One Who Swears Not To Eat Food

Narrated 'Abd al-Rahman b. Abi Bakr:
Some guests visited us, and Abu Bakr was conversing with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ at night. He (Abu Bakr) said: I will not return to you until you are free from their entertainment and serving them food. So he brought them food, but they said: We shall not eat it until Abu Bakr comes (back). Abu Bakr then came and asked: What did your guest do? Are you free from their entertainment ? They said: No. I said: I brought them food, but they refused and said: We swear by Allah, we shall not take it until he comes. They said: He spoke the truth. He brought it to us, but we refused (to take it) until you come. He asked: What did prevent you ? He said: I swear by Allah, I shall not take food tonight. They said: And we also swear by Allah that we shall not take food until you take it. He said: I never saw an evil like the one tonight. He said: Bring your food near (you). He ('Abd al-Rahman) said: Their food was then brought near them. He said: In the name of Allah, and he took the food, and they also took it. I then informed him that the dawn had broken. So he went to th Prophet ﷺ and informed him of what he and they had done. He said: You are the most obedient and most trustful of them.

حَدَّثَنَا مُؤَمَّلُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، عَنِ الْجُرَيْرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي عُثْمَانَ، أَوْ عَنْ أَبِي السَّلِيلِ، عَنْهُ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ، قَالَ : نَزَلَ بِنَا أَضْيَافٌ لَنَا قَالَ : وَكَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ يَتَحَدَّثُ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِاللَّيْلِ فَقَالَ : لاَ أَرْجِعَنَّ إِلَيْكَ حَتَّى تَفْرَغَ مِنْ ضِيَافَةِ هَؤُلاَءِ وَمِنْ قِرَاهُمْ فَأَتَاهُمْ بِقِرَاهُمْ فَقَالُوا : لاَ نَطْعَمُهُ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ . فَجَاءَ فَقَالَ : مَا فَعَلَ أَضْيَافُكُمْ أَفَرَغْتُمْ مِنْ قِرَاهُمْ قَالُوا : لاَ . قُلْتُ : قَدْ أَتَيْتُهُمْ بِقِرَاهُمْ فَأَبَوْا وَقَالُوا : وَاللَّهِ لاَ نَطْعَمُهُ حَتَّى يَجِيءَ، فَقَالُوا : صَدَقَ قَدْ أَتَانَا بِهِ فَأَبَيْنَا حَتَّى تَجِيءَ، قَالَ : فَمَا مَنَعَكُمْ قَالُوا : مَكَانُكَ . قَالَ : وَاللَّهِ لاَ أَطْعَمُهُ اللَّيْلَةَ، قَالَ فَقَالُوا : وَنَحْنُ وَاللَّهِ لاَ نَطْعَمُهُ حَتَّى تَطْعَمَهُ . قَالَ : مَا رَأَيْتُ فِي الشَّرِّ كَاللَّيْلَةِ قَطُّ - قَالَ - قَرِّبُوا طَعَامَكُمْ . قَالَ : فَقُرِّبَ طَعَامُهُمْ فَقَالَ : بِسْمِ اللَّهِ فَطَعِمَ وَطَعِمُوا فَأُخْبِرْتُ أَنَّهُ أَصْبَحَ فَغَدَا عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَأَخْبَرَهُ بِالَّذِي صَنَعَ وَصَنَعُوا، قَالَ : " بَلْ أَنْتَ أَبَرُّهُمْ وَأَصْدَقُهُمْ " .