The document discusses several hadith pertaining to provision, hunger, and abstinence from the Prophet Muhammad's time. It describes how the Prophet and his companions often went hungry and ate very meager meals, sometimes only eating leaves or fasting for multiple days. It mentions that the Prophet would encourage patience during times of hunger by saying those who endured it would be rewarded. The document emphasizes living contently with what provision one has from Allah and finding satisfaction in simple things.

1. Authentic Hadith pertaining to
PROVISION, HUNGER &
ABSTINENCE
Extracted from Imam Nawawi’s Reference
“The Gardens of Righteousness”
translated and presented by
Shaykh Ahmad Darwish, Anne (Khadeijah) Stephens
Allah.com Muhammad.com Mosque.com
©1984-2012 Darwish Family. All rights reserved
BOOK 51
Allah, the Exalted says:
“But the generations who succeeded them
wasted their prayers and followed their desires,
so they shall encounter error except he who repents
and believes and does good works;
those shall be admitted to Paradise
and shall not be wronged in any way.” 19:59-60 Koran
“So he went out in all his finery among his nation,
those who desired this life said:
'Would that we had the like
of that Korah has been given!
He has indeed a mighty fortune.'
But those to whom knowledge had been given said:
'Alas for you! Better is the reward of Allah for him
who believes and does good works;
but none shall receive it except the patient.'” 28:79-80 Koran
“On that Day,
you shall be questioned about the pleasures.” 102:8 Koran
“For whosoever desires this fleeting life
We hasten for him whatever We will
and to whom We want.
Then We have prepared Gehenna (Hell) for him,
where he will be roasted, condemned and rejected.” 17:18 Koran

2. THE FOOD OF THE PROPHET
Praise and peace be upon him
MEAGER MEALS
|H 492
“The family of the Prophet, may Allah be pleased with them, never
ate their fill of barley bread upon two consecutive days until after he
passed away.”
We are also told:
“Ever since the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, went to
Medina, his family never ate their fill of wheat bread for three
consecutive nights until he passed away.”
Bukhari and Muslim with a chain up to the Mother of Believers, Lady Ayesha, may
Allah be pleased with her, who related this.
DIET OF THE PROPHET, praise and peace be upon him
|H 493
“Nephew, we would sight three crescents in two months without a
fire being lit in the homes of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon
him, Urwah asked: "Aunt, how did you live?" She (Lady Ayesha,
may Allah be pleased with her) replied: ‘On dates and water, unless
the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, had Ansari neighbors
with she-camels yielding milk, who would send some of their milk to
the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, and we drank.”
Bukhari and Muslim with a chain up to Urwah who related that the Mother of
Believers, Lady Ayesha, may Allah be pleased with her, said this.
BARLEY BREAD
|H 494
“Abu Hurairah passed some people who had roasted a sheep. They
invited him to join them, but he declined, saying: ‘The Prophet,
praise and peace be upon him, passed from this world without even
eating his fill of barley bread.’"
Bukhari with a chain up to Abu Sa'id Maqburi said this.
PROVISION OF THE HOLY FAMILY
|H 502
“The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, would supplicate: ‘O
Allah, make the provision of the family of Muhammad that which
suffices.’"
Bukhari and Muslim with a chain up to Abu Hurairah who related this hadith.
MINIMAL FOOD
|H 496
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3. “Nu'man said, ‘There was never a time when I saw your Prophet,
praise and peace be upon him, having enough of even the poorest
quality dates to eat.’"
Muslim with a chain up to Nu'man, the son of Bashir who related this.
BREAD MADE OF FINE FLOUR
|H 497
“Throughout the Prophet's life he never saw bread made from fine
flour. He (Sahl, son of Sa’ad) was asked: ‘Didn't you have sieves in
the time of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him?’ He replied:
‘The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, never saw a sieve.’
Then he was asked: ‘How did you manage to eat bread made from
barley without the flour being sieved?’ He told them: ‘We ground it
and then blew over it to remove the husks, whatever remained we
kneaded into dough.”
Bukhari with a chain up to Sahl, the son of Sa'ad who related this.
COLLATERED SHIELD
|H 506
“The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, had collatered his
shield for thirty measures (Sa') of barley. I (Anas) took him some
barley bread and rancid fat and I heard him saying: ‘The family of
Muhammad having neither at night nor morning even a measure
(Sa' of food).’"
“Anas added: ‘And there were nine households.’"
Bukhari with a chain up to Anas who related this hadith.
PATIENCE DURING HUNGER
HUNGER OF THE PROPHET, AND HIS COMPANIONS
|H 498
“It was either one day or night that the Prophet, praise and peace be
upon him, came out of his home and found Abu Bakr and Omar. He
asked them: ‘What has brought you out of your homes at this hour?’
They replied, ‘Hunger, O Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be
upon him."
The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said: ‘By Him in whose
Hands is my life, the same reason that brought you out has brought
me out, so come.’ They stood up and all three went to the house
belonging to an Ansar, but he was not at home. When his wife saw
the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, she said: ‘Welcome
and blessings to you.’ The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him,
asked her, ’Where is so and so?’ She replied: ‘He has gone to fetch
fresh sweet water for us.’ When the Ansari returned and saw the
Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, with his two Companions,
he said: ‘Praise be to Allah. There is no one who has more honored
3

4. guests today than I have.’
Then, he then went out and brought a branch bearing ripe and half
ripe dates and invited them to eat. Then he picked up a knife and
the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said: ‘Do not slaughter
a goat that yields milk.’ So he slaughtered another one for them and
they ate and drank. Once they had finished eating and felt
refreshed, the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said to his
two Companions: ‘By Him in whose Hands is my life you will be
taken to account for these bounties on the Day of Judgement.
Hunger drove you from your homes and you did not return until you
had enjoyed these bounties.’"
Muslim with a chain up to Abu Hurairah who related this hadith.
HUMILITY OF GOVERNORS
|H 499
“We were addressed by Utbah, the son of Ghazwan, Governor of
Basra. After he had praised and exalted Allah, he said, ‘The world is
announcing its departure and is running swiftly, turning away its
face. All that is left of it is like the few drops left at the bottom of a
vessel after the water in it has been drunk, and this is what the
people who love the world are drinking. Indeed, you will be taken
from it to a home which is everlasting. Therefore, be sure that you
go there with the best you have.
We have been told that a stone dropped from the mouth of Hell will
continue to fall for seventy years before it reaches its bottom. Yet it
will be filled. Then do you wonder at it?
We have also been told that the distance between the two doors of
the Gate of Paradise is equal to a journey of over forty years, yet a
day will come when it will be crowded with people. I recall being one
of seven people with the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him,
when our only food was the leaves of trees which lacerated the
inside of our mouths. I had a sheet which I cut into two and gave
half to Sa'ad, the son of Malik and we made our pieces into loin-
cloths. Today, every one of us is governor of a city. I seek refuge
with Allah that I become in myself great, while I am with Allah small.
I seek the protection of Allah against thinking myself great and being
small in the Sight of Allah.’"
Muslim with a chain up to Khalid, the son of Omar Adavi who related this hadith.
LEAVES OF THE HUBLAH AND SAMOR TREES
|H 501
“I (Sa'ad, son of Abi Wakkas) am the first Arab to shoot an arrow in
the cause of Allah. We fought along with the Prophet, praise and
peace be upon him, and our food was only the leaves of the Hublah
and Samor trees. The stools of some of us were like the droppings
of goats.”
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5. Bukhari and Muslim with a chain up to Sa'ad, the son of Abi Wakkas who related
this.
FAINT THROUGH HUNGER
|H 504
“I (Abu Hurairah) remember how I would fall unconscious in the area
between the pulpit of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him,
and the room of Lady Ayesha, may Allah be pleased with her, and
how passers-by would put their foot on my neck imagining that I was
insane. Indeed, I was not insane; I was hungry."
Bukhari with a chain up to Muhammad, the son of Sirin who related this.
