Answered by: Maulana Mujahid Hussain
Question Assalamualykum. I wanted to know if you have any references for the story below and would it be correct to narrate it? The story is being sent as a video clip on whatsapp. One day a poor man brought a bunch of grapes to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) as a gift. The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) ate one, two, three and then the whole bunch of grapes by himself. He did not offer grapes to anyone present. The poor man who brought those grapes was very pleased and left. One of the companions asked, “O prophet of Allah! How come you ate all the grapes by yourself and did not offer to any one of us present? The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) smiled and said, “I ate all the grapes by myself because the grapes were sour. If I would have offered you, you might have made funny faces and that would have hurt the feelings of that poor man. I thought to myself that it is better that I eat all of them cheerfully and please the poor man. I did not want to hurt the feelings of that poor man.
In the name of Allah the most Beneficent, the most Merciful
Answer
No doubt the story is beautiful. May Allah ( سبحانه و تعالى ) give all of us such character
Here are the Arabic words of this narration
حُكي أنه جاء رجل فقير من أهل الصفة بقدحٍ مملوءةً عنباً إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يُهديه له، فأخذ رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم القدح وبدأ يأكل العنب، فأكل الأولى وتبسم، ثم الثانية وتبسم، والرجل الفقير يكادُ يطير فرحاً بذلك، والصحابة ينظرون قد اعتادوا أن يشركهم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم في كل شيء يهدى له، ورسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يأكل عنبة عنبة ويتبسم، حتى أنهى بأبي هو وأمي القدح والصحابة متعجبون !!! ففرح الفقير فرحاً شديداً وذهب، فسأله أحد الصحابة يا رسول الله لم لم تُشركنا معك؟! فتبسم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وقال: قد رأيتم فرحته بهذا القدح وإني عندما تذوقته وجدته مُراً فخشيتُ إن أشركتكم معي أن يُظهر أحدكم شيئا يفسد على ذاك الرجل فرحتهُ
However, this narration is not authentic. It is not found in any hadith book. In fact, the scholars have classified it as a fabrication.
However, there is an authentic narration from the prophet narrated by most scholars of hadith, including Bukhari and Muslim, which gives the same message.
عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ لَوْ أُهْدِيَ إِلَىَّ كُرَاعٌ لَقَبِلْتُ وَلَوْ دُعِيتُ عَلَيْهِ لأَجَبْتُ ”
Anas bin Malik narrated that Messenger of Allah said:
“If a sheep’s foot (lacking meat) were given to me I would accept it, and if I was invited to (a meal of) it I would accept”.[1]
Also, the Prophet ( صلّ الله عليه و سلّم ) said the following :
وَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ سَعْدِ بْنِ مُعَاذٍ، عَنْ جَدَّتِهِ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ “ يَا نِسَاءَ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ لاَ تَحْقِرَنَّ إِحْدَاكُنَّ لِجَارَتِهَا وَلَوْ كُرَاعَ شَاةٍ مُحْرَقًا
Yahya related to me from Malik from Zayd ibn Aslam from Amr ibn Sad ibn Muadh from his grandmother that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “O believing women, none of you must consider even a roasted sheep’s trotter (foot) too small to give to her neighbour.”[2]
Only Allah Knows best.
Written by Maulana Mujahid Hussain
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
[1] Hadith can be found in Bukhari , Muslim , Tirmizi , Nasaie and ibn Maajah amongst other books .
[2] Muattah Imam Malik under the chapter “ the description of the prophet” and Adabul-Mufrad Hadees number 122 Darussalam print.