2985 — “He forbade us to eat the food—or, in another narration, the gift—of the Bedouins.”

It was recorded by al-Hakim (4/128), Ahmad (6/133), and al-Bazzar (2/395), through several routes from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Harmalah al-Aslami, who said: I heard ‘Abd Allah ibn Dinar al-Aslami narrating from ‘Urwah, from ‘A’ishah, who said:

Umm Sunbulah gave the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, some milk as a gift. She came in to see me with it but did not find him, so I said to her, “The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, has forbidden us to eat the food of the Bedouins.” Then the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and Abu Bakr entered. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “O Umm Sunbulah, what is that with you?”

She replied, “Milk, O Messenger of Allah; I brought it to you as a gift.” He said, “Pour it out, Umm Sunbulah, and give Abu Bakr some.” Then he said, “Pour it out, Umm Sunbulah, and give ‘A’ishah some.” Then he said, “Pour it out, Umm Sunbulah.” She handed it to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and he drank. She said: I exclaimed, “How soothing it is! O Messenger of Allah, had you not forbidden the food of the Bedouins?”

He said, “O ‘A’ishah, they are not Bedouins. They are the people of our desert region, and we are the people of their settled town. When invited, they respond; thus, they are not Bedouins.”

The wording is that of al-Bazzar. Al-Hakim said: