Tirmidhi Book 37, Hadith 2473

حَدَّثَنَا حَدَّثَنَا هَنَّادٌ، حَدَّثَنَا يُونُسُ بْنُ بُكَيْرٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاق، حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ كَعْبٍ الْقُرَظِيِّ، حَدَّثَنِي مَنْ،‏‏‏‏ سَمِعَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ،‏‏‏‏ يَقُولُ:‏‏‏‏ خَرَجْتُ فِي يَوْمٍ شَاتٍ مِنْ بَيْتِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ،‏‏‏‏ وَقَدْ أَخَذْتُ إِهَابًا مَعْطُوبًا فَحَوَّلْتُ وَسَطَهُ فَأَدْخَلْتُهُ عُنُقِي وَشَدَدْتُ وَسَطِي، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَحَزَمْتُهُ بِخُوصِ النَّخْلِ وَإِنِّي لَشَدِيدُ الْجُوعِ وَلَوْ كَانَ فِي بَيْتِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ طَعَامٌ لَطَعِمْتُ مِنْهُ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَخَرَجْتُ أَلْتَمِسُ شَيْئًا، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَمَرَرْتُ بِيَهُودِيٍّ فِي مَالٍ لَهُ وَهُوَ يَسْقِي بِبَكَرَةٍ لَهُ فَاطَّلَعْتُ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ ثُلْمَةٍ فِي الْحَائِطِ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَقَالَ:‏‏‏‏ مَا لَكَ يَا أَعْرَابِيُّ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏هَلْ لَكَ فِي كُلِّ دَلْوٍ بِتَمْرَةٍ ؟ قُلْتُ:‏‏‏‏ نَعَمْ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَافْتَحْ الْبَابَ حَتَّى أَدْخُلَ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَفَتَحَ فَدَخَلْتُ فَأَعْطَانِي دَلْوَهُ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَكُلَّمَا نَزَعْتُ دَلْوًا أَعْطَانِي تَمْرَةً حَتَّى إِذَا امْتَلَأَتْ كَفِّي أَرْسَلْتُ دَلْوَهُ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏وَقُلْتُ:‏‏‏‏ حَسْبِي، ‏‏‏‏‏‏فَأَكَلْتُهَا ثُمَّ جَرَعْتُ مِنَ الْمَاءِ فَشَرِبْتُ، ‏‏‏‏‏‏ثُمَّ جِئْتُ الْمَسْجِدَ فَوَجَدْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِيهِ ،‏‏‏‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى:‏‏‏‏ هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ.

Muhammad bin Ka'b Al-Qurazi said: Someone narrated to me that he heard 'ali bin abi Talib saying: 'I went out on a cold day from the house of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w). I had taken a tanned skin, si I tore it in the middle, and out it over my neck, and wrapped my mid-section, fastening it with a palm leave. I was severely hungry, and if there was food in the house of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) I would have eaten some of it. I went in search of something. I passed by a Jew on his property drawing water (from a well) with a pulley. I watched him from a gap in the fence. He said: what is wrong with you O Arab1 Would you like to get a date for every bucket? I said: Yes. Open the door so I can come in. He opened the door, I entered and he gave me his bucket. Then for every bucket I pulled out, he would give me a date, until when it was enough for me. I put his bucket down and said: I think I had enough to eat then I scooped some water to drink it. Then I came to the Masjid and found the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) in it.'