English Translation

Abd al-Samad b. Abd al-Warith narrated to us: My father narrated to me: Dawud — that is Ibn Abi Hind — narrated to us, from Abu Harb, that Talhah told him — and he was among the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him: I came to Madinah, having no acquaintance there, and stayed on the Suffah with a man; between us each day was a mudd of dates. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, prayed one day, and when he had finished, a man of the people of the Suffah said, "O Messenger of Allah, dates have burned our bellies, and our worn-out shoes have torn from us." The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, then ascended and delivered a sermon, then said, "By Allah, if I found bread or meat I would feed it to you. But you will soon reach a time — and whoever among you reaches it — when large bowls of food will be brought to you morning and evening, and you will wear garments like the coverings of the Ka'bah." He said: My companion and I remained eighteen days and nights with no food but wild lote-fruit, until we came to our brothers among the Ansar, who shared with us — and the best we obtained was these dates.