While we were digging the trench, a very hard boulder became exposed. The Companions went to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and told him about it, and he said: I will go (see it)

Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: While we were digging the trench, a very hard boulder became exposed. The Companions went to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and told him about it, and he said: "I will go (see it)." He stood up with a stone tied over his abdomen due to intense hunger, for we had not eaten anything for three days. He took up a spade and struck the hard rock with it, and it turned into sand. I sought his permission to go home. (After reaching it) I said to my wife: "I have seen the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in a state that I can not endure. Have you got anything in the house?" She said: "I have barley and a little goat." I slaughtered the little goat, she ground the barley, and we put the meat in the cooking pot. Then I went to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) while the flour had been kneaded and the meat in the pot was nearly cooked. I said to him: "O Messenger of Allah, I have some food, will you come along with one or two Companions?" He asked: "How much is it?" I told him about the quantity, and he said: "Plenty and good. Tell your wife not to remove the pot from the hearth nor the bread from the oven until I arrive." Then he said to the Muhājirūn and the Ansār: "Let us go (to eat)." They all rose (and went with him). I went to my wife and said: "Take care, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him); the Muhajiroūn; the Ansār; and those with them are coming." She said: "Did he (the Prophet) ask you (about the quantity of food)?" I said: 'Yes.' (When they arrived) the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to his Companions: "Enter, but do not crowd." Then he started breaking up the bread and putting meat on it. He would take from the pot and the oven, then he would cover them up, and then he would approach his Companions and hand it over to them. He would then go back and uncover the pot and the oven. He continued to break up the bread and put meat on it until all people had eaten their fill, and still some of the food remained. Then he said to my wife: "Eat from this, and gift from it, for people have been afflicted with severe hunger." In another narration, Jābir said: "When the trench was being dug, I noticed signs of hunger on the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). I went to my wife and said to her: 'Do you have anything? I have seen signs of severe hunger on the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).' She brought out a bag which contained a Sā‘ of barley. We had a goat which was reared at home. I slaughtered the goat, and she ground the flour in order to bake bread. I then cut the meat and put it in the cooking pot. When I was about to go back to Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) my wife said to me: 'Do not dishonor me before the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions (meaning: do not invite too many people as the food is little).' When I reached him, I said to him in a low tone: 'O Messenger of Allah, we have slaughtered a small animal and have ground a Sā‘ of barley. Please accompany me with a few of your Companions.' Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) announced in a loud voice: 'O people of the trench, Jābir has arranged a feast for you, so all of you are welcome.' Then he told me: 'Do not take the pot off the fire, nor bake the kneaded flour until I arrive.' So I went home, and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came ahead of the people. My wife told me off, but I replied: 'I did exactly what you told me to do.' She brought out the kneaded flour, and Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) spat into it and invoked the blessing of Allah on it, and then he spat into the cooking pot and invoked the blessing of Allah on it. Then he said (to my wife): 'Call another woman to help bake bread with you, and take (meat) out from your cooking pot, but do not take it off the fire.' There were about one thousand guests. By Allah, all of them ate until they left the food and went off while our cooking pot was still full with meat as before and the dough continued to be baked as before."

Attribution: Narrated by Bukhari & Muslim

Grade: Authentic hadith