Question
Is eating melon and fresh dates and cucumber and fresh dates two separate Sunnahs or is it one and the same Hadith?
Answer
These are two separate Hadiths. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) ate melon as well as cucumber with fresh dates, on separate occasions.
1) Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn Ja’far ibn Abi Talib (radiyallahu ‘anhuma) said: “I saw Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) eating fresh dates with cucumber.”
(Sahih Bukhari, Hadith: 5440, Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 2043)
2) Sayyidah ‘Aaishah (radiyallahu ‘anha) reports: “Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) would eat melon with ripe dates, saying: “The heat of this [dates] neutralises the coolness of that [melon].”
(Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith: 3832)
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.
Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala
Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar