The Book of Zuhd and Softening of Hearts — Hadith 7249

Arabic Text

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ حَبِيبٍ الْحَارِثِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا الْمُعْتَمِرُ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، عَنْ قَيْسٍ، عَنْ سَعْدٍ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ نُمَيْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي وَابْنُ، بِشْرٍ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، عَنْ قَيْسٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ سَعْدَ بْنَ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ، يَقُولُ وَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لأَوَّلُ رَجُلٍ مِنَ الْعَرَبِ رَمَى بِسَهْمٍ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَلَقَدْ كُنَّا نَغْزُو مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَا لَنَا طَعَامٌ نَأْكُلُهُ إِلاَّ وَرَقُ الْحُبْلَةِ وَهَذَا السَّمُرُ حَتَّى إِنَّ أَحَدَنَا لَيَضَعُ كَمَا تَضَعُ الشَّاةُ ثُمَّ أَصْبَحَتْ بَنُو أَسَدٍ تُعَزِّرُنِي عَلَى الدِّينِ لَقَدْ خِبْتُ إِذًا وَضَلَّ عَمَلِي وَلَمْ يَقُلِ ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ إِذًا ‏.‏

English Translation

Sa'd b. Abu Waqqas is reported to have, said: By Allah, I am the first person amongst the Arabs to throw an arrow in the cause of Allah and we used to go with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and there was no food for us to eat but only the leaves of hubla and samur trees (they are wild trees) and as a result thereof one amongst us would relieve himself as does the goat. (How strange it is) that now the people of Banu Asad (the progeny of Zubair) instruct me in religion and try to impose punishment upon me (in regard to it). If it is so (that I am so ignorant of religion), then indeed, I am undone and my deeds have been lost. Ibn Numair, however, did not make a mention of the word (idhan) thus? (in his narration).