(14) باب فِيمَنْ حَلَفَ عَلَى الطَّعَامِ لاَ يَأْكُلُهُ
Narrated 'Abd al-Rahman b. Abi Bakr:
Some guests visited us, and Abu Bakr was conversing with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) at night. He (Abu Bakr) said: I will not return to you until you are free from their entertainment and serving them food. So he brought them food, but they said: We shall not eat it until Abu Bakr comes (back). Abu Bakr then came and asked: What did your guest do? Are you free from their entertainment ? They said: No. I said: I brought them food, but they refused and said: We swear by Allah, we shall not take it until he comes. They said: He spoke the truth. He brought it to us, but we refused (to take it) until you come. He asked: What did prevent you ? He said: I swear by Allah, I shall not take food tonight. They said: And we also swear by Allah that we shall not take food until you take it. He said: I never saw an evil like the one tonight. He said: Bring your food near (you). He ('Abd al-Rahman) said: Their food was then brought near them. He said: In the name of Allah, and he took the food, and they also took it. I then informed him that the dawn had broken. So he went to th Prophet (ﷺ) and informed him of what he and they had done. He said: You are the most obedient and most trustful of them.
Reference: Sunan Abi Dawud 3270
In-book reference: Book 22, Hadith 29
English translation: Book 21, Hadith 3264