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الادب المفرد
Adab al-Mufrad
كتابBook of Good Treatment of Servants
بَابُ هَلْ يَجْلِسُ خَادِمُهُ مَعَهُ إِذَا أَكَلَChapter: Should the Servant Sit with His Master When Eating?
Hadith 201
اُردوEn
حَدَّثَنَا بِشْرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ، قَالَ: أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو يُونُسَ الْبَصْرِيُّ، عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ أَبُو مَحْذُورَةَ: كُنْتُ جَالِسًا عِنْدَ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ، إِذْ جَاءَ صَفْوَانُ بْنُ أُمَيَّةَ بِجَفْنَةٍ يَحْمِلُهَا نَفَرٌ فِي عَبَاءَةٍ، فَوَضَعُوهَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْ عُمَرَ، فَدَعَا عُمَرُ نَاسًا مَسَاكِينَ وَأَرِقَّاءَ مِنْ أَرِقَّاءِ النَّاسِ حَوْلَهُ، فَأَكَلُوا مَعَهُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ: فَعَلَ اللَّهُ بِقَوْمٍ، أَوْ قَالَ: لَحَا اللَّهُ قَوْمًا يَرْغَبُونَ عَنْ أَرِقَّائِهِمْ أَنْ يَأْكُلُوا مَعَهُمْ، فَقَالَ صَفْوَانُ: أَمَا وَاللَّهِ، مَا نَرْغَبُ عَنْهُمْ، وَلَكِنَّا نَسْتَأْثِرُ عَلَيْهِمْ، لاَ نَجْدُ وَاللَّهِ مِنَ الطَّعَامِ الطِّيبِ مَا نَأْكُلُ وَنُطْعِمُهُمْ.
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Mahdhurah (may Allah be pleased with him) that I was present in the service of Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) when Safwan bin Umayyah came with a very large tub, which several people were carrying in a sheet. So they placed it before Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) called the poor people and other people’s slaves who were present there, and they ate together. At that time, Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: May Allah do bad to those people, or he said: May Allah curse those who avoid eating with their slaves. Safwan bin Umayyah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: By Allah! We do not neglect them, but we prefer ourselves over them. By Allah, we do not have such fine and good food that we ourselves eat and also feed them.
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Maulana Usman Muneeb
Benefits and Issues:
From the narrations mentioned in the previous chapters, it apparently seemed that seating a slave or servant together and feeding him is obligatory and holds the status of a compulsory act. There is also a difference of opinion among the jurists on this issue. Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has alluded to this difference of opinion among the jurists in the title of this chapter and has indicated his own inclination that if there is some hindrance or obstacle, then it is also permissible not to seat the slave together, for example, if the food is little or the servant himself, out of etiquette and respect, does not sit with the master. In such a case, there is no sin; however, in this situation, it is necessary to give him at least some food. If a person, out of arrogance, does not seat the servant with him, then he will certainly be sinful, as is evident from the statement of Umar radi Allahu anhu.
From the narrations mentioned in the previous chapters, it apparently seemed that seating a slave or servant together and feeding him is obligatory and holds the status of a compulsory act. There is also a difference of opinion among the jurists on this issue. Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has alluded to this difference of opinion among the jurists in the title of this chapter and has indicated his own inclination that if there is some hindrance or obstacle, then it is also permissible not to seat the slave together, for example, if the food is little or the servant himself, out of etiquette and respect, does not sit with the master. In such a case, there is no sin; however, in this situation, it is necessary to give him at least some food. If a person, out of arrogance, does not seat the servant with him, then he will certainly be sinful, as is evident from the statement of Umar radi Allahu anhu.
Source: Fadlullah al-Ahad: Urdu Commentary on al-Adab al-Mufrad, Page: 201
