Download PDF: [S] He Sponged on a Muhaddith

The famous Muhaddith, Abu Amar Jehdami, narrates:

 

There was a person who used to live next to me and he was someone whom I considered as a person who sponges on people. When I attended any function, this person used to also walk behind. People used to this think that this was my special man and went out of their way to entertain him as well.

 

One day, the Governor of Basrah, Jafer bin Qasim Hashimi, had a function because he was celebrating the circumcision of someone in his family. As soon as the messengers from the Governor came to call me, this person also noticed them coming and he also started to follow me to the Governor’s residence.

 

Obviously, on that day, I was extremely angry with this person and decided that today I am going to teach him a lesson. As the food was presented, everyone present began to eat. I then began to read aloud a certain Hadith. The Sanad of this Hadith was Darsah bin Ziyad narrates from Abaan bin Taariq, who narrates from Naafe, who narrates from ibn ‘Umar, who narrates from the Holy Prophet – may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him – that, “That person who enters the house of another without permission and eats his food, he enters as a thief and leaves as a rogue.”

 

When I completed saying this Hadith, this person then shouted, “O Abu Amar! Have fear for Allah! You had only mentioned this Hadith to insult me in spite of the fact that the narrator Darsah bin Ziyad is considered as weak and one narrator and Abaan bin Taariq is someone who is considered as incomplete. This Hadith is also against the ‘Ijmah of the Muslims because none of the Imams have given the decision that a person who enters the house of another and eats the food without permission is to be considered as a thief. And therefore, his hand should be chopped off or he should be punished as a rogue. O Abu Amar! why did you not remember this Hadith which is narrated from Abu Asim from Juraij from Zubair from Jabir – May Allah have mercy upon them -that the Holy Prophet – may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him – has stated that, “The food of one is sufficient for two, the food of two is sufficient for four and the food of four people is sufficient for eight people. The Sanad and the Matan of this Hadith Shareef is indeed true and authentic.”

 

The Muhaddith mentions that when he heard this immediate answer he was clearly shocked. He also mentions that after the lunch, this person did not walk behind him any longer but walked on the other side of the road. He continued to mention the words of a poem which was, “When a person jumps into war without thinking and believes that he will not be hurt, then certainly this thought of his is incorrect.” (Thama raat Al Awraaq)