One of the miracles with which Allaah The Almighty honored His Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was granting him the ability to increase a small amount of food and making it blessed to an extent that the amount that would hardly suffice one or two people would become sufficient for a large number of people.
This miracle happened several times in different places and on various occasions. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, fed the people who were digging the trench during the Battle of Al-Khandaq, who numbered almost one thousand, with a Saa‘ (handful) of barley. Everyone ate to their fill and left while the food remained as if untouched. Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullaah saw that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam, was very hungry. So, he went to his house, prepared a Saa‘ of barley, slaughtered a sheep and prepared food with his wife. He invited the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, who came with the People of the Trench, all together, and he, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, told Jaabir not to take out the pot of meat or bake the bread until he came and blessed them. Then, all of the believers ate their fill, while the food remained as if untouched. [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
Also, when the Companions of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, were stricken by hunger during the Battle of Tabook, they asked for his permission to slaughter some of their riding animals. However, he, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, asked them to bring him the remainder of their food and he supplicated to Allaah The Almighty to bless it, and then said: “Put food in your containers!” They put food in their containers until they filled all the containers in the camp. They then ate until they all became full, and even then some food remained. [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
Also, Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullaah told the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, that his father had been killed in the Battle of Uhud and that he (his father) was in debt with the creditors persistently demanding their rights. Jaabir asked the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, to help him pay that debt. He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, went to Jaabir’s orchard and supplicated that its fruits would be blessed. Therefore, Jaabir paid off his father’s debt and there was even extra dates left for him. [Al-Bukhaari]
Abu Talhah invited the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, to have food in his house. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, came with his Companions and supplicated that Allaah The Exalted would bless the food and then said: “Let ten persons come [to share the meal].”Ten persons were admitted, ate their fill and left. He sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam again said:”Let another ten come.” They were admitted, ate their fill and left.He sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam again said:”Let another ten come.“They were admitted, ate their fill and left. Then he sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said: “Let another ten come.”In short, all of them ate their fill, and they were seventy or eighty men.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
Also, Abu Hurayrah said: “I went to the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, with some dates and said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah, supplicate to Allaah The Almighty to bless them!’ He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, held them and supplicated that Allaah would bless them for me, and said:‘Take them and put them in your haversack [or in this haversack]. Whenever you want to take some of them, insert your hand in it and do not scatter them.’”Abu Hurayrah said, ‘‘I carried large amounts of these dates in the Cause of Allaah, and we would eat and feed from it. This haversack never left my waist until the day when ‘Uthmaan was assassinated, and that was when it was disconnected [from my waist].” [At-Tirmithi]
Therefore, increasing food was a miracle with which Allaah The Almighty supported His Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. The people saw it and the Companions of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, lived it. Such a miracle made many people adopt Islam and had a great effect on Muslims – enhancing their faith and their dependence on their Lord. It also helped them solve their problems and eased their predicaments. Truly, Exalted is Allaah who cannot be made helpless by anything in the heavens or on the earth.
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