Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 14384 — Taking provisions to Makkah

Abd al-Malik said: I asked al-Sha'bi about the saying of Allah Almighty: "And take provision, for indeed the best provision is God-consciousness (taqwa)." He said: It means food, and food was scarce in those days. I said: What food? He said: Sawiq (barley meal) and dates.