ABSTINENCE
SHIELD OF THE PROPHET, praise and peace be upon him
|H 505
“At the time the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, passed
away his shield was in collateral with a Jew for thirty measures (Sa')
of barley.”
Bukhari and Muslim with a chain up to the Mother of Believers, Lady Ayesha, may
Allah be pleased with her, who related this.
BED OF THE PROPHET, praise and peace be upon him
|H 508
“The mattress of the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, was
made of leather and stuffed with the fibrous bark of the date-palm
tree.”
Bukhari with a chain up to the Mother of Believers, Lady Ayesha, may Allah be
pleased with her, who related this.
GREED
|H 511
“O son of Adam, if you were to spend whatever is left over it will be
better for you. If you withhold it, it will be evil for you. You will not be
blamed for keeping that which you need. Begin by spending upon
your dependents.”
Tirmidhi with a chain up to Abu Umamah who related that the Prophet, praise and
peace be upon him, said this.
SATISFACTION
PROVISIONS FOR THE DAY
|H 512
“For anyone who wakes safely at the beginning of the day in good
health, possessing the provision for that day, it is as if the world and
all it contains has been given to him.”
Tirmidhi with a chain up to Ubaidullah, the son of Mohsin Ansari who related that
the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said this.
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6. TRUE PROSPERITY
|H 513
“Whosoever embraces Islam, and is given provision sufficient for his
need, and is content with whatever Allah has given him has
achieved true prosperity.”
Muslim with a chain up to Abdullah, the son of Amr son of Al 'As who related that
the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, said this.
BLESSINGS
|H 514
“Good tidings to whosoever is guided to Islam and has a provision
that suffices him and is content with it.”
Tirmidhi with a chain up to Fazalah, the son of Ubaid who related that he heard the
Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, say this.
PROVISIONS OF THE HOLY FAMILY
|H 515
“On several successive nights, the Prophet, praise and peace be
upon him, and his family went to bed feeling hungry not having any
supper. Their bread was, for the most part, made from barley.”
Tirmidhi with a chain up to ibn Abbas who related this.
REWARD FOR HUNGER
|H 516
“There were some people who, when stood in prayer with the
Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, fainted on account of
extreme hunger. These Companions were known as Suffa. The
villagers thought them to be insane. As soon as the prayer had
finished, the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, would go to
them and say: ‘If you only knew what there is waiting for you with
Allah, the Exalted, you would wish to have your hunger and lack of
provisions increased.’"
Tirmidhi with a chain up to Fazalah, the son of Ubaid who related this hadith.
BALANCED DIET
|H 517
“No man fills a vessel worse than his stomach. A few mouthfuls are
sufficient to keep his back upright, but if he must eat more, then let it
be one third for his food, and one third for his drink and one third for
his breathing.”
Tirmidhi with a chain up to Miqdad, the son of Ma'dikarib who related that he heard
the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, say this.
ABSTINENCE IS PART OF FAITH
|H 518
6

7. “One day, the Companions of the Prophet, praise and peace be
upon him, raised the issue of the world to him whereupon he said:
‘Don't you hear, don't you realize? Abstinence from a life of ease
and comfort is part of faith, abstinence is part of faith.’”
Abu Daud with a chain up to Abu Umamah Iyas, the son of Thalabah who related
this hadith.
PROVISION FROM ALLAH
|H 519
“The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, sent the Companions
out under the leadership of Abu Ubaidah to an encounter with a
Korayshi caravan.
Their provisions were a leather bag containing dried dates and
nothing else. Abu Ubaidah gave them each one date a day. Jabir
was asked: ‘How did you manage.’ He replied: ‘We sucked it in the
way a child would and then drank some water afterwards. This kept
us going until night. We would also pull down leaves from the trees
with our staffs, dip them in water and eat them.
When we reached the coast we saw something that resembled a
sand dune stretched out on the beach. We approached it and found
it was a whale. Abu Ubaidah said: ‘This is carrion, we cannot eat it
because it is forbidden.’ But upon reflection he added: ‘We have
been sent by the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon
him, and are engaged in the cause of Allah. We have been driven
by necessity, therefore it is lawful for us to eat it.’ There were three
hundred of us and we lived from it for a month and gained weight.
