Question:
Is the story of the Prophet PBUH and two of his companions; Abu Bakr RA and Umar RA went out seeking for food an authentic narration?
Answer:
Alhamdulillah, praise and thanks to Allah for the countless blessings He has blessed us all with. Blessings and salutations to the Prophet Muhammad PBUH, his wives, his family, companions and all those that follow his teachings to the day of judgement.
The Prophet PBUH is the most honourable human or creation created by Allah compared to all other creations. Besides, he lived modestly even when he was a prophet as well as the ruler of that time. This is depicted in a hadith:
- Where Ai’sha R.anha said:
مَا شَبِعَ آلُ مُحَمَّدٍ صلى الله عليه وسلم مُنْذُ قَدِمَ الْمَدِينَةَ مِنْ طَعَامِ الْبُرِّ ثَلاَثَ لَيَالٍ تِبَاعًا، حَتَّى قُبِضَ
“The family of Muhammad had not eaten wheat bread to their satisfaction for three consecutive days since his arrival at Medina till he died”
[Sahih al-Bukhari (5416) and Sahih Muslim (2970)]
This hadith portrays zuhud that the Prophet PBUH possesses in refusing worldly gains to seek for the everlasting hereafter. Imam Ibn Battal once stated that the zuhud of the Prophet PBUH is not a support towards the advantage of the poor compared to the rich, but rather a depiction of the virtue of faith (towards the sustenance of Allah); where a man becomes intermediate and not extravagant in worldly matters. [Refer: Fath al-Mu’in, 8/239]
Referring back to the question asked, the story is indeed mentioned in a sahih (authentic) hadith recorded by Imam Muslim where the Prophet PBUH as well as two of his companions which are Abu Bakr and Umar once went out of their houses due to hunger:
خَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ - أَوْ لَيْلَةٍ - فَإِذَا هُوَ بِأَبِي بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرَ، فَقَالَ: مَا أَخْرَجَكُمَا مِنْ بُيُوتِكُمَا هَذِهِ السَّاعَةَ؟ قَالَا: الْجُوعُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، قَالَ: وَأَنَا، وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ، لَأَخْرَجَنِي الَّذِي أَخْرَجَكُمَا، قُومُوا، فَقَامُوا مَعَهُ، فَأَتَى رَجُلًا مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ فَإِذَا هُوَ لَيْسَ فِي بَيْتِهِ، فَلَمَّا رَأَتْهُ الْمَرْأَةُ، قَالَتْ: مَرْحَبًا وَأَهْلًا، فَقَالَ لَهَا رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: أَيْنَ فُلَانٌ؟ قَالَتْ: ذَهَبَ يَسْتَعْذِبُ لَنَا مِنَ الْمَاءِ، إِذْ جَاءَ الْأَنْصَارِيُّ، فَنَظَرَ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَصَاحِبَيْهِ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ مَا أَحَدٌ الْيَوْمَ أَكْرَمَ أَضْيَافًا مِنِّي، قَالَ: فَانْطَلَقَ، فَجَاءَهُمْ بِعِذْقٍ فِيهِ بُسْرٌ وَتَمْرٌ وَرُطَبٌ، ... قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لِأَبِي بَكْرٍ، وَعُمَرَ: وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ، لَتُسْأَلُنَّ عَنْ هَذَا النَّعِيمِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، أَخْرَجَكُمْ مِنْ بُيُوتِكُمُ الْجُوعُ، ثُمَّ لَمْ تَرْجِعُوا حَتَّى أَصَابَكُمْ هَذَا النَّعِيمُ
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went out (of his house) one day or one night, and there he met Abu Bakr and 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) also. He (ﷺ) said, "What made you leave your houses at this hour?" They said, "It is hunger, O Messenger of Allah." He said, "By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, what made you leave, made me also leave, so come along!" And he went along with them to a man from the Ansar, but they did not find him in his house. When the wife of that man saw the Prophet, she said, "You are most welcome." Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to her, "Where is so-and-so?" She said, "He went to fetch some fresh water for us." In the meantime, the Ansari came back, saw Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and his two companions and said: "Praise be to Allah, today no one has more honourable guests than I." He then went out and brought them a bunch of date fruit, having dates, some still green, some ripe, and some fully ripe, and requested them to eat from it. He then took his knife (to slaughter a sheep). Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to him, "Do not kill a milch sheep." So he slaughtered a sheep for them. After they had eaten and drunk to their fill, Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to Abu Bakr and 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them), "By Him in Whose Hand my soul is, you will certainly be questioned about this treat on the Day of Resurrection. Hunger brought you out of your homes, and you do not return to your homes till you have been blessed with this treat."
Sahih Muslim (497)
Closing
To conclude, the story is sahih (authentic) because it was narrated by Imam Muslim in his Sahih. Moreover, the hadith highlights on the zuhud attribute of the Prophet PBUH as well as the companions upon worldly gains. Lastly, may Allah SWT make us be among His servants who are always grateful with every bounty given by Him. Ameen.
Wallahua’lam.