Why Did They Become Muslims

sheep without keeping a single head for himself. Many a hardhearted
unbeliever observed his generous acts of charity with
admiration and joined the Believers.
27– He was never heard to say, “No,” for something asked from
him. If he had what was asked of him, he would give it. And his
silence would signify that he did not have the thing needed.
28– Despite the divine offer wherein Allâhu ta’âlâ had
promised, “Ask of Me, and I shall give thee,” he would not ask for
worldly property. He never ate bread made from sifted wheatflour.
He always ate bread made from unsifted barley-flour. He
was never seen to eat till he was full. He would eat bread alone,
and sometimes with dates, with vinegar, with fruit, with soup, or by
dipping pieces of bread into olive-oil. He would eat chicken as well
as flesh of rabbit, camel, or antelope, fish, dried meat, and cheese.
He liked meat from the forelegs. He would hold the meat with his
hands and eat it by taking bites. It is permissible as well to use
knife (and fork). He would frequently have milk or eat dates.
Sometimes they would not cook anything or make any bread for
two or three months in his home, so he would eat only dates for
months. There were times when he ate nothing for two or three
days running. After he passed away, a Jew was found to be keeping
his coat of mail as a pawn for thirty kilograms of barley which the
blessed Prophet owed to him.
29– He was never heard to say that he did not like a certain
kind of food. He would eat what he liked, and he would only not
eat the food he did not like, yet he would say nothing.
30– He had one meal a day. Sometimes he had his daily meal in
the morning, and sometimes he ate in the evening. When he went
home, he would say, “Is there something to eat?” He would fast if
the answer was in the negative.
Instead of putting the food on something like a tablecloth, a
tray or a table, he would place it on the floor, get down to his
kneels, and eat without leaning against anything. He would say
the Basmala [1]
first and then start eating. He ate with his right
hand.
31– Sometimes he laid aside the amount of barley and dates
[1] To say the Basmala means to say the word ‘Bism-Illâh-ir-Rahmân-ir-
Rahîm’, which means, “In the name of Allah, who is Merciful and
Compassionate.”
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