We extracted skinfuls of oil through its eyes, and carved out pieces
of meat as large as an ox.
On one occasion Abu Ubaidah told thirteen of us to sit in the socket
of its eye. He took one of its ribs and stood it up and made our
tallest camel walk under it. When we left we took large pieces of
boiled meat with us for our provision. Upon our return to Medina we
presented ourselves before the Prophet, praise and peace be upon
him, and told him about the whale. He said: ‘That was a provision
sent to you by Allah. Have you any of its meat to give to us so that
we may eat?’ So we sent some of it to the Prophet, praise and
peace be upon him, and he ate from it.’"
Muslim with a chain up to Jabir, the son of Abdullah who related this hadith.
MIRACULOUS FEEDING OF THE HUNGRY
HUNGER OF ABU HURAIRAH AND THE MIRACULOUS CUP OF
MILK
|H 503
“Abu Hurairah said: ‘By Allah, there is no other god except Him, I
7

8. would press my stomach against the ground on account of hunger,
or tie a stone upon it.
One day I was sitting by the side of the road when the Prophet,
praise and peace be upon him, passed by, he smiled when he saw
me and realized from my face the condition I was in. He spoke to
me and I replied: 'Obedient to you, O Messenger of Allah, praise
and peace be upon him.’ He said: 'Come with me’ and walked on
and I followed him.'
We went to his home and he asked the permission of those inside to
enter and then gave me permission to enter. Inside the house he
found a cup of milk and asked: 'Where has this milk come from' and
was told that it was a gift for him from so and so. He spoke to me
and I replied: 'Obedient to you, O Messenger of Allah, praise and
peace be upon him.' He said: 'Go to my Companions, the Suffa and
bring them here.' These people were men who had neither family,
property, nor relatives so they lived as guests with other Muslims.
When the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, received
anything to be spent in charity he sent it to them and did not retain
anything from it for himself (because charity was forbidden to him).
When he received a gift he sent for them and shared it with them.
On this occasion I resented his sending for them. I asked myself:
'How can this amount of milk suffice so many, I deserve it more than
anyone else, so that I might regain some energy. When they come
he will tell me to give it to them. I do not expect that there would be
any left for me.' I could not do anything else except to obey Allah
and His Messenger, praise and peace be upon him, so I went to
them and invited them to come.
When they came they were given permission to enter and sat down,
the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, called me and I
responded: 'Obedient to you, O Messenger of Allah, praise and
peace be upon him.' He told me: 'Take the milk and give it to them.'
So I took the cup and gave it to the first man who drank until he had
his fill and then he returned it to me. I did the same for the others
and they all had their fill. Then the cup reached the Prophet, praise
and peace be upon him, who took the cup in his hand, looked at me,
smiled and said: 'Aba Hirr.' I replied: 'Obedient to you, O Messenger
of Allah, praise and peace be upon him.' He said: 'Now you and I
are left.' I replied: 'That is so, O Messenger of Allah, praise and
peace be upon him.' He told me: 'Sit down and drink.' I drank, and
he kept telling me to drink more until I said: 'By Him who has sent
you with the truth. I have no more room for it.' So he said: 'Then give
it to me.' So I gave him the cup and he praised Allah, and in the
Name of Allah drank what was left of the milk."
Bukhari with a chain up to Abu Hurairah who related this hadith.
THE MIRACULOUS FEAST DURING THE BATTLE OF THE
8

9. TRENCH
|H 521
“During the battle of Ahzab (the battle of the Trench) the
Companions we were digging a trench when they struck a hard
boulder; no one was able to break it. The Prophet, praise and peace
be upon him, was told about it and said: ‘I will go down to the
trench.’ As he stood up it was noticed that he had tied a rock to his
stomach (to prevent the pangs of hunger) – they had not eaten
anything for three days. When he reached the trench he picked up a
spade and struck the hard boulder with it and it shattered into sand.
