Sayyidah Naseekah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) narrates the following:

I was once at the home of Sayyidah ‘Aaishah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) when she slaughtered a goat. While I was still there, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) entered carrying a small stick in his blessed hand.

Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) placed the stick down and then entered the masjid where he performed two rakaats of salaah. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) thereafter returned and lay down on his bed, asking Sayyidah ‘Aaishah (radhiyallahu ‘anha), “Is there anything to eat?”

Sayyidah ‘Aaishah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) immediately brought a platter of barley bread, together with a little tripe and the shoulder of the goat. She placed the platter before Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and began to eat with him. As she began to bite from the tripe, she mentioned to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), “We slaughtered a goat today, and we did not keep anything besides this (i.e. we gave the entire goat in sadaqah besides the portion that we are eating).”

When Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) heard this, he replied, “No! You actually kept the entire goat besides this (i.e. whatever has been given in sadaqah has actually been ‘kept’ as a reward in the Hereafter).”

In another narration, it is mentioned that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) asked Sayyidah ‘Aaishah (radhiyallahu ‘anha), “Is there anything remaining from the goat that was slaughtered?” Sayyidah ‘Aaishah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) replied, “There is nothing remaining besides the shoulder.” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) replied, “The entire goat has remained, besides the shoulder (i.e. the reward for most of the goat, besides the shoulder, has remained in the Hereafter, as it was given in sadaqah).”

(Tabraani – Majma‘uz Zawaaid #8055 and Sunan Tirmizi #2470)

Lessons:

1. The hadeeth mentions that on certain occasions, three months would pass wherein the blessed household of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) did not have anything to eat besides dates and water! Despite undergoing such difficulty and hunger, when they did acquire some meat, they kept very little for themselves and gave the rest in sadaqah. The Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) were not consumed by the love of luxuries and wealth, but rather kept their focus on securing the rewards of the Hereafter.

2. The only resource that will remain with a person on his journey to the Hereafter will be the rewards of his good actions. Hence, we should invest our time, energy and wealth into securing the rewards of the Hereafter.

3. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) would always turn the attention of the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) towards the Hereafter. Hence, even in the hadeeth above, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) turned the attention of Sayyidah ‘Aaishah (radhiyallahu ‘anha) towards the reward of the sadaqah in the Hereafter. We should all try to turn our hearts to the eternal bounties of Jannah and strive accordingly.