No. 3679

‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) liked sweets and honey, and whenever he finished the ‘Asr prayer, he would visit his wives and stay closely with them, one after another. He once visited Hafsah and remained with her for longer than usual. I inquired about it, and it was said to me: ‘A woman from her tribe gifted her a leather vessel containing honey, and she gave some of it to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) to drink.’ I said: "By Allah, we will play a trick on him." So I mentioned the story to Sawdah and said to her: "When he visits you, he will come near you, whereupon you should say to him: 'O Messenger of Allah, have you eaten Maghafīr (bad-smelling gum)?' He will say: 'No.' Then say to him: 'What about this smell then?' It was very hard on the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) that a bad smell would emit from him. He will say: 'Hafsah has given me a drink of honey.' Then say to him: 'Its bees must have sucked from ‘Urfut (a foul-smelling plant).' I too will tell him the same. And you, O Safiyyah, also say the same.’ When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) visited Sawdah, the following happened, as related by Sawdah, who said: 'By the One other than Whom there is no god, I was about to tell him what you had told me while he was still at the door, out of fear from you.’ But when the Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came near her, she said to him: ‘O Messenger of Allah, have you eaten Maghāfīr?’ He replied: ‘No.’ ‘I said: 'What about this smell then?' He said: 'Hafsah has given me a drink of honey.' I said: 'Its bees must have sucked ‘Urfut.'’ When he visited me, I told him the same, and when he visited Safiyyah, she too said the same. When he visited Hafsah again, she said to him: ‘O Messenger of Allah, shall I give you a drink of it (the honey)?’ He said: ‘I have no desire for it.’ Sawdah said: ‘Glory be to Allah! By Allah, we have deprived him of it.’ I said to her: ‘Keep quiet!’”