked permission to enter and was admitted. He found milk in a bowl and
said, "From where is this milk?" They said, "It has been presented to you by such-and-such man (or by such
and such woman)." He said, "O Aba Hirr!" I said, "Labbaik, O Allah's Apostle!" He said, "Go and call the
people of Suffa to me." These people of Suffa were the guests of Islam who had no families, nor money, nor
anybody to depend upon, and whenever an object of charity was brought to the Prophet , he would send it to
them and would not take anything from it, and whenever any present was given to him, he used to send some
for them and take some of it for himself. The order off the Prophet upset me, and I said to myself, "How will
this little milk be enough for the people of As-Suffa?" thought I was more entitled to drink from that milk in
order to strengthen myself, but behold! The Prophet came to order me to give that milk to them. I wondered
what will remain of that milk for me, but anyway, I could not but obey Allah and His Apostle so I went to the
people of As-Suffa and called them, and they came and asked the Prophet's permission to enter. They were
admitted and took their seats in the house.
The Prophet said, "O Aba-Hirr!" I said, "Labbaik, O Allah's Apostle!" He said, "Take it and give it to them."
So I took the bowl (of Milk) and started giving it to one man who would drink his fill and return it to me,
whereupon I would give it to another man who, in his turn, would drink his fill and return it to me, and I
would then offer it to another man who would drink his fill and return it to me. Finally, after the whole group
had drunk their fill, I reached the Prophet who took the bowl and put it on his hand, looked at me and smiled
and said. "O Aba Hirr!" I replied, "Labbaik, O Allah's Apostle!" He said, "There remain you and I." I said,
"You have said the truth, O Allah's Apostle!" He said, "Sit down and drink." I sat down and drank. He said,
"Drink," and I drank. He kept on telling me repeatedly to drink, till I said, "No. by Allah Who sent you with
the Truth, I have no space for it (in my stomach)." He said, "Hand it over to me." When I gave him the bowl,
he praised Allah and pronounced Allah's Name on it and drank the remaining milk.

Muslim's Sahih
Book 4, Number 1756:
Narrated Uqbah ibn Amir:
When we were in Suffah, the Messenger of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) came out and said: Which of you
would like to go out every morning to Buthan or al-Aqiq and bring two large she-camels without being guilty
of sin or without serving the ties of kinship? We said: Messenger of Allah, we would like to do it.
Upon this he said: Does not one of you go out in the morning to the mosque and teach or recite two verses
from the Book of Allah, the Majestic and Glorious? That is better for him than two she-camels, and three
verses are better (than three she-camels) and four verses are better for him than four (she-camels), and so on
their number in camels.

Bukhari:
Volume 9, Book 93, Number 471:
Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri:
A man heard another man reciting (in the prayers): 'Say (O Muhammad): "He is Allah, the One." (112.1) And

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he recited it repeatedly. When it was morning, he went to the Prophet and informed him about that as if he
considered that the recitation of that Sura by itself was not enough. Allah's Apostle said, "By Him in Whose
Hand my life is, it is equal to one-third of the Quran."

Volume 9, Book 93, Number 472:

Narrated 'Aisha:
The Prophet sent (an army unit) under the command of a man who used to lead his companions in the prayers
and would finish his recitation with (the Sura 112): 'Say (O Muhammad): "He is Allah, the One." ' (112.1)
When they returned (from the battle), they mentioned that to the Prophet. He said (to them), "Ask him why
he does so." They asked him and he said, "I do so because it mentions the qualities of the Beneficent and I
love to recite it (in my prayer)." The Prophet; said (to them), "Tell him that Allah loves him"

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