Three Dates for the guest

Aishah, the Blessed Prophets wife, was a very hospitable person. She loved to entertain guests, and spend happy hours talking to them.

Once a woman came to visit Aishah, bringing her two daughters with her. Aishah received her, smiling and welcoming and very soon the two women were deep in conversation. However, Aishah was faced with a certain difficulty..

At that time, things were very hard in Madinah. Often the people went hungry, and in the Prophets house (pbuh), no fire was made for days and food was scarce, even dates were short in supply.

Aishah decided to search the house thoroughly in order to find something to offer her guest. The room in which she had welcomed her guest was so small that when Aishah stood up, her head almost touched the ceiling. It did not take Aishah very long to search it, and she quickly realized that she did not have much to offer. Eventually she managed to find three dates. Aishah gave them to her guest who looked at her gratefully.

The woman gave one date to each of her daughters. They were very hungry and had not eaten for several days. The mother kept one date for herself, but she did not eat it and held it in her hand as she talked to Aishah.

After the two little girls had gobbled up their dates, they began to eye the last one that was held in their mothers hand. Their mother saw them out of the corner of her eye and smiled. She divided the last date into two pieces and gave half to each of the girls.

Aishah was very moved by the great love and self-sacrifice shown by this mother, and as soon as the Blessed Prophet came home, she told him what had happened.

Indeed, the Prophet (pbuh) said. The woman has entered Paradise because of the love and kindness she showed to her little daughters. Allah will show her mercy because she showed mercy to them.

Source: “Glimpses From the Lives of the Sahaba and Tabi’een, ‘A’ishah, Mother of the Believers.” By Dr. M. Jilani. Taiba Publishers, 2003.