Jabir asked the Prophet's permission to return to his home. When
he reached his home he said to his wife: ‘I have seen the Prophet,
praise and peace be upon him, in such a (hungry) condition, I
cannot bear it, have you anything to eat in the house?’ She told him:
‘I have some barley and a nanny goat.’ Jabir slaughtered the nanny
goat and ground the barley, then put the meat into the cooking pot.
When the broth was almost ready and the barley flour had been
kneaded, Jabir went to the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him,
and said: ‘I have some food, O Messenger of Allah, praise and
peace be upon him, will you come with one or two others?’ He
asked: ‘How is it?’ Jabir replied: ‘As I mentioned.’ The Prophet,
praise and peace be upon him, said: ‘It is a lot and good, tell her not
to take the pot off the fire nor the bread from the oven until I arrive.’
Then he said to the Emigrants and the Helpers: ‘Let us go, and they
all stood up.’ Jabir returned to his wife and said: ‘The Blessings of
Allah be upon you, the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him,
together with the Emigrants, the Helpers and others are coming!’
She asked: ‘Did he ask you (how much food there was)?’ Jabir
replied: ‘Yes.’
The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, told his Companions:
‘Enter, but do not over-crowd.’ Then he started to break the bread
into pieces and put some meat on top of it. Then he took some
bread from the oven and some broth from the pot and poured it over
it and asked his Companions to pass the food around. Then he went
back to the pot and oven, uncovered them and did the same. He
continued to do this until everyone had eaten their fill - and there
was still some left over! Then he told Jabir's wife: ‘Eat some and
send some as a gift to those who are hungry.’”
We are also informed:
"At the time when the trench was being dug, Jabir noticed the signs
of hunger on the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, so he
returned to his wife and asked her ‘Have you any food in the house?
I have seen signs of acute hunger in the Prophet, praise and peace
be upon him,’ She brought out a leather bag in which there was a
measure of barley; there was also a nanny goat they had reared.
Jabir slaughtered the nanny goat and she prepared the flour for
baking. Jabir cut the meat into pieces and put it in the cooking pot.
Then as he was about to return to the Prophet, praise and peace be
9

10. upon him, to invite him his wife said (considering the small quantity
of food): ‘Do not humiliate me in the eyes of the Prophet, praise and
peace be upon him, and those who are with him.’ When Jabir came
to him he spoke to him in a low tone saying: ‘O Messenger of Allah,
praise and peace be upon him, we have slaughtered a nanny goat
and have ground a measure of barley. Please come with a few
people.’ Thereupon the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him,
announced for all his Companions to hear: ‘Companions of the
Trench, Jabir has prepared a feast for you, so come, all of you.’
Then he told Jabir ‘Do not remove the pot from the fire, nor bake the
bread until I arrive.’
So Jabir returned home and the Prophet, praise and peace be upon
him, followed with his Companions. Jabir's wife said: ‘This will give
you a bad name.’ Jabir replied: ‘I only did what you asked me to do.’
Jabir's wife brought the dough and the Prophet, praise and peace
be upon him, put his saliva on it and blessed it. Then he went to the
cooking pot and put a little saliva in it and blessed it. Then he said:
‘Call the lady who bakes, let her bake with you, and let her ladle the
broth from the cooking pot without removing it from the fire.’
There were a thousand people altogether, and by Allah, all of them
ate. When they left there was still some food in the pot, and Jabir's
pot was as full as it was in the beginning, and the amount of dough
remaining to be baked was the same quantity as that which they
started.”
Bukhari and Muslim with a chain up to Jabir who related this hadith.
THE MIRACULOUS FEEDING OF EIGHTY PEOPLE
|H 522
“(Abu Talha said to Umm Sulaim ) ‘I have heard the voice of the
Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon him, and it sounds
weak due to hunger, do you have any food with you?’ ‘Yes’ she
replied, and produced a few pieces of barley bread. Then she took
her scarf and wrapped the bread in it, and concealed the package
under yet another piece of cloth which she made me (Anas) wear
and sent me to the Messenger of Allah, praise and peace be upon
him.”
I found the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, sitting in the
Mosque surrounded by his Companions. I stood near to them when
the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, asked: ‘Have you been
sent by Abu Talha?’ I replied: ‘Yes.’ He inquired: ‘To invite us for
food?’ I said: ‘Yes.’ The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him,
said to the Companions: ‘Then let us go.’ They began to walk and I
walked with them. When he met Abu Talha I told him what had
happened.
Abu Talha called out to Umm Sulaim: ‘The Prophet, praise and
10

11. peace be upon him, has come with a large number of people and
we have nothing to feed them with.’ She replied: ‘Allah and His
Messenger know best.’ Abu Talha went to greet the Prophet, praise
and peace be upon him, and invited him inside. The Prophet, praise
and peace be upon him, said: ‘Bring whatever you have, Umm
Sulaim.’ So she placed before him the same pieces of barley bread.
The Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, asked for the bread to
be broken into pieces and she spread butter over them so that they
were greased. Then the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him,
said over the food what Allah willed him to say, ‘Let ten people
enter.’ Abu Talha called for ten enter, and they ate their fill and left.
Then the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, said: ‘Let the next
ten enter.’ So the next ten came, ate and left. This continued until
everyone had eaten his fill – there were between seventy and eighty
who were fed.”
We are also informed:
“After they had all had eaten, the amount remaining was the same
as it was at the beginning.”
We are also informed:
“After eighty people had eaten, the Prophet, praise and peace be
upon him, and the people of the house ate and there was still some
left over.”
We are also informed:
“There was enough left over to be sent to the neighbors.”
We are also informed:
“One day Anas went to the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him,
and found him with his stomach strapped, sitting among his
Companions. Anas asked someone: ‘Why has the Messenger of
Allah, praise and peace be upon him, strapped his stomach?’ He
was told: ‘On account of hunger.’ So Anas went to Abu Talha the
husband of Umm Sulaim and said ‘Father, I have seen the Prophet,
praise and peace be upon him, with his stomach strapped. I asked
one of his Companions why that was and he said it was because of
his hunger.’ Abu Talha went to Anas' mother and asked: ‘Have you
any food?’ She replied: ‘Yes, I have some pieces of bread and some
dry dates. If the Prophet, praise and peace be upon him, came
alone, we could feed him, but if he came with others there would not
be enough.’ Anas then went on to relate the rest of the hadith.”
Bukhari and Muslim with a chain up to Anas who related Abu Talha said this to
Umm Sulaim.
11

12. INDEX
PROVSION, HUNGER AND ABSTINENCE
BOOK 51
KORAN
THE FOOD OF THE PROPHET Praise and peace
be upon him
MEAGER MEALS
DIET OF THE PROPHET, praise and peace be upon him
BARLEY BREAD
MEAGER FOOD
PROVISION OF THE HOLY FAMILY
MINIMAL FOOD
BREAD MADE OF FINE FLOUR
COLLATERED SHIELD
PATIENCE DURING HUNGER
HUNGER OF THE PROPHET, AND HIS COMPANIONS
HUMILITY OF GOVERNORS
LEAVES OF THE HUBLAH AND SAMOR TREES
FAINT THROUGH HUNGER
ABSTINENCE
SHIELD OF THE PROPHET, praise and peace be upon him
BED OF THE PROPHET, praise and peace be upon him
GREED
SATISFACTION
PROVISIONS FOR THE DAY
TRUE PROSPERITY
BLESSINGS
PROVISIONS OF THE HOLY FAMILY
REWARD FOR HUNGER
BALANCED DIET
ABSTINENCE IS PART OF FAITH
PROVISION FROM ALLAH
MIRACULOUS FEEDING OF THE HUNGRY
HUNGER OF ABU HURAIRAH & THE MIRACULOUS CUP OF
MILK
THE MIRACULOUS FEAST DURING THE BATTLE OF THE
TRENCH
THE MIRACULOUS FEEDING OF EIGHTY PEOPLE
PROVISIONS OF THE HOLY FAMILY
REWARD FOR HUNGER
BALANCED DIET
12

13. ABSTINENCE IS PART OF FAITH
PROVISION FROM ALLAH
13